Homer Audio Player for Seniors
Use the special "lockdown mode" to turn an Android tablet into a dedicated, single-purpose audiobook and podcast device.
Designed for:
- Elderly who want simple, independent listening
- Visually impaired users who benefit from large controls and spoken titles
- Non-tech-savvy users who find standard apps overwhelming
- People with cognitive challenges who need basic functionality
Easy to use:
- Large, easy-to-tap buttons
- Simple navigation with swipe left/right
- Flat content structure (no deep nested folders)
- No ads, no pop-ups, no distracting clutter
- Optional title read-aloud for accessibility
- Flip-to-stop: place device screen-down to pause playback
Lockdown mode:
- only playback functionality
- blocks exiting the app
- hides settings
- no access to other apps, notifications nor settings
Audiobooks:
- Play DRM-free audiobooks from device storage
- Resume position saved separately for each book
Podcasts:
- Automatically updates to show the latest 1-5 episodes
- Downloads full episodes for reliable offline playback
Caregiver-managed setup (secondary role):
- A caregiver configures content and settings in advance
- Optional lockdown mode hides all apps and functionality except the player
- Device is prepared once, then used independently by the listener
Additional features:
- High-contrast light and dark themes
- Customizable controls: volume, chapter skip, forward, rewind
- Adjustable playback speed
- Sleep timer with shake-to-continue
How it works:
1. Install Homer on an Android 7+ phone or tablet.
2. Add audiobooks/podcasts and adjust the interface as needed.
3. Optionally lock or hide settings.
4. Hand the device to the listener for simple, independent daily use.
Homer makes audiobook and podcast listening accessible for people who cannot comfortably use standard smartphone apps.
- Author: Marcin Simonides
- License: MIT License
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Versions
Although APK downloads are available below to give you the choice, you should be aware that by installing that way you will not receive update notifications and it's a less secure way to download. We recommend that you install the F-Droid client and use that.
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arm64-v8aarmeabi-v7ax86x86_64This version requires Android 6.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Download APK 4.3 MiB PGP Signature | Build Log
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arm64-v8aarmeabi-v7ax86x86_64This version requires Android 6.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Download APK 4.3 MiB PGP Signature | Build Log
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arm64-v8aarmeabi-v7ax86x86_64This version requires Android 6.0 or newer.
It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Download APK 4.3 MiB PGP Signature | Build Log
Fixed dark/light theme occasionally being incorrect