Onyx N96\N96ML is here!

[increduloussus]

Originally Posted by stardest

increduloussus, I also bought my 96ML from the same seller, MICMI, but I haven't received mine yet. How's yours so far? Do you believe that it wasn't new? Are you keeping it?

To be clear, nothing about the 96ML appeared damaged. But the box had clearly been opened, and the warrantee tag had been filled out, with a date approximately one week before I received it. The address on that warrantee card was in a different state from the seller, so someone must have returned it to the seller.

I can't decide whether to keep it or not. When I asked if it was used the seller responded:

I'm sorry about that.

This's a return item. We mixed it.

You can return it and get full refund.

But if you wanna keep it, we can give you 15% discount.

Thanks

EDIT: I'm leaning towards keeping the N96 ML

[increduloussus]

Originally Posted by Jmirko

I was also surprised to find this function missing on the M96. The lack of a gyroscope (hardware) is understandable for cost reduction reasons. However, the lack of a software function to turn the screen manually is not. Fortunately, this being open Android, this is easy to fix. I use the free app "Set Orientation" by The Eyes-Free Project, available on the Play Store. This allows you to change the orientation manually, conveniently from the top bar of the screen.

Thank you Jmirko! Although that app in particular was unresponsive when I tried to run it, your post led me to find another app that worked--there are quite a few options on the play store. Actually, "Set Orientation" doesn't open at all--it presents a notification that says, "Disabled", with the option to tap "OK". Right now I'm trying out "Rotate Screen Orientation", and it works.

I'm also testing out multi-tasking apps, since there does not appear to be any simple way to switch between apps (someone please let me know if there is a way after all!). You have to tap the "Home" icon in the top left of the screen, then tap the "Application" icon, then scroll through your apps to locate the one you want. I thought multi-tasking and app-switching with hardware buttons was a core feature of Android. If so, they have disabled it far as I can tell. So far I have had luck with an app called "Side Apps Bar". It has alot of customization settings. Limiting animation settings helps. For the "Opening of the Bar" setting, I'm using the "Arrow" setting, rather than "Tab".

I think one of the biggest errors of the N96 ML (not the capacitive touch model) hardware is the lack of a five-way navigation key, like the one on the M96. If you loose your stylus and don't have a bluetooth mouse or trackpad, you are SOL for even the most basic functions, like going to the home screen, navigating menus, selecting/tapping an icon, etc. Someone correct me if I'm missing some hardware button key-combinations or something.

Aside from that, the light of the N96 ML is plenty bright. There don't appear to be any dark spots--its nice, even light, even though I wish they used a warmer LED. It looks too blue for my taste, but I'm finicky about that. You can turn the light on/off by long-pressing the hardware "back" button. To adjust brightness, you have to go to "home" again, unless the app you're using has a dimmer function. The dimmer has a broad range and the 10 levels of brightness make for fine adjustment.

I bought this bluetooth keyboard with trackpad. It works great, 95% of the time. A few times I experienced latency and missed keystrokes when typing at my full speed (I'm a moderate, not fast typer). The trackpad also has minor latency, and of course with the e-ink screen there is some delay. But overall the keyboard experience has been good, and its almost exactly the same dimensions of the tablet, super light, and fits in the same case.

With the screen in "Reverse Landscape" setting, and the tablet propped up, I can use the thing like a netbook in my case. Look for Kindle DX cases, since its very close to the same size. Many word processors don't work, but so far, Textmaker Mobile has been working well--and it links up with Dropbox (and other cloud services, like Evernote, Google drive, OneDrive, etc). This is the app where I experienced the missing keystrokes though. But I just tested it again, and it worked, so maybe that issue was caused by interference--I was in a public place with lots of network activity.

Gmail works fine, although with some display glitches. I'm always able to read & send emails, though sometimes I long-press the hardware "Menu" button to refresh the screen. My calendar syncs up fine with Google Calendar.

So overall, I'm able to work on Word files synced up with dropbox. But one remaining issue for me is annotating .pdf files. So far the experience is not so great. Not very high fidelity. I don't see the pressure sensitivity working all that well. Sometimes the calibration feels off--and I have tried recalibrating a number of times in the Settings menu. It is good enough that I think I will continue to try reading and annotating this way. Xodo syncs up annotations with dropbox, which is very helpful. The Onyx Neo Reader has a much more optimized reading interface. In particular, I appreciate the zoom and navigation functions, which are necessary for some scanned documents--especially where two pages have been scanned as one. However the Neo Reader doesn't sync up with any cloud service, and it doesn't seem to allow a simple way to make ongoing annotations over multiple sessions, since you can only "export", not "save". There may be a simple method to make this manageable, but I don't know it.

[stjoe]

Thanks increduloussus for sharing your experience

Would/have you tried to install onenote for android on n96?

I am eyeing to get one n96 for scribbling on onenote.

[Jmirko]

Originally Posted by increduloussus

I'm also testing out multi-tasking apps, since there does not appear to be any simple way to switch between apps (someone please let me know if there is a way after all!).

I agree this is an issue on the Onyx devices. I use MyHomeButton on the M96. It has a "Recent Apps Switcher" function which appears as an icon in the top bar. You tap the top bar, tap Recent Apps Switcher, and get a list of recent apps. Tap the app you want, and it opens. Still 3 taps, but faster than the manual method.

[Willy Tärk]

Hello increduloussus and thank you for your very interessting and helpful posting!

I want to use this device most of all in landscape-mode to read PDFs!

I have three questions:
1. When Nathan reviewed the m96 ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD-BVPUqP7k --> at minute 9:25 he says that he can't scroll down on a page with his device; so if he presses the page-forward-button it doesnt show the top-half of the page and show then the bottom-half of the page - instead it directly jumps to the next page! I cant express myself perfectly in english but if you watch the video at minute 9:25 you will see what I mean. He also changed at minute 8:16 the view for a short time to landscape-mode and it is the same behaviour... My question is, how the Onyx Boox n96 reacts...? If you open a PDF in landscape-mode (due to the Rotate Scree Orientation app) without changing the settings (I wouldnt like to change settings every time I open a PDF) and press then the forward-button... Does it also jump from one page to the next page and avoid to show what is in-between the pages or does it correctly jump from one part to another on the same page? If it only jumps from one page to the next page, if someone would like to see a pdf in landscape-mode, it would be pretty useless for me...

2. Do you think that a 9.7 Inch screen is as good as a 13.3 Inch screen for reading PDFs? Do you miss a bigger screen or is 9.7 Inch big enough? I am not sure if 9.7 Inch are as good as 13.3 Inch... In landscape mode 9.7 is as width as 13.3 Inch in portrait-mode, isnt it? So PDFs shouldnt make a problem...?

3. You bought the model with light and not with touchscreen, right? How useable is the device without touchscreen? Do you miss a touchscreen? I am not sure, if touchscreen or light is more important to me... Like the others I would prefer touchscreen and light, even instead of a stylus...!

Thank you if you can make the situation more clear!

[jra166]

Took a risk on MICMI, and purchased a "new" N96 Dual Touch. I'll be curious if the unit is actually new or used like the above poster. I will certainly report my findings once I receive the unit.

So why did I choose the Dual Touch N96?

In addition to reading books, I am also a screenwriter, and I will be using my e-reader to read film scripts. When it comes time to do my own re-writes, rather than fumble around with 99 pages of a printed script, an e-reader makes the most sense. I've attempted to use a second monitor, even a Microsoft Surface, but I spend most of my life in front of computer screens, tablets, and the like, I needed a different experience. I recently reverted back to printing and reading off paper when doing re-writes.

I wanted a 13.3 inch reader, but the two that are currently available are not yet perfect for my needs. I could not justify the PRICE for a non-perfect device. LOVE the physical buttons of the max, but I can not go backwards to a non finger touchscreen device, and the Good-e-reader device was SO very tempting but the lack of physical page turn buttons would have been missed. Also iMX7 is just around the corner. Couldn't justify $700.

When (and if) Boox releases the Max with Dual Touchscreen, hopefully with iMX7, this will be the perfect device for me.

In the mean time, the 9.7 inch will satisfy my script reading, book reading, and night time device needs. As someone who has always preferred hardback books to paperpacks, the size is perfect for books. Not quite perfect for scripts, but maybe soon...

[stardest]

Update: Ok I checked my package and everything was new and sealed. I'm currently updating the N96 using the update.zip I found on the ereader.de website.

But before I updated it I noticed that Ivona TTS was not on Google Play. Can anyone tell me how I can add Ivona? Do I have to root it or will this new update allow me to add Ivona? I dont like the Pico TTS. Can someone also recommend apps to put in the N96ML? So far I've added:

ES File Explorer
Cool Reader
FB Reader
Alreader
Pandora (I just wanted to test this)
Moonreader (I bought the Moonreader Pro but I dont know why on the Onyx it doesnt show I bought it in the past so I had to download the free version)

Hope someone can help me out!

------------
Just received USPS notification that my Onyx N96ML has been delivered to my home! Wish I can get out of the office early LOL. I also ordered from ebay seller micmi so I’ll let you guys know if my item is as it should be as well as my thoughts on it.

Regarding that, anyone else received there N96 or N96ML and have further thoughts on it?

[UncleZeno]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum but I've read a lot about the N96ML and at the end I decided to buy one. I am arranging the order with the shop in Netherlands and hope everything will go fine and smooth with them.

I decided to go for n96ml because I am really interested in using the pen features. I would like to take notes while reading like I do normally on paper books and prepare my conceptual maps on the reader instead that on papers.

I hope to receive the device soon and I will provide my impression about it

Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts that helped me to decide what device should be better for me

Bye,
UZ

[underscore]

Originally Posted by UncleZeno

Hi All,

I am new to the forum but I've read a lot about the N96ML and at the end I decided to buy one. I am arranging the order with the shop in Netherlands and hope everything will go fine and smooth with them.

they will sell more with an english version of the website...

[stardest]

Well here are my super first initial thoughts. Keep in mind that I haven’t read any books all throughout yet. All I’ve been doing was tinkering with it. I updated the software using the zip file in ereader.de’s website. Before I knew there was an update, I had setup the N96ML and was even installing a few googleplay apps. However, when I discovered that I couldn’t find Ivona TTS in Google Play I went to “about device” menu in hopes to update the software. There was none. But thanks to the website I discovered a post from Booxter saying that an update was available on the website so I did that.

I haven’t noticed any difference after update – but then again I barely started using the device. Ivona TTS still was not available in google play. I’m a little wary of rooting my device and the steps to do it as well as the downloads on a different thread confused me. So I didn’t want to do any of that until possibly Booxter can guide me and I’m confident. However I really want the Ivona TTS, specifically Amy voice. Pico TTS just really doesn’t do it for me. Ive had Ivona Amy in all of my Android devices. I was able to get Ivona TTS by going to the settings and checking the option of installing outside apps. Then I googled for the latest Ivona TTS and that’s it. (I initially made the mistake of getting a lower Ivona TTS and I got the error voice telling me to update Ivona)

In the meantime I also installed Alreader, ES File Explorer, Coolreader, Perfect Viewer A Comic Viewer, Moonreader Pro (which I bought legit from my other Android devices) MX Player Pro, Kindle, Pandora, Library.apk from Renate, Button Saviour, ADW launcher, Nova Launcher Pro, Advanced Task Killer.

Before I updated the software, my google purchases wasn’t showing – specifically Moonreader Pro. It was telling me I had to purchase even though I’ve already purchased it. After update, it finally registered. Button Savior – only the home button and clicking on it for a long time and recept apps will show, works. The back button (which I really want, does not work) Library.apk from Renate doesn’t show my books on my micro-sdcard only books from the device itself. There’s no way I’m transferring 4,000+ books on my device if it even fits. Amazon Kindle looks a bit weird on the device and it doesn’t seem to function good. Have to play withit a bit more. Pandora works. MX Player I just put in there because I want to test it out with the A2 feature and how it looks to play videos. I had it on my rooted Nook and I thought it was a blast watching subbed anime on it. Itd be interesting to watch a video on the beach especially as this has sound LOL. ADW Launcher and Nova Launcher Pro both work but I didn’t have time to play around with the theme colors and all that. Es File Explorer and Advanced Task Killer works too.

I’ll update my thoughts once I play with this device a little more over the weekend. However I have noticed that there is a delay and somehow if you keep clicking/going from one app to another it’ll start to get buggy and in my excitement I was clicking an app here, going home, then opening another app, etc. etc. This device has locked on me and acted funny a few times. I guess I was treating it like an Android Tablet. There’s no easy way to close apps so I’m assuming they were all running in the background. That’s why I installed Advanced Task Killer. The device library I felt took forever in scanning my micro-sd card. It looks like I had 4000+ books in there and I felt it took 10-15 mins for it to finish, well maybe 10 minutes I’ll have to time it. The light is good and uniform all throughout. Unfortunately there is no easy way to adjust the light once youre in a program. You’ll have to click home to go back to the settings and adjust the light brightness there. There are no page turn buttons. I haven’t used all the ebook readers but I noticed that the volume buttons work as a page turner for some apps while others did not. I opened a manga comic in Perfect Viewer and the volume button did not register as a page turner. You have to use the stylus. I tried to change in Preferences and that still didn’t work.

When you try to do things fast or scroll fast there’s ghosting and it will try to do a refresh which could be annoying. So sometimes I just put it on A2 mode when I navigate.. Also I can’t figure out how to make the font smaller for the device in general. For example when I use the device library/device windows explorer I feel there’s a lot of wasted space and I want to be able to see more of my files. But there is no way to make the font smaller to fit more files so I don’t have to keep going to the next page. That’s why I think I need to look into using a different launcher instead of the Onyx Launcher.

Another thing, you have to fling/swipe to the right to go to next page. It wont go to the next page if you swipe from the button going up.

For now, I’m still happy that I have this device and chose the one with the light. It was nice when I was testing it in my bed. Do I miss the touchscreen? Yes I do but I think I’m afraid I would scratch the screen or press too hard so I think the N96ML works better for me. I don’t intend to get rid of my Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight and without because its still nice to have a portable eink reader. I was given a free case by the seller and this makes the item a little heavy. If anyone can give me their recommendations for a launcher and settings that would be great.

PS: I also noticed that the light always come on again even though I specifically clicked that light will be turned off when it wakes up. So that's kind of annoying. I don't want battery drain.

[billsmith008]

Can this run apps like Toodledo or Evernote? I've never read any ereader post saying that these two apps could ran on it. Thanks!

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by underscore

they will sell more with an english version of the website...

I agree with that but I got in touch with them by email and talked english without issues.

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by stardest

Well here are my super first initial thoughts. Keep in mind that I haven’t read any books all throughout yet. All I’ve been doing was tinkering with it. <<..>>.

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.
I hope to do the same when I will receive mine.

[stardest]

Me again. I've been playing around the device - well basically reading a book here and there and adjusting the different ebook formats to open up only a specific app. Some changes to my review - I think the 10-15 minutes book scanning (4000+ ebooks) was only when I first put the micro-sd card inside. After that it doesn't take that long to scan anymore. I've learned not to open up too many apps otherwise it will crash. I've also been using Advanced Task Cleaner and Clean Master just in case. Sometimes an app hangs (lets say ES File Explorer or Cool Reader) and the page looks blank but when I click it with my pen then the file/page I want to see will appear.

I have my touch screen Android tablets, Ipad and of course my rooted Nook Simple Touch with & without Glowlight. So after reading half an ebook with the stylus how do I feel? Well it is a bit annoying and slightly tiresome to click page after page. And of course I'm paranoid that I will be wearing out the hardware buttons too much. So what I've discovered is the "auto scrolling" feature to read instead of using the stylus or the hardware buttons - which really isn't that bad! Coolreader, Alreader and Moonreader have the auto scrolling feature. I prefer Coolreader Auto Scrolling feauture best because it doesn't seem as "hurtful" to the eyes if you know what I mean. Alreader's versions looks too thick and black (but its better than nothing) and Moonreaders' has several choices but I'm so-so on all of them. So do I regret choosing the front light vs dual touch? Not really. I do a lot of reading at night so I'm ok with it. But I do wish and hope they will come up with the light AND dual touch then I'll be happy.

Let's see... what else... I'm not able to update FBreader. Google Play is giving me an error. So I will have to post help from Booxter in a bit. I'm not that happy about the PDF Readers for all my ebooks. I noticed in my Nook Simple Touch, the device PDF Reader was very good in reading the pdfs in regards to adjusting the font text size in regards to reading per page. For the Onyx device if I adjust the text it means the page will move around.

Im still not too happy with the Library feature when it shows my files. I want to be able to have 2/3 columns so I can see all my files instead of turning from page to page. At least there is a search option but still... I also wish there is a "back" button on the top header. Unfortunately button saviour "back button" feature doesn't work... I'm not able to install the button saviour non root version either.

I did install MX Player Pro and BS Player just to see how videos look for sh*ts and giggles. I used an MKV 720 file, anime and a movie. The sound works on the MX player and the video plays a bit but then sometimes it crashes. The videos fared a little better on the BS Player. And subtitles worked. I am surprised though but when I did this on my rooted Nook Simple Touch the videos played much better on the MX Player Pro. Overall in comparison, the Nook Simple Touch fared much better in doing several apps at the same time and the videos vs. the Onyx. It didn't crash a lot. (I know that video watching isn't what the Onyx was meant for just curious and comparing) I haven't tried the other simpler video files yet (avi, divx)

Well I think thats pretty much all my observations. I dont really do a lot of advanced things on the eink readers so these are the only things I have observed/noticed. Oh and the black edges/trims seem to catch my oily fingers and there are some finger smudges which I got to clean *_*

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by stardest

<<..>>
I'm not that happy about the PDF Readers for all my ebooks. I noticed in my Nook Simple Touch, the device PDF Reader was very good in reading the pdfs in regards to adjusting the font text size in regards to reading per page. For the Onyx device if I adjust the text it means the page will move around.

Hi Stardest,
regarding the pdf readers, as this is what I will use more, I have a question... have you tried to install some other reader like xodo?

UncleZ