PRS-T1 [PIC] The benefits of rooting the PRS-T1

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Lanix

I guess the Sony dictionaries don't work with the Kinddle app? Can you still mark words easily and use the Kindle app dictionary?

Correct on both counts.
The Sony dicts are only for the Sony apps.
All other Android apps perform as they do on any other android tablet.
(With the expected LCD vs eink differences--don't expect action games to be useful. ).

[tayseidel]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

For anyone who may be interested and doesn't already know...

Morkl has been doing some excellent work enhancing the standard Sony reader app. This is still a work in progress but as of now these are the features:

• Fixed bold/italic bug when selecting different font from 'Original'
• Can customise your own set of 6 preferred fonts (replacing Amasis, Palatino etc). Can also redefine 'Original' if you want.
  Can also customise body margins, line spacing, justification.
  Note: it is still possible that the internal css of some epubs may override your custom settings
• Can customise the 8 font-sizes so there isn't such a big jump between each.
• Can set the number of pages between full page refresh.
• Can be installed on either rooted or non-rooted T1s. It replaces the original Sony app.

For anyone wanting to track the progress of Morkl's projects there are threads here and here

Thanks Jackie! I've since installed one of the norefresh mods that was posted in another thread. While the concept sounds nice, it's not very practical as far as readability goes. The text looks horrible, so I prefer the refresh on every page. It would be nice if no quality was lost while turning pages with the refresh turned off, or set to refresh every 5 pages. I suspect it will be better sometime down the road.

This weekend, I am going to flash the modified reader and home apps that Morki developed, just so that I have them even though I don't use them.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by tayseidel

This weekend, I am going to flash the modified reader and home apps that Morki developed, just so that I have them even though I don't use them.

Just a note of caution. Morkl's current releases were written when the latest Sony FW was v1.0.03.11140. If you've already installed v1.0.04.12210 then you may want to wait until his next releases. The decision is, of course, entirely yours, but at least make sure you read the posts from the last few days (from #143 onward) in the main thread.

[tayseidel]

That's why I decided to hold off on the firmware update. Until the picture becomes a bit more clear as to what the repercussions are for rooted users, I am waiting on the firmware update. So, no concerns here as far as flashing Morki's modified apps.

[spindlegirl]

It's taken me a month to think about this, but I think I am wanting to root my T1. It just looks too tempting.

I'm getting my husband to help me with it after he's finished his work.

[Lanix]

I rooted mine and almost instantly removed it. The Android interface you get is ugly and not what a really want or need. Then I read about eBookLauncher (aka sonyprst1home), which is exactly what I want (e.g. "currently reading" books).
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=155911
So I'll root again and try it.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Lanix

I rooted mine and almost instantly removed it. The Android interface you get is ugly and not what a really want or need. Then I read about eBookLauncher (aka sonyprst1home), which is exactly what I want (e.g. "currently reading" books).
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=155911
So I'll root again and try it.

I just installed that. Thanks for pointing that out!
I am enjoying the rooted t1 so far. I will be watching these threads for any bells and whistles i can add to it. But So far I like Cool Reader, and I put a few of my own truetype fonts on it too. (I love the Gentium Basic and stuff)

I'll browse to see if there are more I like.

[Lanix]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

I just installed that. Thanks for pointing that out!
I am enjoying the rooted t1 so far. I will be watching these threads for any bells and whistles i can add to it. But So far I like Cool Reader, and I put a few of my own truetype fonts on it too. (I love the Gentium Basic and stuff)

I'll browse to see if there are more I like.

Well, I haven't tried it yet but according to this it won't use metadata from calibre, e.g. series tag. I don't need multiple currently reading that much. Tags on the other hand I use a lot.
I thought eBookLauncher was based on all the functions the original Sony software had.

Having the Kindle app doesn't seem that important either. calibre seems to do a good work converting to epub.

[spindlegirl]

It's funny, I am the other way, I don't use very many tags except IN calibre (I still frequently use the calibre reader because I love that the down arrow can scroll down line by line - wish one of the readers on the sony - sony's own reader, fb, or cool, could do that).

Yes, I use some collections or tags, but more general in nature. "Fiction, Religious, Canadian...." etc.
It's funny because this was one of the reasons I bought the T1,

I had a Kobo Touch previously, and I used to whine on the feature wishlist thread, "Please put this and this and this in your next firmware, because I see that Sony users have that feature."

Months went by and I thought, heck, if I am wishing for the Kobo to be like the Sony, why don't I just darn well GET the Sony! haha.

I like having a selection of "currently reading" on the homescreen. with the touch of a finger I can get right back to the few I am using.

So at present I have the three "types" of readers installed on it, and don't know how or where if there are more out there to choose from. I'm kind of picky and want to try as much as is available.

[spindlegirl]

OK, if anything, this is even more amazing because I just installed the kindle reader on it. This is the FIRST THING it has worked on!

I can now read a *kindle* book on my t1 - there were a few freebies I had been trying to read forEVER, and hated reading it on the "Kindle Cloud" on my pc.

[tayseidel]

Congrats spindlegirl. Just remember the internal memory on which to install apps is quite small. If you find that the battery drains faster, just remove phone.apk and telephonyprovider.apk. (Removing them will result in a force close loop that doesn't end- but just shut the reader down and start it back up, and it will be fine.) This resulted in longer battery life for me.

You can safely remove several apps to free up space for apps. There are of course, alternative ways for creating space. You can look them up HERE:

I highly recommend flashing Morki's modified Homescreen and reader apps. You don't have to use the ADW launcher as the default home. Just an FYI

[tayseidel]

I use Zeam Launcher for my Android home, because it is lightweight. I would also suggest installing the norefresher v2 app HERE, specific post HERE in post #33 as it can be useful for certain apps that require extensive scrolling, such as setting options in an app like coolreader, or for web browsing. It isn't for reading as the text becomes jagged.

[samy2]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you are thinking of rooting based on he two photos in the first post, you are being cheated. FBReader is NOT wonderful overall at rendering ePub. It's not nearly as good as the ADE on the T1. The font shown in the pre-rooted T1 photo is the default ADE font. That doesn't really count for much. Amasis is a similar font to the on in the other photo.

I also think your are cheeted. The alternate Reader-Apps are quite fine, but the dictionary lookup, Wikipedia-Lookup, Google-Search, Annotation etc. is quite worse or even impossible on alternate Apps.

I'd love to have a progressbar, battery icon etc., but on an modifified version of the original app! Like PRS+ for my PRS 650...

[the_mitten]

I rooted my T1 following the wiki guide link in this thread. I installed the Kindle app so that I could sync my place in a book between my ipad and my T1. It was easy to do and so far is working perfectly. I read on the iPad and sync when I have finished, then activate wifi on the T1, sync in the kindle app and I'm at the last page I read on the iPad. Perfect!

[Rizla]

As others have said, showing pictures of before and after rooting but with different fonts is not a good test. Anyway I can use custom fonts just fine without rooting. I remain unconvinced a 3rd-party app renders better.

I wouldn't mind rooting, but not worth the bother just to have the time and % read. I think I can even customize the home page without rooting. But if I could organize books by folder instead of silly collections, that would be worth having.

Mind you, the fact that the dictionaries won't work kinda totally nullifies any benefits for me. Shame really. Rooting and Android seemed to have such potential.