Firmware Upgrade for Mentor Lite!!

[Robertb]

Dear All:

There was a firmware upgrade released on April 2, 2010. We did not want to post until we got exactly HOW to get the Firmware Upgrade onto your device!

Mentor Lite
How To do a Firmware Upgrade!!

1. Go to:www.astak.com/downloadcenter.asp
2. Download latest dated Firmware Upgrade (presently 04-02-2010)
3. After you download, save the file to an SD card.
4. Insert SD card into Mentor Lite SD card slot.
5. Use the USB cable to connect to your PC.
6. This is tricky so please listen carefully: press and hold BOTH the large ENTER Button on the front of the Mentor Lite and the THIRD (3rd) side button from the top… and HOLD for two seconds!! You must press both these buttons and the “reset” button and HOLD for 2-3 seconds.
7. AT THE SAME TIME as you press the front and side buttons , turn the device over and press the reset button with a paper clip. You have to press and hold all three at the same time and HOLD down for 2-3 seconds!!
8. Release the buttons and the Firmware Upgrade will commence.
9. It will tell you on the screen of the Mentor Lite that the Firmware Upgrade is completed when done!!

10. When done, unplug USB cable, remove SD card, and power "ON" the device!

[sbook]

These instructions don't work. The correct instructions can be found here:
http://www.coolreaders.com/downloads...structions.pdf
The key is to press the 2 keys first then add the reset button, then release the reset buttons while still holding the 2 keys, wait for flushing and then release the 2 keys (see the url above for exact instructions).

also I think you need to unrar the files! I had both packed and unpacked on the SD card, but it makes sense that it should be unpacked first (As per the URL above).

What a strange company, releases a firmware without instruction on how to update it neither no list of changes in the firmware why would one upgrade then?

[SensualPoet]

Is the Mentor Lite the same as the Mentor? I notice Best Buy in Canada (well, Toronto at least) is now selling this: EB-EB600BLK. Thanks!

[levpin]

Hi, I am new member and this is my first post. Bought Mentor 2 weeks ago and would like to share my thoughts. First of all I think it is great product and have to compliment Astak for doing good job. On the other hand I agree it is very strange company. It looks like they don't want you to buy their product!?
Information on their web site is not accurate and they even deny good stuff.
For example they say Mentor does NOT support MP3 but it DOES! May be it is not perfect (see my comments below) but no one's product is. At least you can say it is limited now but will be upgraded in the future instead of turning off potential user who wants this feature.
Another example - they say it does not support SDHC cards but it works fine with my 4GB card.
And they can't even agree on how to call it. RobertB always talks about Mentor Lite and for some reason ignores user questions - Is it the same as Mentor? - nowhere else I see Mentor Lite, all stores sell just Mentor. From what I can tell it is exactly the same! What is a point to hide this and
confuse potential buyers even more I can't understand but again - it is weird company.
Found two firmware upgrades on website (of course, no instructions how to apply them and what is new!), tried both. My book came with version 1.12.9, I could not find anything different in 1.12.10.
Icon version 2.2.1 is much more interesting although it is not completed yet.
Navigation is much better, easier to go to last book read, it shows date and time, current and total number of pages in the book. There is icon for dictionary, does not work yet. It also shows more characters in the book title, often even full title! Why it is so truncated in standard version even when there is plenty of space?
I'd like to offer some suggestions to make it better, hope someone from Astak will read.
1) Menu navigation - return button often exits the menu, it should go to previous level. Or at least it should be in user preferences - how he wants this button to work
2) There are two pages of menu when reading the book, why? It just makes navigation more difficult. I think the most useful function here is to switch to full screen mode and back (show or not status bar) and it is on second page.
3) Status bar shows date but not time, I prefer to see clock, not calendar when reading the book. Again, it should be in user preferences - what to show in status bar. And please show full title or at least don't truncate it so much!
4) Need to remember font size for each book on Reading History page
5) Search - this is one of functions that "don't exist" in Mentor. I see some improvement in Icon version but the main problem remains - there is no keyboard for foreign languages. I read mostly Russian books, what is a point to search for something if you can't enter it on search screen.
6) MP3 player - does not exist but works pretty well. One problem is non standard headphone port - 2.5mm instead of 3.5 but easily fixed with adapter. What I'd like to have - Pause and Continue where you left last time, very important for audio books.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by levpin

Hi, I am new member and this is my first post. Bought Mentor 2 weeks ago and would like to share my thoughts. First of all I think it is great product and have to compliment Astak for doing good job. On the other hand I agree it is very strange company. It looks like they don't want you to buy their product!?
Information on their web site is not accurate and they even deny good stuff.
For example they say Mentor does NOT support MP3 but it DOES! May be it is not perfect (see my comments below) but no one's product is. At least you can say it is limited now but will be upgraded in the future instead of turning off potential user who wants this feature.
Another example - they say it does not support SDHC cards but it works fine with my 4GB card.
And they can't even agree on how to call it. RobertB always talks about Mentor Lite and for some reason ignores user questions - Is it the same as Mentor? - nowhere else I see Mentor Lite, all stores sell just Mentor. From what I can tell it is exactly the same! What is a point to hide this and
confuse potential buyers even more I can't understand but again - it is weird company.
Found two firmware upgrades on website (of course, no instructions how to apply them and what is new!), tried both. My book came with version 1.12.9, I could not find anything different in 1.12.10.
Icon version 2.2.1 is much more interesting although it is not completed yet.
Navigation is much better, easier to go to last book read, it shows date and time, current and total number of pages in the book. There is icon for dictionary, does not work yet. It also shows more characters in the book title, often even full title! Why it is so truncated in standard version even when there is plenty of space?
I'd like to offer some suggestions to make it better, hope someone from Astak will read.
1) Menu navigation - return button often exits the menu, it should go to previous level. Or at least it should be in user preferences - how he wants this button to work
2) There are two pages of menu when reading the book, why? It just makes navigation more difficult. I think the most useful function here is to switch to full screen mode and back (show or not status bar) and it is on second page.
3) Status bar shows date but not time, I prefer to see clock, not calendar when reading the book. Again, it should be in user preferences - what to show in status bar. And please show full title or at least don't truncate it so much!
4) Need to remember font size for each book on Reading History page
5) Search - this is one of functions that "don't exist" in Mentor. I see some improvement in Icon version but the main problem remains - there is no keyboard for foreign languages. I read mostly Russian books, what is a point to search for something if you can't enter it on search screen.
6) MP3 player - does not exist but works pretty well. One problem is non standard headphone port - 2.5mm instead of 3.5 but easily fixed with adapter. What I'd like to have - Pause and Continue where you left last time, very important for audio books.

Dear Levpin:

I do not blame you for your impression. I work for Astak and we have not done a great job on the Mentor Lite.

Let me try to explain. Mentor is one of our lines. It is not the model. For example we have two lines: EZ Reader and Mentor. We have several models: EZ Reader Basic, Pocket PRO, PLUS. The FIRST model under Mentor is the "Mentor LITE".

When the factory sent us the original device it was pretty weak. It had a slow processor, limited SD card, and no MP3 and other problems. We decided to never release it as it did not meet our standards. BUT, some of the info was already put up on our websites (and was never changed). Then, after months of arguing with the factory they gave us one we loved with the faster processor and MP3 and SDHC card. However, they also told us a super-duper new Mentor would also be out soon that had Wi-Fi and Touchscreen. SO... we called the one we liked the Mentor "LITE" as we expected the Mentor "Electra" to follow soon. The Electra has yet to come out. There WILL be new models of the Mentor Line!

ALL Mentors on the market ARE Mentor LITE. Some retailers may simply call it Mentor... but all Mentors on the market are Mentor Lite. These have JUST started selling in Canada.

I agree!! I wish to hell ALL headphone jacks would be 3.5mm. The factory has been told but keeps using 2.5mm. The factory builds for a ton of companys and we are only one. Some day they will change to 3.5mm I am sure.

I am on here almost every day; but I was gone to the Festival of Books at UCLA all weekend. I DO care very much and do try to answer everyone!! Please give me another chance. I do this forum almost as a volunteer. This is NOT part of my job... but it is my love. My job does take me away from it.

I DID publish a thread a week ago on here on "How to do a Firmware Upgrade for Mentor Lite". Yes, agree, we need a separate FAQ sheet for the Mentor Lite.

Thank you for posting and I did read both compliments and criticism. We will get better!

[levpin]

Thanks for explanation Robert. Hope some confused users will see it.
I just wish you could put it on website.

[rling]

I have both the PocketPro and Mentor Lite.

In usage, I prefer the Mentor Lite, and feel it is the better product in every way - display, speed, menu etc. If only it had a keylock like the PocketPro, it would be perfect.

The box the Mentor Lite comes in also does not fully describe its features correctly, eg it states 4 levels of gray when it is clearly higher.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by rling

I have both the PocketPro and Mentor Lite.

In usage, I prefer the Mentor Lite, and feel it is the better product in every way - display, speed, menu etc. If only it had a keylock like the PocketPro, it would be perfect.

The box the Mentor Lite comes in also does not fully describe its features correctly, eg it states 4 levels of gray when it is clearly higher.

Dear rling:

I will check the box. God, if I do not watch everything something gets by. Thank you for the alert and I am very sorry for the mistake on the box.

Bob

[o0-0o]

Robertb
I am confused by the FW version number. There are two FWs on the Astak.com for download. One is v1.12.10 dated 04/02/2010, the other is icon v2.2.1 dated 02/09/2010. The icon one seems to have a higher version number but older date. Which one is the latest FW? What I am guessing is the v1.12.10 is an official, complete version whereas the icon v2.2.1 is a beta, incomplete version. Am I right?
Another question is when the dictionary support will be available? I am expecting this so much. Alternatively, can Astak just provide a way to install dictionary software on the Mentor and let the user know what format the dictionary data should be? The user may install dictionary data themselves. There are a lot of good free dictionaries out there, such as wordnet.

[jenifer.ezread]

Originally Posted by o0-0o

Robertb
I am confused by the FW version number. There are two FWs on the Astak.com for download. One is v1.12.10 dated 04/02/2010, the other is icon v2.2.1 dated 02/09/2010. The icon one seems to have a higher version number but older date. Which one is the latest FW? What I am guessing is the v1.12.10 is an official, complete version whereas the icon v2.2.1 is a beta, incomplete version. Am I right?
Another question is when the dictionary support will be available? I am expecting this so much. Alternatively, can Astak just provide a way to install dictionary software on the Mentor and let the user know what format the dictionary data should be? The user may install dictionary data themselves. There are a lot of good free dictionaries out there, such as wordnet.

I just spoke with our tech, and the newest version of the Firmware will always be listed under the latest date. Even if the version number suggests otherwise, which is indeed confusing.

There is no dictionary currently available that has the search-through text, otherwise known as an "enhanced ebook". When those become available, we will definitely make them available through our site for all of our readers.

[o0-0o]

the greenbook reader firmware can be installed on the Mentor Lite. It is almost identical to the Mentor's icon firmware. The differences that I found are:
This greenbook firmware seemed to support .doc files
This greenbook firmware has a English-Chinese dictionary. However it is almost useless since it is a separate program and there is no way to highlight a word in the document and show it's definition.