What would you like in the next gen Cybook (Gen4) - Page 3

tompe · 05-21-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krystian Galaj

You buy a new one, I think.

What i meant was how Bookeen unbrick it in the simplest way. Do they have to connect a serial terminal or is there any other way?

delphidb96 · 05-21-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

What i meant was how Bookeen unbrick it in the simplest way. Do they have to connect a serial terminal or is there any other way?

There *IS* a serial port on the Cybook. Look at the photo on this page. You've got to crack the case open and it's up next to the SD card slot. However, this voids the warranty!!! Obviously, not for the faint-hearted.

Derek

tompe · 05-21-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delphidb96

There *IS* a serial port on the Cybook. Look at the photo on this page. You've got to crack the case open and it's up next to
the SD card slot. However, this voids the warranty!!! Obviously, not for the faint-hearted.

Yes, i know there is a serial port. How would Bookeen be able to connect a terminal if there was no port? My question was if there was another procedure that was simpler and did not entail so much hardware work.

Concerning warranty it depends if it voids it exactly on how the laws are. If you open it up and do not break it the warranty still holds. The problem is more a problem of evidence if the company accuse you of having broken it. These laws are usually only valid for warranty given to consumers.

delphidb96 · 05-21-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

Yes, i know there is a serial port. How would Bookeen be able to connect a terminal if there was no port? My question was if there was another procedure that was simpler and did not entail so much hardware work.

Concerning warranty it depends if it voids it exactly on how the laws are. If you open it up and do not break it the warranty still holds. The problem is more a problem of evidence if the company accuse you of having broken it. These laws are usually only valid for warranty given to consumers.

And you "consume" your Cybook, yes??? The problem is that there's no proof, should you open it up, that *ANY* later problem *ISN'T* caused by your actions. Me, I have no problem with cracking the case if that's what it takes to fix a problem. And I'm past the minimum 90-day warranty, so it makes no difference whether I "self-repair" or not.

(No, I don't believe in "extended" warranties.

)

Derek

tompe · 05-21-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delphidb96

And you "consume" your Cybook, yes??? The problem is that there's no proof, should you open it up, that *ANY* later problem *ISN'T* caused by your actions. Me, I have no problem with cracking the case if that's what it takes to fix a problem. And I'm past the minimum 90-day warranty, so it makes no difference whether I "self-repair" or not.

In Sweden the rules are different if you sell to a company or if you sell to a private person (consumer). A shop tried to tell me that opening up a VCR to clean it (not covered by warranty) would void the warranty. I just told them they were wrong and i did not break it and I know how to clean a VCR. After that they fixed the video according to the warranty. Of course it is a question of evidence but shops try to fool people and say that the warranty is automatically void.

DragonM · 05-21-2008, 07:18 PM

I don't want Wifi support very much. I would much rather have a combination of two things: Bluetooth support and a wireless power recharging cradle, like my toothbrush has. That way I would never have to fiddle with the bottom connector at all. Set the reader in its cradle and it recharges. Set it anywhere near a computer with Bluetooth and files can be loaded onto it. If they really want to impress me, include a Bluetooth transceiver in the cradle and give the cradle a USB 2.0 cable. It can carry the power, as it does now, plus data for Bluetooth, and I never have to fiddle with plug covers, plugs, or dangling wires again. All I have to do is set my reader down and it's recharging and ready for data access, all at once.

A sophisticated usage of Bluetooth would include the ability to talk directly to a cellular phone. Modern cellphones can browse the internet; I'm sure they could be used to download (and purchase) e-books.

Faster refresh rates and 16 million colors would also be nice, but those require major research still.

DM

igorsk · 05-22-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

So there is nothing in ROM that can be used to botstrap things? So how do you unbrick it?

JTAG would be my guess.

momghoti · 05-22-2008, 12:25 PM

I think I'd vote for the Bluetooth. I'd also like to be able to read while charging, or at least be able to choose whether to charge or read while plugged in.
WIFI sounds useful for some situations...I have a friend who is on the road 50% of the time and she loves her Kindle, so she can get new books in the airport or wherever. For the most part, though, it sounds to me like one more thing to go wrong, or to get left behind when technology changes.
An easier way to do page changes--the remote sounds wonderful--would be great, and would help people with limited use of their hands use it. Some of my older relatives are interested in the cybook because you can change the font, basically making any book 'large print', but they can't use the nav button because of arthritis.
Other than that, I'd rather keep it a dedicated book--durable, easy navigation, lightweight, lots of storage. Putting a touch pad on it would be too complicated.
Someday

, I'd like the pull-open datapads like in Babylon 5.

DragonM · 05-22-2008, 02:48 PM

Tempered glass behind the display would be nice. As exceedingly expensive as the displays are, I don't imagine making them out of tempered glass would make them much more expensive, and they would be drastically more durable.

DM

momghoti · 05-22-2008, 05:27 PM

Can tempered glass be produced thin enough? That is another feature I'd like, too--maybe the flexible eink screens, even if the cybook is rigid, so they won't break as easily.

James Bryant · 05-23-2008, 04:15 PM

Before talking about Cybook4 there are two really valuable improvements needed to the Cybook3:-

[A] Proper page numbering for all formats - this is not impossible, it merely requires thought and, probably, compromises. An imperfect numbering system is far better than none.

[B] Instant (<5 seconds) boot, and immediate return to the the page you were on when you turned off, on power-up, as one of the "Preferences" options.

Useful, but less valuable are:-

[C] Display existing page number in the Goto Page screen.

[D] "Goto Page" function in the library.

[E] Support of .RB and .IMP files.

[F] Continuously visible, but updated once per minute to save power, display of time and battery state.

James

pcfe · 05-23-2008, 06:43 PM

My wishes (either Gen4 or even better just a software update to the Gen3)

by order of preference:

Respect the GPL (i.e. access to buildable source, this obviously exclud the proprietary mobipocket reader)
folder support for easier navigation
faster start time (+-25 seconds is too long)
slightly more space around the USB connector so that any cable will fit
nav button where the paint does not flake off after 3 days
ability to use the CyBook if it is plugged in to USB but the drives are not mounted
/dev/console on USB (yes that is feasible)
ability to remap the music button to the 'Lookup Mode' function
'Lookup Mode' as first entry in the menu
ability to remap the Vol+ and Vol- buttons to increase/decrease font size
a port cover that I can remove while the CyBook is in it's vinyl cover (or none at all)
self-generating table of content
working delete button
a commodity battery that I can buy anywhere (e.g. some Nokia smartphone +-1000mAh battery)

Do note though that I am overall happy with my Cybook. The screen is gorgeous and such a nice change from squinting at an LCD when outside,

And some comments on other things that are listed in this thread

as font size is changeable, page numbers are irrelevent, the progress bar works well and there is no such thing as being on page N when one can change the font size. And I'd rather not wait to have the CPU try to compute page numbers at each font size change
for connectivity I'd much rather have something low-power like bluetooth (and then OBEX support to shove files onto it) that is switchable (I'd keep it off most of the time) than a battery-hoover like WiFi. The only reason to use connectivity would be not to wear out the SD slot (at the moment I remove the card on average every 2 days to shuffle around books)

PCFE

Krystian Galaj · 05-23-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcfe

[*]Respect the GPL (i.e. access to buildable source, this obviously exclud the proprietary mobipocket reader)

Using only non-GPL software would also satisfy that requirement. I don't understand the Mobipocket remark - it doesn't violate the GPL, as far as I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcfe

[*]/dev/console on USB (yes that is feasible)

That would assume the system on Gen4 would be one of Unix family.

HarryT · 05-24-2008, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Bryant

[B] Instant (<5 seconds) boot, and immediate return to the the page you were on when you turned off, on power-up, as one of the "Preferences" options.

You can achieve this simply by disabling "auto power-off" and leaving your Gen3 switched on. The battery will last 4-5 days in this mode. I don't think you'll ever achieve <5sec startup time for a genuine "boot".

pcfe · 05-24-2008, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krystian Galaj

I don't understand the Mobipocket remark - it doesn't violate the GPL, as far as I know.

Yes, I just wanted to clarify that I am not interested in the mobipocket source, I just want the source of the GPL bits Bookeen uses.

05-22-2008, 12:25 PM	#38
momghoti Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 1000021 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hook, UK Device: Cybook Bookeen	I think I'd vote for the Bluetooth. I'd also like to be able to read while charging, or at least be able to choose whether to charge or read while plugged in. WIFI sounds useful for some situations...I have a friend who is on the road 50% of the time and she loves her Kindle, so she can get new books in the airport or wherever. For the most part, though, it sounds to me like one more thing to go wrong, or to get left behind when technology changes. An easier way to do page changes--the remote sounds wonderful--would be great, and would help people with limited use of their hands use it. Some of my older relatives are interested in the cybook because you can change the font, basically making any book 'large print', but they can't use the nav button because of arthritis. Other than that, I'd rather keep it a dedicated book--durable, easy navigation, lightweight, lots of storage. Putting a touch pad on it would be too complicated. Someday, I'd like the pull-open datapads like in Babylon 5.

05-23-2008, 04:15 PM	#41
James Bryant Ebook fanatic since 1962 Posts: 91 Karma: 3033 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: By the sea in Southern England Device: Cybook3/REB1100/Kolin/iRex iLiad/JetBook & JB Mini/Onyx C67, T68, Poke	What do you want in Cybook4? Before talking about Cybook4 there are two really valuable improvements needed to the Cybook3:- [A] Proper page numbering for all formats - this is not impossible, it merely requires thought and, probably, compromises. An imperfect numbering system is far better than none. [B] Instant (<5 seconds) boot, and immediate return to the the page you were on when you turned off, on power-up, as one of the "Preferences" options. Useful, but less valuable are:- [C] Display existing page number in the Goto Page screen. [D] "Goto Page" function in the library. [E] Support of .RB and .IMP files. [F] Continuously visible, but updated once per minute to save power, display of time and battery state. James

05-23-2008, 06:43 PM	#42
pcfe Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Cybook Gen3	My wishes (either Gen4 or even better just a software update to the Gen3) by order of preference: Respect the GPL (i.e. access to buildable source, this obviously exclud the proprietary mobipocket reader) folder support for easier navigation faster start time (+-25 seconds is too long) slightly more space around the USB connector so that any cable will fit nav button where the paint does not flake off after 3 days ability to use the CyBook if it is plugged in to USB but the drives are not mounted /dev/console on USB (yes that is feasible) ability to remap the music button to the 'Lookup Mode' function 'Lookup Mode' as first entry in the menu ability to remap the Vol+ and Vol- buttons to increase/decrease font size a port cover that I can remove while the CyBook is in it's vinyl cover (or none at all) self-generating table of content working delete button a commodity battery that I can buy anywhere (e.g. some Nokia smartphone +-1000mAh battery) Do note though that I am overall happy with my Cybook. The screen is gorgeous and such a nice change from squinting at an LCD when outside, And some comments on other things that are listed in this thread as font size is changeable, page numbers are irrelevent, the progress bar works well and there is no such thing as being on page N when one can change the font size. And I'd rather not wait to have the CPU try to compute page numbers at each font size change for connectivity I'd much rather have something low-power like bluetooth (and then OBEX support to shove files onto it) that is switchable (I'd keep it off most of the time) than a battery-hoover like WiFi. The only reason to use connectivity would be not to wear out the SD slot (at the moment I remove the card on average every 2 days to shuffle around books) PCFE

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05-21-2008, 07:18 PM	#36
DragonM Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Cybook Gen3	I don't want Wifi support very much. I would much rather have a combination of two things: Bluetooth support and a wireless power recharging cradle, like my toothbrush has. That way I would never have to fiddle with the bottom connector at all. Set the reader in its cradle and it recharges. Set it anywhere near a computer with Bluetooth and files can be loaded onto it. If they really want to impress me, include a Bluetooth transceiver in the cradle and give the cradle a USB 2.0 cable. It can carry the power, as it does now, plus data for Bluetooth, and I never have to fiddle with plug covers, plugs, or dangling wires again. All I have to do is set my reader down and it's recharging and ready for data access, all at once. A sophisticated usage of Bluetooth would include the ability to talk directly to a cellular phone. Modern cellphones can browse the internet; I'm sure they could be used to download (and purchase) e-books. Faster refresh rates and 16 million colors would also be nice, but those require major research still. DM

05-22-2008, 02:48 PM	#39
DragonM Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Cybook Gen3	Tempered glass behind the display would be nice. As exceedingly expensive as the displays are, I don't imagine making them out of tempered glass would make them much more expensive, and they would be drastically more durable. DM

05-22-2008, 05:27 PM	#40
momghoti Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 1000021 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hook, UK Device: Cybook Bookeen	Can tempered glass be produced thin enough? That is another feature I'd like, too--maybe the flexible eink screens, even if the cybook is rigid, so they won't break as easily.

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