New firmware 1.6/2.1!

[EowynCarter]

My V2 is working now and working fine. The 'new' features are only for the 'new' readers.

Meta data fix, and TOC will work for everyone.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Meta data fix, and TOC will work for everyone.

Exactly, see what I wrote in post #8 (I have a V1)

I've noticed:

- The downloaded file says build 1998 (for 2.1), but the installed firmware is actually 1198.

- I didn't notice the metadata fix, it might need deleting some existing auxiliary (.bin, .dat) files to work.

- The TOC shows all levels, but it's "flattened": you don't see what's inside what, but at least all elements are accessible.

- The page numbers are gone! They are still in the status bar, but not in the margin anymore. I'm not going to miss them, though.

- When the unit is turned off, a little "stand-by" symbol is shown in the top right corner, even though it's really off. This is another change for old devices.

[EowynCarter]

I didn't notice the metadata fix, it might need deleting some existing auxiliary (.bin, .dat) files to work.

Yes.

- The page numbers are gone! They are still in the status bar, but not in the margin anymore. I'm not going to miss them, though

I didn't noticed that. I set my margins so they won't be seen much. Cool I won't miss them either !

[elena]

Originally Posted by rheostaticsfan

This update offers nothing for Gen 3 (v2) users, right?

I've only done one firmware update in all that time and it didn't seem to change anything of note.

(The 512M version with the 200MHz processor released May 2008)

the only one seems to be a faster lookup on dictionaries (fw 1.6)

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Meta data fix, and TOC will work for everyone.

Only if you want to use ePub. And that is exactly what I don't want.

It is a horrible format (today) My wife has a BeBook that can read Mobi and ePub with the same firmware. And more often than not ePub looks totally different on her reader than on mine. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. And most of the time it can be corrected with Callibre, but why would I want to check every book and keep two different copies of them?

Today ePub doesn't seem to be compatible with itself. Until that is fixed I'm gonna touch it with a stick

We never have any problems with Mobi. All Mobi books look good on any reader here. Cybook, Bebook or PC

Up till now the most secure way of creating an ePub is: First create a LIT or Mobi version and than convert to ePub. That will almost certain give me a good book readable on any system. But why would I want to do the last step when I can read the Mobi in the first place?

[EowynCarter]

It is a horrible format (today) My wife has a BeBook that can read Mobi and ePub with the same firmware. And more often than not ePub looks totally different on her reader than on mine. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. And most of the time it can be corrected with Callibre, but why would I want to check every book and keep two different copies of them?

Blame the peaple how made the software, not the format...

All Mobi books look good on any reader here

I havn't seen mush mobi book that "looked good". Mobi is too basic.

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Blame the peaple how made the software, not the format...

I explicitly said that the format isn't good today And that i will reconsider that when we have good reading software.

And I don't care who is to blame, ePub often does not work correctly. I do have something else that does work, Mobi. The readers we have are something to read books on and not a hobby project to tweak and program in some geeky CSS language to get books to vaguely resemble each other on different readers, or worse get them readable in the first place.

Would you buy an electric car with a fuel cell because it is superior to an internal combustion engine? Yes it is superior (in theory) , but I won't buy that car because it can't be serviced in a normal garage and I cannot get my fuel in any standard place. That makes the superior solution unusable (today).

I havn't seen mush mobi book that "looked good". Mobi is too basic.

What more do you need than characters, fonts, italics and a toc? If you are not satisfied with that you can throw away about 90% of all paper books also.

And BTW ePub has more potential, but almost nobody is using this potential and if it is used you'll have a big change that it looks different on every reader. Even something simple as borders isn't handled on every reader in the same way.

Yes, ePub as potential,
No, it hasn't grown up yet. It was pushed to the market much to soon to get rid of Amazon. So now were are in the grip of a dozen bad Adobe versions.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by Ortep

So now were are in the grip of a dozen bad Adobe versions.

That's the main problem. We need competition, and Apple having created a new ePUB reader for the iPad is a good thing (in the long run, at least). Different implementations will diverge at first, but I hope they'll finally settle in the standard being properly supported everywhere.

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by Jellby

Different implementations will diverge at first, but I hope they'll finally settle in the standard being properly supported everywhere.

I totally agree. And to be honest, I don't care wich standard will emerge. As long as it is standard. I wil happily read my books in LIT format, or much simpler in HTML 3.2 of wait...I already do that, that is Mobi

[EowynCarter]

What more do you need than characters, fonts, italics and a toc? If you are not satisfied with that you can throw away about 90% of all paper books also.

Formating
Using more that one font on the same book...

Would you buy an electric car with a fuel cell because it is superior to an internal combustion engine? Yes it is superior (in theory) , but I won't buy that car because it can't be serviced in a normal garage and I cannot get my fuel in any standard place.

That's one of the problem with mobi curently, they are harder to find.

The readers we have are something to read books on and not a hobby project to tweak and program in some geeky CSS language to get books to vaguely resemble each other on different readers, or worse get them readable in the first place

True, we shouldn't have to mess. Still, ePub is easier to edit, that should mater to the publishers.
I feel like i'm reading books again since the switch to ePub.

[Jellby]

I've noticed something else in the 2.1 version:

- The font sizes are different. With 2.0 I was using the 2nd smallest font, after upgrading it is now the 4th font size, and the size shown in the menu matches better the actual size used in the text. If I choose the smallest font, it's really tiny now (but readable).

[ericch]

I like very much this new update (mulitlevel TOC, correct metadata reading, standby mode).
I notice also the possibility to calibrate the acceleratometer in advanced functions (but it is maybe not new (?)).
It looks like margins are no more cut in pdf documents ... but is it an improvement?

[EowynCarter]

It looks like margins are no more cut in pdf documents ... but is it an improvement?

Uuu, what ???
If so I made a mistake updating the gen3, really. Lucky I still have 2.0 around.
What is bookeen playing at ?
Indeed, i don't find the option anymore.

[becket]

Originally Posted by blak4dr

If not, updating it is easy

I just update the one I already have I like the quick start. Now I'm going to get a pdf libary book to see if they read any better.becky

[mitchman]

I'm cautiously optimistic about the upgrade. The extreme slowness opening some ePubs and the 10+ seconds page turn times seems to be fixed (although that improved with 2.0 by using the Georgia font).