Cybook Gen3: I have seen the 1.00 firmware!

[delphidb96]

And it HAS bookmarking, jump to page, the ability to add in other TrueType fonts as well as MP3 support!

Yes, Bookeen created a fully-functional bookmarking interface as well as a way to specify an exact page number for Goto Page! I'll be posting pictures today.

Derek

[NatCh]

Jolly good show, Bookeen!

[delphidb96]

Yep. You heard me. I take it all back! (Okay, I'm *NOT* taking back the whine I was going to make about the changed shipping dates. December is way far off an 'end of October' timeline.)

But I have *seen* the future and it is firmware release 1.00!!!

I'm now in the middle of a MASSIVE re-write of my review because so much that frustrated me, was missing or just didn't work the way I thought it should has been *FIXED*!!!

Yes, I can now play my MP3s - while reading an ebook! (I loathe dangly earbuds, so I'm going shopping for a set of earbuds with over-the-ear clips.) (Hint, hint, Bookeen... Make it so the user can return to the currently open ebook after starting the music instead of just allowing the user to go to the Library.)

Yes, I have tried out the Bookmarking function and it works great! Just bring up the contextual menu within the ebook and setting, removing, jumping to a bookmark is a single button-press choice!

And they've set it up so that a user can enter (under the Go To menu) a specific page number and jump straight to that page! If the user re-sizes the font or chooses a different font, the Go To Page option will show the *new* 'last page' number to ensure the user doesn't enter too large a number. And, yes, there is always a Go To First, Go To Last and Start Reading option on the main Go To menu.

I haven't tried the RSS functions, but the rest works as promised.

One thing they still haven't added is a nested folder (what Sony calls 'collections' and others deem 'hierarchy') display of titles to allow the user to only see selected titles at a time. (Yes, wading through 16 pages of 5-titles-per-page, 8 pages of 10-titles-per-page or the 25-icons-per-page grouping gets rather tiresome.)

But I can now state that I *like* my Cybook and would strongly recommend it for those who don't want to be tied to Sony's, Hanlin's or STAReBOOK's proprietary ebook formats - or have to shell out the big-bucks for an iRex iLiad.

But, dang, a total re-write of my review sucks!

Derek

[Robert1325]

WOW, great news ! Looking forward to this thing more and more!!!

Hope the Sound quality of the Bookeen is anything like my mp3 player... delphidb96, I'm a head-fi member ( headphone forum) and if you are looking for some earclip headphones, don't look at anyting other than koss ksc75... they are the king of budget headphones . if you want something with a normal headband, the sennheiser px100 are great as well. (have both)

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Robert1325

WOW, great news ! Looking forward to this thing more and more!!!

Hope the Sound quality of the Bookeen is anything like my mp3 player... delphidb96, I'm a head-fi member ( headphone forum) and if you are looking for some earclip headphones, don't look at anyting other than koss ksc75... they are the king of budget headphones . if you want something with a normal headband, the sennheiser px100 are great as well. (have both)

I'm . . . NOT . . . a 'head-fi' person. As long as it's in stereo and sounds decent, I'll go with it. (Yes, I'm one of *those* people, the kind who bellow along with the radio whilst in the shower - not necessarily on key.)

Derek

[Robert1325]

Ok, understood It's a dangerous forum

but the ksc75 are cheap and good.

[Barcey]

Wow, this is a real bonus. I was expecting them to just change the firmware version number to 1.0 and not actually modify the code. ;-)

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Robert1325

Ok, understood It's a dangerous forum

but the ksc75 are cheap and good.

*Grin*

[delphidb96]

And here they are.

I've included a shot of the basic page with a bookmark added, one of the bookmark menu, one of the Go To menu, one of the page number specifier for Go To Page, one of the new About screen, one of the main (Library level) menu, one of the Font Family menu, one of the main (1st level) menu within the ebook and one of the Advanced submenu.

Note that there is a Language setting on the Advanced menu. Right now that means the user can choose between French and English menu names. I would presume other languages will be added for localization.

Note also that the Library-level menu allows for the thumbnail images to show text (PRC, PDB, and so forth) indicating the file type.

Further, the Font Family shot demonstrates that I successfully (It's all drag-and-drop on the PC) added Berlinger Antiqua, Bookman Old Style and Frutiger Linotype fonts to my Cybook.

And the page specifier is a dream to use!

Derek

[wallcraft]

This is a great set of photos, but it prompted me to ask for at least one more.

One shortcoming of the Java MobiPocket Reader (e.g. on the iLiad) is that it does not allow customization of margins and line spacing. The Windows version does (see the attached image), although the "settings" pop-up is hard to find (tiny arrow next to ? button). I would actually prefer a line spacing less than "single", because more text per page means fewer page turns, but at least larger spacing is available for those who prefer that.

So, what does the Cybook MobiPocket Reader support? I see your first photo includes a "layout" option, which looks promising.

[cfc]

What are the choices for font size? It has always seemed to me that a big advantage to an ebook reader is the ability to increase the font size. Are there limited options like the Sony(small, medium, large), or can you specify the actual font size?

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

This is a great set of photos, but it prompted me to ask for at least one more.

One shortcoming of the Java MobiPocket Reader (e.g. on the iLiad) is that it does not allow customization of margins and line spacing. The Windows version does (see the attached image), although the "settings" pop-up is hard to find (tiny arrow next to ? button). I would actually prefer a line spacing less than "single", because more text per page means fewer page turns, but at least larger spacing is available for those who prefer that.

So, what does the Cybook MobiPocket Reader support? I see your first photo includes a "layout" option, which looks promising.

Layout has menu options for "Show Header" (shows the book title), "Show Pageometer" (shows the progress bar along the bottom), "Justify Text" and "Emboldened Text" (I don't like the Justified text or the bold text, but that's just my opinion.)

I've got to get a picture re-sized of it.

Derek

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by cfc

What are the choices for font size? It has always seemed to me that a big advantage to an ebook reader is the ability to increase the font size. Are there limited options like the Sony(small, medium, large), or can you specify the actual font size?

Well... You have a wide range of font sizes in the typical TrueType font. But that's not always clear, so I'm including an image of the menu.

Derek

[sein]

Thanks for all the photos. They really give a good idea of how versatile is the Cybook. What about the dictionary lookup function? Does it also work with non-mobipocket books? And how well does the screen's brightness and contrast compare to those of the Sony PS-500 and PS-505? Thanks again.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by sein

Thanks for all the photos. They really give a good idea of how versatile is the Cybook. What about the dictionary lookup function? Does it also work with non-mobipocket books? And how well does the screen's brightness and contrast compare to those of the Sony PS-500 and PS-505? Thanks again.

Haven't tried the lookup function lately - I don't really use it - but I'll re-install the dictionaries and try it out tomorrow.

As for screen brightness, brighter and crisper than a 500 but about the same (*I* couldn't tell the difference) as a 505.

Derek