Color jetBook Color Hand-On Review

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by por

I think LuBiB is an Ectaco undercover agent and there is no new firmware yet

HAHAHAHAA yes. They send me Ectaco black/white suits (why not color to match my jetbook - i dont know) and matching sunglasses - nothing could ever top that job

BTW, here's the e-mail with the link they sent me; now i've tried accessing it as im posting now but it doesnt take me to the download anymore it just takes me to the Downloads Page on jetbook.net, let me know if anyone else can access:

P.S - I'll also be posting the scribble pics for Andy in the next post

They added a few things that weren't on their blog too:


Hi!

The time has come and we know you are all excited about it - here is the March 1st update and what it entails.

Enjoy, and below some of the cool new features:

New Localizations and Language Menus:

Russian
Ukrainian
German
Japanese
English
Spanish
Portuguese

Other Features and Functions:

+ Workbook Scribbling, underlining and freehand writing on PDF and DJVU files
+ Objects of art and Music notes moved to user accessible area
+ DJVU support in reader
+ CPen support
+ Reader: double click on top and bottom arrows to jump pages
+ TTS (Text to Speech) function activated
+ Crossword ESC fix
+ Reflow mode in Reader for PDFs
+ HW keys for Language Teacher microphone (long press activates recording)
+ LEFE and Let’s Talk American books into Classwork and Homework section (Russian JBC only)
+ Other minor bug fixes
+ Single click with stylus to open books and menu options

Click here to download the latest update for your jetBook Color.

*IMPORTANT NOTE* - Make sure to backup all your books to your computer as they may be deleted when the update is initiated. You will then be able to reload them to the device after.

[paperwastage]

^ nope, link not working for me...

guess they only limit you downloading from a specific time or num of tries

[LuBiB]

OK, so here is the scribbling feature from the new update. I'll list the steps on how to access it below with the pictures. The update says it also works with DJVU files but since i have none I've used one of my old Excel homeworks and converted it to PDF. Here's what I got below:

The Excel File converted to PDF (it's old, i know lol):



The new menu after pressing the 'Menu' key. The 3 new features added that work are Speak (reads the text to you), Stylus Mode (Scribbling, highlighting and erasing - i'll post the pics below) and Reflow (FINALLY!):



Accessing the Stylus mode:



My 'le drawings' on the PDF:




You can write anywhere on the file as quickly as you want and it will recognize it (if you draw too fast it will take about a half second to catch up - good thing is that it does catch up lol)

After you lift the stylus away from the screen for about 4 seconds there will be a small "Saving" icon in the middle of the screen that saves the text - lasts about 2 seconds then disappears.

You can then access the drawn on file anytime. It will save it on the device so even if you open other documents it will still keep the scribbling on wherever you've scribbled.

I'll post more about the features when I actually get a chance to play around with them more

They do look interesting and this drawing feature was what I (and most likely @PF4Mobile ) was looking for

***and a quick note - touching the screen once to go into files finally works lol

[paperwastage]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

They do look interesting and this drawing feature was what I (and most likely @PF4Mobile ) was looking for

***and a quick note - touching the screen once to go into files finally works lol

is the scribbling saved ONTO the pdf (i.e. if i offload the pdf back to my computer, a valid PDF reader will render the scribblings too? or it is saved on another file, which means finding a compatible PDF reader on the PC is difficult)

but I agree.... scribbling is a huge plus, esp since it has an accurate touch mechanism (vs an infrared touch approach)

[PF4Mobile]

I was also looking for highlighting, underlining et comp.
Please post a PDF with all these in one or two pages
I would like to see if they are available on the desktop and what can be done with them
does the highlighted text get copied as a comment as well?

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by paperwastage

is the scribbling saved ONTO the pdf (i.e. if i offload the pdf back to my computer, a valid PDF reader will render the scribblings too? or it is saved on another file, which means finding a compatible PDF reader on the PC is difficult)

but I agree.... scribbling is a huge plus, esp since it has an accurate touch mechanism (vs an infrared touch approach)

Good question. Haven't tried loading it back to my comp yet but will def see if that's possible.

[Komandor]

So if somehow I sell my Jetbook Color now, the person who buys it will not even be able to download upgrade, since I will receive my "personal" download link. That's right, let's make things complicated! Way to go, Ectaco...

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by PF4Mobile

I was also looking for highlighting, underlining et comp.
Please post a PDF with all these in one or two pages
I would like to see if they are available on the desktop and what can be done with them
does the highlighted text get copied as a comment as well?

AND here's another finding, you can highlight and draw in PDF's simultaneously.

The highlighting is still used as a "Mark for Summary" but to make it stick i suggest just underlining what you want to focus on:

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by Komandor

So if somehow I sell my Jetbook Color now, the person who buys it will not even be able to download upgrade, since I will receive my "personal" download link. That's right, let's make things complicated! Way to go, Ectaco...

That's too tedious - no one would ever customize links for people unless it's a personal message.

I'm sure the site or download link is down or something along those lines. That, to me, seems like a more likely situation.

[Komandor]

Here is you link man:

http://www.jetbook.net/jetbookcolor/update/user122782

[LeftyRight]

LuBiB

Can you test the language feature for me mate.

The one where it translates from Russian into English and vice versa.

With the new languages added does it now have German to English and vice versa ?

cheers

LeftyRight

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Komandor

Here is you link man:

http://www.jetbook.net/jetbookcolor/update/user122782

If you check the link below
http://jetbook.net/update you will see that all users can upgrade
their jetbook, jetbook lite and jetbook mini ereaders even if you purchased it on ebay. I think they will do the same for jetBook Color.

[Komandor]

Originally Posted by Kris777

If you check the link below
http://jetbook.net/update you will see that all users can upgrade
their jetbook, jetbook lite and jetbook mini ereaders even if you purchased it on ebay. I think they will do the same for jetBook Color.

Eventually. Hopefully. But like I said my buyer won't get it until that time (who knows when...) or have to call Ectaco. Very customer friendly...

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

They do look interesting and this drawing feature was what I (and most likely @PF4Mobile ) was looking for

***and a quick note - touching the screen once to go into files finally works lol

LuBiB, according to this video you are note alone who received a new jetBook Color version with drawing feature

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by paperwastage

is the scribbling saved ONTO the pdf (i.e. if i offload the pdf back to my computer, a valid PDF reader will render the scribblings too? or it is saved on another file, which means finding a compatible PDF reader on the PC is difficult)

but I agree.... scribbling is a huge plus, esp since it has an accurate touch mechanism (vs an infrared touch approach)

I presume annotations are being written onto an annotation layer, not included on PDF's. I've seen some companies using similar techniques, because the reader is a reader, and need a special license to edit pdf's.

So in my opinion it'll be a reader of PDF's storing bookmarks and annotations in a separate file.