Received pocketbooks 302 today. This is the review thread. - Page 2

tvpupsik · 06-14-2010, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

Sorry - that link gives a 404 error.

Weird, I can open it without problems. Please try copy/paste the path: http://www.pocketbook-usa.com/support/pocketbook-302/

kgn · 06-14-2010, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvpupsik

Weird, I can open it without problems. Please try copy/paste the path: http://www.pocketbook-usa.com/support/pocketbook-302/

Sorry - I was not clear. I can go to the download page ok (your link), but the download link on that webpage does not work.

tvpupsik · 06-15-2010, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

Sorry - that link gives a 404 error.

It is working now.

Also new firmware is available for download on http://pocketbook.reader-ebook.org/support/downloads/

brainycat · 06-15-2010, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

Transferring books to the internal memory with Calibre is painfully slow. It took 15+ minutes to transfer 700 books. I have only done it once - not game to have another go as life is just too short!

It seems like everything involving calibre gets slower and slower the more features Kovad dumps into it. I think the biggest part of the problem is the python layer; everything has to go through that interpreter. I copy my books directly from my hardrive to the device, after dumping them out of calibre and doing some post-processing to remove duplicates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

It is not as easy to hold as a Kindle, for example because of this. Also - it is a bit hard to charge the unit - you have to remove it a bit from the case to do this.

Conveniently, the PB302 is almost exactly the same size as a Kindle. I didn't like the cover either, so I got a kindlecover (there's about a bazillion different types of them out there), cut off the brackets that hook into the Kindle, and put some velcro on the back of the PB (NOT on the battery cover) and I am in stylish, horizontal flipping, all ports exposed bliss.

kgn · 06-15-2010, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brainycat

I copy my books directly from my hardrive to the device, after dumping them out of calibre and doing some post-processing to remove duplicates.

Yes - I am thinking I might do that myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brainycat

I didn't like the cover either, so I got a kindlecover (there's about a bazillion different types of them out there), cut off the brackets that hook into the Kindle, and put some velcro on the back of the PB (NOT on the battery cover) and I am in stylish, horizontal flipping, all ports exposed bliss.

Now that is a GOOD idea!!! I will do the same. I have had a look at a few on Ebay - it looks like the 4 corner tabs should fit the 302 fairly well? Do you really have to cut them off?

Thanks for the idea.

GeoffC · 06-15-2010, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

It is a shame it does not allow access to the charge port though...seems a strange over-sight.

I shall repeat what I said in my post, "the cover allows access to every port", and yes, including the charge port ..... (on my version). Seems I may have an updated version ?

kgn · 06-15-2010, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I shall repeat what I said in my post, "the cover allows access to every port", and yes, including the charge port ..... (on my version). Seems I may have an updated version ?

Certainly not in mine. It is quite a pain. I guess they want you to use the USB port for charging. Perhaps anyone buying one now should specify that they want the cover with the extra hole?

I am thinking about drilling a hole in the leather cover - it should not be that hard.

More an isssue for me at the moment are the side buttons. I had actually contacted Service - I thought the buttons were stuffed. No. The thing is the side buttons are fairly unusual - they pivot on the outside edge. ie when you press on them, you do not press the outside of the button as you would expect - you press the INSIDE of the button. Quite why they decided to do this is beyond me. But anyway - with the leather cover on it is hard to press these buttons as the cover is a very tight fit around the buttons. I have been experimenting - if I use my finger nail I can get the buttons to work ok. Dunno how that is going to work in the long run though.

The thing is, I was putting a bit of pressure on the outside of the buttons, as anybody would. Lucky I did not break any of the buttons! They really should mention this in the manual - if I was near the place I bought it, I would have taken the thing back. It is only after I took the cover off, and gave it a good look over that I realised how the buttons worked. It is a weird design.

The thing is, the cover is looking worse and worse. I am looking at what another poster in this forum did - he (she) got a cover meant for a Kindle 2. Seems a very good idea to me.

kacir · 06-15-2010, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

The thing is the side buttons are fairly unusual - they pivot on the outside edge. ie when you press on them, you do not press the outside of the button as you would expect - you press the INSIDE of the button.

Strange. When I was testing PB302 for a couple of days I haven't noticed that. The truth is, I was mainly playing with the touch screen ;-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

Quite why they decided to do this is beyond me.

Perhaps they listened to people complaining about Kindle 1 and how you can't pick the Kindle 1 up without pressing a button inadvertently.
I am pretty sure that with this button construction you can hold the device without accidentally pressing a button.

mtravellerh · 06-15-2010, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kacir

Strange. When I was testing PB302 for a couple of days I haven't noticed that. The truth is, I was mainly playing with the touch screen ;-)

Perhaps they listened to people complaining about Kindle 1 and how you can't pick the Kindle 1 up without pressing a button inadvertently.
I am pretty sure that with this button construction you can hold the device without accidentally pressing a button.

In fact, yes. That's the reason why the buttons are turned inward. That way is nearly impossible to accidentally push them.

kgn · 06-15-2010, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

In fact, yes. That's the reason why the buttons are turned inward. That way is nearly impossible to accidentally push them.

Ah yes - now it makes sense. But since it is so counter intuitive, you really should mention it in the manual.

Unfortunately it also makes them hard to press intentionally!

PocketGoods · 06-15-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brainycat

I didn't like the cover either, so I got a kindlecover (there's about a bazillion different types of them out there), cut off the brackets that hook into the Kindle, and put some velcro on the back of the PB (NOT on the battery cover) and I am in stylish, horizontal flipping, all ports exposed bliss.

Hi,

If you do not like the original cover of PB302 you may like ours

Especially for PB302 we developed premium cover made of first-class genuine leather.

In Germany it is a bestseller now...

http://www.pocketgoods.de/index.php?...ok-302&cat=c5&

brainycat · 06-15-2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

...it looks like the 4 corner tabs should fit the 302 fairly well? Do you really have to cut them off?

The m-edge cover I got has two brackets on the spine. I felt that the brackets posed too much of a scratch risk to the device and would interfere with the buttons. They are simple to remove; I crimped the bracket where it meets the anchor piece with a pair of sidecutters, then grabbed the bracket with widenose pliers and worked the brackets back and forth until they broke off.

I also cut off the elastic restraints on the outside corners.

The new cover on the .de site is a vast improvement over the cover that shipped with the device, IMHO, but I prefer the massive adhesion that I get from 10in^2 of industrial velcro and the smooth leather. That's just a personal preference.

kgn · 06-15-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketGoods

Hi,

If you do not like the original cover of PB302 you may like ours

Especially for PB302 we developed premium cover made of first-class genuine leather.

In Germany it is a bestseller now...

Hey - I would love one!! But with the exchange rate the way it is, and freight to Australia, it is a bit out of my price range.

PocketGoods · 06-16-2010, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgn

Hey - I would love one!! But with the exchange rate the way it is, and freight to Australia, it is a bit out of my price range.

Hi,

Currently you can order it directly from Germany only.
We ship to Australia too. Shipping - 16 EUR..

agravier · 06-16-2010, 10:42 AM

I've updated the review ( https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...04&postcount=2 ).
One of the issues for which I would like to get an answer is: how to get into column mode?
Secondly, I have a few PDFs which are actually made of scans, and they display as completely white in the reader, with both applications. It's a little more common than other PDF problems so I'd liek to know if there is a know solution to that?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PocketBooks in Canada?	somecanuck	PocketBook	11	04-13-2010 06:46 PM
Pocketbook 302 Review & Videos	Nate the great	General Discussions	5	03-24-2010 09:38 PM
SmartV7 Arrived Today - Review Underway	ColdSun	Alternative Devices	12	01-20-2010 03:07 PM
Accessories Received my Prodigy cover today	ratflinger	Amazon Kindle	29	04-23-2009 07:55 AM
Just received today, quite impressed with screen...	onerubberducky	Fictionwise eBookwise	6	03-27-2009 02:00 AM

06-16-2010, 10:42 AM	#30
agravier Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Pocketbook 360, if I can find one...	I've updated the review ( https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...04&postcount=2 ). One of the issues for which I would like to get an answer is: how to get into column mode? Secondly, I have a few PDFs which are actually made of scans, and they display as completely white in the reader, with both applications. It's a little more common than other PDF problems so I'd liek to know if there is a know solution to that?