Where's the firmware update for the Original Jetbook?

[Dennisvjames]

hey I'd like a larger screen too and have my eyes open. considering the value of the lcd and the changes that can be had by making it reflective vs. having a backlight -- it's possible that the e-ink screens will be a blip and new lower-cost lower-power higher-resolution lcd screens will take over...at least with folks in the know. I'd actually prefer that...

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by rickyoon.vegas

Unfortunately no.
It still views files as a txt file.

Hush, you'll hurt its little feelings. Besides, that's not true. It can do simulated italics, and 3 heading levels.

Kindly,
Jack Tingle

[Kralik]

...and inline images.

[rogue_ronin]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

Hush, you'll hurt its little feelings. Besides, that's not true. It can do simulated italics, and 3 heading levels.

Originally Posted by Kralik

...and inline images.

Whoa. Now we're living in the 20th century!

m a r

[Dennisvjames]

It's my understanding that it's ereader CRM (which is not bad if you want to buy DRM books), not the kind of drm that let's you read library books (Adobe DRM - this is the one I want)...

[Dr. Drib]

Unfortunately, hyperlinks are not implemented in any of the many formats available.

The fact that Ectaco's many files actually DO work (as opposed to much of the competition), is a persuasive argument to get the hyperlinks implemented - and SOON.

Also, (as a small side-note), it would be nice if .lit files were available, too. (Astak's Pocket Pro offers .lit but is - frankly - an embarrassment, in my opinion.)

Add the above, and the Ectaco (already a fine Reader), will be further enhanced.


Don

[GhostHawk]

Agree, would love to see .lit support.

It would make it the king of the formats if they could pull that off.

[Ken Maltby]

Adding the .lit format might be nice but this may be a time when a company like Ectaco
needs to be selective as to where it spends its limited product development resources.

This seems to be a time when technology has provided a large number of development opportunities. They have to try and guess the cost to benefit ratio for each of those
options they have to pursue. They have to decide whether being an also ran in the large
color bookreader market of the future, is the more viable course -or- if it's better to be
the leader in the pocket Translating Dictionary/eBook Reader market. Or if any other of
the many possible directions for their company makes the most sense.

With the ePub DRM already having been demonstrated to work on the hardware -and-
it being a format that a company (B&N) with whom they have already partnered, is using,
-and- it being a format in wide use by public libraries; I would expect that to be next on
their list. It has the most immediate "bang for the buck" of the development options on
hand at the moment, IMHO.

[Then they should get right to work adding GPS and multi-lingual/translating maps.]

Luck;
Ken

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Unfortunately, hyperlinks are not implemented in any of the many formats available.
...
Also, (as a small side-note), it would be nice if .lit files were available, too. (Astak's Pocket Pro offers .lit but is - frankly - an embarrassment, in my opinion.)

I agree on the hyperlinks.

WRT .lit: The MS Reader team seems to consist of autistic savants who can produce a wonderful product, and have no idea how to make it popular. It's sad, really. I doubt Ectaco wants to pay MS's reportedly very high licensing fees.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[Dennisvjames]

Originally Posted by Dennisvjames

Yo it's January 6th, are you so fixated on the Jetbook lites that you've forgotten about us...your original customers? Ectaco - where are you?

1/17/2010...still no Jetbook firmware update...multiple Jetbook Lite firmware updates...

...Ectaco...yoohoo! Over here!!!

[GhostHawk]

Me too Dennis!

I've been running the "unpublished, possibly unstable "H" Firmware".
Had a few issues the first week but since then its settled down and behaving.
However I'd really like to get upgraded a notch.

[DJHARKAVY]

Originally Posted by Dennisvjames

1/17/2010...still no Jetbook firmware update...multiple Jetbook Lite firmware updates...

...Ectaco...yoohoo! Over here!!!

I expect that they will have a jetBook update soon.

I suspect that there was a contractual obligation to get the eReader DRM up and running on the lite, given that fictionwise is selling the lite on that basis.

Now that it is running (although still not perfect) they can probably transfer the code to the jetBook regular.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by gr8npwrfl

I have compared the core of both units and they run the same linux kernel. So any firmware for one will work on both. I think you are correct Ken they are trying to solve the DRM problem for B&N. BUT, it will only take them a day or so to compile to work on the original jetbook. The only difference is the "lite: does not have the audio built in. The displays and the interface to the user are the same.

Because this is an embedded linux they modules or features are compiled into the system rather than "installed". That is why they do hardware checking to make sure you are not trying to put "lite" firmware on a original unit.

A day to compile?

Are they doing this on a Commodore 64? (Or a Timex Sinclair ZX-81?)

Both are from 1982. And I owned both in 1982.




Don

P.S.: If anyone makes a funny comment, I'm going to get out my Kaypro 2 running CP/M and bash you on the head with it.

[gr8npwrfl]

If they really persist I will get out my 100lb Imsai 8080 and drop it on their foot and make them pay the electric bill. I would even make them key in the binary paper tape loader software with the toggle switches on the front panel.

God we are getting dated aren't we ?

[heffe2001]

I emailed Pavel earlier about the regular Jetbook firmware, and they are trying to get the final version of the Lite firmware complete (bug fixes for .15 I'm guessing, no other information was given), then port the reader/drm changes over to the regular Jetbook firmware at the same time (that was his answer, soon as the 'final' Lite firmware was released, the final Jetbook firmware would follow the same day). Makes sense to me really, get the Lite firmware working with as few problems as you can, then back-port the reader files over to the Jetbook (which isn't JUST a Lite with audio like some have mentioned, you have to have the logic to control the battery charger too).

I'd say just have some patience, it's not like they are sitting around twiddling their thumbs doing nothing, doesn't make any sense to me to stop working on the Lite firmware, which is almost there as far as I can tell, to work on the older Jetbook firmware, when you can get the former completed, and port to the latter and have them both done at once...