New Firmware for the Cybook Gen3 (1.1.708)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tompe

Much better with the old version. This is very annoying. I can choose between increased possibility for bad spacing or non-working dictionary for some words. Why remove a working and good behaviour instead of just making it an option.

I agree that the specific case you illustrated does look worse, but you wouldn't read at that font size, would you? At very large font sizes, full justification often looks bad because you have so few words, and so much white space, on a line. Best to switch to left justification in that situation. At a normal reading font size, the text looks perfectly OK.

I wonder why they changed it, though? It's presumably some "side effect" of adding hyphenation support, but it does seem a little odd.

Having now spent several hours with it, I'd give it a definite "thumbs up". In the overwhelming majority of circumstances, it's a definite improvement to the appearance of the text.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I agree that the specific case you illustrated does look worse, but you wouldn't read at that font size, would you? At very large font sizes, full justification often looks bad because you have so few words, and so much white space, on a line. Best to switch to left justification in that situation. At a normal reading font size, the text looks perfectly OK.

I have to test it. But even in my normal reading size the feature to not justify one line is used maybe once in every ten pages or maybe a bit more. I find it strange that the had made a very good design decision to not justify lines that looked bad and then they remove that feature.

[Loopy65]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Simple, really...
5. Turn *ON* the Cybook and, as soon as you see the rather dark first splash screen appear, mash and hold DOWN the Enter button.
6. When the screen disappears and another dark screen appears, you're in the firmware update process so you can RELEASE the Enter button.
7. Wait until the process is done. You'll know because you'll now be looking at the Library screen where all your ebooks are listed.
8. Remove this SD card and insert the one that holds all your ebooks.
9. You're done! Relax. Take a deep breath. Begin the enjoyment of reading!

Firmware is software, including the operating system, that is stored in ROM or FLASH memory. It doesn't disappear when the Cybook is turned off.

Derek

Sorry but I wasn't sure if this was the right place to post this or not! ..

I downloaded the update with no problem and carefully started to follow Derek's awesome checklist .. got to number 4 no problem but at number 5 it's just not working ..

I get the card in fine and switch on then push the 'enter' key but it just carries on and goes to the library .. I can't seem to catch it at the first black screen .. I've tried 5 times and am thinking I'll give up as I don't really 'need' the update but it's frustrating ..

Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this problem or if anyone has an idea for a workaround?

thanks

Loopy

[HarryT]

Loopy,

Just press in the centre button of the navigation control as soon as you see the initial splash screen, and keep it pressed in until the screen flashes white. It can take a while - 20s or so - for this to occur. It's important not to let the button go until the screen flashes.

You have the "update_kernel" file in the root of the SD card, yes?

You don't need to use a separate SD card for this from the one that you have your books on, by the way. Nothing on the card is affected by this.

[Pilgrym]

I updated from 1.0.674 to the new 1.1.708 and I find that page turns are a lot snappier, a very welcome improvement.

There are still the odd times where nothing happens when I press the button, no change there. Not a big deal, I just press again.

Can't say anything about power consumption yet.

Pilgrym

[Loopy65]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Loopy,

Just press in the centre button of the navigation control as soon as you see the initial splash screen, and keep it pressed in until the screen flashes white. It can take a while - 20s or so - for this to occur. It's important not to let the button go until the screen flashes.

You have the "update_kernel" file in the root of the SD card, yes?

You don't need to use a separate SD card for this from the one that you have your books on, by the way. Nothing on the card is affected by this.

Hi Harry
thanks for your reply .. I just tried one more time and still nothing .. I keep the enter key depressed the whole time and it just means that when it gets to the library screen it goes on thru to the last book I was reading ..

No biggie .. I'll keep the version I have for now I spose ..

thanks again

Loopy (Gill)

[HarryT]

I can only think, in that case, that you haven't got the firmware file in the correct place. You've unzipped it, and copied it to the root directory of the SD card?

[slayda]

I have a similar problem. Mine will "usually" stay on the splash screen as long as I hold the enter key down & I have tried for a full "timed" minute. I have even tried to reformat the SD card and reload the update with no luck. Even though it showed 100% charged, I did charge it over night but had no change. And yes, it is in the root of the SD card with nothing else on it. Interestingly enough, after such a try, the card shows the normal added folders, i.e. ebook, music, etc., that are automatically written on a newly inserted SD card.

I successfully installed the 685 update when it came out. Like loopy's, mine will sometimes just go on through the normal startup process & throw me into the first book.

My next step is to try a different SD card, since it may be that the card is not being recognized. If a different card doesn't solve this, I don't know what else to try. The enter button is definitely working. I'll post the results of using a different card tonight.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Loopy65

Sorry but I wasn't sure if this was the right place to post this or not! ..

I downloaded the update with no problem and carefully started to follow Derek's awesome checklist .. got to number 4 no problem but at number 5 it's just not working ..

I get the card in fine and switch on then push the 'enter' key but it just carries on and goes to the library .. I can't seem to catch it at the first black screen .. I've tried 5 times and am thinking I'll give up as I don't really 'need' the update but it's frustrating ..

Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this problem or if anyone has an idea for a workaround?

thanks

Loopy

Loopy,

Okay... First thing. Are you putting the update_kernel file (the one you extracted from the zipfile) into the root directory of the SD card or are you, by any chance, putting it into a folder on the SD card? If the latter, you'll get a failure to update every single time.

Next, try turning the Cybook on and off several times - without the SD card inserted! Each time, watch to see how long it takes for the *INITIAL* splash screen to settle down. It should take just a second or so to go from a 'blank' screen to the rather dark screen with the LARGE picture of the Cybook as well as the title "Cybook Gen3". As soon as this screen appears is when you press-and-hold the central button.

I've attached a jpeg of a line-art version of the front of the Cybook that shows the button I'm talking about. You need to press-and-hold that button until the Cybook leaves that screen. I've also shown the two typical splash screens you'll see on the Cybook during start-up. You want to press that button when the first one appears. If you wait until the second one, the lighter one with the small Cybook image, appears, you've waited too long.

Derek

[Loopy65]

Hi Harry and David .. thanks for your replies ..

Unfortunately the problem remains ,, like Slayda i had no problem loading up the other version .. I've tried a different SD card .. have tried holding the enter key before switching it on, after switching it on, during the first quick flash screen, the second one, then the one with the big cybook logo and with the white one and a small cybook .. thru them all and starting at various point .. all times to press seem to have been tried! lol .. it's not a big issue but would hate for it to happen when it is an important update!! .. should i try support at Bookeen or would you just leave it? ..

Not sure what to do ..

thanks all

Loopy (Gill)

[GeoffC]

One quick question, is the Cybook recognising the SD card ?

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Loopy65

Hi Harry and David .. thanks for your replies ..

Unfortunately the problem remains ,, like Slayda i had no problem loading up the other version .. I've tried a different SD card .. have tried holding the enter key before switching it on, after switching it on, during the first quick flash screen, the second one, then the one with the big cybook logo and with the white one and a small cybook .. thru them all and starting at various point .. all times to press seem to have been tried! lol .. it's not a big issue but would hate for it to happen when it is an important update!! .. should i try support at Bookeen or would you just leave it? ..

Not sure what to do ..

thanks all

Loopy (Gill)

Ummm... I'm pretty darned sure that either you've got the SD card oriented wrong (If you have the Cybook's screen facing you and you see the label on the SD card as you insert it, you're doing it wrong.) or there's something wrong with your SD card slot. I'm betting the latter, but it might be the former. BTW, you *are* inserting the SD card far enough that it "clicks" and locks into place, yes? You can tell this because you can't just pull the SD card out, you first have to push in until it "clicks" again and then it pops out enough for you to grab it.

If you've been inserting it oriented correctly and have it fully inserted and the update process isn't working then I'd suggest you ask Bookeen (support@bookeen.com) for an RMA and have it sent in for repair.

Derek

[Loopy65]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

One quick question, is the Cybook recognising the SD card ?

Hi Geoff

Yes, the SD is recognised just fine .. shows up with it's little SD logo at the bottom of the screen ..

thanks for the question

Loopy

[Loopy65]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Ummm... I'm pretty darned sure that either you've got the SD card oriented wrong (If you have the Cybook's screen facing you and you see the label on the SD card as you insert it, you're doing it wrong.) or there's something wrong with your SD card slot. I'm betting the latter, but it might be the former. BTW, you *are* inserting the SD card far enough that it "clicks" and locks into place, yes? You can tell this because you can't just pull the SD card out, you first have to push in until it "clicks" again and then it pops out enough for you to grab it.

If you've been inserting it oriented correctly and have it fully inserted and the update process isn't working then I'd suggest you ask Bookeen (support@bookeen.com) for an RMA and have it sent in for repair.

Derek

Hi Derek .. sorry I called you David in one of my other posts! ..

Thanks for the suggestions but I've tried them all now and still nothing .. I have only ever used the Cybook's internal storage so I even put a book onto an SD card to make sure it reads it ok and it's absolutely fine ..

I'll send an email off to Bookeen and see what they suggest .. I sooooo don't want to send it back to them (altho if that's what they want I know it'll be the 'grown-up' thing to do'!!! argggghh!!) ..

Thanks for all your help .. will keep you informed

Loopy (Gill)

[Loopy65]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I can only think, in that case, that you haven't got the firmware file in the correct place. You've unzipped it, and copied it to the root directory of the SD card?

Hi Harry

thanks for your reply ..

Yes it's on the root directory of the SD card .. just like the last update ..

ho hum .. waiting on Bookeen now ..

at least it's not 'urgent' .. just something that I'd like to get sorted ..

Thanks again

Loopy (Gill)