Asus TF Reading App

TallMomof2 · 05-11-2011, 04:46 PM

Decided to start a new thread for this.

Asus added a ebook reading app to the Transformer. Can't remember if it was present OOTB but I ran the latest update and it's there now.

The reading app is on the homepage and is called My Library and the icon is a book on top of a sheet of paper (or a page torn from the book, hard to say.

I've only tried out ePub with NO DRM. There is an option to add your Adobe account but I haven't tried it yet. The app doesn't require a dedicated folder but found the files and automatically added them. It didn't add any of the mobi/azw from the Kindle app.

The app opens with a bookshelf view showing covers with titles underneath. You can sort by Name, Author, or Order. Touching menu gives you the options of Recent Read List, Switch to List View, Go to Bookstore, and Adobe DRM Setting. At the top of the screen if you touch Edit you can add a bookshelf. A long touch on a book cover gives the options Book Info and Delete Book.

The reading experience itself isn't too bad not very sophisticated. By far the best feature is reading in landscape mode. The ebook reads as a paper book with a two page view. In portrait, it's a single page. If you convert in Calibre be sure to pay attention to the base font size. Uncheck the disable font scaling box under "Look & Feel" and use a base font size of at least 4.0. I also used the wizard and with a base of 4.0 it generated great font sizes. If you don't do this you run the risk of having fonts too small to read on the TF.

A touch between the pages in landscape or in the middle of the page in portrait brings up options. The options across the top are Return to Bookshelf, Text to Speech, Bookmark, Search, Font Larger and Font Smaller. Across the bottom is a slider that allows you to jump forward and back in large increments. These options stay until you turn the page. The menu button brings up the Bookmark List.

Things that you can't do include, change the font, change the background color (no night setting), and links don't appear to work. There's no option to use the TOC.

Back in the bookshelf view you have an option to go to the bookstore. The bookstore is Txtr and the navigation in the app is primitive. Once you get to fiction, all fiction is listed no filtering at all. The books are listed in alphabetical order. No search function.

There's also an option for Newspapers and that takes you to PressDisplay. That works great. I've used it on smaller Android devices and on my Kindles but the 10" TF screen is the best, by far.

Asus needs to add some more features to the reading app but it's a nice start.

anabolina · 05-12-2011, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the review. I just need to remind myself that I don't need a new toy though... My brother just bought one of the really cheap 7 inch android tablets and it seems to perfect size for holding, I wonder if the 10 inch would be a bit big for hours of comfortable reading?

Zanshin · 05-12-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolina

My brother just bought one of the really cheap 7 inch android tablets and it seems to perfect size for holding, I wonder if the 10 inch would be a bit big for hours of comfortable reading?

I think your biggest problem will be the LCD screen. Can you stare at your computer screen for hours without problems?

TallMomof2 · 05-12-2011, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolina

Thanks for the review. I just need to remind myself that I don't need a new toy though... My brother just bought one of the really cheap 7 inch android tablets and it seems to perfect size for holding, I wonder if the 10 inch would be a bit big for hours of comfortable reading?

The 10" size is comfortable to hold because the tablet is very thin and pretty light. Plus the back edges are tapered so that the edges are very thin. The back is also textured which makes gripping it easier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I think your biggest problem will be the LCD screen. Can you stare at your computer screen for hours without problems?

Depends upon the LCD screen. I'm highly sensitive to glare but I find that the screen on the TF to be superior even to the iPad. I've owned several other Android tabs and the IPS screen on the TF is much better. When reading I use the Sepia background for daylight reading (need deep shade or indoors out of the direct sun. At night I use the black background where available.

I still love the eink reader *but* I really have take to the all in one device.

05-11-2011, 04:46 PM	#1
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Asus TF Reading App Decided to start a new thread for this. Asus added a ebook reading app to the Transformer. Can't remember if it was present OOTB but I ran the latest update and it's there now. The reading app is on the homepage and is called My Library and the icon is a book on top of a sheet of paper (or a page torn from the book, hard to say. I've only tried out ePub with NO DRM. There is an option to add your Adobe account but I haven't tried it yet. The app doesn't require a dedicated folder but found the files and automatically added them. It didn't add any of the mobi/azw from the Kindle app. The app opens with a bookshelf view showing covers with titles underneath. You can sort by Name, Author, or Order. Touching menu gives you the options of Recent Read List, Switch to List View, Go to Bookstore, and Adobe DRM Setting. At the top of the screen if you touch Edit you can add a bookshelf. A long touch on a book cover gives the options Book Info and Delete Book. The reading experience itself isn't too bad not very sophisticated. By far the best feature is reading in landscape mode. The ebook reads as a paper book with a two page view. In portrait, it's a single page. If you convert in Calibre be sure to pay attention to the base font size. Uncheck the disable font scaling box under "Look & Feel" and use a base font size of at least 4.0. I also used the wizard and with a base of 4.0 it generated great font sizes. If you don't do this you run the risk of having fonts too small to read on the TF. A touch between the pages in landscape or in the middle of the page in portrait brings up options. The options across the top are Return to Bookshelf, Text to Speech, Bookmark, Search, Font Larger and Font Smaller. Across the bottom is a slider that allows you to jump forward and back in large increments. These options stay until you turn the page. The menu button brings up the Bookmark List. Things that you can't do include, change the font, change the background color (no night setting), and links don't appear to work. There's no option to use the TOC. Back in the bookshelf view you have an option to go to the bookstore. The bookstore is Txtr and the navigation in the app is primitive. Once you get to fiction, all fiction is listed no filtering at all. The books are listed in alphabetical order. No search function. There's also an option for Newspapers and that takes you to PressDisplay. That works great. I've used it on smaller Android devices and on my Kindles but the 10" TF screen is the best, by far. Asus needs to add some more features to the reading app but it's a nice start.

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05-12-2011, 11:29 AM	#2
anabolina Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 429002 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Great State of Texas Device: Current: tablet, kindle paperwhite, onyx boox t68. Past: Sony, nook	Thanks for the review. I just need to remind myself that I don't need a new toy though... My brother just bought one of the really cheap 7 inch android tablets and it seems to perfect size for holding, I wonder if the 10 inch would be a bit big for hours of comfortable reading?