[Archived] Marvin ePub reader for iPad

[Philantrop]

Please keep it, Kris, it's nice and subtle enough not to be distracting.

[GRiker]

Originally Posted by kguil

I added it because it "reveals more of the cover" and think it's quite "interesting". If the vast majority hate it, I'll add a switch to turn it off.

It adds character. I like it. +1 for keeping it.

G

[Faterson]

Originally Posted by kguil

If the vast majority hate it, I'll add a switch to turn it off.

There's only been a minority of one user so far. Keep.

[kguil]

Update is out. Fixes delete collection bug and some other annoyances. Change log: http://marvinapp.com/whatsnew.html

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by Philantrop

That simply means you shouldn't share the link to your ebooks with others as that would potentially lead to ebook piracy.

I get that part - the only people I'd "share" it with are family members that already on our accounts anyway. I just don't know what index.hml is, I got curious and when I googled it, it was too deep for my superficial knowledge. And at least one of the posts from "the calibre2Opds team" on the blog about Dropbox accounts being canceled mentioned that he thought that his account was canceled because his html catalog had been referenced in public lists. So I guess my question was basically as long as you don't go broadcasting about it, and possibly publishing links, etc, you'll be okay?

Still not sure I care about going to the trouble when I'm fine with what I've got, though. So it's a moot point for me, but might be helpful for others that have my low knowledge level.

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by Rachel

These instructions written by Jane Litte on DearAuthor explain about creating a Dropbox library and then an OPDS catalog in nice simple steps - you will see from them what the index.xml file is. Personally I find this a brilliant way to access my books when I am away from home. Nobody else knows the url except me.

http://romance-around-the-corner.blogspot.co.uk/

Yep - I posted that Dear Author link earlier in this thread. I saw it a while back, and it's what prompted me to put my Calibre library in Dropbox. But somewhere in looking through the directions I decided it looked like creating the OPDS catalog was more trouble than I wanted to go to since I can always get to my books through Dropbox anyway, just not quite as elegantly.

[kyteflyer]

A switch to turn it off would be appreciated, Kris. I'm not asking for it to be removed.

[kguil]

Kyteflyer - noted (I'll add it to the next service release).

[rfog]

I've experienced one crash trying to "read" a Spanish book. Second try didn't crashed and showed it was only available for English books. :-(

Kgul, it seems you can read language from ePub file, because you are able to right hyphenate (more or less).

Currently I have a Spanish book that hyphens wrong. It is a Amazon purchased one and DRM stripped (completely legal in Spain). I can take screenshots of it if you want, but perhaps this could be better: http://www.4shared.com/android/8JaH1MnF

It's a legal download (it is a CoolReader 3 port to be run in andorid ebook reader (like Nook). It contains a hyphenation file (PDB or pattern) called "solsticio<blahblahblah>". It contains true Spanish hyphenation rules.

Perhaps this can be helpful to right hyphenate Marvin.

I have other two questions.

First one: When for iPhone/iPod? I've searched this thread and found nothing. A good thing could be do as iBooks: maintain books synchronized across phone and iPad.

Second: When installable dictionaries?

Currently Marvin is the best of the best, but I think that with those two things, it will be the best of the best of the best of the best of the... :-)

And one more thing: When searching for a word (I mean: open a book, tap and hold, select "Share", click "Web") it opens Safari, that means you have to return to Marvin closing Safari and reopening from screen or double tap start button and select from background... Could that be opened in a integrated window instead? Or offer user select what to open in configuration...

[kguil]

rfog...

When you say that it crashed when trying to read a Spanish book, do you mean the process that happens when you tap the "spectacles" icon in the book?

Right now, the hyphenation algorithm that Marvin uses is the same one that WebKit uses (I didn't implement the hyphenation algorithm myself). Nonetheless, I have some ideas to improve this.

I don't have a concrete date for the iPhone version but I'm hopeful it be "months" - right now, I'm focussing on a couple of important updates for iPad. When the iPhone version will be available, you'll be able to synchronise book positions. Over time, this might be extended to sync entire books. Keep in mind that before the iPhone version is released there will definitely be a lengthy testing period. The results of those tests will determine when it is released. I'll keep you posted.

I'm also looking into installable dictionaries and opening web views inside the book as well as in Chrome.

Could you send me an email to support@marvinapp.com regarding the book that's crashing?

[rfog]

Originally Posted by kguil

rfog...

When you say that it crashed when trying to read a Spanish book, do you mean the process that happens when you tap the "spectacles" icon in the book?

Sorry, yes.

Originally Posted by kguil

Right now, the hyphenation algorithm that Marvin uses is the same one that WebKit uses (I didn't implement the hyphenation algorithm myself). Nonetheless, I have some ideas to improve this.

I don't have a concrete date for the iPhone version but I'm hopeful it be "months" - right now, I'm focussing on a couple of important updates for iPad. When the iPhone version will be available, you'll be able to synchronise book positions. Over time, this might be extended to sync entire books. Keep in mind that before the iPhone version is released there will definitely be a lengthy testing period. The results of those tests will determine when it is released. I'll keep you posted.

That's a great thing.

Originally Posted by kguil

I'm also looking into installable dictionaries and opening web views inside the book as well as in Chrome.

Could you send me an email to support@marvinapp.com regarding the book that's crashing?

In process! Thanks a lot.

[Faterson]

Originally Posted by kguil

I'm also looking into installable dictionaries and opening web views inside the book as well as in Chrome.

Why exactly Chrome? I find Chrome for iOS lame. (Hell, I find regular Chome lame, too, compared to Opera.) If you do support alternative browsers, Kris, please let the user select which browser it should be. My no. 1 iOS browser for years has been Atomic Web Browser. And Dolphin is excellent, too.

[Philantrop]

I disagree. Chrome is a good choice (if any). I'd not invest even one minute in supporting *any* alternative browser, though. :-)

[institute]

Try watching a network activity monitor when chrome is being used. It might make you think twice about using what is essentially an information gatherer for Google.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by kguil

Kyteflyer - noted (I'll add it to the next service release).

Thanks, Kris