Calendar in PocketBook Readers

[capidamonte]

I'm looking for information on the Calendar app in the PB readers. Could someone review it? I'm thinking about buying a reader next month after the new announcements, but one of the things I'm looking for is a good calendaring app that can be synced somehow.

Thanks!

[jackie_w]

Hi capidamonte,

I have a PB360. The Calender app that came with mine is just a display app, see attached. I can't help thinking that this is probably not what you were hoping for

[fjtorres]

Uh, the calendar is just that. A calendar.
It is not a PDA app. And it doesn't synch or keep track of appointments.

If that is what you want, the closest you can get is to set up a recurring task in your PC to print out your schedule to a pdf and have it copied to the 360.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Uh, the calendar is just that. A calendar.

No. It is not just a calendar.
Just a calendar just shows you list of dates and corresponding weekdays. You have the responsibility to know what is the today date.
PocketBook calendar (TM) shows you a calendar (bunch of numbers and weekdays) AND highlights the today date. Very important functionality. ;-)

[fjtorres]

I stand corrected.

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by kacir

No. It is not just a calendar.
Just a calendar just shows you list of dates and corresponding weekdays. You have the responsibility to know what is the today date.
PocketBook calendar (TM) shows you a calendar (bunch of numbers and weekdays) AND highlights the today date. Very important functionality. ;-)

[capidamonte]

Darn. I was hoping for something more PDA-ish...

Any way to request such a thing from the G.I.K.? Even just an iCal app would do, I could sync to Dropbox.

[Ulli]

A couple of months ago i requested the same thing, the answer was sth like, that this isnt the mainteance of an eReader. But try to add this to the "Request feature" Thread, i would vote for you

[capidamonte]

An eReader with a touch-screen has no excuse not to have basic PDA functions (ToDo, Calendar, Notes, Drawing.) It's the size of a physical planner, the software doesn't demand massive CPU usage and it means getting rid of another device in your pocket or bag. It's also another excuse to carry the eReader around!

I may have to get an ASUS Tablet (or Note.)

EDIT: @Ulli: I added it to the thread, let's see if it gets shot down...

[Ulli]

The only excuse i can imagine is the lifetime of the battery. If you would include all this functions and (indd useful) tools, the runtime of your eReader wil decrease.
I guess that many ppl like to have this feature but also many want to have just an eReader with a long battery runtime.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by capidamonte

An eReader with a touch-screen has no excuse not to have basic PDA functions

Ah, but the bulk of Pocketbook sales to date are to the PB360 and 301 which don't have Touchscreens.
(Neither does the upcoming 901.)

Not saying its a bad thing to have PDA client-type apps; just that the Pocketbook platform is strongly-focused on reading and consuming info, not necessarily creating it (upcoming 302 writing app or not ) or managing it.

To a lot of reader device buyers, the attraction is in the reading experience optimization, not the hardware features or the gee-whiz add-ons. I don't mind the games, calendars, and what-not. But the reason I got the PB360 was to read on. In my book (just me, mind you) anything that helps reading is good, anything that isn't reading-focused is at best optional/at worst a distraction/drain on resources that might otherwise be deployed to improving the reader functions.

I won't begrudge any PDA functions the GiK might want to put out but to me it's an ebook reader, not a PDA, and I don't expect PDA functions or pine for them. Just as I don't worry that the PB360 lacks MP3 playback hardware. Extra features add cost and if you start cramming in extra function to make readers into multi-function devices they'll start looking more like b&w webpads or media tablets (a comparison they'd lose against the color webpads and iPad) and less like ebook readers. Focus and optimization are going to be key moving forward.

Just me, okay?

[capidamonte]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Just me, okay?

No worries, mate.

I'm not asking for extra hardware, just to use what's already there to make carrying extra stuff less necessary -- I'd like to minimize my phone and get rid of my laptop.

Don't need an MP3 player, nor the hardware to decode it. Don't need bluetooth, nor Wifi nor 3G, etc. Just looking for reading and writing with the device.

I'm waiting for one of the new PB touchscreen devices -- or, as I said the ASUS Tablet/Note.

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by capidamonte

No worries, mate.

I'm not asking for extra hardware, just to use what's already there to make carrying extra stuff less necessary -- I'd like to minimize my phone and get rid of my laptop.

Don't need an MP3 player, nor the hardware to decode it. Don't need bluetooth, nor Wifi nor 3G, etc. Just looking for reading and writing with the device.

I'm waiting for one of the new PB touchscreen devices -- or, as I said the ASUS Tablet/Note.

Wacom, no touch. You gotta use the stylus in our new models. We want a clean screen for reading, cause reading is what it's about as far as PocketBook is concerned.

If someone comes up with a calendar/ical app, that would be great, though

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

reading is what it's about as far as PocketBook is concerned.

Good, keep it that way.
And make sure to maintain non-touchscreen models in the lineup. There's room for all kinds and some of us just want to read.

[capidamonte]

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

Wacom, no touch. You gotta use the stylus in our new models. We want a clean screen for reading, cause reading is what it's about as far as PocketBook is concerned.

If someone comes up with a calendar/ical app, that would be great, though

I love Wacom. Super precise.

If only it were as simple as

make
sudo checkinstall

Are there instructions anywhere for compiling apps for the PB line?

Osmo might work.