Android KitKat released

Dopedangel · 11-01-2013, 12:43 AM

With all the talk about nexus 5. I think many people are ignoring something that will have a bigger impact on android based Ebook readers.
Currently most Android based eink readers are using Gingerbread or lesser version of android as the newer version were more resource intensive and were not able to run properly on them.
Now with the new KitKat android that is going to change. Add the ability for an app to get the whole screen to display instead of a part being taken for buttons or notification bar. We could get really good android based readers.

Faterson · 11-01-2013, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Add the ability for an app to get the whole screen to display instead of a part being taken for buttons or notification bar.

I asked the developer of Moon+ Pro Reader about this a couple of months ago. The only way you can currently get rid of those 3 Android buttons while reading books in Moon+ Pro, is to flip pages using the volume button (at least on my Nexus 7). But as soon as you flip a page by tapping the screen, the 3 Android buttons needlessly pop up, reducing the available screen real estate. The Moon+ developer answered he couldn't do anything about it on Android 4.3. Hopefully, this will now change under Android 4.4.

afv011 · 11-01-2013, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faterson

Hopefully, this will now change under Android 4.4.

Indeed it will with Android's 4.4 new UI mode, called "Immersive", where the status bar and navigation bar are not displayed, and the user brings them back by swiping down from the top or up from the bottom. So, on an eReader, turning pages would not fade the bars back in as it does now. This new mode has been designed with eReaders, photo galleries and games in mind.

Faterson · 11-01-2013, 03:34 AM

I meant specifically within Moon+ Reader Pro, which is my e-reader on Android. I wonder if the 3 Android buttons will now "fade out" automatically, which would be great, or if the developer of Moon+ Pro Reader must first adjust his software so that it uses this new Android 4.4 capability. I have no way to test this right now, as my Nexus 7 reports Android 4.4 is not yet available for download.

Moon+ Pro Reader offers its own internal swipe-up and swipe-down gestures, so this likely means I will need to disable them to avoid conflicts with the new "Immersive" mode.

I would prefer the following mode of operation:

Tap your finger in the center of screen, the 3 Android buttons pop up.
Tap again, Moon+ toolbars appear.
Tap again, Moon+ toolbars go away.
Tap once more, the 3 Android buttons go away, too.

The first three steps already work like this in Android 4.3; but to make the 3 Android buttons go away in the final step, you currently need to press the volume button to turn the page; and that's annoying.

afv011 · 11-01-2013, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faterson

I wonder if the 3 Android buttons will now "fade out" automatically...

No, unless the app is updated to take advantage of the new UI mode.

HarryT · 11-01-2013, 12:35 PM

I thought the "Letter K" release of Android was going to be called "Key Lime". Did they change their mind, or is this "Kitkat" version something different?

AnemicOak · 11-01-2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I thought the "Letter K" release of Android was going to be called "Key Lime". Did they change their mind, or is this "Kitkat" version something different?

Here you go...
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=221595

HarryT · 11-01-2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Here you go...
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=221595

Thanks!

Faterson · 11-02-2013, 01:03 PM

Any ideas as to when Android 4.4 might be available for download on the 2013 Nexus 7?

Faterson · 11-03-2013, 06:43 PM

OK, googled it... apparently within 14 days or so.

(That's a very different distribution model compared to iOS, where a new iOS version is instantly available on Day 1 for all iOS devices around the world. That's little comfort, though, when a new iOS version is of such execrable quality as iOS 7. I'll be happy to wait a couple of weeks longer for Android 4.4, if the quality of the OS will be worth the wait.)

tubemonkey · 11-04-2013, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faterson

OK, googled it... apparently within 14 days or so.

(That's a very different distribution model compared to iOS, where a new iOS version is instantly available on Day 1 for all iOS devices around the world. That's little comfort, though, when a new iOS version is of such execrable quality as iOS 7. I'll be happy to wait a couple of weeks longer for Android 4.4, if the quality of the OS will be worth the wait.)

14 days? That's too long. Google should release it now.

Dave_S · 11-05-2013, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

14 days? That's too long. Google should release it now.

Ahhhhh, if it means a few less bugs, I'll take the wait.

tubemonkey · 11-05-2013, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Ahhhhh, if it means a few less bugs, I'll take the wait.

But if no one has it, bugs aren't being spotted

Dave_S · 11-05-2013, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

But if no one has it, bugs aren't being spotted

AOSP KitKat is already up on XDA-Developers so plenty of savvy users have it already.

tubemonkey · 11-05-2013, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_S

AOSP KitKat is already up on XDA-Developers so plenty of savvy users have it already.

That works.

11-01-2013, 12:43 AM	#1
Dopedangel Wizard Posts: 1,759 Karma: 30063305 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapore Device: Boyue	Android KitKat released With all the talk about nexus 5. I think many people are ignoring something that will have a bigger impact on android based Ebook readers. Currently most Android based eink readers are using Gingerbread or lesser version of android as the newer version were more resource intensive and were not able to run properly on them. Now with the new KitKat android that is going to change. Add the ability for an app to get the whole screen to display instead of a part being taken for buttons or notification bar. We could get really good android based readers.

11-01-2013, 03:34 AM	#4
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	I meant specifically within Moon+ Reader Pro, which is my e-reader on Android. I wonder if the 3 Android buttons will now "fade out" automatically, which would be great, or if the developer of Moon+ Pro Reader must first adjust his software so that it uses this new Android 4.4 capability. I have no way to test this right now, as my Nexus 7 reports Android 4.4 is not yet available for download. Moon+ Pro Reader offers its own internal swipe-up and swipe-down gestures, so this likely means I will need to disable them to avoid conflicts with the new "Immersive" mode. I would prefer the following mode of operation: Tap your finger in the center of screen, the 3 Android buttons pop up. Tap again, Moon+ toolbars appear. Tap again, Moon+ toolbars go away. Tap once more, the 3 Android buttons go away, too. The first three steps already work like this in Android 4.3; but to make the 3 Android buttons go away in the final step, you currently need to press the volume button to turn the page; and that's annoying.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Just released: Readmill for Android	henrikberggren	Android Devices	42	11-27-2013 08:02 PM
Android 4.4 to be called KitKat	tubemonkey	News	42	09-11-2013 02:05 AM
Kindle for Android 4.2.0 released	Alexander Turcic	Android Devices	0	08-13-2013 03:13 AM
Released 14 HoneyComb ROM MOD for Android OS 1.6 /Android OS 2.1 HCV13.0 B20	tipstir	Android Devices	0	05-20-2011 02:59 AM
Android Android news stumbles upon not-yet-released Amazon Android App store	sarah11918	enTourage Archive	7	03-22-2011 01:07 PM

11-01-2013, 12:35 PM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I thought the "Letter K" release of Android was going to be called "Key Lime". Did they change their mind, or is this "Kitkat" version something different?

11-02-2013, 01:03 PM	#9
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	Any ideas as to when Android 4.4 might be available for download on the 2013 Nexus 7?

11-03-2013, 06:43 PM	#10
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	OK, googled it... apparently within 14 days or so. (That's a very different distribution model compared to iOS, where a new iOS version is instantly available on Day 1 for all iOS devices around the world. That's little comfort, though, when a new iOS version is of such execrable quality as iOS 7. I'll be happy to wait a couple of weeks longer for Android 4.4, if the quality of the OS will be worth the wait.)

Advert

Advert