Bluefire reader app

[Micah]

Originally Posted by Illinifan

Unfortunately, Overdrive still recognized it as a non-approved mobile device.

My understanding is that they "hide" their eBook links on the iPhone version of their site. There are some tweaks that have been mentioned out there on blogs on how to make the regular website version appear on iPhone, but I can't remember where exactly those posts are at the moment. A little searching might find it.

[Micah]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Are you going to do it the way Sony Readers do it which is if a page splits in the middle of the screen, the page number will be say ... 34-35 of 345 and if the page is complete on the screen, it will be 36 of 354 or maybe if need be 33-34-35 of 345?

We just use the page number of the content at the beginning of what is on the screen. You can turn on the page number in margins option to see where the actual breaks are. In most books, they don't include actual page #info, so most cases that numbering is auto-generated. But it uses the same algorithm as ADE so should be consistent (I've not actually tested that myself though).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Micah

My understanding is that they "hide" their eBook links on the iPhone version of their site. There are some tweaks that have been mentioned out there on blogs on how to make the regular website version appear on iPhone, but I can't remember where exactly those posts are at the moment. A little searching might find it.

If you can find, I'd be interested in seeing how to do it. maybe it would help with other stupid sites that see the iPhone as a mobile device and only give the mobile version when I want the full version.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Micah

We just use the page number of the content at the beginning of what is on the screen. You can turn on the page number in margins option to see where the actual breaks are. In most books, they don't include actual page #info, so most cases that numbering is auto-generated. But it uses the same algorithm as ADE so should be consistent (I've not actually tested that myself though).

I think on the iPad version, it would be nice to use a line at the bottom (optional of course) to show the time, page number, & chapter.

[Micah]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think on the iPad version, it would be nice to use a line at the bottom (optional of course) to show the time, page number, & chapter.

Yea, that could be nice. Some apps also show some indication of relative "position" i the app, that can be nice too. Though there is something to be said for a "no distractions" approach. Maybe could be an "option".

[Micah]

FYI, it has come to our attention that on iPad now with iOS 4.2 that the app can occasionally get stuck in a "wait" state (spinning wheel) when returning to the app when left in reading view for a while, especially when a bunch of other apps are "open" at the same time. We think we may have a fix. Will test this weekend and if looking good will release an update.

In the mean-teim, If you do experience that bug, you can "quit" the app and then relaunch it, and it works fine.

This is different than the more vexing bug on Jailbroken iPHones. OY, it is really hard to test against jailbroken phones. So many variables get introduced when users modify the OS and we can't repro them in the simulator where we have debugging tools. Just trying to jailbreak test phones can be problematic in order to try to repro depending on OS, model, etc.

Maybe we should add a comment in the app store that freezes have been reported on some jailbroken phones. Hate to scare folks away though, as in most cases it is fine. But the 1 star reviews on that are hard to swallow.

It was a tough decision to focus all our energy since the initial release on the library support, but I'm glad we did. So much nice feedback on that.

Hey, if you use and enjoy Bluefire Reader, please rate it on App Store. We really are working hard to make a good app, we listen to our users, and we respond to all support emails right away.
Thanks,
Micah

[Micah]

Today we added the Books-A-Million store to Bluefire Reader. Not perfect yet, but the new search and sort features are pretty sweet. Looking forward to polishing all the stores up. But we now have about 1/2 million books in the app, and you can also get books from Sony, BN, and many other sites (and your local library). Focusing next on adding a few European stores (Italy, Norway, UK, Germany?) and some education sources would be nice. But maybe sleep would be good too..

[tomsem]

Overdrive just released an update to their Media Console, and changed the web portal so that ePub can download to iOS devices. But it downloads to OMC without asking (even though I had not updated the OMC app).

OMC is a VERY basic ePub viewer, and it doesn't do PDF.

Is there a way to tell Safari to let me choose the app to download to, so I can have Bluefire download it instead? Is this a feature of some other browser that I could be using? Or can this be addressed in a future update to Bluefire?

[Micah]

I'm trying to figure out if there's anything we can do on our side, but for the most part, it is in the hands of those that control the websites/links for the libraries. I've heard that some libraries are in fact giving their users a choice (I heard that SanFran does). But I've not been able to verify that personally. I think that in most cases that is controlled by Overdrive and not the library. I've sent email to their CEO to try to engage him on topic. We'll see how that goes. Doing my best. I really think that libraries should give patrons choices, since it is, after all, a publicly funded resource. We don't make any money from supporting library books, but it is something I feel strongly about supporting.

[murraypaul]

I think the link is served up as an overdrive:// address, and the OMC app has registered to handle that type of address.

[Illinifan]

Micah, thanks for your efforts on trying to get Bluefire the ability to directly download library ebooks from the Overdrive libraries. It would be nice to have a choice of apps to use.

[ezziriah]

I'm not surenif anyone could be of assistance. I don't know if it's mybsettings or what but the way I have my book set to read I have to scroll down in order to see the remainder of my my book page. Is there anyway to fit my book page to screen where I don't have to scroll down. I find this annoying. I think if it was fit to screen my reading experience would be a much faster one.

[Micah]

Originally Posted by ezziriah

I'm not surenif anyone could be of assistance. I don't know if it's mybsettings or what but the way I have my book set to read I have to scroll down in order to see the remainder of my my book page. Is there anyway to fit my book page to screen where I don't have to scroll down. I find this annoying. I think if it was fit to screen my reading experience would be a much faster one.

You must be viewing a PDF book. EPUB is the format that reflows the text to fit the screen. BFR does not currently have a "fit to scree" option. I can see where that would be handy. FYI, you can tap on the bottom of the screen to scroll down a bit rather than having to "pan/drag" the page down. A small help, but worth mentioning

[Micah]

FYI, eBooks bought from the Google eBookstore can be directly downloaded to Bluefire Reader - and read of course. Just tap the "Read on your device" link below the Read Now button, and then you should get the open-in menu from Mobile Safari, and if you have BFR installed, it should be a choice. Easy as that. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

[Micah]

So, now with Google eBookstore support, with Bluefire Reader you can read books from Google, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Borders, Kobo, Books-A-Million, BooksOnBoard, Diesel, cyberbooks, ebooks.com, all Romance, and many others. And your local public library. Wooot!