Onyx N96\N96ML is here!

[increduloussus]

Some more observations:

- A task manager app is essential--as Stardest mentioned, this device bogs down and gets buggy quick. Currently I'm using "Task Manager" by Omich Software (there are alot of these apps with the same name). This one seems to work well and is fairly customizable and accessible through the menu bar once configured.

- Amazing that they didn't think to provide a simple way to switch between apps. I'm trying out "Swapps" and "Side Apps Bar" to see if they will do. Really wish there was a simple way to configure the hardware "menu" button to be a "recent apps" button instead.

- Replaced the home screen (Onyx calls this "ContentBrowser) with "Nova Launcher". So far its well, although setup is somewhat cryptic and took some experimentation. Once set up it functions well. Only problem is that there are two very important things that are only accessible through Onyx's "ContentBrowser" (as far as I can tell--please correct me if there's another way): "Onyx Neo Reader" doesn't show up in the app list, though it does show up as an optional way to open documents. And the only way to change the reading light settings (brightness) is to go to the "ContentBrowser".

- I still haven't found a solution to my issue regarding handwritten note taking with the stylus. "Onyx Neo Reader" is ok for reading--especially because you have many options for navigation, etc. But taking notes is useless, because each time you work with the document your only option is to export, rather than just save the document. "Xodo" works great (and integrates nicely with Dropbox), but without capacitive touch it is very difficult to navigate; virtually impossible in two-page scanned .pdf's.

- So far the best rotation app I have found is "Rotation", by Pranav Pandey. Very quick, easy to use, highly customizable. I have my word-processing app set to automatically rotate to landscape on opening. Speaking of which, that app is "TextMaker Mobile". There are other (more advanced) apps by the same company, and others with sweeter features, but this is the only one I have found that works reliably.

- There have been some questions put to me, I haven't had a chance to test anything else out... I figure some info is better than none. I know how it is trying to decide about this with such limited info.

[increduloussus]

Originally Posted by Stasiek87

Hello? Is anybody able to give me answer about the light LED line on the edge of the reader? Is the LED line only on 3 sides or on 4 sides?

Originally Posted by stardest

Stasiek87, I dont see LED lights on edges of my screen.

Yeah Stasiek87, I don't see any distinct LED's around the side of my screen. Seems to be nice, even light, so mine must all be working. You must have a damaged screen light. Or maybe you're talking about the light next to the micro usb port?

good luck.

[Stasiek87]

Originally Posted by increduloussus

Yeah Stasiek87, I don't see any distinct LED's around the side of my screen. Seems to be nice, even light, so mine must all be working. You must have a damaged screen light. Or maybe you're talking about the light next to the micro usb port?

good luck.

I am talking about the light around the frame. You can see only with maximum brightness in totally dark room only when correct angle of viewing. About the back-light is not constant and not the same on all surface. My left side of screen is more dark than right side of screen.

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by increduloussus

Some more observations:

- I still haven't found a solution to my issue regarding handwritten note taking with the stylus. "Onyx Neo Reader" is ok for reading--especially because you have many options for navigation, etc. But taking notes is useless, because each time you work with the document your only option is to export, rather than just save the document. "Xodo" works great (and integrates nicely with Dropbox), but without capacitive touch it is very difficult to navigate; virtually impossible in two-page scanned .pdf's.

Thanks a lot for your info.
The handwritten notes are for me one of the most important feature to have as well as the main reason why I ordered the N96ML and is simply very bad for me to hear that you have to export the document all the time to keep notes. Simply sad.

From the description of your profile I understood you have N96 but you said that Xodo doesn't work well without capacitive touch. So I am bit confused Which model you have?

Anyway, if Xodo also doesn't work well I will try to use ezpdf. I have the pro version that I bought years ago and even if the interface and the menu are not the best you can find on a app, maybe it works ok for notes.

Once again, when I will receive the device I will also add my impression.

UncleZ

[increduloussus]

Originally Posted by UncleZeno

From the description of your profile I understood you have N96 but you said that Xodo doesn't work well without capacitive touch. So I am bit confused Which model you have?

Anyway, if Xodo also doesn't work well I will try to use ezpdf. I have the pro version that I bought years ago and even if the interface and the menu are not the best you can find on a app, maybe it works ok for notes.

Hi UncleZeno,

I have the N96ML - the one with the front light, not the one with dual touch (stylus+capacitive touch). If you got the one with capacitive touch, I will be curious to hear if you get interference from your palm, as it appeared from a video I found online that Onyx had not incorporated an especially functional "palm rejection" function in this device. I can't help resting my palm when writing, so its not an option for me unless the palm rejection *really* works well. [see this thread for more: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=273065 ]

I'll try ezpdf too. Also, there's a chance I may have missed some way to make the Onyx Neo Reader save files, so when you get your device I'll be eager to hear what you discover. I haven't had too much time to experiment.

Thanks!

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by increduloussus

Hi UncleZeno,

I have the N96ML - the one with the front light, not the one with dual touch (stylus+capacitive touch). If you got the one with capacitive touch, I will be curious to hear if you get interference from your palm, as it appeared from a video I found online that Onyx had not incorporated an especially functional "palm rejection" function in this device. I can't help resting my palm when writing, so its not an option for me unless the palm rejection *really* works well. [see this thread for more: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=273065 ]

I'll try ezpdf too. Also, there's a chance I may have missed some way to make the Onyx Neo Reader save files, so when you get your device I'll be eager to hear what you discover. I haven't had too much time to experiment.

Thanks!

Hi,

I ordered the N96ML for exactly the same reason: cannot imagine to write without having the palm touching So I think that I will share the same experience you have. But anyway the device should be shipped tomorrow, so I hope before the end of the week I will have mine with me and will give also my feedback.

UncleZ

[increduloussus]

Advice needed for Onyx Neo Reader:

- Any way to integrate this with Dropbox?

- Has anyone else experienced a glitch when "scribbling" hand written notes in landscape orientation where the writing appears in a different location/orientation than where you are writing?

- Why does it not show up in the app list? Is there any way to make this happen?

Thanks!

[stjoe]

Just received my N9 with front light yesterday.. Bought from Banggood.. Given free original case - maroon brown color.. I think on ebay/Amazon, the case is sold separately..

I own KDXG which is using the eink screen but it seems better on N96

Tried LectureNotes working but quite laggy when handwriting.. Tried OnyxScribble, handwriting quite jaggy.. Any other suggestion for good note taking apps which work with N96?

[increduloussus]

Originally Posted by stjoe

Tried LectureNotes working but quite laggy when handwriting.. Tried OnyxScribble, handwriting quite jaggy.. Any other suggestion for good note taking apps which work with N96?

So far everything is fairly jagged, although Xodo seems best by far. Wish it was a bit easier to navigate (i don't have dual touch)

[machinogodzilla]

Hey increduloussus, thanks for all the feedback. I'm considering upgrading from M96 to N96ML and I *believe* they should be pretty much the same when it comes to the software with only slight differences (like you presumably get an icon to dim the light in N96ML). So if you have trouble with N96ML that makes me worried because you should have a comparable experience to M96 if not better.

My comments are therefore from M96 user's point of view, let's see if our experiences are comparable.

Originally Posted by increduloussus

I'm also testing out multi-tasking apps, since there does not appear to be any simple way to switch between apps (someone please let me know if there is a way after all!).

I have recently installed Switchr and it looks promising. Lots of options are disabled in the free app but the "pro" version isn't expensive.

It didn't want to install straight from Play Store (insufficient storage apparently) so I installed in on my phone first, copied the apk to the reader, and installed manually from there. No problems this way, go figure. Here is a screenshot using the "Slide" style (you drag the menu in from the left edge):



You may also want to see this thread.

Originally Posted by increduloussus

I think one of the biggest errors of the N96 ML (not the capacitive touch model) hardware is the lack of a five-way navigation key, like the one on the M96. If you loose your stylus and don't have a bluetooth mouse or trackpad, you are SOL for even the most basic functions, like going to the home screen, navigating menus, selecting/tapping an icon, etc. Someone correct me if I'm missing some hardware button key-combinations or something.

Hmm... doesn't sound too good. I've never had the need to use that joystick but I tested it to see if I could still use the reader in case the stylus went missing, and yes, it could be done. So looks like a regression here unless someone knows the way...

Originally Posted by increduloussus

Gmail works fine, although with some display glitches. I'm always able to read & send emails, though sometimes I long-press the hardware "Menu" button to refresh the screen. My calendar syncs up fine with Google Calendar.

Try K-9 Mail, it's an excellent email client and works well on my M96.

Originally Posted by increduloussus

But one remaining issue for me is annotating .pdf files. So far the experience is not so great. Not very high fidelity. I don't see the pressure sensitivity working all that well. Sometimes the calibration feels off--and I have tried recalibrating a number of times in the Settings menu.

Hmm... The question is is it worse than M96 or doesn't it meet your fidelity requirements. Here are screenshots from Onyx Scribbler (which I think uses the same note taking "engine" as Onyx Neo Reader) and Papyrus (or Squid now). Also see this post.

I can use Onyx Scribbler in "quality" mode no problem, and it does some magic to make the stroke width vary as you write, I find the experience really smooth, almost no different to regular note taking. Papyrus on the other hand is clearly not optimised for the reader and the experience is not great but acceptable (you have to use the "performance" mode otherwise the lag is unbearable). I use Papyrus but some people just upload a blank multi-page pdf with the background of their choice (lines, grid, blank, etc.) and use Onyx Neo Reader for taking notes.

Originally Posted by increduloussus

However the Neo Reader doesn't sync up with any cloud service, and it doesn't seem to allow a simple way to make ongoing annotations over multiple sessions, since you can only "export", not "save". There may be a simple method to make this manageable, but I don't know it.

Regarding the multiple sessions issue, doesn't it just save the annotations when you close the book? It does on my M96, you don't have to do anything. Just press the "back" button, open the book again, and your notes should be there. Doesn't it work like this in N96ML?

As for cloud sync, you could back up the Onyx Neo Reader database but I think you need your reader rooted to access it. Mine is not and I cannot find it anywhere so I think it's stored somewhere on the system partition. Yes, some built-in cloud sync would be nice, maybe the new K-Reader will have it?

[stjoe]

Additional info.. The pen apperently is not wacom compatible.. I have 2 wacon pens and they dont work with n96.. I thought it was compatible..

[stjoe]

Any of you who are using m96/n96 put screen protector? I bought and paste a screen protector but it made the screen becomes glaring.. Wondering if n96 screen durable enough to go without any protection..

[stjoe]

Yes, I noticed the same thing with my n96.. When in totally dark room, left side of screen seems to have a streak of darker line compared to the rest of screen.. Perhaps it is due to design/technical limitation with front light system..

Originally Posted by Stasiek87

I am talking about the light around the frame. You can see only with maximum brightness in totally dark room only when correct angle of viewing. About the back-light is not constant and not the same on all surface. My left side of screen is more dark than right side of screen.

[stardest]

Originally Posted by stjoe

Additional info.. The pen apperently is not wacom compatible.. I have 2 wacon pens and they dont work with n96.. I thought it was compatible..

I remember reading a post somewhere that a Jetbook stylus pen would work on the Onyx M96, which is supposedly what the N96ML just updated.

[deepspaceleader]

I'm looking at getting a N96 some time in the near future, as I have been on the lookout for a device with Google play store, an active stylus and an eink screen for a number of years now.

Currently on my other active-stylus devices I'm using styluslabs 'write' software. (available in google play), and would be interested to know if any of you have tried it and how it performs.

I would also like to know if you think the price will drop over time (ie should I wait a few months), or if onyx ereaders tend to remain at a constant price through the product life.