PRS505 Firmware update: epub, DE, and reflow -- oh my!

[fireboy92k]

Does the new firmware tip the pros towards the Sony vis-a-vis the Kindle?

I don't really want a Kindle (I hate the idea of being locked into something that isn't as flexible as the Sony), but at the same time content is king. I have some personal PDF's and other stuff, but also want to be able to buy titles to read...

What do you guys think?

[JeffElkins]

PDF reflow might be out of reach for the 500, but I bet epub isn't.

[flamaest]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The 128MB requirement is how much DE needs to run on a
PC.

The 505 isn't running DE. And anyway, someone (igorsk) has already taken apart the firmware and told us that the various parts are only slightly larger than before.

Agreed, no one with actual hardware knowledge has indicated anything technically detailed enough to backup if these new features [epub or pdf-reflow] can definitely NOT be run on the 500.

I have sent an email to the Sony reader team PM about this; this guy responds to me from time to time, cross your fingers.

I mainly just wanted better PDF support. PDF-reflow seemed to be that answer.

It would be helpful to have someone like Igorski do some hard testing to see what can or cannot be accomplished on the 500; in terms of getting these features added, through a hack even.


About firmware updates:

For anyone claiming that Sony does not normally do many free firmware releases for it's products, I can count over 20 firmware updates for the PSP, over 10 for the PS3, multiple updates for DVD and BluRay players, front movie projectors, TVs, minidisc players; should I go on..? My PSP is almost 4 years old ppl!


My take on the 500 support from Sony:

I think the 500 has simply been put out to pasture, and this sucks because I actually only got mine around November 2007, not even a year ago. Granted, I am happy with my unit overall, but I would have liked to see decent PDF support, which was stated clearly on the box BTW.

The PDF support you get out-of-the-box is a joke so don't even bother defending it. I thank these forums for showing me about Rasterfarian, because that is the only way I can stand reading PDFs on my reader today.

About dumping my 500 on Ebay:

I actually like the hardware design of my 500 more than the 505; you can search for my detailed post on these forums.

I tried using the 505, and the front page turn and round directional buttons just not for me. So, I can't just dump my 500 on ebay and get the 505 and be happy. I guess I like my page-turn-joystick too much so i'll stick with my 500.

2 cents,
F.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fireboy92k

Does the new firmware tip the pros towards the Sony vis-a-vis the Kindle?

I don't really want a Kindle (I hate the idea of being locked into something that isn't as flexible as the Sony), but at the same time content is king. I have some personal PDF's and other stuff, but also want to be able to buy titles to read...

What do you guys think?

I would think yes it does tip the scales in favor of the 505.

[pjfan281]

Originally Posted by fireboy92k

Does the new firmware tip the pros towards the Sony vis-a-vis the Kindle?

I don't really want a Kindle (I hate the idea of being locked into something that isn't as flexible as the Sony), but at the same time content is king. I have some personal PDF's and other stuff, but also want to be able to buy titles to read...

What do you guys think?

'sony' and 'flexible' i nthe same sentence? this must be a typo =) i looked into the kindle for about 5 minutes. in 5 minutes i saw with me eyes what almost every user on amazon complained about...the page turns buttons are poorly placed and very easy to push accidentally. that and a few other things steered me toward the Sony, and I never look back

[=X=]

Originally Posted by fireboy92k

Does the new firmware tip the pros towards the Sony vis-a-vis the Kindle? .... (I hate the idea of being locked into something that isn't as flexible as the Sony), but at the same time content is king. ...

I think you answered yourself.

If Amazon opened their Kindle book store to anybody THEN I would think the SONY Reader to have the upper hand. But content and convenience is king and amazon has the corner on both of them.

=X=

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

PDF reflow might be out of reach for the 500, but I bet epub isn't.

It's rather the other way around. Parsing the whole XML flow to create the DOM tree, using the CSS, proper pagination etc... These operations are much more difficult to perform than a simple PDF to txt conversion.

[recycledelectron]

The new firmware (as of 7/27/2008) that updated my original PRS-505 (bought within 2 weeks of it's release) did greatly increase the ability to enlarge PDFs.

Andy

[flamaest]

The photo feature was removed in the new 505 firmware? uhh, what else was "secretly" removed?

I remember when ReplyTV removed the commercial-skip feature with a new firmware and that is some bad news folks.

F.

[TedPark]

Originally Posted by flamaest

I have sent an email to the Sony reader team PM about this; this guy responds to me from time to time.

If you really can talk to God (or at least some head angels) - can you ask a burning question for me? Why can't we get a FW update to have the Author list properly sorted? It would be very easy. I envision a selection on the settings page for choosing the Author or Author "reading" method. Then everybody could get what they need.

[TedPark]

Originally Posted by flamaest

The photo feature was removed in the new 505 firmware?

Unnnhh? What does that mean exactly?

[seajewel]

A couple people in a different thread are reporting that they see "less contrast" .. blacks are not as black and whites are not as white as before. Hopefully this is just paranoia (it's happened to me before!) but I would love to hear some input from others. And no, I don't think they were joking.

I would also really like to hear about any noticeable effects on battery life. I think the new firmware is supposed to have some effect on battery as the battery life is now supposed to be 6700 pages instead of 7500..?

[=X=]

Hadrien
You mentioned ePub can handle some real complicated layouts.

Is there a sample ePub out there that has these complicated layouts. I'd be intersted in seeing how the SONY 505 handles them.

=X=

[flamaest]

Originally Posted by TedPark

If you really can talk to God (or at least some head angels) - can you ask a burning question for me? Why can't we get a FW update to have the Author list properly sorted? It would be very easy. I envision a selection on the settings page for choosing the Author or Author "reading" method. Then everybody could get what they need.

I asked God about the 505 FW.. God said he cannot comment to me about this. I guess we are on our own till I get another Sony rep to give out his email address at a confernce. I will keep trying.

F.

[flamaest]

Originally Posted by TedPark

Unnnhh? What does that mean exactly?

User "recycledelectron" removed his comment about this missing photo feature.

F.