If you could change some things on the 505, what would it be? - Page 2

ZenEngineer · 10-18-2008, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

Check out PRSCustomizer

It looks ok, but I'm afraid of killing my Reader doing hacks like that.

HarryT · 10-18-2008, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Ofcourse we all want a bigger screen or higher resolution. so appart from that.

Please don't make assumptions about what "we all" want

. I don't want a larger screen - the 6" screen is the perfect size for a fiction reader. One of the reasons I sold my iLiad (which has an 8" screen) was the fact that it was too large to carry around with me all the time, as I do the Gen3 (which has the same screen as the Sony).

RobbieClarken · 10-18-2008, 04:29 AM

I would like some sort of built in RSS aggregator that automatically syncs new RSS feeds and deletes items that I've read. I'm hoping this will be a feature of calibre at some stage.

gwynevans · 10-18-2008, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenEngineer

It looks ok, but I'm afraid of killing my Reader doing hacks like that.

While nothing's guaranteed with software, it's as safe as it can be now that Jeff's GUI'd & automated the changes.

astra · 10-18-2008, 09:49 AM

Dictionary support
Search function

All of the above without any negative impact on battery life.

Would very welcome 8" screen too

babyd · 10-18-2008, 11:25 AM

I would like to see:

Dictionary support
clock
user fonts
folder support
to be able to store more books on MS/SD but have the unit access/log them like it does the internal memory

other than those minor niggles (and probably easy for sony to solve with firmware upgrade, hint hint) I adore this reader. I use it far more than I ever imagined I would. I do about 90% of my reading on it now compared to my PB's.

ProDigit · 10-18-2008, 02:22 PM

I've written an topic about improvements that can be done in the e-ink screen software ( to only update those parts of the screen that need updating, instead of refreshing the whole screen).

This made me wonder if the reader executes it's OS directly from it's flash memory chips, or if it like a computer first loads the OS (kernel) in the cpu and RAM.

An OS that runs directly from it's flash could possibly save tremendous amounts of battery life, and reduces the need for RAM.
That way most of the RAM will be dedicated to the books you read (eg: a pdf file of 27Mb goes straight in the RAM.
If they would replace the RAM with FLASH SLC memory, a 128MB would be more than sufficient, could mean you never need to reboot the device ever again (or boottimes could be close to 2 seconds), since instead the reader stays 'always on',without really consuming much energy at all being inactive.

Lemurion · 10-18-2008, 03:27 PM

Personally I'd like to see them add ereader support. After that it's folders and a faster refresh.

dregar · 10-18-2008, 11:16 PM

After having using the PRS-505 for less than a week, there are a few things I would like:
- Dictionary support
- More than 3 sizes of font size, or rather some kind of a zoom feature (this applies more for PDF reading)
- More format support, especially mobi

I think the screen size is fine. If they were to make it any larger, they should target a different market. The buttons are well-placed and I never thought about needing the touch screen.

ProDigit · 10-19-2008, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dregar

After having using the PRS-505 for less than a week, there are a few things I would like:
- Dictionary support
- More than 3 sizes of font size, or rather some kind of a zoom feature (this applies more for PDF reading)
- More format support, especially mobi

I think the screen size is fine. If they were to make it any larger, they should target a different market. The buttons are well-placed and I never thought about needing the touch screen.

As far as I understood, there is a non-official dictionary for the 500 series.

ShellShock · 10-19-2008, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Please don't make assumptions about what "we all" want

. I don't want a larger screen - the 6" screen is the perfect size for a fiction reader. One of the reasons I sold my iLiad (which has an 8" screen) was the fact that it was too large to carry around with me all the time, as I do the Gen3 (which has the same screen as the Sony).

I don't think a large screen necessarily means a larger device. There is alot of available space taken up in the current device with buttons. The screen could be made longer to fill most of the front of the device. I know screens are not made that size now, but this is a wish list. The all important thing is to display as much text as possible without increasing the device size. Also, I would not want the font sizes to be smaller - I find the current smallest size just about OK, any smaller and I would have to strain to read it.

The buttons would obviously have to be moved/made smaller. The existing right hand page turning buttons are in the wrong place for me and give me RSI - they are too small and fiddly. I'm not a fan of touch sensitive screens. Perhaps the edges of the device could be made touch sensitve, e.g., so running your finger along the edge would turn the page - this would be much more like turning the page in a pbook.

For future e-ink devices I would like one that opens like a book so you have two screens worth of reading for each page turn. This would probably have to be a Plastic Logic type screen to save weight, with a hinge in the middle. Even with PL screens I think this would have to be two separate screens I don't think they will take being folded flat in the middle.

ProDigit · 10-19-2008, 12:24 PM

I really liked the bar the Iliad uses to turn pages, but having a small 'mousepad' (like the ones used in laptops) somewhere could be very handy for scrolling (up/dn).

However,I don't really understand how you can practically get a 'touch sensitive' area on the edge of the screen's bezel to turn pages. That's why the 700 has touchscreen.

besides, if it's in an area where you touch the device too much, you might accidentally swap pages pretty often...

But I agree that doing all the effort to make an electronic device look like a real pbook, by using an e-ink display, and then end up having a 'click'-button to swap the pages isn't really 'pbook'-like.

On the other hand, I don't know if the price difference between a touchpad (mousepad) and a touchscreen is all that great..

ShellShock · 10-19-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProDigit

I really liked the bar the Iliad uses to turn pages, but having a small 'mousepad' (like the ones used in laptops) somewhere could be very handy for scrolling (up/dn).

However,I don't really understand how you can practically get a 'touch sensitive' area on the edge of the screen's bezel to turn pages. That's why the 700 has touchscreen.

besides, if it's in an area where you touch the device too much, you might accidentally swap pages pretty often...

I was thinking of something like motion sensors down the edge of the device, so that when you ran a finger down the side it would register as a page turn. A motion in the opposite direction would turn to the previous page. This to me would be more natural and more like turning a page in a pbook.

ProDigit · 10-19-2008, 08:27 PM

you mean a small led like a LED mouse? I know of mini-notebooks that use this principle; but I think it uses quite an amount of battery too...
For that you'd almost need to equip the device with a second battery.
If sony made the space inside the guts of the machine, a second battery could cost you upto $20 max, and the additional wheight too.

I wouldn't mind my reader being a bit more heavy having 2 batteries inside.

Canterbury Tail · 10-19-2008, 08:59 PM

Mobi support

The ability to zoom out the margins on books, so if you have a DRMed book with excessively large margins (yes Sony store I'm looking at you), you can get rid of them within the reader for viewing.

Slightly larger page turn buttons on the right. The angle I hold it at just doesn't seem to always for for them.

The size of the device and screen are just perfect the way they are to me.

10-18-2008, 09:49 AM	#20
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,308 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Dictionary support Search function All of the above without any negative impact on battery life. Would very welcome 8" screen too __________________ Only Two Things Are Infinite, The Universe and Human Stupidity, and I'm Not Sure About The Former. Albert Einstein Saving the Planet

10-18-2008, 11:25 AM	#21
babyd Addict Posts: 380 Karma: 1567 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony:505, 600, 350, 650, Kindle 3, PW	I would like to see: Dictionary support clock user fonts folder support to be able to store more books on MS/SD but have the unit access/log them like it does the internal memory other than those minor niggles (and probably easy for sony to solve with firmware upgrade, hint hint) I adore this reader. I use it far more than I ever imagined I would. I do about 90% of my reading on it now compared to my PB's.

10-18-2008, 03:27 PM	#23
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,180 Karma: 2537458 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505 (Blue), Droid 1, Nook Color (CM7), iPhone 3GS, Acer A700	Personally I'd like to see them add ereader support. After that it's folders and a faster refresh. __________________ A thief, a warrior, a wizard, two warring prophecies; they all come together in Amadar. Available now on Amazon; coming soon to Smashwords and others.

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10-18-2008, 04:29 AM	#18
RobbieClarken Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 1002274 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Device: Kindle	I would like some sort of built in RSS aggregator that automatically syncs new RSS feeds and deletes items that I've read. I'm hoping this will be a feature of calibre at some stage.

10-18-2008, 02:22 PM	#22
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,158 Karma: 9023682 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, Jetbook Mini, Jetbook Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro	I've written an topic about improvements that can be done in the e-ink screen software ( to only update those parts of the screen that need updating, instead of refreshing the whole screen). This made me wonder if the reader executes it's OS directly from it's flash memory chips, or if it like a computer first loads the OS (kernel) in the cpu and RAM. An OS that runs directly from it's flash could possibly save tremendous amounts of battery life, and reduces the need for RAM. That way most of the RAM will be dedicated to the books you read (eg: a pdf file of 27Mb goes straight in the RAM. If they would replace the RAM with FLASH SLC memory, a 128MB would be more than sufficient, could mean you never need to reboot the device ever again (or boottimes could be close to 2 seconds), since instead the reader stays 'always on',without really consuming much energy at all being inactive.

10-18-2008, 11:16 PM	#24
dregar Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Singapore Device: Sony PRS-505	After having using the PRS-505 for less than a week, there are a few things I would like: - Dictionary support - More than 3 sizes of font size, or rather some kind of a zoom feature (this applies more for PDF reading) - More format support, especially mobi I think the screen size is fine. If they were to make it any larger, they should target a different market. The buttons are well-placed and I never thought about needing the touch screen.

10-19-2008, 12:24 PM	#27
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,158 Karma: 9023682 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, Jetbook Mini, Jetbook Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro	I really liked the bar the Iliad uses to turn pages, but having a small 'mousepad' (like the ones used in laptops) somewhere could be very handy for scrolling (up/dn). However,I don't really understand how you can practically get a 'touch sensitive' area on the edge of the screen's bezel to turn pages. That's why the 700 has touchscreen. besides, if it's in an area where you touch the device too much, you might accidentally swap pages pretty often... But I agree that doing all the effort to make an electronic device look like a real pbook, by using an e-ink display, and then end up having a 'click'-button to swap the pages isn't really 'pbook'-like. On the other hand, I don't know if the price difference between a touchpad (mousepad) and a touchscreen is all that great..

10-19-2008, 08:27 PM	#29
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,158 Karma: 9023682 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, Jetbook Mini, Jetbook Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro	you mean a small led like a LED mouse? I know of mini-notebooks that use this principle; but I think it uses quite an amount of battery too... For that you'd almost need to equip the device with a second battery. If sony made the space inside the guts of the machine, a second battery could cost you upto $20 max, and the additional wheight too. I wouldn't mind my reader being a bit more heavy having 2 batteries inside.

10-19-2008, 08:59 PM	#30
Canterbury Tail Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Sony Reader	Mobi support The ability to zoom out the margins on books, so if you have a DRMed book with excessively large margins (yes Sony store I'm looking at you), you can get rid of them within the reader for viewing. Slightly larger page turn buttons on the right. The angle I hold it at just doesn't seem to always for for them. The size of the device and screen are just perfect the way they are to me.


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