EZ-Reader fixes and enhancements list

[DaleDe]

Well some eBook readers actually draw a picture on the screen when you shut them off. Kindle does that. No power, nada, but the image stays. After a few weeks it might not have quite as much contrast due to the little balls of e-INK drifting out of place but the image will still be there. It can be a bit unnerving when you battery runs completely down to see the screen still displaying the image but none of the keys work any longer. You think it is locked up but in fact it is off without any power whatsoever.

Dale

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Spiffy

I've always heard that (that e-Ink displays take no power, and that only refreshes do). I guess its just a natural skepticism that absolutely NO power use would be impossible. I guess my assumption was that it was a bit of hyperbole and that it actually DOES use a microscopic amount of power which might add up to something after several days of showing something. The scenario being someone leaving a device on for hours, days or even weeks (very possible if it just gets put down and forgotten about, left home from a vacation, etc.)

But its hardly a big deal. I mean I personally am unlikely to do that, even if it were using that tiny trickle of juice.

Somewher in this groups history is pictures of a PEz that has bee dissasembled. In that group is a screen that is clearly detached. There is a image on the screen (STILL).
No power needed except to make the screen CHANGE

[cancelx]

ENHANCEMENT:

I realize it makes more sense on a Touchscreen Model... but....

for Pocket Pro -- it would be nice if there was a way to MARK UP or HIGHLIGHT passages in a text/book that remains, as long as it's on the unit (or creates another file to go along with the book that saves the markups).

This would make the reader more usable as a study tool also.

Just a thought, as I don't want to go to a touchscreen unit in the future.

[Spiffy]

Originally Posted by Readerati

But...when it comes to page turns -aargh! I don't want to get gruel on my lovely PP!! Nor do I want to cease shovelling, drinking, or lolling about. What to do? This brings me to my wish list item.

How about a little page advance remote control? Nothing complicated, just page forward and back. Wireless (Bluetooth perhaps) would be good. I could see this being useful for people with disabilities too (although I'm just lazy).

Realistically, the closest approximation might be a timed automatic page turning and/or a automatic scrolling page.

The scrolling page feature, at least, is one I've seen over the years elsewhere. An ebook reader I used to have for an old Sony CLIE had this feature. You simply establish the speed of the scrolling in the settings, press a "start scroll" button and sit back. Of course it gets VERY annoying if you get distracted and look away and it keeps on scrolling, but realistically its the only way to get "hands free" reading (there WAS a pause feature, of course, but that requires those pesky hands to be used). One thing to note is that if something like this is EVER implemented for a device like the Astak, they'd have to make it clear how much it would affect power usage. My guess is that it would be a very LARGE effect, and use twenty times as much power (while the scrolling is going on), since it would be an almost constant screen refresh instead of one every minute or two.

The same kind of timed situation with entire page turns instead of scrolling would probably use a LOT less power on something like an e-Ink screen, then again, the margin of error would be a lot bigger (you can "catch up" reading on a scrolling page if you fall a bit behind but can't do that with auto-page turns).

[DaleDe]

Well scrolling won't work on an e-paper display due to the need to flash the screen to clean the screen however automatic page turns could work I suppose. You can do this today, by the way, just turn on TTS and then turn the volume down. I will effect battery life.

Dale

[hidari]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Well scrolling won't work on an e-paper display due to the need to flash the screen to clean the screen however automatic page turns could work I suppose. You can do this today, by the way, just turn on TTS and then turn the volume down. I will effect battery life.

Dale

I din't realize you were so Powerful.....Dale......

[Davimee]

Originally Posted by hidari

I din't realize you were so Powerful.....Dale......

Ha! Took me a moment, but I got it...

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Well scrolling won't work on an e-paper display due to the need to flash the screen to clean the screen however automatic page turns could work I suppose. You can do this today, by the way, just turn on TTS and then turn the volume down. I will effect battery life.

Dale

You do need to have headphones/buds plugged in to allow TTS.
Or will a dummy 3.5mm plug work ??

[AlexGrant]

Place two left buttons for page turning [<] and [>] as far apart as possible: this will make reading in Landscape Position more comfortable.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by AlexGrant

Place two left buttons for page turning [<] and [>] as far apart as possible: this will make reading in Landscape Position more comfortable.

Actually I don't mind them close together for one handed use. What I would like is the ability to rotate landscape mode either way so the page turning keys can be located on either side for convenience. No hardware change required.

Dale

[ThomasMcKean]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Actually I don't mind them close together for one handed use. What I would like is the ability to rotate landscape mode either way so the page turning keys can be located on either side for convenience. No hardware change required.

Dale

Yew can do that in Coolreader. But I am sure yuew know that?