Quote:
Originally Posted by delphidb96
<SNIP!>Maybe you should pass this suggestion along to Bookeen.<SNIP!>
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In obedience to delphidb96's suggestion I have sent the following email to Bookeen:-
Dear Sirs
I am very pleased with my Cybook.
However there are several features which you should consider improving.
HARDWARE
[1] The USB connector has an obstruction which prevents many standard
USB leads from making good contact (see attached sketch), the same
lip prevents some audio connectors from working (even the audio
connector supplied with the Cybook is so large that it must be forced
into the hole).
[2] The left-hand side buttons are too easily operated accidentally.
I have made a plastic cover to prevent this - you might do the same.
[3] The metal plating on the right side of the joystick control has
already worn away after less than a month of use. Solid metal, or no
plating to wear would both be preferable to the thin layer that you use.
SOFTWARE
[A] When the Cybook is turned on there is a pause of over 30 seconds
(presumably while the processor does housekeeping tasks) and then the
library appears. It would be far more convenient if the display were
to open immediately at the last page to be read before turn-off, and
the housekeeping were to happen in the background while I start to read.
This background housekeeping should include preparing thumbnails for
the library so that it is not necessary to wait for thumbnail preparation
when stepping through the library after many new books have been added.
[B] I have over 1000 books in my Cybook, I should like to have 4000.
But with a maximum of 20 books per page in the library, and 5 keystrokes
necessary to move from one page to the next it takes a long time to find
a book. Some suggestions:-
(i) Have a "Go to page" function in the library.
(ii) Have "jump forward/back ten pages" functions in the library.
(iii) Allow wrap-around at the beginning and end of the library.
(iv) Have an extra library option to display books in directories
/subdirectories (as in Windows File Manager).
(v) Allow text only as well as icons for title displays in the library.
[C] Internal hyperlinks (from table of contents to chapters, etc.) do not
work for my HTML books. Should they? These books are single HTML files,
not collections of separate chapter files.
[D] The pageometer does not work properly with large books - somewhere
near the middle of the book the display bar starts going to the left instead
of to the right and vanishes off the left edge of the page.
[E] Even if it reduces the space for text I should prefer a page number
(with the total - e.g. 215/629) to the pageometer. I should also like a
constant display of battery state (updated every page turn, not continuously)
and if possible a real time clock (also updated on page turns, not necessarily
continuously). If the page number computation is too complex with many
differing fonts and sizes it would be acceptable to use fixed size "epages"
of 512 words and have epage numbers rather than real page numbers.
[F] An alarm clock function would be useful if the processor clock can
support it. It could output sound on the music port, and also "flash" the
screen.
[G] Include unencrypted .RB and .IMP files in the formats the Cybook can read.
[H] The Contextual Menu should show (or have a link to a list of) the last
10 books to be read.
I hope that you will consider these issues when you plan firmware upgrades,
and design future hardware.
Yours faithfully
EurIng James M Bryant C.Eng MIET FBIS