Thread: Two different lines of firmware for Onyx products. Onyx evades, censors discussion.
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Old 06-28-2019, 04:26 AM   #9
Hrafn
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Posts: 520
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: New Zealand
Device: Onyx Boox Poke 5, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e 10.5
Quote:
Originally Posted by EldRick View Post
Where does ECTACO fit into this? Does this onyxboox make their own hardware models too?
Ectaco is listed on the onyxboox.com homepage as their "USA Online Store", so they would be part of the "customized" branch. I believe they were also where I bought my 'customised' Monte Cristo (bought because its the most advanced model in the 'Kepler' line that is still in production), via Amazon.ca.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lumpynose View Post
I would guess that you can't, reliably. Even if someone here bought one from Amazon and it has the "right" firmware, amazon may change who they get it from.
Generally, Amazon will state their sourcing supplier, if you look carefully (which is how I knew where my Monte Cristo came from). Amazon.com's Booxes seem to mostly (all?) come from "Onyx International Inc", which would seem to imply that they're 'vanilla' Booxes.

'Customized'/'Vanilla' only really matters if you're either (i) wanting to do a warranty return (or otherwise seek after-sales assistance) or (ii) hoping for firmware updates. In the first situation, it's just a case of remembering who (or keeping the box your Boox came in if you think you'll forget ). In the second, chances are that you'll be disappointed regardless -- although Boox doesn't never produce an update, they always seem to be far fewer and further between than people hope for.

Is Onyx Boox a tad sparse on updates and support? Sure. But that's because they're not backed by a megacorp like Amazon, who's trying to nudge you into their walled garden. Independent=shoestring budget. At least we have a working official English firmware. I seem to remember that when the Boyue T63 came out, people were having to use 'unofficial' firmwares to make it work in English. With an 'independent' eReader, I think all you can really hope for is one with reasonably up-to-date features, and a reasonably good release firmware. On the former, Onyx Boox is better than Pocketbook, on the latter it is (or at least was) better than Boyue, so I'm not complaining too much.
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