Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiffy
Fairly new to the product, but I've already noticed some oddities, bugs and inconsistencies (the last, I suppose, because the parsers for each format seem to be written separately from each other).
Have updated to firmware v2.02ASTAK.100304
Here's what I notice, and I just wanted to ask if these are issues everyone gets...
1.) .RAR -- HTML files stored inside of .RAR files don't seem to open. The .RAR file is navigable. Any JPGs in the .RAR file "open" just fine. But not the HTML files. There's some vague opening error (which flashes by too quickly to see in the status area on the bottom--I THINK though it just says "Open File Error") when it tries to actually open the HTML file within. The little hourglass which appears superimposed over the little Internet Explorer style icon representing the HTML file never goes away until you cancel the open.
HTML files inside .ZIPs USUALLY seem to work fine, although I've seen a similar opening problem in a few cases. Since its a much smaller amount of times where an HTML inside a ZIP won't open, I'm guessing it might be a totally different problem (and obviously not as serious).
2.) .ePub -- there doesn't appear to be any bookmark capability. Am I missing where it is, or is it non-existent? In HTML files it seems like holding down the 7 key sets bookmarks, and pressing 7 quickly calls up a list of saved bookmarks. Inside an ePub, all I see when I hit 7 is a "Catalog" screen. Which is nice... but I want bookmarks. Are they simply elsewhere with .ePubs, or do we not get them at all?
3.) .LIT - Same as with .ePub. I'm wondering why the 7 key is just a entry into a Catalog and not a bookmarker tool. Same questions as with ePub. Is bookmarking elsewhere, or non-existent?
4.) .ePub -- this is more of a nitpick than a real issue, but I wonder why the .ePub reader isn't also able to show a battery meter. Hardly a deal killer though.
5.) Search? -- Obviously if it ain't there it ain't there. But I'm wondering if there's anything in the interface I'm missing to do a file search. If you use the device robustly, it seems like you could have thousands of files on it. A search would be nice. Admittedly there's no alpha keyboard on this thing, but I'm wondering why a cell-phone like solution using the number key presses to toggle letters isn't used for something like this.
6.) "Go To Page" function in a file list. -- If you have lots of files or directories in a flat structure, you could easily have to hit the page down button 40 or 50 times to get to the last half of the alphabet. BEFORE I go and have to create a whole mess of alphabetical subdirectories to get around this, I was just wondering if I'm not seeing/realizing some key command to jump down ten pages at a time on a file list, or a way to put in a page number and jump to it. You know... like the way you can jump ten pages down or put in a page number inside an actual opened HTML file. Well, being able to do that in a file/directory list might be useful too. Does that capability exist already and I'm missing it?
Overall I'm very pleased with the unit, but the above list is pretty annoying to work around.
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Dear Spiffy:
Congratulations on purchasing the Astak.
I am with Astak; but I am not a tech. Rather than say anything wrong, let us have the experts on this forum here answer your questions.
You are welcome to ask our Tech Support by calling: 1-866-368-8788 or sending an email to:
support@astak.com.
I will keep monitoring your post to be sure you get the answers that you need. All Astak products have a battery charge life indicator and a search function was added via firmware upgrade 3-4 months ago. Of course you do have bookmarks with EPUB. I believe in EPUB the bookmarking is automatic.
I am sure our band of experts on here will soon chime in with all the details!
Welcome!!