Gen3 delusion

alexxxm · 10-02-2007, 05:29 AM

I was waiting since so long for the Gen3 to arrive, but todays news really tip the balance towards the 505.
In particular, I didnt know the new sony would sport 8 graylevels!

Be patient to answer a couple of questions, however, because I dont know very well the specs of this machine.

1. 8 graylevels seem really interesting for displaying of images. The new 505 will be a good hardware to store images collections, photographs,...? In that case, it provides a good image browsing experience (say, thumbnail preview, for example)

2. I dont see in the specs the .htm support - I missed it? It seems really strange not to have it. If thats the case - since I only read nonDRM stuff - this machine does a good work in displaying TXT and RTF?

3. a friend of mine will be in the US next month [Tampa, FL]. Do you think he will be able to buy it? If so, where?

I know you dont have it yet in your own hands, so feel free to answer me based on your 500 experience...

thanks a lot

Alessandro

beartard · 10-02-2007, 06:46 AM

There is a Sony Style store in Tampa, as well as CompUSA and Borders bookstores. By next month, I don't see why all three wouldn't have them in stock.

NatCh · 10-02-2007, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexxxm

1. 8 graylevels seem really interesting for displaying of images. The new 505 will be a good hardware to store images collections, photographs,...? In that case, it provides a good image browsing experience (say, thumbnail preview, for example)

It ought to be better than the current 4 levels on the 500, which was surprisingly good, actually. The 500 does display thumbnails in the pix list menu, but only 10 to a "page" -- it also has a slideshow feature. I don't know if the pix section will change any on the 505 or not, we didn't think to ask.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexxxm

2. I dont see in the specs the .htm support - I missed it? It seems really strange not to have it. If thats the case - since I only read nonDRM stuff - this machine does a good work in displaying TXT and RTF?

You didn't miss the specs on HTM support, it doesn't have any.

However, it does support TXT and RTF (though without in-line images) quite well. If you want pix in your books you'll have to go with LRF or custom-sized PDF -- I strongly prefer and recommend LRF.

alexxxm · 10-02-2007, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

However, it does support TXT and RTF (though without in-line images) quite well. If you want pix in your books you'll have to go with LRF or custom-sized PDF -- I strongly prefer and recommend LRF.

I never wrestled with Sony devices before, so LRF is unknown to me, at this time - I <could> translate for it, I guess, but I always try to keep max interoperability on my data, and PDF - although closed - is much more Linux friendly for me...
Can you elaborate on why do you support LRF?

Thanks!

Alessandro

Nate the great · 10-02-2007, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexxxm

I never wrestled with Sony devices before, so LRF is unknown to me, at this time - I <could> translate for it, I guess, but I always try to keep max interoperability on my data, and PDF - although closed - is much more Linux friendly for me...
Can you elaborate on why do you support LRF?
Thanks!
Alessandro

It's the format that Sony optimized for the hardware/software of the Reader. It's much faster than PDF.

delphidb96 · 10-02-2007, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexxxm

I never wrestled with Sony devices before, so LRF is unknown to me, at this time - I <could> translate for it, I guess, but I always try to keep max interoperability on my data, and PDF - although closed - is much more Linux friendly for me...
Can you elaborate on why do you support LRF?

Thanks!

Alessandro

Alessandro,

LRF is an ebook standard developed by Sony, for the Sony ebook readers. While PDF is great for creating a document that can be displayed/printed at a selected-at-the-time-of-creation document size, it can't be easily re-formatted on-the-fly to a different display/printing size. Sure, the entire document 'page' can be shrunk or enlarged (in the case of A4/A5 sizes and the 6" e-ink screens this is pretty much limited to 'shrunk') it doesn't allow for re-flowing the text and that can lead to 'pages' which fit into the 6" screen but have text too small to be comfortably read.

And there are several third-party tools which will take a TXT, RTF, HTML, DOC or PDF file and create a suitable LRF file. I use BookDesigner, but others have had great success with LibPRS500. (I use BD because I'm also creating Mobipocket and eReader compatible ebook files and as far as I know, Libprs500 is dedicated to creating Sony PRS files.)

Derek

NatCh · 10-02-2007, 10:49 AM

Well, Nate and Derek have pretty much said what I would have, so there you go.

LOL2005 · 10-02-2007, 11:22 AM

.....

Hadrien · 10-02-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexxxm

I never wrestled with Sony devices before, so LRF is unknown to me, at this time - I <could> translate for it, I guess, but I always try to keep max interoperability on my data, and PDF - although closed - is much more Linux friendly for me...
Can you elaborate on why do you support LRF?

Thanks!

Alessandro

If you're used to work with PDF, you can keep using PDF. Page turning isn't that bad and at least you get hyphenation with PDF... There may be some tools now that can generate LRF but it's nothing compared to the number of software that can generate PDF.

The only really good point with LRF is the fact that you can dynamically change the size of the text on the reader. Lack of proper hyphenation and the fact that LRF won't work on any other devices are the main reasons I'm sticking with PDF for the moment. I'll switch to ePub as soon as hyphenation works and ePub support is available on a few devices.

kovidgoyal · 10-02-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

If you're used to work with PDF, you can keep using PDF. Page turning isn't that bad and at least you get hyphenation with PDF... There may be some tools now that can generate LRF but it's nothing compared to the number of software that can generate PDF.

The only really good point with LRF is the fact that you can dynamically change the size of the text on the reader. Lack of proper hyphenation and the fact that LRF won't work on any other devices are the main reasons I'm sticking with PDF for the moment. I'll switch to ePub as soon as hyphenation works and ePub support is available on a few devices.

LRF supports hyphenation already, see the LRF viewer that is part of libprs500. And it will work on any device once I get the viewer's memory requirements down.

JSWolf · 10-02-2007, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

LRF supports hyphenation already, see the LRF viewer that is part of libprs500. And it will work on any device once I get the viewer's memory requirements down.

LRF with hyphenation for the PRS505? Nice!

kovidgoyal · 10-03-2007, 12:10 AM

That depends on whether we can figure out how to run 3rd party apps on it.

igorsk · 10-03-2007, 07:01 AM

Take a look at the "Run script" function of the Universal Flasher.

10-02-2007, 05:29 AM	#1
alexxxm Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 356 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Rocket; Hiebook; N700; Sony 505; Kindle DX ...	Gen3 delusion I was waiting since so long for the Gen3 to arrive, but todays news really tip the balance towards the 505. In particular, I didnt know the new sony would sport 8 graylevels! Be patient to answer a couple of questions, however, because I dont know very well the specs of this machine. 1. 8 graylevels seem really interesting for displaying of images. The new 505 will be a good hardware to store images collections, photographs,...? In that case, it provides a good image browsing experience (say, thumbnail preview, for example) 2. I dont see in the specs the .htm support - I missed it? It seems really strange not to have it. If thats the case - since I only read nonDRM stuff - this machine does a good work in displaying TXT and RTF? 3. a friend of mine will be in the US next month [Tampa, FL]. Do you think he will be able to buy it? If so, where? I know you dont have it yet in your own hands, so feel free to answer me based on your 500 experience... thanks a lot Alessandro

10-02-2007, 11:22 AM	#8
LOL2005 Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	..... Last edited by LOL2005; 10-02-2007 at 11:24 AM.

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10-02-2007, 06:46 AM	#2
beartard Minister of Linux Posts: 196 Karma: 73235 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Winter Haven, Florida, USA Device: nook, T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide	There is a Sony Style store in Tampa, as well as CompUSA and Borders bookstores. By next month, I don't see why all three wouldn't have them in stock.

10-02-2007, 10:49 AM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Well, Nate and Derek have pretty much said what I would have, so there you go.

10-03-2007, 12:10 AM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That depends on whether we can figure out how to run 3rd party apps on it.

10-03-2007, 07:01 AM	#13
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Take a look at the "Run script" function of the Universal Flasher.

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