What version of Android is the Glowlight Plus (2019) software using?

[aquilegia]

I know Nooks use some kind of interface over Android - what version of Android are they running currently? I'm sort of idly curious since I have been considering getting a Nook Glowlight Plus (for the big screen & buttons) and hacking it so I can do other stuff with it/get to the the regular Android stuff.

[Ryzir]

4.4.2 (KitKat)

Be aware that the default software has no back button and most Android apps need one. Button saviour app can add on-screen back, home, and menu buttons or you can root and re-map one of the hardware buttons to be a back button.

I have my Glowlight 3 (also Android 4.4.2) rooted to re-map the buttons and to set sleep screen to be the cover of the book I'm currently reading. I use Zeam Launcher, Calibre Companion, Alreader, ColorDict, and Solid Explorer apps.

It is the best reading experience I've had out of all the devices I've owned.

[Pajamaman]

The xda forum details how to root it. I think buttonsaviour will be a must install to get a back button. I have the 6" and the screen is excellent. But I use an Onyx now. But you can get a Nook real cheap and root it and put nookmanager on there. Works good. Way better than the default software.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/h...ght-3.3802331/

[aquilegia]

Ooh thanks for all the tips! I've definitely heard that the default software is terrible.

I was debating getting a Glowlight Plus for the bigger screen and then saw a refurbished Kobo Forma for $145 on ebay and grabbed it immediately because it was such a fantastic price (and it works great, definitely pleasant in some ways that my ancient kindle was lacking) but I think the Glowlight Plus might be a better fit for me.

Does anyone know if Hoopla works decently on the Glowlight's version of Android? Or is it too old/slow for that?

[Pajamaman]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=291744

[Burktross]

Originally Posted by Ryzir

4.4.2 (KitKat)
I have my Glowlight 3 (also Android 4.4.2) rooted to re-map the buttons and to set sleep screen to be the cover of the book I'm currently reading. I use Zeam Launcher, Calibre Companion, Alreader, ColorDict, and Solid Explorer apps.

It is the best reading experience I've had out of all the devices I've owned.

How does the reading experience on a rooted Glowlight 3 differ from the vanilla experience, aside from greater freedom / stability on the backend? I've been thinking about rooting my new Glowlight 3, but I don't want to risk bricking it for nothing.

[Ryzir]

To side load apps you do not need root. Just ADB initially and if you put a launcher and file explorer you then can side load apps via usb drag and drop (then install from file explorer on reader) instead of ADB. I have my reader rooted to re-map the hardware buttons (one being a back button) and to enable me to display the book I'm currently reading as the sleep screen.

I have Calibre Companion which I use instead of the default library software which gives me wireless transfer of books, far more customizable navigating options of my books (By tags, series, author, etc.), CC can set the cover of the book I'm currently reading as the sleep screen (with root).

For reading software I use Alreader which has a lot more customization options than the BN reader. I can side load fonts, customize touch screen zones, show how many pages left in chapter, chapter name, clock, battery level, reading position bar with chapter marks, ability to open images in external image viewer with ability to pinch zoom (I use solid explorer for this).

I like the ColorDict dictionary better than the BN dictionary but I don't really use the dictionary that much. It also integrates with Alreader really well.

I've re-mapped the hardware buttons (with root) so that the "n" button is page forward which makes a huge difference for me since I like to hold the reader with one hand on the bottom with my thumb to press the "n" button.

The downside is that it takes quite a bit of time to get it all set up correctly but once it's all set up it all works really, really well.

[Burktross]

Originally Posted by Ryzir

<snip>

That does look and sound very compelling. I suppose that if I don't want to remap hardware buttons, I wouldn't even need to root then. Do the hardware buttons function with Alreader out of the box?

[Ryzir]

Originally Posted by Burktross

That does look and sound very compelling. I suppose that if I don't want to remap hardware buttons, I wouldn't even need to root then. Do the hardware buttons function with Alreader out of the box?

No unfortunately, you have to re-map for the page turn buttons to work in Alreader. Once you have root it's easy to re-map, basically just changing some text in a file.

[Burktross]

Originally Posted by Ryzir

No unfortunately, you have to re-map for the page turn buttons to work in Alreader. Once you have root it's easy to re-map, basically just changing some text in a file.

Ah alright, that makes sense. If this guide I found on XDA is anything to go by, rooting doesn't look too hard anyhow. One last question; how do you interface with the Nook brightness/warmth settings in the non-proprietary apps? Does the top status bar still appear on tapping the screen?

[Ryzir]

Originally Posted by Burktross

Ah alright, that makes sense. If this guide I found on XDA is anything to go by, rooting doesn't look too hard anyhow. One last question; how do you interface with the Nook brightness/warmth settings in the non-proprietary apps? Does the top status bar still appear on tapping the screen?

I believe that is the method I used to root.

Alreader can be set to control the backlight with an edge swipe but I didn't like how it worked so I set the top middle touch zone to toggle fullscreen on tap to be able to access the light controls.

[Ryzir]

Some additional notes:

Apps and versions I'm using:
AlReader for E-Ink devices v1.61 150218 (from https://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=340035)
Zeam Launcher v3.1.10
Calibre Companion v5.4.3.3
ColorDict Offline Dictionaries v4.4.2
Solid Explorer v2.3.7

The six hard buttons are mapped in /system/usr/keylayout/imx-keypad.kl
Power Button = key 116
Home "n" Button = key 102
Lower Left Button = key 191
Upper Left Button = key 192
Upper Right Button = key 193
Lower Right Button = key 194

Original Mapppings

key 158    BACK
key 116    POWER           WAKE
key 139    MENU
key 412    BACK
key 102    HOME            WAKE
key 353    DPAD_CENTER
key 103    DPAD_UP
key 105    DPAD_LEFT
key 106    DPAD_RIGHT
key 108    DPAD_DOWN
key 114    VOLUME_DOWN
key 115    VOLUME_UP
key 90    BUTTON_B
key 191    F9
key 192    F10 
key 193    F11 
key 194    F12

What I use for Alreader (No Page Back Button and no Wake on "n" button)

key 158    BACK
key 116    POWER           WAKE
key 139    MENU
key 412    BACK
key 102    PAGE_DOWN
key 353    DPAD_CENTER
key 103    DPAD_UP
key 105    DPAD_LEFT
key 106    DPAD_RIGHT
key 108    DPAD_DOWN
key 114    VOLUME_DOWN
key 115    VOLUME_UP
key 90    BUTTON_B
key 191    PAGE_DOWN
key 192    BACK 
key 193    HOME 
key 194    PAGE_DOWN

Custom Sleep Screen Settings:
/data/data/com.nook.partner/shared_prefs/screen_saver_preference.xml

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8' standalone='yes' ?>
<map>
    <boolean name="pref_key_screen_saver_from_sdcard" value="true" />
    <string name="pref_key_screen_saver_from_path">/storage/emulated/0/Screensaver/sleep.jpg</string>
    <boolean name="pref_key_screen_saver_low_power" value="false" />
    <int name="key_screensaver_img_index" value="5" />
</map>

I then set Calibre Companion to save my book cover to: /storage/emulated/0/Screensaver/sleep.jpg
You can change the path and the name of the .jpg to whatever you want and use whatever image you want.