[Archived] Marvin ePub reader for iPad

[kguil]

Thank you very much Adrian. Apart from what is published on the roadmap, there are many, many new features coming up in the "holiday update". I'll post them ASAP.

[Valkrider]

Just rated it but it b..... itunes 11 won't let me write a review.

[Faterson]

iTunes / App Store reviews are a mess and a disgrace for Apple. I submitted my 5-star review of Marvin many days ago, but it still isn't showing up. As a rule, I don't even make the effort to submit App Store reviews, because it's just not worth the trouble. I made an exception for Marvin, but as you can see, it hasn't helped any.

iTunes / App Store reviews employ the incredibly stupid principle of geographical isolation. And so I, residing in a small Central-European country of 5 million, can never see user reviews from any other country except my own tiny country. Naturally, there are only very few reviews, then, compared to (say) the US, French, or German App Store, and the star ratings are completely unreliable. Even if my 5-star Marvin review eventually shows up in my tiny country's App Store, you guys in all the other countries of the world will never get to see the review anyway.

This whole reviews arrangement by Apple is so stupid it's mind-boggling. Please don't make me talk about it any further, or I'll just explode.

[kguil]

If it is any consolation, I get the your reviews anyway... and I'm impressed and thankful for everyones comments.

Talking about tiny and geographic isolation of reviews, my country has a population of 400K

[Faterson]

PS: Here is the 5-star review of Marvin I submitted to Apple on 9th December 2012. 11 days later, the review still can't be seen in my tiny country's App Store, nor anywhere else, I'm sure.

Finally a Worthy Stanza Successor!

I must have needlessly tested or bought about two dozen e-reader apps, searching for the future Stanza replacement after Stanza got stifled by Amazon. iBooks and the Kindle app have been improving at a snail's pace, and the range of customization options offered by them is still woefully minimal compared to Stanza. Now here comes Marvin at long last: Marvin will give you (almost) everything you loved so much about Stanza, and throws in lots of delightful extras, too. It's blazingly fast, too; has a very solid feel to it right fom the first moment you start using it. Fantastic option to export all your notes and bookmarks with a single tap, in an XHTML file -- not even Stanza can do that! The Marvin developer is releasing frequent updates and is actively communicating with the users on the MobileRead forum, listening to and implementing their feedback. (Good luck with reaching most other e-reader developers! I tried, and there was typically no response.) Looking forward to future Marvin improvements, and now I can finally upgrade to iOS 6, after I've held on to iOS 5 mainly for the fear of hurting Stanza.

[Faterson]

Originally Posted by kguil

Talking about tiny and geographic isolation of reviews, my country has a population of 400K

I've often wondered about this. If it's not a secret, are you a genuine native of Malta, Kris, or an expat residing there? (Your English is superb, and I know it's not the native language in Malta.)

[kguil]

Yep, I'm 100% Maltese. In Malta, English is an official language. I'm a university lecturer so it helps.

[Faterson]

Right. I've always felt Marvin has the professional, scholarly feel to it. And as someone commented in the Save Stanza group on Facebook, regarding Marvin:

"Finally an e-reader app obviously developed by someone who actually reads e-books!"

In case you're not a member there, Kris, I suppose I can summarize the user feedback from there as follows: "As soon as Marvin starts supporting iCloud syncing between the iPad and iPhone versions, as well as OPDS catalogues, most current Stanza users seem willing to ditch Stanza in favour of Marvin, making the Save Stanza group obsolete."

[kguil]

Hold tight for the holiday update

[Wickedkitten]

Can't wait. This has pretty much killed Kobo and iBooks on my iPad

[artbatista]

Originally Posted by adrian1944

I would like to join all the people thanking Kris for this fantastic app and his incredible response to queries problems and new features.
I cannot wait for the post holiday version with better sort features.

One query for all those who have posted here. Why are there only three reviews on Itunes, are you all trying to keep this to yourselves rather than tell others. Only by reading this thread does one learn what is really available here and the way Kris responds to questions and suggestions. We have here a reader app maintained like Calibre so rate it and tell others. I just have.

adrian

Actually, there are 22 reviews, but iTunes breaks them down by version. Latest version *only* has 7 reviews.

But you are right, 22 is far too few.

Reviews people!

Cheers, Art

[Faterson]

How many reviews there are depends on your own location, as stated. I assure you there are zero Marvin reviews in my App Store both for the current and the past versions, although I submitted a 5-star review myself 11 days ago. The current reviews system as implemented by Apple is an outrage, and they should be embarrassed by it.

[artbatista]

Originally Posted by Wickedkitten

Can't wait. This has pretty much killed Kobo and iBooks on my iPad

Same for me. I kept trying iBooks and Kindle and the half dead Stanza. Every time one of a dozen book readers was updated, I immediately upgraded and tested.

Only to be disappointed again.

And then came Marvin.....

It's like listening to Britney Spears all morning and then "Here comes the sun" by the Beatles starts playing.....

Cheers

Art

[kguil]

Guys, I am really flattered. I never hoped for this kind of feedback. Thanks a million.

[kguil]

Heads up: Apple just approved the update that fixes Dropbox connectivity for new users.