New Reader with great pdf-support: Mantano Reader (like aldiko+ezpdf)

[Jean-Marie]

Hi Artig,

Yes we have added this feature in the latest 2.2.0 Premium version!

Originally Posted by artig

As I mentioned in a recent post, my main problem with Mantano is the inability to scroll or resize illustrations and pictures in EPUBs. Is this fixed in the new version? I haven't installed the beta version to try it.

[Jean-Marie]

Hi Taosor,

I think the next minor upgrade will match your expectations. In the meantime, sorry for the distraction. You will be able to select a very fast page switching or the page curl (I understand you will not do :-) ). For those who will use the page curl, they will also be able to display or hide the borders.
BR,
Jean-Marie

Originally Posted by taosaur

My tablet is a real-world object, and an actual medium for displaying text, too :/

I got the page curl today after letting my tablet update last night, and it is sooooooooo distracting. It also slows page turns and obstructs the text while doing so. Waving a special effect in my face makes the medium more apparent, not less. There is no way such a feature should have been implemented without the means to turn it off.
/rant

On a possibly related note, Mantano no longer seems to register a long press after the update, meaning no more dictionary look-up (or notation and highlighting, if I were into that sort of thing).

The line of pages on the side is less aggravating than the curl, but it is taking up my screen space while doing nothing. Anything on the screen besides the text (including any embedded illustrations or glyphs) is by definition an unnecessary distraction.

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by Jean-Marie

We will also integrate our new manual crop, which allows to specify the 4 margins separately, etc.
Jean-Marie

If you are going add margins I would suggest that you mirror the margins of the left and right pages in two page mode thus:

---------Left Page----------------------Right Page----------
Left Margin/Right Margin---Right Margin/Left Margin

Word of caution:
Many fine applications, that were very close to being world class, put their resources into cosmetic changes instead of making needed fixes and have never been heard of since. If your Beta effort is any indication, it looks like Mantano is falling into that trap.

Please rethink your future direction keeping in mind that "page flipping and the book look" have not met with much approval and add little to the reading experience.

Regards - John

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by Jabby

Please rethink your future direction keeping in mind that "page flipping and the book look" have not met with much approval and add little to the reading experience.

Regards - John

I agree, the page flipping is really distracting. Mantano upgraded automatically last night when I finally got on wifi - I don't think a beta version should be updating automatically. I have premium, but don't know how to go back to the previous version, or I would until you have the flipping page thing worked out.

[ghostyjack]

I don't mind the page flipping, for some reason it doesn't bother me like a lot of people here.

It could be that most of the time I'm so engrossed in the book, I don't notice it.

[jackie_w]

I've been reading this thread with some surprise at the strength of feelings being expressed. I haven't had an Android device very long, but I remember, when researching reading apps, that a lot of reviews on Google Play stated things like 'I won't use this app until it has page gestures' ususally in rather rude and disparaging terms. It must be very difficult for a developer to please all of the people all of the time. Admittedly it would have been nice to have the option to switch off the gestures with the initial release but if it appears a bit later that's good enough for me. For my purposes Mantano was so far ahead of the others that it's a minor inconvenience.

As for the multi-pages effect down the righthand side, I measured it at 1.5mm (or 1/16-inch) on my (large) phone screen. Is that really enough to cause reading problems on some devices?

[taosaur]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

As for the multi-pages effect down the righthand side, I measured it at 1.5mm (or 1/16-inch) on my (large) phone screen. Is that really enough to cause reading problems on some devices?

Since we're busting out rulers, it's 4mm on my screen. As I said, though, the page stack doesn't reach out and slap me in the face on a regular basis like the page curl. I maybe even kind of like the stack, despite my general distaste/befuddlement at adding this weird layer of role playing the wood pulp experience to one's reading. Ultimately I don't care whether it's there or not, as opposed to the animation which slows down reading and breaks concentration.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I've been reading this thread with some surprise at the strength of feelings being expressed. I haven't had an Android device very long, but I remember, when researching reading apps, that a lot of reviews on Google Play stated things like 'I won't use this app until it has page gestures' ususally in rather rude and disparaging terms. It must be very difficult for a developer to please all of the people all of the time. Admittedly it would have been nice to have the option to switch off the gestures with the initial release but if it appears a bit later that's good enough for me. For my purposes Mantano was so far ahead of the others that it's a minor inconvenience.

As for the multi-pages effect down the righthand side, I measured it at 1.5mm (or 1/16-inch) on my (large) phone screen. Is that really enough to cause reading problems on some devices?

First, I'm of the filosophy, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, that page curl and that background should have been optional from the start, as they are extra functionality. Second, seen those screenshots I posted? Yes, for me that is a large deal, especially as it won't be there in night mode. And I do switch a lot.

I don't care if others want it, I only know I don't want it. And this means it either becomes something you can turn off, or I simply won't upgrade. It's all the same to me. But as they asked for input on the bèta, I gave mine. Now it's up to them to decide what to do with it.

[dura]

I'm very glad the page look has been made optional, and so very fast, Mantano is my default reader again).

Suggestion: while I was away (investing other non-page look alternatives ) I found an interesting feature that would be interesting for Mantano: the setting 'keep screen on' could be extended to 'forever, or for 1, 2, 3, 5,10 minutes' or something like that.
This would stop your reader from exhausting the battery in case you get interrupted while reading and put the reader away.
Then you get distracted by the world, forgot you were reading, next time you check battery is flat.
Happened to me a few times, can be very inconvenient (I read from my phone, a Note) and this feature would prevent that.

I like the animations and the 'real book' look but I also believe that people should be able to switch these functions off if they don't like them. So it's nice to see this will be possible in a future release. I am a firm believer in having choices!

I am still using Mantano as my main reader, I simply love it as it has everything I need from a reader. I was very, very unhappy with a particular permission added to the beta version but it has been removed and I hope it will not be coming back. This trend in applications trying to snoop on us is worrying and I will not stand for it.

Anyway, thank you, Mantano, for your reader, and keep making it better, please.

[citac]

Originally Posted by jcouch93

I've lurked around the forum for a while and created an account to ask about 2 issues I now have with Mantano:
1. On the left column I would sort by Series and there would be a selection for "All Books Without a Series" (or at least I swear that option was there). I jut checked and it isn't. Was that removed? If so, why?
2. In the right section I would sort first by Series and then by Author and the result would be sorted by Author with the Series in order. Now when I do it as soon as I hot Author it sorts it by Author but the order is by Title. Has this behavior changed?

I ask this because I like to sort on the left by Series, and have the books that have no series sorted by Author. I used to be able to set it like the above and it worked for both books with a Series and those without. Now I have to use more effort than before to get my books sorted the way I prefer. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them!

I've been searching this thread because I need to find some information about sorting by series and what I need to do to make the series appear and sort in the proper order.

I name my files in the Author - Series 01 - Title.epub format. Is this enough for Mantano to read the information on my files and sort my series properly, or will I have to edit the files? I would really like to avoid doing any editing because I don't have access to my computer right now, just my Asus TF101, and I hate the idea of having to do any extra editing other than using a naming convention.

I would appreciate someone enlightening me on this issue. Thank you in advance.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by citac

I've been searching this thread because I need to find some information about sorting by series and what I need to do to make the series appear and sort in the proper order.

I name my files in the Author - Series 01 - Title.epub format. Is this enough for Mantano to read the information on my files and sort my series properly, or will I have to edit the files? I would really like to avoid doing any editing because I don't have access to my computer right now, just my Asus TF101, and I hate the idea of having to do any extra editing other than using a naming convention.

I would appreciate someone enlightening me on this issue. Thank you in advance.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Mantano is reading the Author, Series, Title metadata from inside each epub. I don't think the filename is involved. If you store your books in the Calibre book management system, it will automatically update all this epub metadata as it saves/sends it to your device using its highly customisable save features. If you just drag-and-drop then I think you'll have to make sure each epub's internal metadata is correct beforehand.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by dura

Suggestion: while I was away (investing other non-page look alternatives ) I found an interesting feature that would be interesting for Mantano: the setting 'keep screen on' could be extended to 'forever, or for 1, 2, 3, 5,10 minutes' or something like that.
This would stop your reader from exhausting the battery in case you get interrupted while reading and put the reader away.
Then you get distracted by the world, forgot you were reading, next time you check battery is flat.
Happened to me a few times, can be very inconvenient (I read from my phone, a Note) and this feature would prevent that.

I also have a Galaxy Note. On mine Mantano follows the screen timeout I have already set in main Android Settings - Display - Screen timeout

[citac]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Mantano is reading the Author, Series, Title metadata from inside each epub. I don't think the filename is involved. If you store your books in the Calibre book management system, it will automatically update all this epub metadata as it saves/sends it to your device using its highly customisable save features. If you just drag-and-drop then I think you'll have to make sure each epub's internal metadata is correct beforehand.

I was afraid of that. I have a love/hate relationship with calibre, and I strongly dislike some of its features, but do use it for conversions. I don't manage my files with it, as I have thousands upon thousands of old fics I've been collecting ever since I first discovered fandom some mumble years ago. It is jut too much wok at the moment and would involve some heavy duty editing.

But even if I did use it to manage my fics, I am currently away from my computer and will not be able to access it for quite some time. I wish it would just read the data from the title!

Does anyone know if I would be able to add this information using only my Asus TF101 and an internet connection, because that's all i have at my disposal right now? The ideal situation would be to find something that can edit my files in bulk versus having to open them and edit their metadata - I am not sure if something like that even exists for Android?

[cliver]

Originally Posted by citac

I was afraid of that. I have a love/hate relationship with calibre, and I strongly dislike some of its features, but do use it for conversions. I don't manage my files with it, as I have thousands upon thousands of old fics I've been collecting ever since I first discovered fandom some mumble years ago. It is jut too much wok at the moment and would involve some heavy duty editing.

But even if I did use it to manage my fics, I am currently away from my computer and will not be able to access it for quite some time. I wish it would just read the data from the title!

Does anyone know if I would be able to add this information using only my Asus TF101 and an internet connection, because that's all i have at my disposal right now? The ideal situation would be to find something that can edit my files in bulk versus having to open them and edit their metadata - I am not sure if something like that even exists for Android?

Not sure if there is an app for Android to edit the tags. Personally i use calibre just for conversions and to edit my tags. Its perfect for the job.
If they used data from the file name all hell would break loose. Everyone has their own file naming convention. So it couldn't possibly work imho.

AS For the page curl effect, i quite like it but it should definitely be switchable.
Still the best reader by far imho.

Just googled. There are a few Android apps around. No idea what they are like though.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...ac.qHOwypoPEdM