Onyx Boox Max2 Issues

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rogerpiano

But I needed that PDF in landscape mode to try with an orchestra...

Try Librera from Ivan Ivanenko.

In the Preferences page, set the screen orientation.

Open the document as "easy / book" mode (as opposed to "advanced / scroll" mode), and in the bottom toolbar locate the icon to view two pages (or "2 pages + cover", meaning odd indexed pages on the right) instead of one.

EDIT: actually, with that file, you want (*) landscape, (*) single page (default), and (*) auto-crop - the fourth icon in the top toolbar in the version I am using.
Hardware Menu button or tap in the middle of the screen to get full screen view. Tap on the borders to change page, or use the buttons.

See pic.

[deb2016]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

@deb2016: Concerning rooting of Max2 - at the moment it is hard. I am working on it and hope to be able to provide soon either rooted firmware (developers version) or rooting tool (for geeks among us).

Thanks for your attention.

If you think I might help by, as an example, testing some ways to do it, let me know (provided it may not brick the max2)

Regards

[Phat2517]

@booxtor. After update firmware, I still have problem about google play. I still unable to install all Android apps that I paid for in the past.

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by Phat2517

@booxtor. After update firmware, I still have problem about google play. I still unable to install all Android apps that I paid for in the past.

It is a known problem and we are working on it. It is possible to buy and install new apps, but because of unknown reason apps purchased earlier cannot be installed. We do not have google play source, so deal with this problem is very strenuous. In the last upgrade the google application has been updated to version 6.0. The changes are relatively large.

It is also recommended to restore the factory settings after update. In some cases it helped to solve the issue with purchased apps.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

In the last upgrade the google application has been updated to version 6.0. The changes are relatively large.

I don't quite understand. In a perfect world you pick up a blank android source from the shelf, pick up all the modules for your hardware (either off the shelf or write your own). After all the modules work, recompile kernel and everything else. Done, the stock android works and you can switch out the launcher and add reading apps.

Maybe Google does not make life that easy ...

[BKeeper]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

It is a known problem and we are working on it. It is possible to buy and install new apps, but because of unknown reason apps purchased earlier cannot be installed. We do not have google play source, so deal with this problem is very strenuous. In the last upgrade the google application has been updated to version 6.0. The changes are relatively large.

It is also recommended to restore the factory settings after update. In some cases it helped to solve the issue with purchased apps.

Please remember that remote install from the desktop forces clean signatures. and so the apps work.
Only IAP are not working at all right now.

The problem is that many apps are using IAP to help with conversion.
IAP have many problems with antipiracy protections and recurring license checks.

Booxtor do we have an ETA for a fix?
seems it doesn't look good.

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Dumping the SD card goes against the open architecture which appeals to so many. It would make me think twice before purchasing. Including an SD card slot is cheap easy. To not include is puzzling. There is no technological or economic reason to exclude it. I expect it on a Kindle, not an Onyx.

The only reason that I see is the development cost of a new routing process of the electronic parts. They swapped the SD-card by the HDMI port without touch anything else : easiest than add a new electronic part and the cost of the HDMI connector, components, etc.

Adding more memory could be with a nearly zero cost : changing the memory chip and change the routing routing for this single chip is sufficient.

First : economic reason, second (maybe) : political (I don't know).

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

another interesting thing is available in last update. In Note app the stylus started to work as pressure sensitive. Looks impressive, does'n it ?

It's like a paintbrush

[Philippe D.]

I'm actually not a fan of the pressure sensitive stylus - I'm using it to write, and I don't typically use a paintbrush to write (I'd severely suck at calligraphy).

[plusz]

Hello,

Maybe it could be useful to any other original Max owners.

I have just received the Max 2 and tried all its functions. Indeed it is an improvement over the original Max (I did not have Max Carta). Using finger touch is more convenient. The speed is improved but it does not differ that much in a real world usage - documents load faster but page turning nad searching within documents is about the same. Stylus writing is much more improved, it is more responsive or precise, just feels better.

I can see a few issues though:
- when writing with the pen it suddenly skips words. It happens that way: about 10 seconds since you start writing your notes in pdf it stops registering your input for about a second or two probably to process or save your progress, then the cycle repeats. It is annoying.

- the hdmi monitor works but there is no control over the gamma/contrast. The eink works in some degraded mode leaving a lot of ghosting dirt. In effect the screen is washed out and with low contrast. To manually clear it you have to do 2 taps - just touching the screen (2 fingers for example) would be more convenient. The comfortable use is at a level of an old text console screens, you have to use very large thick fonts, black on white only.

- finally the screen is yellowish I am disappointed. I have a small Kobo H2O with Carta display which has very high contrast due to massive screen resolution and a very white background color. I thought that it is the very characteristic of the Carta technology. I was wrong. As a matter of fact the older screen used in Max is better to read indoors. Of course you have to change the settings to do a full refresh on each change, otherwise it has some redrawing issues which are not present on Carta due to Regal technology.



On top Kobo H20, left Max, right Max 2.

The picture does not reflect very well what I actually see. To give a good representation I would need to use a proper lightning and a good camera. I'm sorry, I'm just a photographer amateur using smartphone. The Max screen is a bit grayish compared to Kobo, and again the Max 2 is a bit darker and yellowish compared to Max.

I wouldn't say that the Max 2 screen is very bad. One can be happy with it. My expectations were just different. Well, I don't like to use very strong light to read. I mean I prefer to sit comfortably in an armchair or on the sofa, a bit away from the light (not directly under the light on my desk) and still have a very high contrast of the read material.

In fact now I have a hard time to decide if I would like to keep the new Max 2 and go through the hassle of selling my old Max, obviously loosing some money... Hard to say if the touch and speed improvements are important enough and screen not that bad.

[nagalwayschool]

I purchased max 2 pro recently. My experience so far has been highly satisfying. However I am facing an issue with note taking. What I have observed is that whenever WIFI is turned on the note application hangs for every few seconds but if I turn off the WIFI note taking is very smooth. I have tested this multiple times and the issue is consistent. Hope this will be fixed in future updates.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by plusz

The speed is improved but it does not differ that much in a real world usage - documents load faster but page turning nad searching within documents is about the same.

The past hardware specifications were so weak that some software simply failed,
and that 8x of speed difference really felt, very heavily. Past hardware was a pain to use - for generic use.
I see the correct speed difference also in page turning: seconds passed for page turning in past hardware. Given that you mention the Max first-gen, you are probably not packing data onto that screen.

Originally Posted by plusz

the hdmi monitor works but there is no control over the gamma/contrast.

For that you have to modify the accessibility settings of your desktop OS. I am not saying it could not be done on the tablet, but it is more correct to make the processing in the original system.

Originally Posted by plusz

To manually clear it you have to do 2 taps - just touching the screen (2 fingers for example) would be more convenient. The comfortable use is at a level of an old text console screens, you have to use very large thick fonts, black on white only.

I think you should instead try desktop remote techniques - until Onyx perfections the software.
Solutions where, by the way, we can inject the refresher as I did in the past for Iordanov's bVNC, with refresh imposed by tapping on screen corner.

Originally Posted by plusz

I have a small Kobo H2O with Carta display which has very high contrast due to massive screen resolution and a very white background color. I thought that it is the very characteristic of the Carta technology. I was wrong.

As you note, it's not the same E-Ink screen... ES133TT3 is not ED068TG1.
(I mention this also remembering Michael K.'s note in his review: he noted the 206 ppi density of the screen on the Max2 as a "Con" - which did really not sound sensible, since a high resolution big E-ink screen simply does not exist...)

Originally Posted by plusz

to read indoors.

Enjoy the food season for those of us in the cold! Indoors, in these months, I use OLED...

Originally Posted by plusz

touch and speed improvements are important enough and screen not that bad.

Allow me to suggest that your immediate impression was under the impact of the expectations - the screen is really not bad at all, in absolute terms. Touch is a game changer for practical use, unless you are an accountant who developed the pen-slot over the ear. And the (3-orders) speed difference can not be important only if you stick to a subset of the functions, or if you have the patience of the death row.

[plusz]

Originally Posted by nagalwayschool

I purchased max 2 pro recently. My experience so far has been highly satisfying. However I am facing an issue with note taking. What I have observed is that whenever WIFI is turned on the note application hangs for every few seconds but if I turn off the WIFI note taking is very smooth. I have tested this multiple times and the issue is consistent. Hope this will be fixed in future updates.

Aaa, so it is the same issue I have observed. I got the Wifi turned on all the time.

[plusz]

Issue with note taking:
Open pdf, make a note on top of the page, save. Open a side note on the same page, observe that the side note is never saved I would expect it reasonable to make a little sketch on top of the page and a side note with longer annotation.

Feature request:
I am reading mostly tech books. I frequently need to jump to some page or two whilst reading. Technical material usually introduce topic in a nice summary or overview followed by a lengthy explanation and examples. I find it necessary to jump back to the overview to glance over it for a moment.
The bookmarks are not easy enough for that purpose. When I am reading a physical book I usually keep some page "bookmarked" with my finger. I would really like to have similar convenient access on Max. I have come to the idea that it would be really nice to have a few dynamic buttons on a side of a page, which could be added/removed by a single tap on the top bar for the current page (or by long tap on the existing top-right bookmark icon). There should be also a special button to go back to where you were reading before jumping to any quick bookmark.



Booxstor, any thoughts on the feature? Thanks!

[plusz]

Originally Posted by mdp

The past hardware specifications were so weak that some software simply failed,
and that 8x of speed difference really felt, very heavily. Past hardware was a pain to use - for generic use.
I see the correct speed difference also in page turning: seconds passed for page turning in past hardware. Given that you mention the Max first-gen, you are probably not packing data onto that screen.

Hi mdp, I use the device as a tech book reader. Hardly used the scribble pen, did not instal any other apps besides the file manager replacement. For pdf manipulation it's hardly even 2x faster. I won't argue where the 8x number come from... some synthetic marketing here

Thanks for the other suggestions but I am not really interested in other use of the device. Since the hdmi screen was advertised I was curious to test it. If it was good I might have been using it side by side with my macbook on a daily use.

I'm still trying it, but regarding the yellowish screen I wonder if it is due to the screen or maybe the touch layer? Was the previous Max Carta also a bit yellowish?