iLiad Firmware 2.9 (and iLiad "Companion Software") Released!

[NatCh]

I think that's enough steps that documenting it is a good idea, rluazon -- thanks for filling the gap.

[k2r]

Everybody please meditate :-)

While I agree that very important stuff is still missing and while I'm not happy with iRex' decision concerning platform (hell, what's sooo bad about Java?) and process (smb?) this update solves a very important problem and makes the iLiad a much more valuable tool for many people's uses.
Transferring data easily and automatically is a _very_ important thing and a big step to take. And publishing more sourcecode is very important, too.

Data transfer works fine with the Mac, too. Just (set up an extra account and) activate windows-sharing. If you don't know your workgroup, it's in /etc/smb.conf. Your sharename is your username.

And yes, pen calibration is an important point still missing and it is a thing that we won't be able to implement independantly and that I really miss. But MP3 playback, well...

And I'm confident that there will be a way to "hack" a little with the data-transfer process to make it work my way.

...and I'm extremely happy with the non-anti-aliased font-rendering!

[Drops]

By the way: Was the "CF card not recognized" bug fixed? Can't see it in the release notes.

[narve]

Originally Posted by vampyre

And it doesn't work with vista.

nor with xp64...

[Janus]

Originally Posted by vvoi666

where is the mobipocket support?

I think it is coming very soon. If you connect your iLiad while the mobipocket reader is running - the mobipocket reader recognizes and adds your iLiad to your reading devices.

Although the mobi file format can not be opened on the iLiad yet, guess that will come soon?

[ali]

Originally Posted by Adam B.

The backup, simply backs up all of the files on the internal (accessable) memory. This is the same as copying the files in your News, Books, Docs, Notes folders from the iLiad when it's connected to your computer onto your hard drive.

Really, all files?

That means there's another mechanism than just inbox & outbox. Do you trigger this from the companion software or from the Iliad?

[Matthijs]

The backup uses USB.

[joblack]

Is it possible to flash the software for yourself (f.i. is a flasher included)?

[Matthijs]

No, that is not (yet) possible. You will need to download and install the software using the iLiad.

[VillageReader]

Originally Posted by Janus

I think it is coming very soon. If you connect your iLiad while the mobipocket reader is running - the mobipocket reader recognizes and adds your iLiad to your reading devices.

Although the mobi file format can not be opened on the iLiad yet, guess that will come soon?

Which version of Mobi? I think V6 was released very recently & I haven't updated yet.

[yokos]

Originally Posted by iRex's os 2.9 Release Notes

PDF viewer
• Improved contrast (no text anti-aliasing).

What does this mean?
I did some screenshots which show the effect.

1st & 2nd screenshot: book, created with LaTeX
3rd & 4th screenshot: German weekly magazine DER SPIEGEL

imho output is much better now. In 2.8 black letters got grey through anti-alising, now the letters stay black. Edges are sharper.
Mapping of colours [have a look at the photo of the industrial plant in image 3 &4] was changed, fewer visible dithering points in 2.9.

[VillageReader]

Originally Posted by Drops

By the way: Was the "CF card not recognized" bug fixed? Can't see it in the release notes.

Matthijs just posted something up in the iRex forum. They haven't been able to duplicate this problem. There was a code tweak but they can't confirm it is a fix. The problem may be card specific. I think I'm using a Kingston 4GB. Maybe as a group we need to determine if the Kingston is not fully compatible somehow with the Iliad.

[Drops]

I am using a SanDisk 2 GB and I have the same issue with a No name 1 GB card.

[Matthijs]

I did actually fix something (I had a non-working card in my hands that worked after the fix that is in 2.9), but apparently it did not fix the problem for all cards...

[VillageReader]

Originally Posted by Matthijs

I did actually fix something (I had a non-working card in my hands that worked after the fix that is in 2.9), but apparently it did not fix the problem for all cards...

I haven't read much this week (at least on the Iliad) so I'm uncertain if the fix worked for me. I need to finish a p-book for a review due on the 13th.

I did have a glitch on the first start up of 2.9, but I had just loaded some books immediately prior to the update and did not assume that 2.9 was the issue.

I didn't mean to imply you didn't fix anything, Matthijs - I thought I read on the iRex forum you didn't have 'bad' CF cards to verify your fix worked. I think you described your change as a small one - in the US that can also be called a tweak, which was the term I used, and was not intended to be derogatory (I'm one of the happy campers with the Iliad - keep up the good work!).