PRS-950 Browser not viewable in landscape?

[Ken401]

Has anyone figured out a way to view the WIFI browser in landscape mode?

"Orientation" is not available under Options. Turning it sideways didn't work either (no accelerometer).

Seems like a missed opportunity if portrait is the only viewable method on a 7" screen.

[Abisha]

Originally Posted by Ken401

Has anyone figured out a way to view the WIFI browser in landscape mode?

"Orientation" is not available under Options. Turning it sideways didn't work either (no accelerometer).

Seems like a missed opportunity if portrait is the only viewable method on a 7" screen.

Sony rushed the software. As far as I can tell, the 950 firmware is a port of the 350/650. You are correct, the web browser does not load in landscape, EVER. Landscape mode has another issue as well. In Landscape orientation the Zoom feature is utterly useless as it does not offer Zoom greater than the 'width' of the document, which is pathetic. Why even call it "Zoom"? The situation is made worse, when you use the 'online word look-up' feature and you are reading in landscape. The Reader automatically switches back to the vertical orientation to load the browser, but then does NOT re-orient back to the original landscape orientation when you return to the book.

Additional evidence that Sony haphazardly bolted the 350/650 firmware onto the 950 can be found in the 'compressed' option menus. I could see the necessity on the 350 and 650 with the smaller screens, but on the 7" screen of the 950 to have compressed menu features such as burying "Bookmarks" and "Table of Contents" in sub-menus absolutely inexcusable.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Abisha

Additional evidence that Sony haphazardly bolted the 350/650 firmware onto the 950 can be found in the 'compressed' option menus. I could see the necessity on the 350 and 650 with the smaller screens, but on the 7" screen of the 950 to have compressed menu features such as burying "Bookmarks" and "Table of Contents" in sub-menus absolutely inexcusable.

Abisha, you raise a very interesting observation. I hadn't really thought of it that way. I thought the menu structure is compressed because they have added so many new features to the 950 that they had to bury some items. I also wonder if there are software programming guidelines about user interface that dictates the menu structure. Like too many items would overwhelm the average user? And, I would expect them to keep some commonality amongst the various models.

Just some thoughts of my own. I will use the Options Menu when you are reading a book as an example. Both my 900 and 950 have 11 items at the main Options menu. It's just that they are different items. To create a bookmark on my 900 you had to select Create/Edit Notes. On the 950 it is in the main menu which I thought was a happy improvement. Also you can double-tap the upper right-corner on a page as a shortcut. On my 900, Table of Contents is on the main menu. I agree that I was annoyed that it is now buried in the "Go to" submenu. However, "Go to" mirrors my Kindle 3 software so I can see why they organized it that way.

[grooks]

I don't have a 950 but am curious about the lack of landscape view for the browser. While on the main menu screen, if you were to change the orientation to landscape then go into the web browser. Would it keep the orientation as landscape or force it back to portrait?

[Ken401]

Originally Posted by grooks

I don't have a 950 but am curious about the lack of landscape view for the browser. While on the main menu screen, if you were to change the orientation to landscape then go into the web browser. Would it keep the orientation as landscape or force it back to portrait?

It will force back to portrait.