Now that Bookeen's Paris Expo attendance is over...

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Bookeen have been pretty good about meeting deadlines - certainly far better than many other companies. For example, pretty much all the initially reported batch of bugs in the version 476 firmware were fixed in the version 538 firmware.

What is the basis for your claim?

Bookeen has not told people about the 538 firmware. I reported some bugs and I did not get any information from Bookeen about possible fixes.

[HarryT]

Regardless of whether or not they TOLD you about it, they did, in fact, FIX the bugs which were reported (at least, they've fixed all the bugs that I'm aware of). The revised firmware is available on request to anyone who wants it. You're using it yourself, aren't you?

That's a hell of a lot better record than, for example, Sony have for bug fixes.

[cmbs]

Harry T,

There's no way to compare companies and products unless you have the money to buy one of each, and that sucks for us and works to the companies' advantage. Even though you seem to think Bookeen is the best, and maybe they are (which would be a sad commentary on the state of ebook readers), but their product is lacking. The software needs a lot of fixes that I think should have been done before the thing was ever sold, considering the exhorbitant cost of these things. Instead of producing better software and making it available to all their customers (and yes it is their responsibility to announce and make freely available any software upgrades, we shouldn't be required to write in and ask for it- what the hell is that about?), they are focusing on selling. Always selling more and more of their less than stellar product. I am glad to have my reader, but it was not worth the price, and the problems could have long ago been fixed if the company cared to fix them. Furthermore, I know from personal experience that they do not reply to customer questions and problems. Why fix things and reply to customer emails when you can keep selling at $350 a pop?

We, as paying customers, should DEMAND better quality and service. They're going to do whatever they can get away with.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by cmbs

The software needs a lot of fixes that I think should have been done before the thing was ever sold, considering the exhorbitant cost of these things. Instead of producing better software and making it available to all their customers (and yes it is their responsibility to announce and make freely available any software upgrades, we shouldn't be required to write in and ask for it- what the hell is that about?), they are focusing on selling. Always selling more and more of their less than stellar product. I am glad to have my reader, but it was not worth the price, and the problems could have long ago been fixed if the company cared to fix them. Furthermore, I know from personal experience that they do not reply to customer questions and problems. Why fix things and reply to customer emails when you can keep selling at $350 a pop?

We, as paying customers, should DEMAND better quality and service. They're going to do whatever they can get away with.

I don't share your experience....Bookeen has responded to my emails, even though I had to resend an email to get a response. I don't think the Cybook is all that buggy. I would like more functionality, but the Cybook does exactly what I expected it to do, which is read electronic books. I don't think the 538 update is the update we were waiting for - it seems more like an interim update, distributed to customers who report specific issues....hopefully we'll see a more formal update by the end of this month....

What in particular do you think needs to be fixed?

[Halk]

It'd be pretty easy to justify why they haven't made it public about the firmware.

Looking at it as optimistically as possible... (for a change)

Their support guys are as busy as they could possibly be working on new functionality and enhancements in the new firmware. The more time they spend dealing with support issues the less time they have to spend on the new firmware.

They fixed a few problems in an interim firmware, however it isn't a worthwhile upgrade for the vast majority of their customers, so rather than make it public and then have to both deal with more problems "Uh, I done messed it up" and give customers the hassle of a firmware upgrade which did very little they're only suggesting it to people who need it.

And when they get the next firmware done, which will do everything people have been asking, with the little bugs fixed, and folders... they'll make it public it's available and recommend people upgrade to it.

In the meantime they're keeping a low profile while they get hard to work on it.

How's that for optimistic Harry? :P

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

I don't share your experience....Bookeen has responded to my emails, even though I had to resend an email to get a response. I don't think the Cybook is all that buggy. I would like more functionality, but the Cybook does exactly what I expected it to do, which is read electronic books. I don't think the 538 update is the update we were waiting for - it seems more like an interim update, distributed to customers who report specific issues....

Granted, I have only had my Gen3 a few days (mine came with 538 installed), but I haven't encountered any major issues or bugs. It performs its basic function well.

I'd definitely like better library management features, but other than that I find little to quibble with.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cmbs

Harry T,

There's no way to compare companies and products unless you have the money to buy one of each

The reason I'm able to compare these products is that I have owned both a Sony and an iLiad before buying my Gen3.

Even though you seem to think Bookeen is the best

No "seems"; I do think that Bookeen are the best - no doubt about it.

but their product is lacking. The software needs a lot of fixes that I think should have been done before the thing was ever sold, considering the exhorbitant cost of these things.

I'm sorry that you feel that way - may I ask in what way you feel it to be lacking? As I said in my earlier post, they've fixed pretty much all the bugs that have been reported and personally - with the exception of library management (which could use a little improvement) I think it's a pretty damned good product.

I am glad to have my reader, but it was not worth the price, and the problems could have long ago been fixed if the company cared to fix them.

None of us are in a position to know what could or couldn't "have been fixed long ago", are we? (Or do you know something that we dont'?) Bookeen have been in the eBook reader business longer than any other company on the market, but they are only a small outfit and software development does take time.

If you don't think the Gen3 is worth the money, I'd honestly suggest that you sell it. Given the waiting list for it, you should easily be able to get back what you payed for it. BUT, if you think there is a significantly better product out there somewhere, I really think you'll be in for a disappointment.

[GeoffC]

I think the main think Bookeen ought to do , is improve their communication with customers .
It is not good enough to have to wait a week for no reply to 5 e-mails .

[HarryT]

I agree entirely, Geoff. Recently Bookeen have been pretty good about answering their e-mails. All I can think is that the delay in your case is down to a combination of the Paris Expo and then the Easter hols. An automated acknowledgement of the fact that the e-mail has been received, however, would be a great improvement.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by HarryT

An automated acknowledgement of the fact that the e-mail has been received, however, would be a great improvement.

That would go a long way , there is nothing worse than thinking an e-mail has gone into a ' black hole '.
When I was in employment it was drilled into us that when we were not expected to be in the office , we had to configure our e-mail assistant to automatically advice customers of our absence , and offer alternative contact .

[JSWolf]

But why isn't Bookeen telling people of the 538 firmware for those that have the older version at the least? It is silly that people have to read about it on a non-Bookeen run/supported forum and then have to go request to get it.

I would not be very happy with Sony if they had a newer firmware that fixed some bugs and never customers about it.

[GeoffC]

Communication !!

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Regardless of whether or not they TOLD you about it, they did, in fact, FIX the bugs which were reported (at least, they've fixed all the bugs that I'm aware of). The revised firmware is available on request to anyone who wants it. You're using it yourself, aren't you?
.

I have no idea if the actual bugs are fixed since the observed behaviour could be a coincidence . I know from other threads that you know about bugs that are not fixed so I do not understand why you claim they are fixed here.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Halk

They fixed a few problems in an interim firmware, however it isn't a worthwhile upgrade for the vast majority of their customers, so rather than make it public and then have to both deal with more problems "Uh, I done messed it up" and give customers the hassle of a firmware upgrade which did very little they're only suggesting it to people who need it.

They are not telling people about it. Also there is a bug that crash the Cybook when opening a book you have bought. The fix for this seems to be important to everybody.

[Krystian Galaj]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But why isn't Bookeen telling people of the 538 firmware for those that have the older version at the least? It is silly that people have to read about it on a non-Bookeen run/supported forum and then have to go request to get it.

I would not be very happy with Sony if they had a newer firmware that fixed some bugs and never customers about it.

I have a feeling they didn't test the 538 build much, thery just fixed the bugs, and a programmer ran the build and checked that the bugs no longer happen. One programmer, on one Cybook.

So they didn't know if they didn't introduce a serious bug somewhere, something that would brick the device indefinitely, and that luckily didn't do it on programmer's Cybook. If they released it to the public, and then next day got 5 thousand reports of bricked device, you'd agree that wasn't a safe thing to do?

So they only released it to a few customers at a time, only to ones that were complaining, thinking that either it'll fix the bugs and work, or if it bricks the Cybook, there'll be only one angry customer.

And they released it to more and more people, and I think they're probably now convinced it's stable and safe - but the testing process of the official build may be now quite close to completion, so it makes more sense to release the official one.