News from Bookeen about firmware upgrade

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But would you actually take the time to look at the page number when you stopped reading and then be able to actually remember the page number when you wanted to continue? I have page numbers with my 505 and I have no idea what books are at what page numbers other then the ones I've not yet started to read.

I only read one book at a time, so remembering the last page would be easy. The sheer frustration of having to find your place again after the CyBook forgets is a good incentive to make it a habit.
I'm not saying it'd work for everyone, but I think enough people would benefit from page numbers to make it a worthwhile option.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I only read one book at a time, so remembering the last page would be easy. The sheer frustration of having to find your place again after the CyBook forgets is a good incentive to make it a habit.
I'm not saying it'd work for everyone, but I think enough people would benefit from page numbers to make it a worthwhile option.

Isn't that what bookmarks are supposed to do?

[pieter]

Originally Posted by HarryT

And this view is based on how much practical use of the Gen3, exactly?

It's based on reading these forums and reading different reviews. I've never touched a Cybook, but that doesn't make my point of view wrong. Especially since it's based on the views of people who have used it.
It's obvious that you, HarryT, are a big fan of the Cybook, but even you seem thrilled about this new firmware. Why? Maybe because you know as well as I do that there are problems with older firmware. The fact that I ordered it even with knowledge of these problems shows that I have faith they can fix those and that they can be worked around.

Sorry, but you can't say there are no bugs in the older firmware. That is what they say they're gonna fix. So is it really that bad that I point out that older firmware has bugs and that I think for 350euro I don't think there should be ANY bugs, and it should at least have a working folder system. Both these points have little to nothing to do with me ever holding a cybook or not. They would be just as valid if I'd receive a model that has no problems whatsoever, because my experience doesn't mean that problems do not exist with the older firmware.

[bob_ninja]

Julie,

Some users seem to have problems with bookmarks. I had 1-2 sessions when it simply stopped working. New bookmarks would not be made. I had to restart the device, hope that it would stay at the last page read (which it did) and then try bookmarks again, at which point it worked and I was fine. Recently I have had no problems. However, my sessions might be shorter.

This update we hope should fix such annoying bugs, like bookmarks not working sometimes. I can certainly see this as a cause of frustration if it were hapening a lot.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by bob_ninja

Julie,

Some users seem to have problems with bookmarks. I had 1-2 sessions when it simply stopped working. New bookmarks would not be made. I had to restart the device, hope that it would stay at the last page read (which it did) and then try bookmarks again, at which point it worked and I was fine. Recently I have had no problems. However, my sessions might be shorter.

This update we hope should fix such annoying bugs, like bookmarks not working sometimes. I can certainly see this as a cause of frustration if it were hapening a lot.

I was one of those users who had a problem with bookmarks. I resolved this issue by never syncing books to my Cybook. I copy all my books directly to my SD card and since then I have not encountered this bookmarking problem again. For ease of use, I don't store any books on the Cybooks memory, although I've been thinking about copying my dictionaries there......

[bob_ninja]

Originally Posted by pieter

...

Sorry, but you can't say there are no bugs in the older firmware. That is what they say they're gonna fix. So is it really that bad that I point out that older firmware has bugs and that I think for 350euro I don't think there should be ANY bugs, and it should at least have a working folder system. ....

Nobody claims there are no bugs in the current version. Most actual Cybook users seem to be noth bothered by them too much.

On what basis do you state that 350E ought to pay for a product with zero bugs? There are far more expensive products with version 1.0 having as much and more problems. How about that Heathrow Terminal 5. How much was that? How many bugs?

I look at this as bugs/issues that can/will be solved by a simple software update at some point, as opposed to others that won't (hardware). I have more patience and tolerance for software issues since they'll be fixed at no cost and I don't have to spend more money on another version. I just don't see those as a big deal.

Regarding having zero bugs from day 1, I cannot think of a single company that does that. Maybe Google that has a very long beta stage so they actual V1 is really good. Or Linux and similar software with a long and slower dev process that doesn't rush to V1. Otherwise all software and hardware tends to rush to V1 and has a lot of problems. So in that regard Cybook is no worse.

[bob_ninja]

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

I was one of those users who had a problem with bookmarks. I resolved this issue by never syncing books to my Cybook. I copy all my books directly to my SD card and since then I have not encountered this bookmarking problem again. For ease of use, I don't store any books on the Cybooks memory, although I've been thinking about copying my dictionaries there......

Me too. I may have a few books hidden on SD card (prefix with a dot) which is a medium term reading list. However my library is on my computer, so my library view is no more than 2 pages. I too sync using Win explorer.

Again I am not sure what is all the fuss about. Certainly keeping a reference library of many books on this Cybook is hard. We'll need a new hardware to really improve library navigation.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by pieter

It's based on reading these forums and reading different reviews. I've never touched a Cybook, but that doesn't make my point of view wrong. Especially since it's based on the views of people who have used it.
It's obvious that you, HarryT, are a big fan of the Cybook, but even you seem thrilled about this new firmware. Why? Maybe because you know as well as I do that there are problems with older firmware. The fact that I ordered it even with knowledge of these problems shows that I have faith they can fix those and that they can be worked around.

Sorry, but you can't say there are no bugs in the older firmware. That is what they say they're gonna fix. So is it really that bad that I point out that older firmware has bugs and that I think for 350euro I don't think there should be ANY bugs, and it should at least have a working folder system. Both these points have little to nothing to do with me ever holding a cybook or not. They would be just as valid if I'd receive a model that has no problems whatsoever, because my experience doesn't mean that problems do not exist with the older firmware.

When I am buying a new product, I seek out forums and information on the web to find out what could go wrong with the product. Many forums serve as arms of support to those who are encountering problems with a product. Most satisfied users don't make a point of seeking out a forum so they can post how happy and satisfied they are with a product. If you've been reading a lot of forum postings about the Cybook, you are getting a negatively biased view of it. Until you get the Cybook and see for yourself how it meets your needs, your opinion just does not carry much weight.

I am a Pocket PC enthusiast. When I first got my Cybook, I had to keep reminding myself that the Cybook is not a Pocket PC - I had to reset my expectations of this mobile device and stop myself from consciously (and unconsciously) comparing it to my Pocket PCs. Many of the complaints that I see here and on other forums are by people who have a mismatch of expectations. Pocket PC users complain about the limitations of Pocket PCs because they are comparing them to laptops; Cybook users complain about the limitations of the Cybook because they are comparing them to other mobile devices, like Pocket PCs, or because they are comparing them to books. The Cybook provides an entirely different user interface and one has to reset their expectations about it to gain a full appreciation of it. The Cybook does exactly what I got it for......it provides a comfortable and portable reading experience.

I am looking forward to Bookeen's update, not because I am unhappy with my Cybook or because the Cybook is an unstable device, but because I am looking forward to added functionality that will further my enjoyment of using the Cybook.

[slayda]

Originally Posted by pieter

So is it really that bad that I point out that older firmware has bugs and that I think for 350euro I don't think there should be ANY bugs, and it should at least have a working folder system.

Dream on, little dreamer! There ain't no such animal for any price. At least not this side of heaven and I'm not so sure even there. Where there is computer hardware and software, there will always be bugs.

Also, pieter, keep in mind that many (maybe most) of us at Mobileread at techno-philes. Therefore an update to us is like mother's milk to a baby - we live for it. Think of the update as "value added" for your 350euro. More tech for your original investment.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

"show stopping bugs"? Really? I think not. The few bugs I encountered never stopped the show for me.....and never made me rethink my selection of the Cybook.

Some books you bought did not work. This is a show stopper since you cannot read the book.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I only read one book at a time, so remembering the last page would be easy. The sheer frustration of having to find your place again after the CyBook forgets is a good incentive to make it a habit.
I'm not saying it'd work for everyone, but I think enough people would benefit from page numbers to make it a worthwhile option.

If it were me, I would rather have them fix the bug where it doesn't remember the last page of every book automatically. I am so used to this on my PRS500. Heck, it even has page numbers.

BOb

[tompe]

Originally Posted by bob_ninja

This whole page number controversy is a hilarious. People, when you get a pBook you find multiple pages, so each one is assigned a number. When you get Cybook you get *EXACTLY* one page - the display - so no point dislpay page 1 of 1. Cybook is just another manifestation on your browser. Think of it as a digital printing press. Instead of a single book version you can produce any number of versions by changing attributes such as font type and size. Therefore just as browsers don't have page numbers so Cybook doesn't either. Instead it has a scroll/progress bar. Again, for the same reason why scroll bar is superior in a borwser it is also better in Cybook. The only software that actually does have page numbers is the one which is designed to produce output for physical pages, such as Word.

i think you are missing the main use of page number. It is to know how long the things is you are reading and knowing how much you have left to read. Reading a short story in a collection it is impossible to know how long the short story is which for me influence the experience very negatively.

Reading in a browser is as bad.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by tompe

Some books you bought did not work. This is a show stopper since you cannot read the book.

Some of the books I bought? No, not me. Every book I've bought has worked just fine for me. The only books that did not work were ones I checked out of the library (that did not stop me from reading them), but that's now working beautifully on my Cybook.

[astra]

For me page numbers are absolutely a must.
Cannot imagine reading a book without it.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by tompe

i think you are missing the main use of page number. It is to know how long the things is you are reading and knowing how much you have left to read. Reading a short story in a collection it is impossible to know how long the short story is which for me influence the experience very negatively.

Reading in a browser is as bad.

And yet so many people aren't negatively influenced by that. For one thing, if it's a *short* story, there's nothing preventing you from paging through to find out how much farther you have to read - for that story. For another, you're supposed to be concentrating upon enjoying the story, not fretting over how many pages you have left in it.

I mean, yeah, each to his own tastes, but that is, in my opinion, a rather silly thing to aggravate over.

Derek