BeBook Mobipocket support arrived

[Slite]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How has dictionary lookup been implemented on the BeBook? ie how does the user interface work?

Well, as far as I can see, there isn't any way too look up a word inside a book when you read it. So I have no idea if and how they implemented that function. Anyone else?

[HarryT]

I really hope they've not missed out Mobi dictionary support - it is (for me personally, at least) one of the major benefits of the format.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

[*]MobiPocket Reader (this version has support for the BeBook; it'll take some more time for Mobipocket.com to update their website as well) 4.271.104 bytes [/list]
Enjoy.

That link is broken if you didnt know, I cant find anything on mobipocket site regarding the bebook, downloaded the latest reader and that has no specific support for the bebook model, actually converting pdfs to mobi format and copying to the device doesnt create nicely formatted docs, lets hope it gets sorted as reading pdfs on the device isnt great either and having just taking delivery of it I dont think its that good a device.

[HarryT]

See here:

http://www.mobipocket.com/dev/beta/desktop.asp

You won't get good conversions from complex PDF documents. There's just no good way to read PDF files formatted for an A4/Letter page on a screen with 1/6th the area. PDF was never intended to be an eBook format, and it's generally a mistake to try to pretend that it is one.

[soalla]

I hope to clarify this with any BeBook owner, please (I know I'm posting this in several threads, but I'm looking for an answer as I was thinking on buying the Cybook, but I'm now beginning to be interested on the BeBook)

Is any of these two formats .lit or .prc/.mobi actually supported and does any of them support bookmarks (in several different books simultaneously), search function within a book (search for a word or a group of words) and dictionary lookup (without leaving the current book)?

Any answer will be extremely apreciated Thanks to you all and I hope I'm not being too annoying...

EDIT:
Ok, after some more reading I understand that bookmarks is a no on .prc/.mobi - but what about .lit (though it seems this format is not so well implemented on the BeBook - or am I wrong assuming this?)?
Also, I understand that the dictionary lookup is supported for .prc/.mobi but in a convoluted way... is this a fact? And, again, what about .lit?
And now I'm thinking that a search function is also something not implemented... any help here?

I must've been spoiled by my HX700 where all these functions exist and are well implemented both for .lit and .prc...

[AlfonsVH]

Originally Posted by soalla

Is any of these two formats .lit or .prc/.mobi actually supported and does any of them support bookmarks (in several different books simultaneously), search function within a book (search for a word or a group of words) and dictionary lookup (without leaving the current book)?

Multiple bookmarks per book are supported, so that's not a problem. Search function is implemented with MOBI-books, but it only seems possible to search in the book's index, not in the book itself (although I might be mistaken).
Dictionary lookup without leaving the current book does not seem to be implemented (yet).

[y23sailor]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I really hope they've not missed out Mobi dictionary support - it is (for me personally, at least) one of the major benefits of the format.

As far as I can see, the Bebook does not support dictionary lookup. The keywords for searching are displayed on the screen e.g. "New search", but there is no means of selecting them. When you use the navigation buttons to go to the index, all you get is a list of the dictionary head words at the page you were last looking at. This is useless since you would have to page forward or back hundreds of times to get near the word you wanted. The only option is to use the "go to page number" function but that is a hit and miss way of searching.

Like you Harry, I am very disappointed. Of course I may have missed something somewhere because I have only had my Bebook for two hours and don't yet qualify as an expert!

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by y23sailor

As far as I can see, the Bebook does not support dictionary lookup.

What Robertb said here:

Regarding the dictionary with T9... we are going to TRY to get this added before the EZ Reader is released in November. I cannot say for sure; but I desperately want it!

At the time (10 days ago), we did not know that the EZ Reader would be a Hanlin but this is presumably about MOBI dictionaries on the Hanlin V3. T9 is a predictive text entry method for numeric keypads, so this is definitely about dictionary lookup (and in hindsight T9 is less suited for a Netronix EB-600). I'm not completely sure about firmware differences between the Hanlin based devices, but my impression is that features tend to be shared between brands.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

T9 is a predictive text entry method for numeric keypads, so this is definitely about dictionary lookup (and in hindsight T9 is less suited for a Netronix EB-600).

T9 would be nice... but interactive dictionary would be better. Being able to look up a word that is in the current text of the book your reading. In the Kindle it is line based and on the CyBook there is a cursor that you put on the work you want to look up.

Of course, the Kindle doesn't have or need T9 due to its full keyboard.

BOb

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

T9 would be nice... but interactive dictionary would be better. Being able to look up a word that is in the current text of the book your reading. In the Kindle it is line based and on the CyBook there is a cursor that you put on the work you want to look up.

Of course, the Kindle doesn't have or need T9 due to its full keyboard.

BOb

On the Cybook it can take a lot of key presses to get to the word you want to look up. I suspect it is more than would be required to key in the word in T9, particularly if it were using the page itself for a look up instead of the name. I suppose it is possible to just key in a 2 digit number and select the line like the Amazon does. There are several options that could be used to do a dictionary look up from the book itself.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

On the Cybook it can take a lot of key presses to get to the word you want to look up. I suspect it is more than would be required to key in the word in T9,

On the Cybook, though, it's purely "visual" so you don't really think about the key presses involved, any more than you consciously think about the hand movements needed to move a mouse - you just move the cursor until the appropriate word is highlighted. It only takes a few seconds no matter where the word is on the page.

For me personally, "visual" highlighting of this type is far more useful than having to type in a word to search for it.

[Slite]

Originally Posted by HarryT

On the Cybook, though, it's purely "visual" so you don't really think about the key presses involved, any more than you consciously think about the hand movements needed to move a mouse - you just move the cursor until the appropriate word is highlighted. It only takes a few seconds no matter where the word is on the page.

For me personally, "visual" highlighting of this type is far more useful than having to type in a word to search for it.

Agreed, I would much rather see this implemented on BeBook, than T9. I absolutley LOATHE T9. It's the first thing I turn off every time I get a new cellphone.

[bbusybookworm]

I would say I'll like a combination of both actually.

I really like the visual highlighting in the Gen3 as its so much easier then having to enter in a word for dictionary search.

On the other hand, I'll like something like T9 or virtual keyboard input to look up words not in a book on my reader. That would be a killer application, and may also allow easier usage of resources like encyclopaedia's.

As such until the Gen 3 supports something like this, it does limit the utility of the device.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

On the Cybook, though, it's purely "visual" so you don't really think about the key presses involved, any more than you consciously think about the hand movements needed to move a mouse - you just move the cursor until the appropriate word is highlighted. It only takes a few seconds no matter where the word is on the page.

It takes much longer time than a few seconds. I just measured the time to lookup a word in the middle of the page and it took 17 seconds to navigate top the word and 13 seconds to find the word (through) in the dictionary. So totally 30 seconds to look up a word.

Using my n810 it took me 15 seconds too look up the word including laying down the Cybook and taking up the n810.

So I am not happy at all with the time it take to lookup a word. I assume it is much faster in the Kindle.

[astra]

Originally Posted by tompe

So I am not happy at all with the time it take to lookup a word. I assume it is much faster in the Kindle.

With a hardwired keyboard? I am sure it is quicker. Just be patient and one day kindle will knock on your door. I believe by the end of 2009 for sure. Although I would avoid a book reader that has a freaking keyboard on it. Doesn't resemble a book at all.