PocketBook Ink Pad 840 - Page 19

joepie · 09-11-2015, 08:59 AM

Hi tontonjicy,

The screen on my Inkpad switches on when I connect to the PC via USB,

joepie · 09-29-2015, 09:46 AM

I'm on my third and final full charge now. Batterymeter indicates 72% after 2.5 weeks with moderate use of backlight.

I took care to avoid adding books and did not update software during this period. Also I switch the Inkpad off when I stop reading for longer than 5 minutes.

One noticable dip was from 83% to 75% when I opened a pdf file and read 40+ pages. The first 17% were used in almost 2 weeks, the 8% drop to 75% was in 1 day. The operations are appearently much more costly when rendering pdf as opposed to epub. The pdf file has been replaced by an epub file.

BTW I use Coolreader3 for the 4.x.x platform by brucelee, remarkable how little power it uses. I bet I can squeeze out 6 or 7 weeks of normal usage (about 2 hours reading a day).

Only thing that I wish for is that the dictionary in Coolreader has larger font and better button selection overall. I'm curious to improvements in the upcoming firmware, but I think I can do perfectly fine with the current setup for years to come.

Joepie

Quote:

Originally Posted by joepie

Hi rkomar,

I'm really not a battery guru, there are so many faqs on the web about these batteries, that I'm sometimes confused :-). Some say the battery is not completely flat at just the moment when the <insert apparatus> stops booting. And I just follow this draining procedure for the first 3 charges if and when the gadget is brand new. Supposedly it calibrates the software-battery combination because the battery capacity is tuned to min and max and so is the systemsetup. If this is true I'm not sure at all. It just works very well for me :-).

<message part snipped>

ingmar · 10-07-2015, 12:50 AM

There is a new Beta Firmware for the Inkpad available: http://109.72.149.59/EP1234_temp/by_...db_pn_user.zip

It's the Russian version, so the shutdown logo is in Cyrillic, and even though it still has a few minor bugs it should be better than the current one.

p38lightning · 10-07-2015, 04:58 PM

How "safe is this beta? If it is the Russian version, for those of us not versed in that language, can it be used easily? Is the settings screen in English or Cyrillic? What "bugs" have you encountered? I have been checking the site every few days as the last update I got from PB was late September to early October for release of the new version.

Update: Just d/l and installed the software. I now have actual book covers in the library, hooray, hooray! Do not like the slider for the font size as it is difficult to set it at a specific number (my usual choice is 42). Would prefer a numerical choice rather than the slider. Like the look. Will let you know how things unfold. Keeping the 4.4 bin on hand just in case of major problems.

ingmar · 10-08-2015, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p38lightning

How "safe is this beta?

The link was provided by Forkosigan, a known employee of Pocketbook, on the German language forum allesebook.de. He's on this forum as well, if I remember.

Not having access to an Inkpad myself, I haven't been able to test this FW, so I am merely providing this link as a courtesy. This also means that I am only quoting what information he provided, including the part about a few minor bugs remaining.

Quote:

If it is the Russian version, for those of us not versed in that language, can it be used easily?

I have installed "Russian" FW before (for different Pocketbook models), and the language setting is available in all of them, i.e. you can choose English as your language.

p38lightning · 10-09-2015, 10:09 AM

So far, so good!

Everything I need is in English with some exceptions such as system file names and the manuals which are in Cyrillic. This has not posed any problem for me.

The software appears to be working quite well within the confines of my limited use. I do not use the wifi, browser, etc. since I want this to function as my primary e-reader for which I sideload all of my books.

It does appear to transition more slowly when opening a book but I can live with that.

Still not enthralled with the slider for setting text size.

Battery life seems to be fine.

Would love to have the function wherein you could subdivide the main library list into subject libraries and move your titles accordingly (similar to Calibre).

joepie · 10-10-2015, 11:01 AM

Hi p38lightning,

The way you use your Inkpad is about the same as mine. I don't use wifi and browser at all. From day 1 I put the Inkpad on firmware version 4.x as I didn't want the problems with the epub reader on 5.x.

But a month ago, I installed coolreader3 and have been a happy camper since. The battery lasts longer on cr3 than the standard readers, and turning pages is faster as well.

Anyways, is there anything new in the alpha software that you recommend updating for? I'm just wondering if I should try it. Ofcourse it is easy to revert, but I'm doing a battery test and will not update/downgrade for a period of probably two weeks.

One thing I'm miss in firmware 4.x is that the event of recently added books doesn't seem to work. When I select it, I get an empty directory.

[reason is that I want to drain my battery by using it only for reading. I'm on four weeks now and about 40% charge left. Did quite a bit of reading last week so average is 3 hours a day]

p38lightning · 10-10-2015, 12:23 PM

What I really like the best is seeing the actual book covers in the Library.

Having the ability to create separate libraries (as you can in Calibre) would be a huge plus.

Since my use of the new software is so limited, I cannot really report on other aspects.

I am getting used to the slider for selecting text size bot would have preferred being able to use numerical selection as in 4.4.

As you mentioned, it is easy to install the new beta and equally easy to go back to 4.4.

Give it a shot!

etatoby · 10-13-2015, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pugs466

I have a 64 GB microSD with pdf, epub, mp3 and searching on it is pretty fast.

For anyone who is interested, I just bought a 128 GB microSD on a hunch (Samsung EVO+ from Amazon) thinking that if the InkPad can use a 64 GB card, then it can probably use a 128 GB one too. The reason is that between 32 and 64 GB the entire hardware protocol changes, so the OS device driver and maybe the controller chip need to be upgraded, while 64 and 128 GB only differ by a couple bits.

Indeed it works!

Out of the box the card comes formatted in ExFAT, which the PocketBook, being a Linux device, can't read. (for legal reasons. Shame on you, Microsoft, shame on you!) So I just used the SD card adapter to format it as FAT32 and bingo!

I bought the InkPad to read manga, which take up a lot of space, so I'll post an update as soon as I can confirm that I can use the full 128 GB.

I'll wager they cannot claim to support SD cards larger than 32 GB because they would need to buy some kind of certification from the SD card consortium.

Dr. Drib · 10-17-2015, 07:47 AM

This unit appears to be unavailable.

Is this a temporary situation?

Or is a newer model coming out?

Thanks.

p38lightning · 10-21-2015, 02:01 PM

Great question. Availability, especially in the USA, has always been an issue. Got mine from a Romanian source last year and have noticed since that it has become quite scarce.

Currently running the beta of the new software and still waiting for that to become "rtm"!

Would gladly get a new one if it has a larger power button which is about my only ongoing complaint.

Sorry I could not have been of more help.

joepie · 10-24-2015, 08:30 AM

My final score was exactly 5 weeks on a single charge. Of which one week I did quite some extra reading, as I was down with the flu and stayed at home.

I think the average was between 1 and 2 hours of reading per day, and 25% of the time with backlight on lowest setting. All reading was done with CR3 by Bruce Lee. I think using CR3 makes a big difference, it uses little power.

I will try to repeat this with the upcoming firmware to see if there is any effect on battery efficiency.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joepie

I'm on my third and final full charge now. Batterymeter indicates 72% after 2.5 weeks with moderate use of backlight.

I took care to avoid adding books and did not update software during this period. Also I switch the Inkpad off when I stop reading for longer than 5 minutes.

One noticable dip was from 83% to 75% when I opened a pdf file and read 40+ pages. The first 17% were used in almost 2 weeks, the 8% drop to 75% was in 1 day. The operations are appearently much more costly when rendering pdf as opposed to epub. The pdf file has been replaced by an epub file.

BTW I use Coolreader3 for the 4.x.x platform by brucelee, remarkable how little power it uses. I bet I can squeeze out 6 or 7 weeks of normal usage (about 2 hours reading a day).

Only thing that I wish for is that the dictionary in Coolreader has larger font and better button selection overall. I'm curious to improvements in the upcoming firmware, but I think I can do perfectly fine with the current setup for years to come.

Joepie

Dr. Drib · 10-29-2015, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p38lightning

Great question. Availability, especially in the USA, has always been an issue. Got mine from a Romanian source last year and have noticed since that it has become quite scarce.

Currently running the beta of the new software and still waiting for that to become "rtm"!

Would gladly get a new one if it has a larger power button which is about my only ongoing complaint.

Sorry I could not have been of more help.

Thank you for your response. I do appreciate your help.

p38lightning · 10-31-2015, 10:24 AM

Though I am "happily" running the beta software update that is linked back upstream from here, I am wondering what the holdup is all about regarding the release of the finalized version. I emailed Pocetbook twice regarding this and was first told a mid-summer release which was then bumped to October in their second reply. Today is the end of October and no new version is available on their website other than the original and 5.4.

Any ideas or direct knowledge on this issue?

Also, (referring to Dr. Drib's inquiry) the availability of the 840 really does appear to have dried up world wide. Since there appears to be no more on the market, does it stand to reason they sold out their initial run? Oddly enough I cannot even find any "used" models available!

This begs the question as to whether this model/size is being abandoned or is there a newer version on the horizon?

Any thoughts or actual knowledge on any of the above???

DaleDe · 10-31-2015, 01:36 PM

They announced Pocketbook Digital at a show in Germany. They said they are getting clients to self brand the products including the InkPad. So far they have announced:

TEA, France White labeled E Ink readers and Android app

HONDANA, Brazil White labeled Bookstore, Android and iOS apps

ELEFANT, Romania White labeled Android app

CALIBRO, Turkey White labeled E Ink readers, Android and iOS apps

See http://pocketbook.digital/

Dale

10-07-2015, 04:58 PM	#274
p38lightning Zealot Posts: 145 Karma: 20939 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Maine! Device: Lenovo Tab M9 & Meebook p78 Pro	How "safe is this beta? If it is the Russian version, for those of us not versed in that language, can it be used easily? Is the settings screen in English or Cyrillic? What "bugs" have you encountered? I have been checking the site every few days as the last update I got from PB was late September to early October for release of the new version. Update: Just d/l and installed the software. I now have actual book covers in the library, hooray, hooray! Do not like the slider for the font size as it is difficult to set it at a specific number (my usual choice is 42). Would prefer a numerical choice rather than the slider. Like the look. Will let you know how things unfold. Keeping the 4.4 bin on hand just in case of major problems. Last edited by p38lightning; 10-07-2015 at 05:57 PM.

10-10-2015, 11:01 AM	#277
joepie Zealot Posts: 110 Karma: 6478 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Inkpad 3 -> Onyx Boox Nova 3	Hi p38lightning, The way you use your Inkpad is about the same as mine. I don't use wifi and browser at all. From day 1 I put the Inkpad on firmware version 4.x as I didn't want the problems with the epub reader on 5.x. But a month ago, I installed coolreader3 and have been a happy camper since. The battery lasts longer on cr3 than the standard readers, and turning pages is faster as well. Anyways, is there anything new in the alpha software that you recommend updating for? I'm just wondering if I should try it. Ofcourse it is easy to revert, but I'm doing a battery test and will not update/downgrade for a period of probably two weeks. One thing I'm miss in firmware 4.x is that the event of recently added books doesn't seem to work. When I select it, I get an empty directory. [reason is that I want to drain my battery by using it only for reading. I'm on four weeks now and about 40% charge left. Did quite a bit of reading last week so average is 3 hours a day] Last edited by joepie; 10-10-2015 at 11:03 AM. Reason: added one remark

10-31-2015, 10:24 AM	#284
p38lightning Zealot Posts: 145 Karma: 20939 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Maine! Device: Lenovo Tab M9 & Meebook p78 Pro	Though I am "happily" running the beta software update that is linked back upstream from here, I am wondering what the holdup is all about regarding the release of the finalized version. I emailed Pocetbook twice regarding this and was first told a mid-summer release which was then bumped to October in their second reply. Today is the end of October and no new version is available on their website other than the original and 5.4. Any ideas or direct knowledge on this issue? Also, (referring to Dr. Drib's inquiry) the availability of the 840 really does appear to have dried up world wide. Since there appears to be no more on the market, does it stand to reason they sold out their initial run? Oddly enough I cannot even find any "used" models available! This begs the question as to whether this model/size is being abandoned or is there a newer version on the horizon? Any thoughts or actual knowledge on any of the above??? Last edited by p38lightning; 10-31-2015 at 05:08 PM.

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09-11-2015, 08:59 AM	#271
joepie Zealot Posts: 110 Karma: 6478 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Inkpad 3 -> Onyx Boox Nova 3	Hi tontonjicy, The screen on my Inkpad switches on when I connect to the PC via USB,

10-07-2015, 12:50 AM	#273
ingmar Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 810808 Join Date: May 2014 Device: Tolino Vision 4 HD	There is a new Beta Firmware for the Inkpad available: http://109.72.149.59/EP1234_temp/by_...db_pn_user.zip It's the Russian version, so the shutdown logo is in Cyrillic, and even though it still has a few minor bugs it should be better than the current one.

10-09-2015, 10:09 AM	#276
p38lightning Zealot Posts: 145 Karma: 20939 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Maine! Device: Lenovo Tab M9 & Meebook p78 Pro	So far, so good! Everything I need is in English with some exceptions such as system file names and the manuals which are in Cyrillic. This has not posed any problem for me. The software appears to be working quite well within the confines of my limited use. I do not use the wifi, browser, etc. since I want this to function as my primary e-reader for which I sideload all of my books. It does appear to transition more slowly when opening a book but I can live with that. Still not enthralled with the slider for setting text size. Battery life seems to be fine. Would love to have the function wherein you could subdivide the main library list into subject libraries and move your titles accordingly (similar to Calibre).

10-10-2015, 12:23 PM	#278
p38lightning Zealot Posts: 145 Karma: 20939 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Maine! Device: Lenovo Tab M9 & Meebook p78 Pro	What I really like the best is seeing the actual book covers in the Library. Having the ability to create separate libraries (as you can in Calibre) would be a huge plus. Since my use of the new software is so limited, I cannot really report on other aspects. I am getting used to the slider for selecting text size bot would have preferred being able to use numerical selection as in 4.4. As you mentioned, it is easy to install the new beta and equally easy to go back to 4.4. Give it a shot!

10-17-2015, 07:47 AM	#280
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,391 Karma: 59504381 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	This unit appears to be unavailable. Is this a temporary situation? Or is a newer model coming out? Thanks.

10-21-2015, 02:01 PM	#281
p38lightning Zealot Posts: 145 Karma: 20939 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Maine! Device: Lenovo Tab M9 & Meebook p78 Pro	Great question. Availability, especially in the USA, has always been an issue. Got mine from a Romanian source last year and have noticed since that it has become quite scarce. Currently running the beta of the new software and still waiting for that to become "rtm"! Would gladly get a new one if it has a larger power button which is about my only ongoing complaint. Sorry I could not have been of more help.

10-31-2015, 01:36 PM	#285
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	They announced Pocketbook Digital at a show in Germany. They said they are getting clients to self brand the products including the InkPad. So far they have announced: TEA, France White labeled E Ink readers and Android app HONDANA, Brazil White labeled Bookstore, Android and iOS apps ELEFANT, Romania White labeled Android app CALIBRO, Turkey White labeled E Ink readers, Android and iOS apps See http://pocketbook.digital/ Dale