Firmware Update firmware update 5.8.5 out(improves manga reading)

[Axanar]

Originally Posted by NullNix

I'm reasonably sure the Kindle has used directfb and now X11 but never Wayland. Given their degree of dependence on a custom Awesome config that bubbles windows to different layers depending on their WM_TITLE, I'd suspect it'd be a big rewrite to move across to Wayland, too: they'd need a custom compositor at the very least.

I was just guessing here with Wayland. I had the impression that they may have switched from GTK2 to GTK3 (due to the similar TAB'ing in the Fonts section of the book and the smaller scroll bars used - which is known for GTK3. Also the use of "symbolic" icons in their new settings and the (wifi, brightnes, airplane) popup looked quite GTK3'ish to me). Therefore my guess was, that they may intend (or already are in the process) of switching towards Wayland. But yes, directfb could've been an option as well. In this regard, I am more or less just a Kindle *user* and only speak in a *users* perspective.

Edit: I know, getting updates is no self-evidence and while I am thankful for their support I also need to note that the old GUI wasn't broken! In fact it was more coherent overall.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I am on 5.8.5 and my personal docs sent via Send To Kindle (originally mobi files) show the cover, exactly the same as it did before I upgraded.

Could that be because Send to Kindle converts and sends to the Kindle as AZW files? (That's written on the sending page of Send To Kindle)

Upon further checking I see that there is an exception that personal documents delivered in the old MOBI/AZW format (not KF8/AZW3) still have their cover thumbnails extracted from the book by the kindle firmware and so bypass the firmware change that I documented.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Upon further checking I see that there is an exception that personal documents delivered in the old MOBI/AZW format (not KF8/AZW3) still have their cover thumbnails extracted from the book by the kindle firmware and so bypass the firmware change that I documented.

That's good to know. I've always used mobi files and never had a problem. I'm not bothered at all by formatting issues/preferences and mobi has always been fine regardless of the original format.

[LucyOne]

Could someone post a screenshot of the library in cover view?

[Atunah]

Looks the same as before to me.

eta: sorry, tried to upload a pic but keeps timing out on me. I don't have a cable handy at the moment for a screenshot so I had taken a photo. But I can't put it to the post at the moment. Or I am too stupid to figure it out again.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by LucyOne

Could someone post a screenshot of the library in cover view?

Lucy, there's no change in the appearance of the library screen. It looks the same as it has done in all the other 5.8.x releases.

[LucyOne]

Ok, thanks. I am hoping the dots will come back.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by LucyOne

Ok, thanks. I am hoping the dots will come back.

The dots are back in the list view, but not the cover view.

[CyberPaul]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Upon further checking I see that there is an exception that personal documents delivered in the old MOBI/AZW format (not KF8/AZW3) still have their cover thumbnails extracted from the book by the kindle firmware and so bypass the firmware change that I documented.

I'm increasingly disliking Amazon and Kindle... They are strongly discouraging the ebooks bought elsewhere. Covers, page flip, improvements for manga, enhanced typesettings and even something so basic like the simple hyphenation are available only for books bought from Amazon!
They not even allow anymore to change the title when we send ebooks to Kindle!
I'm seriously thinking to abandon them...

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by CyberPaul

I'm increasingly disliking Amazon and Kindle... They are strongly discouraging the ebooks bought elsewhere. Covers, page flip, improvements for manga, enhanced typesettings and even something so basic like the simple hyphenation are available only for books bought from Amazon!
They not even allow anymore to change the title when we send ebooks to Kindle!
I'm seriously thinking to abandon them...

I'm sorry but I send ebooks bought from elsewhere to my kindle every week using Send to Kindle and I'm not having any issues at all. If I need to change the title I can on the Send to Kindle screen, or I do it in Calibre first and convert to mobi, then send the mobi file via Send to Kindle. And my covers show perfectly.

I'm personally not interested in page flip (in fact I hate it) or advanced formatting, all I want to do is read my book and my Kindle works perfectly for that regardless of where I originally bought my book.

[NullNix]

Originally Posted by CyberPaul

I'm increasingly disliking Amazon and Kindle... They are strongly discouraging the ebooks bought elsewhere. Covers, page flip, improvements for manga, enhanced typesettings and even something so basic like the simple hyphenation are available only for books bought from Amazon!
They not even allow anymore to change the title when we send ebooks to Kindle!
I'm seriously thinking to abandon them...

Actually you can hyphenate ebooks fine, as long as you convert them to AZW3: use &shy hyphens (discretionary). (You can also use zero-width spaces to split things like URLs at line ends without disrupting them if not split). There is a Calibre plugin to do it, but for a lot of stuff these days I just use a tiny Perl script I wrote based on XML::Twig and TeX::Hyphen, then kindlegen the result.

None of this works in non-AZW3 MOBI, which means periodicals remain unhyphenatable to this day: if you Calibre-convert them, you can left-justify them instead, which makes them readable again, but with periodicals purchased from Amazon you are doomed to full justification with horrible intermittently jagged right borders.

[CyberPaul]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I'm sorry but I send ebooks bought from elsewhere to my kindle every week using Send to Kindle and I'm not having any issues at all. If I need to change the title I can on the Send to Kindle screen, or I do it in Calibre first and convert to mobi, then send the mobi file via Send to Kindle. And my covers show perfectly.

I'm personally not interested in page flip (in fact I hate it) or advanced formatting, all I want to do is read my book and my Kindle works perfectly for that regardless of where I originally bought my book.

Maybe you see the covers because you use old mobi. I use combined (both) and covers are not visible.
Send to kindle doesn't use the text you type since several versions ago... maybe you haven't realized yet.
Honestly I haven't bought a powerful voyage to read simple text with poor format like a cheap ereader...

[CyberPaul]

Originally Posted by NullNix

Actually you can hyphenate ebooks fine, as long as you convert them to AZW3: use &shy hyphens (discretionary). (You can also use zero-width spaces to split things like URLs at line ends without disrupting them if not split). There is a Calibre plugin to do it, but for a lot of stuff these days I just use a tiny Perl script I wrote based on XML::Twig and TeX::Hyphen, then kindlegen the result.

None of this works in non-AZW3 MOBI, which means periodicals remain unhyphenatable to this day: if you Calibre-convert them, you can left-justify them instead, which makes them readable again, but with periodicals purchased from Amazon you are doomed to full justification with horrible intermittently jagged right borders.

Yes, I can hypenhate with these tricks, but kerning and drop caps won't work anyway... it is unacceptable. These are things that a good engine should offer and they invented a new format (kfx) just to avoid you use them in your books not bought from their store.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by CyberPaul

Maybe you see the covers because you use old mobi. I use combined (both) and covers are not visible.
Send to kindle doesn't use the text you type since several versions ago... maybe you haven't realized yet.
Honestly I haven't bought a powerful voyage to read simple text with poor format like a cheap ereader...

Weird, I just send a book via send to kindle yesterday and I changed/fixed the title and the author and its shows like that on my Kindle. What I don't have are covers. I never get covers when I send them via send my kindle. I can't figure out what to do to get them. I convert in calibre to mobi and there is a tag says something like ebok in some field somewhere. I think I have it set to "both" mobi.
Most of my books come from amazon, but I would still like to have some covers on the sideloaded ones. Once in a while a book has it, not changing any of the calibre settings, but most don't have it. I gave up trying to figure that one out.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by CyberPaul

Maybe you see the covers because you use old mobi. I use combined (both) and covers are not visible.
Send to kindle doesn't use the text you type since several versions ago... maybe you haven't realized yet.
Honestly I haven't bought a powerful voyage to read simple text with poor format like a cheap ereader...

Yes I send "old mobi". I mentioned that earlier in the thread. I am perfectly happy with my "simple text with poor format". I have a Voyage to read books. It's the words that matter not the formatting!

Also I make sure my title is correct in Calibre then I reformat my mobi file, so the title I get on my kindle is exactly what I expect to see. I am perfectly aware of how Send to Kindle works.

If you are not happy with your kindle maybe you should consider another make of ereader.