New Icarus 7.8 inch 300ppi Android e-reader

[colibris79]

I hope this helps. I leave you a few videos about the device.
In this two videos you can see how the scrolling works. Take into account that these videos are from June so the firmware was not completely finished:
Video 1
Video 2

More videos of the device still from last summer:
Video 3
Video 4
Video 5 (review)


And a few up-to-date videos about the real Boyue device (in Chinese) where you can see how the device really works now:
Video 6
Video 7
Video 8
Video 9
Video 10 (English menus- no sound)

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mdp

Last! : )

I might be the last in line since I just got my tracking number today.

In theory I'll get it by next Thursday. Good news is that everyone here will have completed testing their devices prior to my device arriving, so I'll have your experience to inform me before I start playing with it.

[jscris]

Originally Posted by harisled

I have created a ticket to check if I can get a replacement because mine definitely has touch problems.
I have reset to factory settings, and tried with Developer options>show touches and I can see that it is not registering all my touches.
Also tried drawing apps and there are problems even drawing a line

If anyone else has bought the case the turns off/on the screen, can you verify that if you fold the cover back the magnet locks the screen? Because it does that on mine...

Yes to all of that. I've already complained to them about the case (no answer) and last night I finally had time to try it out. Mine is branded Icarus. I've had many e-ink readers, Kobo, Kindle, Nook, and never had to return one. It seemed to work up to the time when I had three books loaded and bought Moon+ Reader, although there were some touch issues. Then it became intolerable. I spent a long time on it, did a factory reset, which removed my account info but not the books I'd sideloaded, and it's still a dud. First time I tried after the reset I couldn't even get the date set because touches weren't registering. Like Icarus, it doesn't fly. Very unhappy, as long as we waited for this.

[Ken Maltby]

It would be interesting to see how current KOReader Android releases work on this device. Today's .apk http://build.koreader.rocks/download...9-gb4bb322.apk

I usually use "Save as" and trim the file name down, like this: koreader-android-v2015.11-1339.apk

The cases use a magnet to activate a switch in the device, if you can put a piece of aluminum (ok correction, steel, something magnetic) behind your device, in the case, it will probably keep the magnet from affecting the device, while it is folded back.

Luck;
Ken

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

The cases use a magnet to activate a switch in the device, if you can put a piece of aluminum behind your device, in the case, it will probably keep the magnet from affecting the device, while it is folded back.

Alumin(i)um won't work - it'll need to be a ferromagnetic metal like steel. I had this problem with a case I used on a Kobo H2O: folding back the case would put the reader to sleep. I solved it by cutting a 3cm square from the lid of a tin of soup, wrapping it in tissue paper to stop it from scratching, and putting it between the case and the back of the reader, so the when the cover was folded back, the steel plate was between the magnet and the device. Worked perfectly!

[jscris]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Alumin(i)um won't work - it'll need to be a ferromagnetic metal like steel. I had this problem with a case I used on a Kobo H2O: folding back the case would put the reader to sleep. I solved it by cutting a 3cm square from the lid of a tin of soup, wrapping it in tissue paper to stop it from scratching, and putting it between the case and the back of the reader, so the when the cover was folded back, the steel plate was between the magnet and the device. Worked perfectly!

Yes, thanks, been there with another cover, think it was a third-party cover for one of the kindles, and started to do that with this one, but since the reader itself isn't working properly, they both need to go back.

Anyone wanting to try it, check the location of the magnet in the reader with a small magnet before placing the metal in the cover. It's not in the same place as most I've seen.

[nrseife]

When I run "Droid Info" on my new 7.8in Icarus, it claims that is has microphone support. Not sure if that is correct (I doubt it). I tried calling with Hangouts and a cheap headphone with an integrated microphone connected to the 3.5mm headphone jack ....did not work. anyone knows of a trick how to get that to work?

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by nrseife

When I run "Droid Info" on my new 7.8in Icarus, it claims that is has microphone support. Not sure if that is correct (I doubt it). I tried calling with Hangouts and a cheap headphone with an integrated microphone connected to the 3.5mm headphone jack ....did not work. anyone knows of a trick how to get that to work?

There is no mention of this on their web site. If it exists it might be Bluetooth support. I don' know what it would do with microphone support anyway although a remote page turn could be handy I suppose.

Dale

[jscris]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There is no mention of this on their web site. If it exists it might be Bluetooth support. I don' know what it would do with microphone support anyway although a remote page turn could be handy I suppose.

Dale

Remote page turn works with a bluetooth volume control remote. It worked with Moon+ and I think also with the included reading app.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by colibris79

Sorry for that . As mdp has explained the automatic A2 (normal mode) only happens when you are scrolling in certain apps like webpages. Otherwise you have to manually change it (you can do it from the bottom bar). Most of the times when I talk about A2 is because I have manually changed it, so it is in "Always A2" (like in the last post about taking notes).
But most of the time I am in "Normal mode". I personally have no problems scrolling through text inside of apps and finding the part that I need. I find it this automatic change between normal and A2 very smooth.

That makes sense now. I only have automatic, and I also find the switch between the two to work quite well.

Edit: the only one I had that you could switch between A2 and normal was the Onyx T68 and there was no automatic. It was one or the other.

[p38lightning]

Have had my new Icarus for close to two weeks now. Replaces my second Inkpad 840 (cracked screen on the first unit). Much easier to hold than the Inkpad and "feels" somewhat lighter. Significantly better software for e reading purposes. So far I am very pleased with it. Screen appears brighter, cleaner, and more sharp than the 840.

Have experienced a few freezes requiring a reboot (no specific cause) and an occasional spontaneous page advance (again no apparent reason). Both happen rarely, but they do happen. All ebooks being used are loaded directly from my Calibre program. I have Prestigio's e reader installed but am currently using the unit's reader with few issues.

So far, so good!

[mdp]

It just arrived. But as first steps, it is requiring an Internet connection!
What is that supposed to be?
How does one skip it?

EDIT: there is a logic bug: if one disables Wi-Fi, the "Next" button is disabled. If one keeps it enabled - of course disconnected - one can proceed and disable it later.

[jscris]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

It would be interesting to see how current KOReader Android releases work on this device. Today's .apk http://build.koreader.rocks/download...9-gb4bb322.apk

It installs and seems to work fine, although I did have it lock up a couple times. I'm still having glitches with this device, so no telling whether it was koreader or the Illumina that caused the freezes. I would like to use it if it volume control pages turns (bluetooth and usbotg) were supported, but I don't think they are.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by jscris

I would like to use it if it volume control pages turns (bluetooth and usbotg) were supported, but I don't think they are.

Any kind of keyboard emulation should work, if the software envisaged reacting to the arrow buttons.

[jscris]

Originally Posted by mdp

Any kind of keyboard emulation should work, if the software envisaged reacting to the arrow buttons.

Talking specifically about koreader. Both bluetooth and usbotg work with Moon+ and the native reading app. Kindlelazy hasn't worked with koreader either, afaik.

It's possible it does work and that it was just this specific device that caused it to not register the page turns since the Illumina I have has some problems.