Kindle firmware version 5.10.3

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ArthurianLegends

Downloaded the new update and every-time there is a software update, I am underwhelmed.
There is much that is left to be desired in the kindle interface, and I refuse to upgrade my current e-reader to an ipad-priced Oasis until they at least provide:

1) Immersive reading (something any phone can do)
2) Scrolling
3) Get rid of the utterly inaccurate time left reading in a chapter or book to the more usable pages remaining; what is the hold up here, really? Time left in chapter can be reset but even then I have to be careful not to flick through pages on the screen so as not to muck their estimates.
4) It wouldn't hurt for kindle developers to take a look at the options that apps such as Marvin & Maple offer in terms of font options and margins etc., or hire those developers outright.
5) Get rid of the greyed out update kindle and make it where the device can detect new software when I wish it, not when Amazon decides much later to send it to me (if at all).

Both scrolling and immersive reading would have a devastating effect on battery life: remember that the number of screen updates is one of the most significant uses of power on an eInk device. "Time remaining" works absolutely fine for me, and is far more useful than a nebulous "pages remaining"; the connection between pages and number of page turns is ill-defined.

[Almamida]

Originally Posted by ArthurianLegends

Just wondering, and perhaps I ought to have asked this in my previous post: Is the interface the same with current updates across the newest kindle e-reader devices, or are there differences?

The interface is the same accross all e-readers.

[ArthurianLegends]

While I do see the points about battery life (something I do not want compromised-I go about 3 weeks on a kindle voyage), I don't see how pages remaining is "nebulous."

I do understand that page count will fluctuate with my font size settings etc., but I have found these page counts accurately adjusted in other e-reading apps, whereas the time remaining becomes frustrating for me, because it has rarely been accurate, even after resets.

Sometimes I will have something like 1 minute remaining in chapter when I still have a ways to go before the end of the chapter.

But, in the end, it is horses for courses, and I understand and respect those who do not wish to see some of the things on my wishlist in terms of future interface changes.

[shamanNS]

Erm, on Kindles page count doesn't change based on font size/margins/line-height settings. As in page count =/= "number of screens". Page count is static, it is a map to pages of (particular) print edition of that book.

If you are in position to control the page count information (= you generate the info yourself using Calibre + "number of characters" algorithm of "Count pages" plugin) and make it 100% consistent between all the books on you Kindle then that page count can start to play the same "time left" role that built in timer can't do for most of us.

I've chosen a definition of "a page" that is compromise between number of characters that are on typical paperback edition and number of characters / number of words that takes ~2 minutes for me to read.

So it's simple enough for me to do the math and get from "number of pages left in this chapter" to "time left in this chapter".

I agree with you that it would be a nice thing for Amazon to offer a possibility to have those type of "dynamic page number" (that are actually number of screens with current font size and other display settings) that is offered in various smartphone apps.

Choice is always a good thing.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ArthurianLegends

While I do see the points about battery life (something I do not want compromised-I go about 3 weeks on a kindle voyage), I don't see how pages remaining is "nebulous."

I do understand that page count will fluctuate with my font size settings etc., but I have found these page counts accurately adjusted in other e-reading apps, whereas the time remaining becomes frustrating for me, because it has rarely been accurate, even after resets.

It's nebulous because page numbers have nothing whatsoever to do with the number of times you turn the page on the Kindle. The start of a page is linked to a specific point in the text, hence the number of "screens" on the reader that correspond to one "page" in the book varies with the size of the screen, margin selection, font choice, font size, etc.

[Pyjam]

I do agree that time remaining is far less accurate than page numbering.
Most of the time, the value is way too optimistic, and quite often it says “1 minute remaining" while there are 10 or more pages to read.
Like Shaman, I've stopped bothering about the time remaining and the obscure command to reset it. I use caliber to calculate the number of pages according to my preferences, and I display the page number. Unfortunately, I have to display the summary in order to know the number of pages remaining in the chapter. It would be so easy to add it in the options. Seriously, it's a matter of 5 minutes for a competent engineer.

[barryem]

I use the time remaining in the chapter setting and I like it, but I think Moon+ has the perfect way of dealing with this. Instead of using silly things like locations or pages or minutes they deal in screens. So at the bottom of a page in Moon+ I see the number of screens in this chapter and how many I've already read as well as the percentage of the way through the book. I think there are settings that let you have the same thing per book but I have mine set by chapter.

If I change the font size that changes the number but that's trivial to adapt to. And I rarely change the font size. This system fits the real situation instead of twisting every which way to mimic print books. I wish my Kindle would let me do that.

Barry

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by barryem

If I change the font size that changes the number but that's trivial to adapt to. And I rarely change the font size. This system fits the real situation instead of twisting every which way to mimic print books. I wish my Kindle would let me do that.

How do you give someone a reference to a specific point in a book without "invariant" page numbers? References are vital to anyone who uses books in an academic context.

[shamanNS]

You offer both variants (static / print pages & dynamic / screen count). Problem solved.

[patrickt]

Back to the update 10.5.3.

I downloaded the file, moved it to each of my PW 4. It seemed to go well with both until I
I went to download a book from the cloud. One of my PW 4 Kindles had no WiFi. Specifically, it could find none of the fifteen or see WiFi connections in my area. After screwing around I did a factory reset and WiFi returned.

Question for the more experienced. Would you exchange this PW 4 or would you wait. It's within the 30 day window now.

[rcentros]

I find "minutes remaining" to be useful, even if it's not completely accurate. I think "minutes left" (on my font size and reading speed) basically works out to pages left anyhow. Maybe it's closer to a page and a half per minute. At any rate, if I'm down to about 5 minutes left (and I have to go somewhere) I figure I can finish the chapter. If more I just put the Reader down and go.

[niftium]

So if there's anyone out there like me who rarely takes a FW update and decides to take this one, AND if you're coming from something older than the 5.10.X series, I think installing the hotfix for the JB is critical for maintaining your JB. I've been reading threads here for hours - unwisely, only after I installed the 5.10.3 update on my 5.8.11 Voyage - and I can't for the life of me get back MRPI, KUAL, etc. Don't be me!

[NiLuJe]

I haven't rebuilt the Hotfix yet because I'm a bit swamped right now, and I'd have to do it by hand since I have pending changes interfering with a full build.

Anyway, I did check that the FW itself was safe.

(TL;DR: Wait for a hotfix rebuild).

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by niftium

So if there's anyone out there like me who rarely takes a FW update and decides to take this one, AND if you're coming from something older than the 5.10.X series, I think installing the hotfix for the JB is critical for maintaining your JB. I've been reading threads here for hours - unwisely, only after I installed the 5.10.3 update on my 5.8.11 Voyage - and I can't for the life of me get back MRPI, KUAL, etc. Don't be me!

Were you using the kindlet version of KUAL? If so, you need to switch to the booklet version. Don't know what the problem with MRPI is. I'm sitting tight with 5.8.1 on my Voyage.

[niftium]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Were you using the kindlet version of KUAL? If so, you need to switch to the booklet version. Don't know what the problem with MRPI is. I'm sitting tight with 5.8.1 on my Voyage.

I was. I tried installing the booklet version after going to 5.10.3 (both the current snapshot and the recommended coplate variant) via ;log mrpi, and although the device reboots as though something's happening, there's no KUAL.

So I thought crap, is my JB busted? Ran the dummy install. No output file was generated. Doesn't look good.