Gen3 When will Bookeen post a new firmware update?

[Krystian Galaj]

There's a way to get a new firmware earlier. You need to break the screen controller, and then ask Bookeen for RMA, and send them the device so that they may replace it. They usually send back new device, with newest firmware.

Too bad this is the only way.

[Idoine]

I prefer to wait than to break it voluntarily...
For me, it would be to some degree like throwing my 6 years car against a tree to get a new one...

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by nelsonescorcio

Please read my reply above. Quoting myself: "explain the reasons beyond the delay (even without details), the reason why folder support is not implemented for months now; the reason why recent builds are not available for download; give us some hints of what to expect from the upgrade; explain why they expected to implement the EPUB/PDF support in a few weeks (when they couldn't implment the folder support in a year), and so on..."

Would I expect this kind of information from companies like Sony or Amazon? Off course not!
But THIS is where a small company could make a difference!

Yes in the sence that small mean less hierarchy.
No, because small company still need to keep thier secrets, even more than the big ones, who can more easily protect thier ass when need be.
And there's still the "don't say anything unless you're sure it won't change".

Reason for the delay ? I you want my mind, it's the usual "dev take more time than planned" thingy.

[K-Thom]

Secrets? Eowyn, I don't mean to rude, but - what secrets?!?

This isn't a matter of national security or some formula to cure cancer. We're talking about a firmware update. You don't acutally expect the other companies selling e-ink devices to drop anything they're working on because Bookeen may announce folder support for the next update, do you?

Each time e.g. an internet browser is updated, the upcoming features are announced to the public months before the acutal update is available. This is a wellthought means of public relations and marketing.
Bookeen is missing quite a chance right now. They were one of the first to offer e-ink reding devices and were ahead of their competitors. They aren't anymore. In terms of hardware there are some devices out there on the same level as the Cybook.

So Bookeen has to rely on the software - the firmware - to be the actual selling factor. I already start looking around for devices with better update support and even consider selling my Cybook.
This is due to Bookeen's "secretive" policy. With each additional week they are losing the most important objectice: the trust of their customers. Gain it, you keep them. Lose it, you won't easily get them back.

[EowynCarter]

Bookeen secretive ?
I've seen way worse in term of secretive. With a normal company, we woudn't even know an update is comming Here we even know a good part of what's in it. (Epub , folder support, pdf reflow....)

You wanna know why the update is delayed ? Why don't you just ask bookeen ?
I'm suprised you called them secretive, when my own experience with them is that they're quite talkative, when you bother asking questions. Then, mabe being french help there.

the reason why recent builds are not available for download;

Once again, because they though to publish the next one way sooner.

[anahid]

Does anyone know whether the new recently bought cybooks have any of the new characyeristics we are all expecting from the update?

anahid

[EowynCarter]

Not as far as i know.

[Pulp]

No, it does not - I just ordered a new one.
It is a 400Mhz model though, so thats definitely an improvement

Firmware build is 832 and it supports more languages that 796, but that's the only difference I could make out.

[EowynCarter]

A second Cybook ? what do you wanna do with it ?

[Godzil]

To have a dualpage cybook of course

[Pulp]

It was to resolve the problem of 2 people wanting to read with one device

[Justy]

Originally Posted by Pulp

It was to resolve the problem of 2 people wanting to read with one device

I bought the 512 version for the same reason. Hubby is now happily reading on my original Cybook. He sees no reason for a firmware update, the Cybook does what he needs it to do for the 5 books at a time he loads on it.

[Justy]

It looks like Bookeen is still paying attention to the comments on their blog. They posted update comments on both the English and French blogs yesterday. These only show up if you look for them under the original entry about Adobe PDF and EPUB posted in February.

Dear Customer,

We are close to release the next firmware upgrade. Please be sure that your suggestions are important to us and that we are preparing the upgrade taking your remarks in account.

Best regards,

Bookeen team

I believe they said the basically same thing in the comments on the French blog:

Bonjour,

Nous n'avons toujours pas de date précise pour la sortie de la mise à jour. Cependant nous prenons en compte vos demandes et suggestions pour l'amélioration de notre logiciel.
Pour touts problèmes liés à l'utilisation du Cybook vous êtes priés de contacter notre équipe support à support'at'bookeen.com

Bonne lecture,

L'équipe Bookeen

[chlorine]

Originally Posted by Justy

I believe they said the basically same thing in the comments on the French blog:

Well, they basically say the same thing in French, except that what reads "We are close to release the next firmware upgrade" in the english version corresponds to "We still don't have an exact date for the release of the firmware update" in the French version.

Somehow the English version seems more optimistic to me. :P

[Justy]

Originally Posted by chlorine

Somehow the English version seems more optimistic to me. :P

I like the English version better myself!