Report on new firmware? - Page 21

K-Thom · 08-01-2009, 04:31 PM

Godzil, no offense meant, but either you're very young, quite naive, easily to be satisfied or a member of the Bookeen staff.

Those last few posts of yours were nice speeches about the good people over at Bookeen who have their whole heart into the matter, up and running their destiny against the test of time and the tides of fate ...

Sorry, we are talking about a company on the free market. That wants to sell a product, two of them right now, to be exactly. To sell products you need satisfied customers and a convincing business concept. Do all of those who post here look like totally satisfied customers to you who are convinced about Bookeen right now?

No? Indeed not. If so, why not? Because Bookeen doesn't give the best impression as a company to be trusted after all. They want to sell something to us. They have to satisfy us. They have to convince us.
If they don't, if they don't manage to - and I don't have to care about the reasons as a customer, I simply don't have to -, they're not doing the best of jobs.

I lost quite some customers to my eBook line the past few months since I wasn't able to deliver new titles on time as my readers used to rely on for the past few years.
I've got reasons for these delays. Health, money, reorganizing. Does any of my customers have to care? Nope. If they do, I'm glad and I thank them. If they don't, I do fully understand them, because I wasn't doing the best of jobs as a publisher. And I'm paying the price literally by selling less right now.
Hope I can convince my customers by doing a good job during the next months.

Bookeen will lose customers. Not because we are such a hard-to-please stubborn bunch but because we are disappointed. Maybe Bookeen will sell more items of the Opus on new markets, then it really won't have to rely on those few guys complaining on this board.
Maybe interested readers discover MobileRead and find out about all this complaining going on and reconsider buying from Bookeen. We'll see, right?

At the moment Bookeen really isn't a great help to itself.

EowynCarter · 08-02-2009, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Never buy anything from Bookeen based on what might be. Only buy based on what is now. We know Bookeen has a bad habit of not doing what they say and you well and truly may have two devices with different formats because of this.

True.
But then, we know there IS a firmware for gen 3 with ePub.

Quote:

I lost quite some customers to my eBook line the past few months since I wasn't able to deliver new titles on time as my readers used to rely on for the past few years.
I've got reasons for these delays. Health, money, reorganizing. Does any of my customers have to care?

Yeap, that sometimes happens. Thing won't always goes the way you too. Unexpected stuff show up, and you end up having more work to do than your time allows.

Krystian Galaj · 08-02-2009, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

True.
But then, we know there IS a firmware for gen 3 with ePub.

Yes, but we don't know if they ever release it. With almost all other companies, I would trust them to do so, but with Bookeen I no longer do.

K-Thom · 08-02-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Yes, but we don't know if they ever release it. With almost all other companies, I would trust them to do so, but with Bookeen I no longer do.

They will release it, I'm sure of that.

What I just can't comprehend: Bookeen "dared" to deliver Gen3 with a beta epub-firmware to a big distributor (Weltbild), but they don't dare to upload the better beta version (the one shown at the Paris meeting) on their website?!

Just a warning that this version still is in beta and might show some unexpected behaviour, please backup your old firmware and thanks for any feedback on bugs. I wouldn't expect anything more at this moment. And it would be fine.

Uploading firmware: 1 minute
Updating web pages: 15 minutes (at most)
Updating news: 10 minutes

A total of half an hour work to keep a lot of customers satisfied. Nobody can tell me that that really is a problem or a major effort. C'mon ...

EowynCarter · 08-02-2009, 07:34 AM

Quote:

What I just can't comprehend: Bookeen "dared" to deliver Gen3 wit beta epub-firmware to a big distributor (Weltbild), but they don't dare to upload the better beta version (the one shown at the Paris meeting) on their website?!

I do understand not puting "bata version". I expact my reader to "just work". Then the version we got at the meetup works fine enough.
Why the mess to put update on the website, i can't figure out.

Spellbot 5000 · 08-02-2009, 07:58 AM

Don't you know, Bookeen is actually run by two ferrets and a sheet of aluminum. The guys at the meetup were just hired shills to put a human face to the company. They'll have the firmware up on the web once the aluminum gets the internet hooked up and the ferrets figure out what all those square clicky things connected to the computer are.

Godzil · 08-02-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-Thom

Uploading firmware: 1 minute
Updating web pages: 15 minutes (at most)
Updating news: 10 minutes

Ho yes you are right. And you says that I am an utopist?

Your timings are not realist. Modifing a website does not generally take 15minutes even for a simple modification, (I speak about a professional website, not an amateur one) you need to test if you didn't break something, etc...

And updating news? You need to write it, approve it internally etc.. I don't think it will take 10min, but maybe few hours or even days?

And 1 minutes to upload, oh yes, if you have something to upload, making a firmware that will run and didn't brick 99% of the cybook on the wild does not take 1 minute...

tompe · 08-02-2009, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godzil

Your timings are not realist. Modifing a website does not generally take 15minutes even for a simple modification, (I speak about a professional website, not an amateur one) you need to test if you didn't break something, etc..

No, it takes less working time since for a professional web site you have automated regression testing.

K-Thom · 08-02-2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Your timings are not realist. Modifing a website does not generally take 15minutes even for a simple modification, (I speak about a professional website, not an amateur one) you need to test if you didn't break something, etc...

You've taken a look at Bookeen's web site lately, the last year or so? Sorry, ain't top notch, state of the art web design, especially as soon as you go past the front page. Quite simple coding, some css. Hard to break that kinda easy layout. And how do you break something by simply replacing text, as, say, a version number???

Quote:

And updating news? You need to write it, approve it internally etc.. I don't think it will take 10min, but maybe few hours or even days?

As you quoted me correctly, "updating". I didn't say anything about writing and approving. But, true, if there's nothing to upload you don't have to write any news about it.

Quote:

And 1 minutes to upload, oh yes, if you have something to upload, making a firmware that will run and didn't brick 99% of the cybook on the wild does not take 1 minute...

So the version shown to the MobileRead people at the Paris meeting was in a state of possible bricking 99% of the Gen3 devices being present?
My respect, Bookeen, that would be quite a bold deed. Showing up at a meeting with such a defective firmware, my ... yes, you're right, I wouldn't want my customers to use the same firmware I offered to those poor, demanding MR souls.

What was I thinking?

gerraldo · 08-02-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godzil

And updating news? You need to write it, approve it internally etc.. I don't think it will take 10min, but maybe few hours or even days?

And 1 minutes to upload, oh yes, if you have something to upload, making a firmware that will run and didn't brick 99% of the cybook on the wild does not take 1 minute...

No matter if it takes 30 minutes or 3 hours, it should've been possible to write up a few lines of information/explanation for us in 4 weeks.

The new ePub firmware runs on the Weltbild readers, the new Mobi version on the ones updated at the french meetup. So if there is no complicated magical ritual involved, why not release it to the public?

And if there are technical issues (maybe with older models) why not tell us so? Heck, this NO information policy makes me furious...

If they're waiting to make it completely bug-free, we'll never see it.

ProfJulie · 08-02-2009, 04:26 PM

Bookeen posted the last firmware update as a blog post, so there was no need to update the website at all...but that's not really the point.

Bookeen has had more than enough time to post an update for their users and they haven't. Since I was not at the French meetup, and since several weeks have passed, I feel cheated, abandoned, lied to, and even more disappointed - sounds kind of like my 1st marriage

.

I am tired of reading about the firmware update, and I am sick of Bookeen's assurances that it will be delivered in a few more weeks. I don't understand why Bookeen keeps stalling on giving us something. I think the people who are rushing out to purchase Bookeen's latest device are crazy.

Ortep · 08-02-2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

I am tired of reading about the firmware update, and I am sick of Bookeen's assurances that it will be delivered in a few more weeks. I don't understand why Bookeen keeps stalling on giving us something. I think the people who are rushing out to purchase Bookeen's latest device are crazy.

Why are they crazy? A lot of people are quite happy with Bookeen.

I was one of the first people in the world who bought a Gen3. They announced it on a sunday at around 9 am and I ordered mine at 11 am. Unseen, only on the description, I never was dissapointed. It functioned as advertised. After about a year I had a broken screen. I was not happy when I found out that that was not covered in the warranty. But they didn't repair my machine. They replaced it with a brand new 512 MB model. The complete proces lasted only 5 working days. So in essence I got an upgrade from 64->512 and a new battery for the price of a screen. I can live with that. I probably would have bought an 'upgrade' for that price if they had offered it to me.

I got a few firmware updates that did some bug fixes. I installed them. Folder support would be nice, but I don't really care. For Me ePub would be a step backwards because I would lose my dictionary support. I don't want ePub. Mobi is doing all I need. The only things I want is a better way to start the dictionary, so give me a programmable button. An perhaps a sort on the meta data in the mobi books. But I can live without both options.

I have a collegue who has an old Gen3 64MB model with the original firmware. He is not upgrading. He says he has no problems at all, why fix it when it aint broke. He isn't waiting for new firmware, he uses his Cybook to read books and nothing else.

So not evereybody is waiting for the latest gratest newest firmware.

Only people who are complaining will write things here. Nobody is going to tell the world twice a week I do not need an upgrade, I'm not waiting fo new firmware

I do agree with you however that Bookeen could me more communicative. But keep in mind, most owners do not frequent MobileRead. They simply use the Gen3 were its made for: Read Books.

tompe · 08-02-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ortep

I was one of the first people in the world who bought a Gen3. They announced it on a sunday at around 9 am and I ordered mine at 11 am. Unseen, only on the description, I never was dissapointed.

I did the same but I bought it also because how the company presented itself. And that presentation was not correct so I am disappointed.

Unfortunately I noticed that I hate to read books without a "sense of progress"-indicator similar to page numbers so I do not use my Cybook so much but wait for a firmware with a position indicator similar to page number.

ProfJulie · 08-02-2009, 06:43 PM

Ortep,

I think people are crazy to buy Bookeen's latest device because of the lack of support and poor customer communication they demonstrate with their existing device. The lack of support is compounded by them continuing to promise and fail to deliver. Better if they had just kept quiet, never indicated any enhanced functionaly would ever be provided for old devices, than to promise as they have and not produce.

I doubt I will ever purchase anything from Bookeen again and I will not recommend them to anyone.

K-Thom · 08-02-2009, 07:17 PM

Ortep,

as you can see most people here are not disappointed of the device it self but of Bookeen's lack of communication or inability to update and upgrade.

On their "community" page they are still linking to NAEB, which went out of business nearly a year ago, and their board's been dead since then. There was neither a press release about the introduction of the Opus on the "press" page or in any of both Blogs. The presentation of the new firmware was a month ago at the MobilRead meeting. And no (news) update whatsoever.

It's just this "what the ...?" feeling one tends to get. I won't buy the Opus, not because of the device but because of the company. And that's bad publicity as it can get.

08-01-2009, 04:31 PM	#301
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	Godzil, no offense meant, but either you're very young, quite naive, easily to be satisfied or a member of the Bookeen staff. Those last few posts of yours were nice speeches about the good people over at Bookeen who have their whole heart into the matter, up and running their destiny against the test of time and the tides of fate ... Sorry, we are talking about a company on the free market. That wants to sell a product, two of them right now, to be exactly. To sell products you need satisfied customers and a convincing business concept. Do all of those who post here look like totally satisfied customers to you who are convinced about Bookeen right now? No? Indeed not. If so, why not? Because Bookeen doesn't give the best impression as a company to be trusted after all. They want to sell something to us. They have to satisfy us. They have to convince us. If they don't, if they don't manage to - and I don't have to care about the reasons as a customer, I simply don't have to -, they're not doing the best of jobs. I lost quite some customers to my eBook line the past few months since I wasn't able to deliver new titles on time as my readers used to rely on for the past few years. I've got reasons for these delays. Health, money, reorganizing. Does any of my customers have to care? Nope. If they do, I'm glad and I thank them. If they don't, I do fully understand them, because I wasn't doing the best of jobs as a publisher. And I'm paying the price literally by selling less right now. Hope I can convince my customers by doing a good job during the next months. Bookeen will lose customers. Not because we are such a hard-to-please stubborn bunch but because we are disappointed. Maybe Bookeen will sell more items of the Opus on new markets, then it really won't have to rely on those few guys complaining on this board. Maybe interested readers discover MobileRead and find out about all this complaining going on and reconsider buying from Bookeen. We'll see, right? At the moment Bookeen really isn't a great help to itself. Last edited by K-Thom; 08-01-2009 at 04:39 PM.

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08-02-2009, 07:58 AM	#306
Spellbot 5000 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 732 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Cybook Gen3	Don't you know, Bookeen is actually run by two ferrets and a sheet of aluminum. The guys at the meetup were just hired shills to put a human face to the company. They'll have the firmware up on the web once the aluminum gets the internet hooked up and the ferrets figure out what all those square clicky things connected to the computer are.

08-02-2009, 04:26 PM	#311
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	Bookeen posted the last firmware update as a blog post, so there was no need to update the website at all...but that's not really the point. Bookeen has had more than enough time to post an update for their users and they haven't. Since I was not at the French meetup, and since several weeks have passed, I feel cheated, abandoned, lied to, and even more disappointed - sounds kind of like my 1st marriage . I am tired of reading about the firmware update, and I am sick of Bookeen's assurances that it will be delivered in a few more weeks. I don't understand why Bookeen keeps stalling on giving us something. I think the people who are rushing out to purchase Bookeen's latest device are crazy.

08-02-2009, 06:43 PM	#314
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	Ortep, I think people are crazy to buy Bookeen's latest device because of the lack of support and poor customer communication they demonstrate with their existing device. The lack of support is compounded by them continuing to promise and fail to deliver. Better if they had just kept quiet, never indicated any enhanced functionaly would ever be provided for old devices, than to promise as they have and not produce. I doubt I will ever purchase anything from Bookeen again and I will not recommend them to anyone.

08-02-2009, 07:17 PM	#315
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	Ortep, as you can see most people here are not disappointed of the device it self but of Bookeen's lack of communication or inability to update and upgrade. On their "community" page they are still linking to NAEB, which went out of business nearly a year ago, and their board's been dead since then. There was neither a press release about the introduction of the Opus on the "press" page or in any of both Blogs. The presentation of the new firmware was a month ago at the MobilRead meeting. And no (news) update whatsoever. It's just this "what the ...?" feeling one tends to get. I won't buy the Opus, not because of the device but because of the company. And that's bad publicity as it can get.