Letter to Bookeen - Page 2

HarryT · 08-13-2009, 03:16 AM

FWIW, I've sent Bookeen about half a dozen e-mails in the last couple of weeks, and had prompt answers to them all. I suspect they are just ignoring "when are you going to release the new firmware" messages, because the only answer they can give is "when it's ready".

gerraldo · 08-13-2009, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

FWIW, I've sent Bookeen about half a dozen e-mails in the last couple of weeks, and had prompt answers to them all. I suspect they are just ignoring "when are you going to release the new firmware" messages, because the only answer they can give is "when it's ready".

But that IS the point!!! Heck, they're sending out replacements with the new firmware and they're selling new devices! WHAT NEEDS TO BE READY THEN???

K-Thom · 08-13-2009, 03:26 AM

Are there any French moderators here at MR? Maybe they could give Bookeen a call - officially as moderator of MR - and ask for a statement about the current status of the update?

EowynCarter · 08-13-2009, 03:29 AM

Quote:

WHAT NEEDS TO BE READY THEN???

Well, Mobi firmware sonds done. ePubs firmware on the other hand, is still buggy, at least on the opus.
Some more wait not to have the reader crashing when you're happily reading might be worth it.

And, an other problem i think, is that 200Mhz Cybbok don't seam to run with the same firmware than 400Mhz. (Or something along these lines, as the peaple from bookeen looked a serial numbers before updating.)

Snuffi · 08-13-2009, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verena

NO MORE BOOKEEN PRODUCTS! NEVER!
The worst support in the whole wide WWW!
I wait for a protective cover for 7 weeks to buy for $ 30! Now it's part of the (cheaper) unit ...
I wait for the EPub-Update to Doomsday ... I promise you all!
Wait for answering our question for the "1st quarter of 2009" update ...

My result: I WILL NEVER BUY A BOOKEEN PRODUCT AGAIN! NEVER!
My new SONY 505 is already on my desk ... Bye, frenchmen ...

================================================== ==============
@ Gerraldo: Plz don't read this post, and PLZ don't flame me again like often before!

There are plenty of people on mobileread who openly voice their frustration about the lack of an update. Quite rightfully, they complain about the promised folder view which hasn't arrived yet and has needlessly been postponed because it was rolled in along with the ePub update.
Your case, however, is a little different: ePub was not a supported format for the Cybook and if they one day add it, it'll be a nice enhancement for existing Bookeen customers.
If you need ePub that desperately I wonder why you bought the Cybook, as it's a rather strange move when you know it doesn't do what you want it to do (apart from that: why not get the Weltbild edition?)

We understand your frustration and respect your decision but - in my opinion - you have no right to complain about the ePub support not arriving in the update scheduled for 1st quarter 2009: When that update was announced there was no talk of ePub. The decision to add ePub support was made when the announced update should already have been out and they decided to postpone it to include ePub. So your arguments are going into the wrong direction altogether...

BTW, I haven't seen gerraldo flaming here yet (maybe there was no reason so far) and I can't remember him ever flaming you. People from Vienna are much too mellow to flame

Snuffi · 08-13-2009, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

FWIW, I've sent Bookeen about half a dozen e-mails in the last couple of weeks, and had prompt answers to them all. I suspect they are just ignoring "when are you going to release the new firmware" messages, because the only answer they can give is "when it's ready".

Exactly that's what I get the impression of. They're not so much slow to answer but rather answer selectively.

Especially with questions about release dates and such it's rather commonpractice in the business to not answer every single one of those with "we don't know yet". With Bookeen it's a little different: not so much because I think they should take the time to answer the same question over and over again but because I think it's odd that 2 quarters after the scheduled release date they still don't even have a rough plan when they are going to do it. So far into the development it must be possible to judge whether it's a matter of days/weeks/months /years and plan accordingly.

HarryT · 08-13-2009, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

But that IS the point!!! Heck, they're sending out replacements with the new firmware and they're selling new devices! WHAT NEEDS TO BE READY THEN???

Because the current firmware is unquestionably buggy. I have it on my Opus - it normally hangs at least once during each reading session. Is that really what you want?

gerraldo · 08-13-2009, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Because the current firmware is unquestionably buggy. I have it on my Opus - it normally hangs at least once during each reading session. Is that really what you want?

So it's good enough to sell new devices with (or replace broken ones), but not good enough for me... And it's Bookeen that decides who's to have it?!

Hey, there are people here that have thought about cloning the Opus FW to their Cybook or ones that are willing to pay 50 bucks! Why not let them decide, if they're are willing to take the risk - IT'S TIME FOR AN OFFICIAL BETA-RELEASE!!!

K-Thom · 08-13-2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Because the current firmware is unquestionably buggy. I have it on my Opus - it normally hangs at least once during each reading session. Is that really what you want?

As long as I know it's a beta, I'd take the risk. Endless Ideas did this with the new firmware for the BeBook, so why not Bookeen?

Quote:

And it's Bookeen that decides who's to have it?!

Yes, it IS indeed Bookeen to decide who will get it and when it will be availabe. Sorry, doesn't all belong to the people at the moment.

Snuffi · 08-13-2009, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-Thom

As long as I know it's a beta, I'd take the risk. Endless Ideas did this with the new firmware for the BeBook, so why not Bookeen?

Freecom normally gives out links to beta firmwares on their forums and decides based on the feedback if it becomes publicly available as a regular release or not. Lots of people have no problem beta testing for free as long as they're told that it's beta. I don't know what the people at the Paris meeting were told when they were there but in the (written) announcements I have seen it was not clear that they were talking about an instable, buggy beta firmware. It rather sounded like the attendees would get the ready firmware a day or so early as a special bonus for attending the meeting...

EowynCarter · 08-13-2009, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

So it's good enough to sell new devices with (or replace broken ones), but not good enough for me... And it's Bookeen that decides who's to have it?!

Hey, there are people here that have thought about cloning the Opus FW to their Cybook or ones that are willing to pay 50 bucks! Why not let them decide, if they're are willing to take the risk - IT'S TIME FOR AN OFFICIAL BETA-RELEASE!!!

I agree with harry there. It's a serious annoyance when the reader stops responding and distract you from your reading.

Snuffi · 08-13-2009, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

So it's good enough to sell new devices with (or replace broken ones), but not good enough for me... And it's Bookeen that decides who's to have it?!

Hey, there are people here that have thought about cloning the Opus FW to their Cybook or ones that are willing to pay 50 bucks! Why not let them decide, if they're are willing to take the risk - IT'S TIME FOR AN OFFICIAL BETA-RELEASE!!!

Do they really sell new devices with that FW?
I have not seen any confirmed reports about that practice...

All I have seen is that new devices have a slightly incremented version number which - as Harry put it - is probably just some very minor fixes and not enough to warrant a separate release. I'd rather wager that new and repaired devices do not run the latest beta FW...

Please, could someone post the version number of the Paris meeting so the people who just recently got a Cybook can compare?

T_Frain_K · 08-13-2009, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

FWIW, I've sent Bookeen about half a dozen e-mails in the last couple of weeks, and had prompt answers to them all. I suspect they are just ignoring "when are you going to release the new firmware" messages, because the only answer they can give is "when it's ready".

That´s what I meant. Except that i would have used the term "When it´s DONE!"

(For those who get it)

Hey, I´m one of those who waited for Duke Nukem Forever since 1997.

That few years it might take for my CyBook to accept ePubs can´t be worse

HarryT · 08-13-2009, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snuffi

Do they really sell new devices with that FW?
I have not seen any confirmed reports about that practice...

Someone's said that they got a replacement device with folder support. That would suggest that it was the same (or a later) firmware version as the one given out at the Paris meet-up.

GeoffC · 08-13-2009, 06:42 AM

it will arrive when they are ready....

(psst! Henri, "you know the firmware we showed at the MR meetup, you did post it on the download place in the web?"
"Non, that would be Marie".
"Marie, ma cherie, you know the latest firmware you posted for the Cybook Gen3, on the web download page?"
"Non, that would be Jean".
"Ah!, pardonez moi.....Jean, you know the firmware release you posted on the webpage?"
"Oh!, non - 'twas not me, I thought you had done it".
"Ah!, Oh! - so nobody issued it then?!" .....

- this transcript was taken from a fly on the wall of a basement in a factory in down-town Paris......

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08-13-2009, 03:16 AM	#16
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	FWIW, I've sent Bookeen about half a dozen e-mails in the last couple of weeks, and had prompt answers to them all. I suspect they are just ignoring "when are you going to release the new firmware" messages, because the only answer they can give is "when it's ready".

08-13-2009, 03:26 AM	#18
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	Are there any French moderators here at MR? Maybe they could give Bookeen a call - officially as moderator of MR - and ask for a statement about the current status of the update?

08-13-2009, 06:42 AM	#30
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	it will arrive when they are ready.... (psst! Henri, "you know the firmware we showed at the MR meetup, you did post it on the download place in the web?" "Non, that would be Marie". "Marie, ma cherie, you know the latest firmware you posted for the Cybook Gen3, on the web download page?" "Non, that would be Jean". "Ah!, pardonez moi.....Jean, you know the firmware release you posted on the webpage?" "Oh!, non - 'twas not me, I thought you had done it". "Ah!, Oh! - so nobody issued it then?!" ..... - this transcript was taken from a fly on the wall of a basement in a factory in down-town Paris......