Navigating DR800SG without touchscreen

[al35]

A question to DR800 owners -- is it possible to navigate it without using touchscreen/stylus? At least for the most often used functions, like choosing/opening books, operating bookmarks.
The reason I'm asking is that I don't like the whole idea of touching the screen (even stylus leaves marks after a while), and also don't want to have to use the stylus every time I just want to read something for a few minutes.

Why, why this total obsession with touchscreens, 3G and other fancy toys in a device whose main purpose is just reading books? I wouldn't hesitate a second to buy a beautiful device like DR800, but without touchscreen (just with a few buttons like PRS505), without 3G, wifi or any other wireless (therefore better battery life), for a reduced price. Oh well, I guess this will never happen now.

[Nate the great]

The DR800 has a rocker bar and a button. I recall from CES that it is possible to navigate the menus and select a book without using the touchscreen.

[Mr. Goodbar]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The DR800 has a rocker bar and a button. I recall from CES that it is possible to navigate the menus and select a book without using the touchscreen.

Yes the rocker bar will move forward/backward and then push to select.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by al35

A question to DR800 owners -- is it possible to navigate it without using touchscreen/stylus? At least for the most often used functions, like choosing/opening books, operating bookmarks.
The reason I'm asking is that I don't like the whole idea of touching the screen (even stylus leaves marks after a while), and also don't want to have to use the stylus every time I just want to read something for a few minutes.

Why, why this total obsession with touchscreens, 3G and other fancy toys in a device whose main purpose is just reading books? I wouldn't hesitate a second to buy a beautiful device like DR800, but without touchscreen (just with a few buttons like PRS505), without 3G, wifi or any other wireless (therefore better battery life), for a reduced price. Oh well, I guess this will never happen now.

It can be done, but it's not very convenient.
Just an example: You see 9 thumbnails on your screen. The book you're looking for isn't there, you'd like to move one page forward. I'd like to use the flipbar just once (= another page). Instead, using the flipbar moves the cursor a single book. So you can select your book via flipbar, but you can't move fast through your library. I wouldn't want to go without stylus, not even for a minute. (BTW: You can't configure the cursor behavior.)

EDIT: I don't find this any problem though. I've decided for a touchscreen unit, so I want to use the touchscreen of course. It's good to know, that there are workarounds without touchscreen, should you loose your stylus. But I don't expect the UI being equally convenient without touchscreen, this would be redundant.

[Gertjan]

The device is designed to be functional without touchscreen, at least to do the normal navigation and book reading. The touchscreen serves as input to conveniently enter text using the popup keyboard. Touchscreen input it required to find books, search text, and purchase items in the ebook mall. And, of course, for annotations when that is made available.

[akey]

Originally Posted by Gertjan

... And, of course, for annotations when that is made available.

Now if you had just said that another thing you need the stylus for is selecting a zoom area of a PDF. I just might have had to buy you a beer.(and myself a DR800)

[Gertjan]

Originally Posted by akey

Now if you had just said that another thing you need the stylus for is selecting a zoom area of a PDF. I just might have had to buy you a beer.(and myself a DR800)

Heh, well, the same applies to selection zoom. When or if, it is beyond my control

[Mr. Goodbar]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

It can be done, but it's not very convenient.
Just an example: You see 9 thumbnails on your screen. The book you're looking for isn't there, you'd like to move one page forward. I'd like to use the flipbar just once (= another page). Instead, using the flipbar moves the cursor a single book. So you can select your book via flipbar, but you can't move fast through your library. I wouldn't want to go without stylus, not even for a minute. (BTW: You can't configure the cursor behavior.)

This isn't completely accurate. When in the list view of books a quick press of the bar will move to the next book, however a slightly longer press will jump to the next page. You can actually move through you book list fairly quickly this way, but you still need the stylus for any type of data input.

[al35]

Thanks for the answers!
Is it possible to jump to a page number in a book, with or without touchscreen?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Mr. Goodbar

This isn't completely accurate. When in the list view of books a quick press of the bar will move to the next book, however a slightly longer press will jump to the next page. You can actually move through you book list fairly quickly this way, but you still need the stylus for any type of data input.

You're right (rarely using my 800S [experimenting with the hacks on nook], didn't remember). But I find this relatively tricky. I'd simply prefer, having a "split flipbar" or something like that. It would be more "natural", to have one flipar (or whatever tool) for horizontal and another one for vertical movement.
It may be easy if you're getting used to your unit. But when you juggle between various units, it's not easy to remember (was it one second to the left? No, this was with nook. I think it was 2 fast pushes...).
It's intuitive though.

[Mr. Goodbar]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

You're right (rarely using my 800S [experimenting with the hacks on nook], didn't remember). But I find this relatively tricky. I'd simply prefer, having a "split flipbar" or something like that. It would be more "natural", to have one flipar (or whatever tool) for horizontal and another one for vertical movement.
It may be easy if you're getting used to your unit. But when you juggle between various units, it's not easy to remember (was it one second to the left? No, this was with nook. I think it was 2 fast pushes...).
It's intuitive though.

I definitely understand what you mean. I find myself wondering why something isn't working on a device only to then remember I'm trying to do it the way you do on a different device. I guess that's a good reason to stick with one device, but I'm never satisfied. Definitely something I need to work on!

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Mr. Goodbar

I definitely understand what you mean. I find myself wondering why something isn't working on a device only to then remember I'm trying to do it the way you do on a different device. I guess that's a good reason to stick with one device, but I'm never satisfied. Definitely something I need to work on!

Ask the one with 14 readers about being satisfied...

[TGS]

Originally Posted by al35

Thanks for the answers!
Is it possible to jump to a page number in a book, with or without touchscreen?

The only method I've found is by using "Search for a word" and the put the page number you want to jump to in the search box - you will need to use the touchscreen for this. Whether that's quicker than using the flip-bar depends on where the page is in relation to where you are in the document - remember, you can flip 5 pages at a time by holding the flip-bar to the right or left depending on whether you want to go forwards or backwards in the document.

[jhoff80]

Can we stop calling it a touchscreen, since you can't actually touch it?

How about "without pen input" or "without using the digitizer"?

[MobileTechReview]

Here, here! It's not a touch screen. That said, entering page numbers via the virtual keyboard doesn't work for me with non-DRM ePubs. Though the tiny page numbers show in the right hand margin, they're apparently not parsed as text.