Android on Kobo: "Tips and Apps"

[embryo]

Originally Posted by Sanxel

embryo, ok, thanks. I'll just update the rotate app then.
Please tell what's the correct way to do it. Just uninstall, install and launch it once? And where to get the latest version?

Here is the link.
Just run the apk. It will get installed over the previous one.

[android4kobomini]

Is there any potential for Android on the Kobo Mini?

[tony3019]

None of the reading apps do a full page refresh. After a while the text isn't as sharp and there are noticeable artifacts. Is there any fix for this?

I think I remember CoolReader running on my rooted Nook Simple Touch with full page refreshes. I don't have it anymore so I can't check. Perhaps for some reason the apps that are designed to function a specific way with an eInk screen do not realize they are being run on an eInk device? Hmm...

I'm running Angor's image (dated 2014-02-28) on my Kobo Aura HD.

Edit: Looking at CoolReader's description in the Play Store, one of the updates reads, "EInk devices support improved." I suppose the app is designed to know when it's running on a device like a rooted Nook or Sony reader. It must not recognize this modified Tolino image as an eInk device (under the About section in settings the model is listed as "Nexus S" ... perhaps this is why).

Oh, and I found a video confirming the existence of full page refreshes in CoolReader on the Nook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8RVpAag9zw

[embryo]

Originally Posted by tony3019

None of the reading apps do a full page refresh. After a while the text isn't as sharp and there are noticeable artifacts. Is there any fix for this?

I think I remember CoolReader running on my rooted Nook Simple Touch with full page refreshes. I don't have it anymore so I can't check. Perhaps for some reason the apps that are designed to function a specific way with an eInk screen do not realize they are being run on an eInk device? Hmm...

I'm running Angor's image (dated 2014-02-28) on my Kobo Aura HD.

I have a Glo and I use marek's image.
I have no "artifacts" problem with any of the readers I use.
I attached some pages from CoolReader 3.1.2-39.
I turned page by page and got random screenshots.
Pages are 4, 14, 33, 46 as you can see.

They actually look like this.
I don't know if the screenshot can catch the "artifacts" if they were there, but they were not.

No reader recognizes the device as eInk.

[tony3019]

Unfortunately, a screenshot would not capture the ghosting of pixels. The main effect is that the text isn't as sharp after many page turns. The artifacts only become a serious problem if you're reading a book with images.

Here's a link to the exact spot in the video I posted previously that shows the full refresh behavior that's necessary to avoid this problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8RVpAag9zw&t=0m29s

[tony3019]

Someone on another forum shared a custom build of AlReader that forces eInk refreshes. It's available to registered users at this link: http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showt...#entry28236474

I can post the APK here as long is it is not against forum rules. Is anyone interested?

[slm]

Yes.Yes.Yes

[tony3019]

Okay. Here is the APK for the custom build of AlReader that forces full page refreshes. It was released by eRsil.

For the best reading experience, tweak these settings:

- Options > Main > E-ink Adaptation
- Options > Tuning > Hardware & Main > E-ink Refresh Rate
- Options > Current Profile > Font Properties > Text > Characters Weight
- Options > Current Profile > Properties > Gamma Correction
- Options > Current Profile > Properties > Emphasize Initial

[embryo]

Originally Posted by tony3019

Unfortunately, a screenshot would not capture the ghosting of pixels. The main effect is that the text isn't as sharp after many page turns. The artifacts only become a serious problem if you're reading a book with images.

I have seen some "artifacts" with Nickel (with custom interval for refresh), and as I said, I don't see any with Android.
Check this post that describes the way things work in the image that I use.
I think its more optimized than full page refresh, but I might be wrong...

[tony3019]

Embryo, maybe Marek's image is set up differently from Angor's. I'm not sure. Perhaps it's not so important, but little things like that bother me.

An a different note, I discovered that you can change the screensaver by saving a JPG file as "suspend.jpg" to the root directory.

Here is a website where you can find a ton of options: http://ereaderbackgrounds.com/index.php

Again, make sure that the filename is "suspend.jpg" :-)

[embryo]

Originally Posted by tony3019

An a different note, I discovered that you can change the screensaver by saving a JPG file as "suspend.jpg" to the root directory.

Here is a website where you can find a ton of options: http://ereaderbackgrounds.com/index.php

Again, make sure that the filename is "suspend.jpg" :-)

Yes, you can, but after some time it might get replaced again by the original one, wich is stored inside the MsgE6.apk. Usually this happens after a Tolino app run.

There is this tip at the first post:
"If you want to change the pictures shown on sleep, shut down, low battery, etc., you can easily edit the MsgE6.apk with the APK Multi-Tool and replace it in /System/Apps/ with ES File Explorer"

[thankss]

Hi,

First of all, thanks for creating this thread.

Just wondering, for the backup process, do I need another external SD card in addition to the one I put my android image on? My SD card is only 8gb; the backup image will be saved onto an external card, correct? So there won't be enough space for both?

Thanks in advance

[tony3019]

For those using Angor's image, is it possible to turn the backlight all the way down (to a comfortable level for night-time reading)? Thanks.

[embryo]

Originally Posted by thankss

Hi,

First of all, thanks for creating this thread.

Just wondering, for the backup process, do I need another external SD card in addition to the one I put my android image on? My SD card is only 8gb; the backup image will be saved onto an external card, correct? So there won't be enough space for both?

Thanks in advance

I don't see in your profile what device you have, but for my Glo, the backup process didn't happen after patching Nickel for Dual-Booting.
If it does happen, you need some free space in your external card, depending on the size of the internal card (usually 2Gb).

Don't forget that you can always backup your internal card with your PC.

[embryo]

Originally Posted by tony3019

For those using Angor's image, is it possible to turn the backlight all the way down (to a comfortable level for night-time reading)? Thanks.

The lowest light level that a device can get, is hardware depended.
(Actually its not a "Back-light", its a "Front-light")

For the software control of the light you can use Display brightness.
It controls (and closes) the screen light.