New CyBook released

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Godzil

Derek: I seriously doubt that you know anything in computer programming and especially in embedded computers. A Freescale iMX31 is an ARM core, a Samsung s3c2440 is an ARM core, a Samsung s3c2440 is an ARM core, a SA1110 is an ARM core, but they are *not* the same thing even if they are able to execute nearly the same thing, they have a lot of other peripherals that are NOT the same between them. I seriously doubt that Bookeen or netronix just remove the s3c2410 from the eb001 and put a s3c2440 on it just like this, they are mainly different beast... Just look at the PCB design, the eb600 does not have (for example) a NOR memory that the eb001 have, the eb600 use standard NAND flash where the eb001 use some USB like chip etc...

They are NOT the same thing, so different firmware, different source code etc...

Hmmm... Having the S3C2410 and S3C2440 tech manuals RIGHT HERE, I perused them quite often. They are nearly identical in the areas which count most - basic instruction set, register sets, etc. Also, the underlying LINUX OPERATING SYSTEM hides much of the dissimilarities between the two hardware platforms from the application software - that would be the actual ebook reading application and the library management application. So whether the (just to make an example - this is not as far as I know what the real hardware differences are between the EB100/EB600 platform) two support different sets of I/O ports and video timing sets, does NOT effect whether an application can navigate through a set of file folders. D'Oh!

Note that file folder navigation can be complex, but as we're talking a relatively simple device (onboard memory and SD cards) this should at best be a (there's not enough memory in the 64MB model issue, rather than an (OMG!) the S3C2410 cannot handle folders but the S3C2440 can issue. (Notice that for years people swore that one could not stuff a Unix clone onto an 80186/80286 (PC AT) hardware platform - then along came Linus Torvalds and did so. (Well, so did Andrew Tanenbaum with Minix. ) Oops!

And it's not just folder management, it's such things as simply making the frickin' DELETE button work! Hell, my Kindle 2 has NO problem with deleting e-books (and their associated support files (.mbp or whatever) from the device - and it does this strictly in software - no need to recognize a dedicated button - which the EB100/EB600 already recognizes!

But you go ahead and keep on dreaming about my purported lack of understanding. It will no doubt keep you entertained over this Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Derek

P.S. I've been programming as both a hobbyist and a professional since 1976, when did you start???

[Truttebol]

Eh Derek and Godzil, maybe you 2 can make us a firmware instead of arguing about ARM cores.
You both seem to know something about it and you will probably be able to give us a working firmware with mobi, epub and foldersupport faster than Bookeen can.

(As far as I'm concerned, you can leave the DRM support out)

[EowynCarter]

As far as I'm concerned, you can leave the DRM support out

That's what I would like, that, in addition of the DRm firmware made by bookeen, they would provide us with whatever's nesesary to do a drm-free open source firmware.... I would even make a few lines of code in there myself

[Godzil]

I was thinking that bookeen give the GPL source for for the Gen3/Opus

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Godzil

I was thinking that bookeen give the GPL source for for the Gen3/Opus

They do, but only for the core o/s, not for the library manager or any of the "reading" apps, since they are, of course, copyrighted code. Perhaps more importantly, there's no source for the bootloader, hence no way to load modified code onto the machine.

[Godzil]

Hum, I just check the latest GPL source code given, and the bootloader is given! (u-boot)

[GeoffC]

I posted a sensible, polite, question on the Bookeen Blog, yesterday; but as all entries are "moderated" by the blog owner I am not surprised to see neither the question nor a reply.

It may be that the "only" way to get a firmware for our devices is to talk very nicely to those kind people behind "OpenInkpot" for a stable firmware tailored for the Gen3....

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

That's what I would like, that, in addition of the DRm firmware made by bookeen, they would provide us with whatever's nesesary to do a drm-free open source firmware.... I would even make a few lines of code in there myself

The biggest problem with doing a .prc/.mobi version (or just adding .mobi support to a generic e-reader app) is that Mobipocket (you know, "Amazon") just doesn't want *anyone* to offer it. Not without massive NDA docs being signed, blood of first-born being delivered, goats sacrificed at midnight (local time) under a Blood Moon, etc.

However, there have been several sets of code developed that do so from a black-box point-of-view so it is do-able. Adding in ePub (if we simply go with an xml/xhtml version rather than ADE) can't be that hard, look at all the work already being done alone those lines. Then there's FBReader and TomeRaider, both of which are now PD.

I think the biggest problem is creating a lightweight OS that actually supports a minimal GUI for switching between apps. Oh, wait, that's OI!

It's been done for the Hanlin V3 platform, IOW. The big issue is making it run on Netronix, Sony, Kindle, Nook and iRex hardware. And that takes time and money. I'd think we should at least have two (2) of those PVI/E-Ink development kits. Those run about $3,000 each.

Anyone wanna pony up??? Didn't think so!

Derek

[EowynCarter]

The biggest problem with doing a .prc/.mobi version (or just adding .mobi support to a generic e-reader app) is that Mobipocket (you know, "Amazon") just doesn't want *anyone* to offer it. Not without massive NDA docs being signed, blood of first-born being delivered, goats sacrificed at midnight (local time) under a Blood Moon, etc.

However, there have been several sets of code developed that do so from a black-box point-of-view so it is do-able. Adding in ePub (if we simply go with an xml/xhtml version rather than ADE) can't be that hard, look at all the work already being done alone those lines. Then there's FBReader and TomeRaider, both of which are now PD.

I don't give a damm about mobi anymore I said bye bye to it, and will never go back !

I just want to get rid of some ade's flaws. (page number, bad css support...)
But then, i realissed we would lost one one point : pdf support. ADE works better there...

[Jellby]

I bought a Gen3 Gold Edition for my mother. The "about" box identifies it as a Gold Edition, and Boo Reader version is 1.9. It has crashed a few times already.

[EowynCarter]

Yeah, 1.9 is a bit buggy.

[pholy]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I bought a Gen3 Gold Edition for my mother. The "about" box identifies it as a Gold Edition, and Boo Reader version is 1.9. It has crashed a few times already.

What processor speed does "about" tell you it has? And what is the official model name on the back? Mine (off of Ebay) says "CYBGEN310B" - I think it's the most common one.

Thanks - pholy

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by pholy

What processor speed does "about" tell you it has? And what is the official model name on the back? Mine (off of Ebay) says "CYBGEN310B" - I think it's the most common one.

The processor is ARM920T (400 MHz), the model number is CYBGEN320BGE.

[ramboky]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I posted a sensible, polite, question on the Bookeen Blog, yesterday; but as all entries are "moderated" by the blog owner I am not surprised to see neither the question nor a reply.

It may be that the "only" way to get a firmware for our devices is to talk very nicely to those kind people behind "OpenInkpot" for a stable firmware tailored for the Gen3....

I did exactly the same thing. There are comments posted after mine which have been approved and replied to, mine has been ignored. My comment, while critical, was polite and suggested ways of improving the situation. I guess Bookeen are not interested in criticism and judging by their continued lack of communication are not planning on addressing the issues any time soon.

I cannot fathom why they still link to this forum from their website. If I had seen mobileread before purchasing the Opus I would have definitely looked elsewhere. Though to be fair, I am pretty happy with the Opus for the most part.

[Truttebol]

Originally Posted by ramboky

I did exactly the same thing. There are comments posted after mine which have been approved and replied to, mine has been ignored. My comment, while critical, was polite and suggested ways of improving the situation. I guess Bookeen are not interested in criticism and judging by their continued lack of communication are not planning on addressing the issues any time soon.

I cannot fathom why they still link to this forum from their website. If I had seen mobileread before purchasing the Opus I would have definitely looked elsewhere. Though to be fair, I am pretty happy with the Opus for the most part.

The problem with Bookeen is not really in the devices, they are fine. It's in their complete disregard of their existing customers, in promising upgrades and not delivering, in not being willing to communicate and keeping us customers in the dark about when long promised updates are delivered. "Soon" they say. But "soon" means, you can wait for more than 6 months (some say even longer) and still have nothing. That's what's wrong with Bookeen.
Communicating with your customers is always better than total silence or giving vague hints about when to expect something. But that is something Bookeen obviously does not understand.

But if you can live with that, then Bookeen is the best company there is.