Firmware Updates

[DawnFalcon]

Or, in a mature market, you can get something based on Open firmware and simply install your own.

(I have an ASUS WL-500g Router. The stock firmware has a WAN-die bug which renders fairly useless. But it's Open, and there are several good firmwares - I use Oleg's, but the various -WRT's are an option to...)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Teddman

Oh yeah, but it doesn't support full justification and correct pagination in ePubs (you have several "pages" with the same number). Pretty much a dealbreaker for me and a lot of people who still prefer LRF as a result, but can't buy it any more.

Have you installed the clock on your 505? The ePub firmware (unmodified) does display pages like 1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 5, 6, 6-8 (for example). So no, it doesn't display the duplicate page numbers. It turns out that some of the mods for the 505 break the page number display for ePub so it only displays a single numbers instead of the dual numbers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Or, in a mature market, you can get something based on Open firmware and simply install your own.

(I have an ASUS WL-500g Router. The stock firmware has a WAN-die bug which renders fairly useless. But it's Open, and there are several good firmwares - I use Oleg's, but the various -WRT's are an option to...)

I have a Linksys WRT54g and the stock firmware is awful. It required a reboot as the router eventually slowed to a crawl. But I did install a third party firmware and all is well.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Have you installed the clock on your 505? The ePub firmware (unmodified) does display pages like 1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 5, 6, 6-8 (for example). So no, it doesn't display the duplicate page numbers. It turns out that some of the mods for the 505 break the page number display for ePub so it only displays a single numbers instead of the dual numbers.

I've also seen with ePubs that if you change the size of the font, some of the readers don't re-calculate the page counts. IOW, if you have a 100 page document and double the font size, you still have a 100 page document but you see two screens of text for each page (1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3...). It doesn't re-number it to make it a 200 page document. Not sure if just some devices do that, or if it's part of the basic ePub software.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I've also seen with ePubs that if you change the size of the font, some of the readers don't re-calculate the page counts. IOW, if you have a 100 page document and double the font size, you still have a 100 page document but you see two screens of text for each page (1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3...). It doesn't re-number it to make it a 200 page document. Not sure if just some devices do that, or if it's part of the basic ePub software.

A "page" in an ADE document is 1024 compressed characters in the file - ie. it is device independent, and will generally span more than one "screen" on a device. Any device using ADE should display the same page number for the same point in the document, regardless of screen size, font size, etc.

[HorridRedDog]

Lets see if we can get some agreement.

I notice that most of you have ereaders with, what I consider, significant problems. Sony included.

But lets pretend that you have no ereaders and wish to buy one.

You narrow it down to 2. Neither are perfect, but you think that they are better than the rest. The deficiencies in both readers are the same.

The ABC Ereaders Inc. company has good tech support but hasn't released a firmware update in the last 9 months.

The Universal Ereaders Inc. company has good tech support but has released 2 firmware updates in the last 9 months.

Remember, you have narrowed it down to these 2 readers.

Are you telling me that;
A) they are not "perfect" and you will wait until someone makes a "perfect" ereader.
or
B) you don't care whether or not a company creates firmware updates.

Again, remember: The deficiencies in both readers are the same.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

New features are nice, but not the main point. Just make sure your device have the features you need when you buy it, that's all.

The situation with Sony is a bit different. When many of us bought our PRS-505s, LRF was the main format supplied by Sony from their online book store. So we would have been buying based on how well the PRS-505 displays LRFs. Now Sony do not sell LRFs, because they have switched over to EPub. I have nothing against EPub, it is a good format; but I do have a problem with Sony, because the PRS-505 rendering of EPubs is not great, e.g.,

No full justification
Small page numbers in right hand margin (who ever thought that was a good idea!)
The page numbering is generally confusing.

By no longer supporting LRF, Sony has effectively disabled some features in their existing devices that we own (e.g., they have removed the ability to display in fully justified text an ebook that has been newly purchased from their own web-site). Fortunately this could be easily fixed by a firmware update, if only Sony would just pause a bit from releasing new devices and get on the case. How difficult can it be?

[HarryT]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say that Sony don't support LRF any more. The LRF capabilities are exactly the same as they were when you bought your 505. LRF support hasn't gone away merely because Sony's store now sells ePub files.

[HorridRedDog]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

No full justification
Small page numbers in right hand margin (who ever thought that was a good idea!)
The page numbering is generally confusing.

There's a great example. Full justification should be user selectable. And the page numbering system is irritating to me.

I guess that no one has mentioned this is Sony and that is why the haven't come out with an update.

No updates shows that they don't care.

Now I do like me PRS-600 very much for casual reading. But when I do decide to buy a large format reader, Sony will pushed farther down the list by more responsive companies

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by HorridRedDog

You narrow it down to 2. Neither are perfect, but you think that they are better than the rest. The deficiencies in both readers are the same.

The ABC Ereaders Inc. company has good tech support but hasn't released a firmware update in the last 9 months.

The Universal Ereaders Inc. company has good tech support but has released 2 firmware updates in the last 9 months.

If the deficiencies are important to you (and make the difference in whether or not the reader is worth the cost), then don't get either. There is no guarantee that either company will fix those dificiencies, regardless of their update history. Those deficiencies may not even be something that they are planning on fixing. If you get the device on the basis that you are assuming the deficiencies will be fixed, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Now, there is a big difference between a deficiency that is a "deal breaker" vs a deficiency that is "nice to have, but not a requirement".

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

The situation with Sony is a bit different. When many of us bought our PRS-505s, LRF was the main format supplied by Sony from their online book store. So we would have been buying based on how well the PRS-505 displays LRFs. Now Sony do not sell LRFs, because they have switched over to EPub.

When you bought the PRS-505, was there a guarantee by Sony that it would support future formats?

[Teddman]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

When you bought the PRS-505, was there a guarantee by Sony that it would support future formats?

Yes, actually:

Originally Posted by Sony

“The Reader is an open device and we will continue to explore formats that will provide the widest variety of content for Reader users,” said Steve Haber, senior vice president of consumer product marketing for Sony Electronics. “This upgrade opens the door to a whole host of paid and free content from third-party eBook stores, web sites and even public libraries.”

We are excited about the support of the EPUB format, PDF reflow and Adobe Digital Editions in one of the most popular and advanced eBook reading devices,” said Dan Baum, vice president, New Business Initiatives at Adobe. “Adobe Digital Editions is transforming the digital reading experience through its support of open standards and broad content availability from retailers and libraries.”

PRS-505 model Readers will continue to support BBeB formatted eBooks offered at the Sony eBook Store. Therefore, users can retain and grow their current collections of eBooks without having to reformat or repurchase them. All files are conveniently managed by the eBook Library software.

http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_ro...ase/36245.html

[Yar-PocketBooker]

We upload our firmware updates very often to all our websites - the latest one is dated January this year, and the new updates are coming very soon.
Plus, we listen very carefully to our consumers who suggest improvements and we implement these improvements or fix bugs, noticed by our readers.

[HorridRedDog]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

If the deficiencies are important to you (and make the difference in whether or not the reader is worth the cost), then don't get either.

I stipulated: Remember, you have narrowed it down to these 2 readers. Implying that you found them somewhat acceptable.

So your answer would be to wait for the "perfect" ereader.

To me your iRex iLiad is too large and too heavy, and at $700 too expensive.

The DR800SG needs a bit more work. And as you say "There is no guarantee that either company will fix those dificiencies, regardless of their update history."

Not to tweak your nose. All I'm saying is that a company that has offered updates in the past is preferable, to me, over a company that has offered very little.

And there is NO perfect ereader.

For someone, somewhere ANY ereader will be;
too small
too big
too heavy
need color
need to paly games
need to connect to the internet
it sucks caus' it aint like mine
etc.
etc.
etc.
etc.
ad infinitum ad nauseum

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Yar-PocketBooker

We upload our firmware updates very often to all our websites - the latest one is dated January this year, and the new updates are coming very soon.
Plus, we listen very carefully to our consumers who suggest improvements and we implement these improvements or fix bugs, noticed by our readers.

Is the ADE going to be updated to the latest one any time soon? I am looking around to see who keeps updated and has a good feature set for the time I maybe decide to get a different reader.