Anyone ended up hating his/her jBook?

[greenapple]

Thanks very much for the clear explanations, Ken. I'll be working through your suggestions to see if they help.

I'm quite surprised that epub can be opened with my 7zip. Here's the innards of one of my epubs:

images\
css\
feedbooks.xml
about.xml
cover.xml
fb.ncx
fb.opf
footnotes.xml
main0.xml
main1.xml
similar.xml
title.xml

After reducing the resolution of the jpeg images, how do I put them back as a single epub file with Calibre?

Thanks.

[DJHARKAVY]

Originally Posted by greenapple

Thanks very much for the clear explanations, Ken. I'll be working through your suggestions to see if they help.

I'm quite surprised that epub can be opened with my 7zip. Here's the innards of one of my epubs:

images\
css\
feedbooks.xml
about.xml
cover.xml
fb.ncx
fb.opf
footnotes.xml
main0.xml
main1.xml
similar.xml
title.xml

After reducing the resolution of the jpeg images, how do I put them back as a single epub file with Calibre?

Thanks.

Have Calibre load it as an html file. Then have it convert to epub.

[Ken Maltby]

Right, I assume your "7zip" program can create a .zip file from the directory structure
that you have there. WinRAR gives me the option to create .zip as well as .rar files.
Calibre will accept a .zip file and should have no problem working with your HTML/XML structure.

Alternately; one of the .xml files (probably main0.xml or perhaps one with the book
title) is the file that the readers start with to load and read the whole ebook,
"book.html" is used by some formats. You can load that into Calibre, as well, to
do the conversion.

Luck;
Ken

[Kralik]

It would be nice if someone would write a program to batch progress images, etc. If I wrote something like that, would you all be interested? My ideal program would be like:

Step One: Drag .epub to said program.
Step Two: Vorking, vorking...
Step Three: Poof! New .epub with images downconverted and resized for JB screen.

[Ken Maltby]

It might make a neat addon/plugin for Calibre, they have a forum here. I think they
would welcome additional help with it's development.

For me, learning more about how the ebooks are constructed and what I can do to
work with them, is something I wouldn't want to automate away. There is enough
difference in the ebooks, even with those made to the same format, that some
individual adjustments to the processing is likely to be worthwhile. Also the basic
process is easy to master.

Luck;
Ken

[heffe2001]

What would the filename be on that particular epub file? I have a suspicion that it's got ( ) in the filename, if so, remove them and try it again (or any 'special' characters in the filename). I had some problems with a few that had those character in 'em, once they were gone, everything worked perfectly.

Originally Posted by greenapple

Thanks very much for the clear explanations, Ken. I'll be working through your suggestions to see if they help.

I'm quite surprised that epub can be opened with my 7zip. Here's the innards of one of my epubs:

images\
css\
feedbooks.xml
about.xml
cover.xml
fb.ncx
fb.opf
footnotes.xml
main0.xml
main1.xml
similar.xml
title.xml

After reducing the resolution of the jpeg images, how do I put them back as a single epub file with Calibre?

Thanks.

[RaDeuX]

It's day two with my JBL, and I don't like the way it scrolls PDF files. I'm trying to get PDFRead to work, but it doesn't like computers with 64-bit architecture. I think I should have gotten the Sony Reader instead.

[ngrant]

Originally Posted by RaDeuX

It's day two with my JBL, and I don't like the way it scrolls PDF files. I'm trying to get PDFRead to work, but it doesn't like computers with 64-bit architecture. I think I should have gotten the Sony Reader instead.

I doubt if any 5" or 6" reader is going to display PDFs well unless they are text only with reflow. I have a bunch of PDF books, e.g. the entire TINTIN collection, that I would only read on my computer's 23" LCD display in glorious color. I use CutePDF Professional.

On the other hand, I LOVE my JBL because it does what I got it for beautifully (secure ereader, epub, rtf and mobi books). I think it's important to understand the limitations of any device or technology and get the appropriate tool for what you want to do (within your budget of course)

[bob1xxx]

Originally Posted by RaDeuX

It's day two with my JBL, and I don't like the way it scrolls PDF files. I'm trying to get PDFRead to work, but it doesn't like computers with 64-bit architecture. I think I should have gotten the Sony Reader instead.

Uh what you need to do is download the 64bit version of what ever pdf reader your using getting a heavy glassy overprice sony e reader wont help a the 64 bit m$ vista or window 7 issues. 64 bit adobe reader or digital editions will.

[Highroller]

Well originally I loved my jetbook lite but at this point I hate not so much the device as Ectaco's tech support. My jbl locked up. When reset it hung on the logo screen. Contacted tech support. Had to ship it to them for replacement. OK 2 weeks later it did exactly the same thing. Contacted tech support. Was told new firmware would be out next day would fix it without unit being shipped back to Ectaco. Next day was told new firmware would be out next week. Next week was told new firmware would be out next month. New firmware finally came out. Was told it was still being tested a "good" version would be out eventually. Tried to get a refund due to defective merchandise. Oh no, we don't give refunds, you can pay to ship it back to us again... I mean at this rate I will have more invested in shipping than in the reader. Out of the last 2 months I has it functional for 2 weeks.

What it sounds like is they HOPED the new firmware would fix the continuing problem and it didn't and they are frantically changing the firmware trying to get their act together and continuing to lie to their customers about it. This is obviously a guess but it fits what has happened to me.

[Jack Tingle]

I had low expectations going in, so the jetBook has performed about as I expected, adequately. As to the slow performance, the processor in the jetBook is about the same class as the middle time period Palm devices. My X51 is clocked over twice as fast as the jetBook, with a better architecture, so yes, a modern PDA is faster than a jetBook. The jetBook will never blow your socks off on start-up, but the screen changes in about the same amount of time it takes to turn a page, so ... meh.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[jblitereader]

I've read about a dozen books on the jbl ever since I got it. Have not encountered a single problem. Three of the books I read were in pdf format. Took me a whole two minutes to resize those pdf files for better view on the jbl. All of the problems that people have mentioned so far can easily be fixed if you're willing to try. Spending twice as much money on another unit will not help solve your problems at all. Like every electronic device out there, you need to give it a chance and be flexible with how you deal with it to enjoy the unit. If you like to give up after your first try, might as well go back to the non-electronic age.

But I guess I'm speaking as a techie and I can't really blame people who aren't technology oriented.

PS - I just got my free jbl leather case in the mail today. I think I will do some modifications to it. I'll post pictures later on.

PPS - Isn't anyone going to welcome me to the wonderful world of ereaders? Beside being a techie, I'm also a reading addict. Don't know why it took me this long to convert completely to ebooks.

[ngrant]

Originally Posted by livingenzyme

PPS - Isn't anyone going to welcome me to the wonderful world of ereaders? Beside being a techie, I'm also a reading addict. Don't know why it took me this long to convert completely to ebooks.

Hi livingenzyme and welcome!

I am an amateur techie and reading addict, and do agree that tech toys more than repay the time and effort put into understanding and customizing them. Having said that, I can understand why non-techies don't see why they should NEED to... (I am married to one ).

I have never ended up "hating" any of my toys but they do tend over time to be superseded by the latest and greatest. That's when family and friends benefit from the hand-me-downs.

While PDF is not my favourite format for ebooks, I do occasionally read one on the JBL in landscape mode if the text size is legible without zooming. But there's usually a better formatted book that's calling for my attention so why bother? Wait and read it on the big screen.

I would never convert completely to ebooks as I still enjoy print books and the library is still FREE (or I should say, paid for with my taxes). But ebooks are an excellent way for me to have a few hundred novels in my bag, always handy to pass the hours in transit to somewhere or in waiting rooms.

[jblitereader]

Originally Posted by ngrant

I am an amateur techie and reading addict, and do agree that tech toys more than repay the time and effort put into understanding and customizing them. Having said that, I can understand why non-techies don't see why they should NEED to... (I am married to one ).

Well, I guess I'll be married to one soon enough. She's in grad/med school. Very smart girl. And yet she has absolutely no clue when it comes to her computer or internet. Heck, I'll make her pay me a salary as well as our rent once she gets out for making me keep her gadgets running.

I have never ended up "hating" any of my toys but they do tend over time to be superseded by the latest and greatest. That's when family and friends benefit from the hand-me-downs.

I tend to keep all my stuff. Case in point. I still have this ancient piece of machine that runs windows 95...

While PDF is not my favourite format for ebooks, I do occasionally read one on the JBL in landscape mode if the text size is legible without zooming. But there's usually a better formatted book that's calling for my attention so why bother? Wait and read it on the big screen.

Download mobipocket creator and install. It's free. Make sure you install the publisher edition. It allows you to convert pdf straight to html and prc. You can even copy all in html and paste into a text file. The point is so when you have it in your ereader you can play around with text font so you don't have to use a magnifying glass to read. It takes a whole 30 seconds to convert each time. The conversion will not mess up the text format so you won't get out-of-place spaces and whatnot.

I would never convert completely to ebooks as I still enjoy print books and the library is still FREE (or I should say, paid for with my taxes). But ebooks are an excellent way for me to have a few hundred novels in my bag, always handy to pass the hours in transit to somewhere or in waiting rooms.

I'm a science fiction fan. I've pretty much scoured my local library for stuff that I like to read. When I realized my library didn't have much more to offer (as far as stuff I like to read), I started buying new books from B&N. It was getting expensive... Besides, carrying this pocket size thing around with a whole library of books to choose from is a lot more convenient than having to carry around paper books. Like I said, I read a lot. I'm sure it will get me in trouble with her one of these days...

[ngrant]

[QUOTE=livingenzyme;864912]Download mobipocket creator and install. It's free. Make sure you install the publisher edition. It allows you to convert pdf straight to html and prc./QUOTE]

Thanks, but it does the same thing as all the other PDF converters that I have tried - it inserts the page headers/footers into the text and makes it really annoying to read. I have spent time cleaning up my favourite ebooks that I re-read many times, but for a one-off read it isn't worth it!!

I am a fan of pre-1980s SF but the only pbooks I kept (due to space limitations) were the Heinleins. Nowadays it's mostly mysteries and my TBR list is in the hundreds (I am thrilled to say) after going hog-wild on Gutenberg and also downloading public domain stuff here on Mobileread. Not to mention shopping at Fictionwise! I'm sure you will enjoy this forum, it has become a must-do daily visit for me!