The german epub version of the Cybook - Page 3

nelsonescorcio · 05-07-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

From Bookeen this morning,

.....Our technical team is still working on fixing some bugs. The release will be done in a few weeks. The next firmware will have new functionalities that have been waiting for a long time from our readers and also lots of new possibilities that will enhance your reading experience.
We are sorry for the delay but please be sure that satisfying your interest is really our main goal..................

My question to them was ....
May I ask what the status of any forthcoming firmware upgrades, and what
is likely to be in them.
The launch of a device with weltbild that supports ePub is good news, though
seemingly less good for the remainder of your customers.

Your official blogs are very quiet with news ....

That is a typicall Bookeen answer. It manages to just say nothing new is a few sentences.

Still, we have to be fair here: they have actually replied every e-mail we (e-books aficionados) have sent in the past few weeks...

My question now is: will it happen in May?

Snuffi · 05-08-2009, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

From Bookeen this morning,

.....Our technical team is still working on fixing some bugs. The release will be done in a few weeks. The next firmware will have new functionalities that have been waiting for a long time from our readers and also lots of new possibilities that will enhance your reading experience.
We are sorry for the delay but please be sure that satisfying your interest is really our main goal..................

My question to them was ....
May I ask what the status of any forthcoming firmware upgrades, and what
is likely to be in them.
The launch of a device with weltbild that supports ePub is good news, though
seemingly less good for the remainder of your customers.

Your official blogs are very quiet with news ....

Little chance of that happening. Fixing the bugs for the Weltbild firmware would be a definite priority in my eyes (these are *major* bugs and Weltbild will be hard pressed to sell the device without fixes) so there is no way the will be able to set aside any serious amount of time to spend on the firmware for those who have already bought the device.
Not that I would act any differently in their shoes, getting fresh money must be high on the list, but I would at least tell the existing customers not to wait up on their firmware.

gerraldo · 05-08-2009, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snuffi

Little chance of that happening. Fixing the bugs for the Weltbild firmware would be a definite priority in my eyes (these are *major* bugs and Weltbild will be hard pressed to sell the device without fixes) so there is no way the will be able to set aside any serious amount of time to spend on the firmware for those who have already bought the device.

If the Weltbild firmware is just some kind of subset of the new firmware (as one can read between the lines), then fixing its bugs will help us all...

But yeah, it'll take a bit longer for the "complete" version to be finished (with some bugs already fixed, which is a good thing - don't you think?!).

tompe · 05-08-2009, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

But yeah, it'll take a bit longer for the "complete" version to be finished (with some bugs already fixed, which is a good thing - don't you think?!).

Well, no. I would be happy with a new firmware now with only folder support and wait some time for ePub support. I am verty unhappy with the fact that ePub support seems to delay folder support.

kacir · 05-08-2009, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLausPetersen

Or does it only mean that the Cybook will search through all folders and present all books in one big table ?

Well, Apple does it exactly the same way in their new MacBook Wheel (TM) that was unveiled very recently.
See
http://www.theonion.com/content/vide..._revolutionary

And, just like Apple, I am pretty sure the Bookeen do not sleep on their laurels, but are working hard on the next version ;-)

K-Thom · 05-08-2009, 06:02 AM

Quote:

I am very unhappy with the fact that ePub support seems to delay folder support

Me too, but it seems that Bookeen seems to consider epub support to be a much more critical and vital feature than folder support.

Which makes sense since there is a current demand for eBooks in epub-format, and if Bookeen can't supply an epub-Reader, they will lose ground.

Take libri.de for example: It has been supporting Mobipocket prc for years - they still do today -, but if you look at the ebooks submenu on their site, it's "epub" right now which occupies most of the space, with "prc" stashed below.
beam-ebooks.de, one of the biggest "eBooks only"-shops in Germany uses prc as its main format, but even they started adding titles in epub.

This Bookeen has to take seriously into consideration. I don't know what the development or changes look like in other European countries. Would be interesting if epub is also strong on the increase there.

tompe · 05-08-2009, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-Thom

Me too, but it seems that Bookeen seems to consider epub support to be a much more critical and vital feature than folder support.

Yes, but I suspect the folder support have been finished a long time and they have just not released it.

gerraldo · 05-08-2009, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

Yes, but I suspect the folder support have been finished a long time and they have just not released it.

You're maybe right, but don't think of it like there's a new firmware version for each feature added...

Starting with a new firmware version they'll need to decide what fixes and features to add. Surely their firmware is some kind of living, evolving thing, but not each new fix and/or feature gets thouroughly tested - just a new release gets this kind of attention/treatment.

The problem is either, that they have chosen a too large amount of new things for the release and/or the Weltbild deal has added ePUB support to their list (or changed it's importancy).

Personally I'm not at all interested in ePUB as PRC/MOBI seems to be the better format (HTML with working links would be too) and DRM is no issue for me (I just HATE it).

But as it is, we'll have to do with new version + ePUB and if some more bugs get fixed before the thing comes out, that's OK with me.

gerraldo · 05-08-2009, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

Personally I'm not at all interested in ePUB as PRC/MOBI seems to be the better format (HTML with working links would be too) and DRM is no issue for me (I just HATE it).

And here comes the best part: Maybe some of you know this already, but to me it was totally new that MobiReader (PC) already supports ePUB!

Just klick on IMPORT and select "all supported formats" and though it's not shown individually - like all the other formats - you can see and chose ePUB files. Imports nicely and works like a charm (with cover and all)!!!

(Just one minor bug: If the language is not set in the ePUB file you need to add this to the OPF file inside the ePUB archive (ZIP) or it won't import the file!)

For me this makes ePUB ability with the new firmware simply useless, as I'll convert all my books to PRC anyway...

srml · 05-08-2009, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

Personally I'm not at all interested in ePUB as PRC/MOBI seems to be the better format

Why do you think Mobi is better? In my opinion ePub has the following advantages:

ePub is a documented standard format and can be generated "by hand" (I did that yesterday just using tidy, sed, vim and zip and got a very useable book). To create a working Mobi file you need special tools. It is much harder to edit a Mobi book which doesn't display correct than to edit an ePub book.
On the Cybook, the formatting possibilities with ePub are much better (using CSS and more supported HTML tags). And the margins can be smaller than with Mobi books.

gerraldo · 05-08-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srml

Why do you think Mobi is better? In my opinion ePub has the following advantages:

ePub is a documented standard format and can be generated "by hand" (I did that yesterday just using tidy, sed, vim and zip and got a very useable book). To create a working Mobi file you need special tools. It is much harder to edit a Mobi book which doesn't display correct than to edit an ePub book.
On the Cybook, the formatting possibilities with ePub are much better (using CSS and more supported HTML tags). And the margins can be smaller than with Mobi books.

I'm seeing it as a reader/user, so there is no need for me to generate books. But if you think using several different apps and doing it by hand is better/easier then using 1 (free) tool, then we clearly have different viewpoints.

On the CyBook there is NO support for ePUB at the moment (Weltbild version has lots of bugs and is a special case), but if it'll be supported in the future will it:

- let me choose the font to use (not in Weltbild version or the Sony reader)?
- let me use justification (Weltbild version is buggy and not on Sony reader)?
- let me use dictionaries (no support AFAIK) like Mobi?

All these are VITAL for me! So I'll stick to Mobi... (at least for the near future)

Maybe ePUB will become better with more features added/supported, but at the moment Mobi IS the better format (just my 2 cents).

Jellby · 05-08-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

- let me choose the font to use (not in Weltbild version or the Sony reader)?
- let me use justification (Weltbild version is buggy and not on Sony reader)?
- let me use dictionaries (no support AFAIK) like Mobi?

Those are possible issues of the ePUB support/implementation, not of the format. The ePUB format is better than Mobi, but the Mobi support is usually better.

mtravellerh · 05-08-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

Those are possible issues of the ePUB support/implementation, not of the format. The ePUB format is better than Mobi, but the Mobi support is usually better.

As far as layout possibilities and enhanced graphics go, the ePub outweighs Mobi hands down. Your view is understandable from a user's POV, but on the whole, ePub is simply better.

GeoffC · 05-08-2009, 11:45 AM

One day all things may be possible ....

Greg Anos · 05-08-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

One day all things may be possible ....

Except Mickey Mouse in the Public Domain......

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05-08-2009, 11:45 AM	#44
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	One day all things may be possible ....

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