Cybook Opus or Pocketbook 360

[kacir]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The most noticeable thing is that the Opus allows you to select the justification and the font used to display your book, provided that the book does not hard-code them. It is currently the only ADE implementation to offer these capability. Also, the Pocketbook currently only offers 3 font sizes for ADE - this really is not enough (the Opus has 12).

On the other hand, PocketBook lets you to open epubs in FBReader, and here you *can* select margins, line spacing, justification, fonts, font sizes ...
This is what I like to do.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by mmatbot

Hi I have a maybe stupid question but does anyone has ever try PB360 firmware on a Opus device?

It can not be done by an user at home.
Guys In Kiev (TM) can do it, they just refuse to do that without a written permission from Bookeen. They do flash software into some netronix based devices from other manufacturers, but only for some Russian brands where they have the permission.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kacir

On the other hand, PocketBook lets you to open epubs in FBReader, and here you *can* select margins, line spacing, justification, fonts, font sizes ...
This is what I like to do.

Good point; I don't use FBReader myself, so I tend to forget that it's there!

[EowynCarter]

On the other hand, PocketBook lets you to open epubs in FBReader, and here you *can* select margins, line spacing, justification, fonts, font sizes ...
This is what I like to do.

But you lose whatever litle css support ade have.
And will require to get rid of the DRM.

[Forkosigan]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

But you lose whatever litle css support ade have.
And will require to get rid of the DRM.

Next Firmwareupdate will have more than 3 degrees increase in the ADE.

[Lake person]

Just to let everyone know. I decided to purchase the pocketbook 360 over the opus. After waiting quite a long time to receive it. (they shipped it to the wrong address). Took almost 3 weeks. I have to say it is really really a nice device. Solid, not cheap feeling, not heavy. I did find that it will read all my books from different publishers that I buy except one. The mobi formate show all the letters as triangles, dashes, circles, etc. for some reason. Otherwise what a nice reader. I would recommend it to anyone.
Lake

[Yar-PocketBooker]

Originally Posted by Lake person

Just to let everyone know. I decided to purchase the pocketbook 360 over the opus. After waiting quite a long time to receive it. (they shipped it to the wrong address). Took almost 3 weeks. I have to say it is really really a nice device. Solid, not cheap feeling, not heavy. I did find that it will read all my books from different publishers that I buy except one. The mobi formate show all the letters as triangles, dashes, circles, etc. for some reason. Otherwise what a nice reader. I would recommend it to anyone.
Lake

You waited for 3 weeks for your order!?!? Where did you order it from, Europe? No, seriously, can you PM me with the details of your order if you made it from the online store in my signature? I need to know what happened and why it took so long...

[Dulin's Books]

We had a Wisconsin customer recently I hope it wasn't us.

[Lake person]

No I didn't order from Dulin's Books. I have PM Yar-PocketBooker

Lake

[curthh]

Having read this and other threads on the Opus and PB 360, my question: any new information to add about these two? for example, has the PB 360 improved its ePub display, added fonts, or ? I'm trying to decide which to buy. If you're interested, here's the back story.

In May I bought and then returned the Cybook Opus, though I really liked it (my first ereader). Why? 1. the screen froze when disconnecting the devices from my computer (note: NOT a problem of "failure to eject device"); 2. the "soft reset" did not work, necessitating a hard reset every time; Bookeen support only replied once to my 5-6 emails, asking for the MN, S/N, Boo version, etc.

My next question WAS eventually answered by Bookeen: what's the difference between the old white Opus and the new colored shells? Answer, virtually none, ONCE THE long-promised firmware upgrade is available; otherwise, the colored shell's battery runs longer before recharging.

thanks for any help

Curthh

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by curthh

Having read this and other threads on the Opus and PB 360, my question: any new information to add about these two? for example, has the PB 360 improved its ePub display, added fonts, or ?Curthh

Well, the PB360 has recently acquired a hacked ADE version that lets you use a custom stylesheet so you get to choose fonts, margins, padding, etc for DRM'ed ePubs.

Previously, it had acquired a forked FBReader version that explicitly let you control over a hundred display items and let you use the motion sensor to page forward or back.

There is also a plain text config file that lets you set which app is the default for each file type or you can always choose at launch which of the four reader app versions to open the book with.

If you stop by the Pocketbook forum you'll find sticky threads on the FBReader180, Dictionaries (you can have multiples installed at once and switch on the fly as needed), Themes (they change behavior, not just appearance) and the recent updates which added a few cool features (extra font sizes for ADE) and one or two annoying bugs marring the reader's previously rock-solid rep. Fortunately those running into the new bugs (not everybody does) can go back to the known great firmware while waiting for the promised "equally-stable-or-else" July update.

Not sure if the update or the alternate reader apps (installation is just a matter of copying a file over; no messing with the firmware required) address your concerns but I must admit that the tweaked ADE is now almost as good a reading environment as FBReader. (Now if only you could get rid of the status bar on it, the way FBReader does.)

Hope this helps on the PB front.

[Soph94]

For those out there who aren't particularly technologically savvy when it comes to ebooks (like me!), I just wanted to say that I received my Opus yesterday and love it. Very easy to use, intuitive, good for lefthanders and quick page turns. No problems with freezes etc so far, touch wood. For me, it wasn't worth the extra money for the PB360, though I do love the look of that one too.

[Nathanael]

Does either of these have a place to attach a wrist-strap?

With my sleep apnea, I have a tendency to doze off while reading. A wrist-strap saved my old reader from many a fall

Also, I live in Shanghai, and can't find the 360 (or most non-Asian readers) locally. Can anyone recommend a place with reliable shipping that can ship to China?

Nathanael

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Nathanael

Does either of these have a place to attach a wrist-strap?

PocketBook 360 has two places to attach the wrist-strap. Convenient for left and right hand holding.
Those two attachment points can also be used to fix a wide strip along the back of the reader very much like video cameras are held to your hand. You have to manufacture your own strip for that.