PRS-600 New firmware for previous readers?

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Write away, but it won't do any good since.

1. Sony has already said no updates for discontinued models
2. Sony has a history of rarely updating new devices

I will.

But you realize one person at Sony told one blogger this information. We have no idea if this person is in authority. We also don't know whether this policy is set in stone or not. It's certainly bad news up-front, but it's not necessarily a sure thing... especially if we do write letters.

In terms of not updating devices (I think you mean "old" devices), as I've said over and over, this applies specifically to the Reader line and an apparent lack of resources. The PS3 receives constant updates. So, again, for accuracy's sake, it's not fair to say "Sony has a history of rarely updating old devices." It is more accurate to say they have a history of rarely updating The Reader.

-Pie

[Hatgirl]

I am very disappointed that Sony have said there won't be any updates for the older models. I'm not looking for huge design changes, I just want bug fixes. And although I do love my PRS-300, by demonstrating a lack of interest in fixing their own mistakes I am far less likely to buy one of the new models. Software bugs happen, but a responsible company should take steps to solve them.

I'm going to email off a list of the basic errors I would hope they would fix in a firmware update. So far I have:

• Be able to have pdfs and epubs on the same device
• Latest version of ADE, which allows optional full justification of text and other css/xhtml bug fixes

I know that the Nook has a more recent version of ADE than the Sony devices, and that that more recent version does allow full justification of text and fixes some other css/xhtml problems. But I haven't been able to find any version names, or specifics about what is or isn't fixed. Are the image max-height, hr text-align and br/div problems solved in the Nook version of ADE? Are there more devices out there apart from the Nook that use more recent versions of ADE? I think the more fact-based ammunition I have about their competitors, the better chance I have.

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

I am very disappointed that Sony have said there won't be any updates for the older models. I'm not looking for huge design changes, I just want bug fixes.

Where and when did Sony say that? I only now one source (Nate the great), and I am not sure his info is 100% reliable and can be attributed to the policymakers and Sony.

Be able to have pdfs and epubs on the same device

What's this about? Why can't you put PDFs and EPUBs on the same device? Never has been a problem AFAIK.

Latest version of ADE, which allows optional full justification of text and other css/xhtml bug fixes

Even though I agree this would be nice to have, but this is not a bug! This is missing a feature, which was never advertised to you at the first place. Sony wants you to buy new devices with new features, not just improve your old and obsolete devices so you don't want to refresh. That's just business.

[pepak]

Originally Posted by porkupan

Where and when did Sony say that? I only now one source (Nate the great), and I am not sure his info is 100% reliable and can be attributed to the policymakers and Sony.

That's why I sent a support request asking for confirmation or denial of the "no more firmwares" information. No to the point reply yet, except for "we are sorry to hear you are not happy".

Even though I agree this would be nice to have, but this is not a bug! This is missing a feature, which was never advertised to you at the first place.

Well... EPUB has certain specs, and I would say that what doesn't match them is a bug.

Sony wants you to buy new devices with new features, not just improve your old and obsolete devices so you don't want to refresh. That's just business.

Surprisingly enough, what I want from Sony is for them to fix bugs in my products instead of forcing me to buy a new version (which will surely have its own bugs). That's just business, too.

Regarding "obsolete": I would very much like to know what's "obsolete" in, say, PRS-505. Which hardware component would you say is not enough for whatever's today's thing to have in a book-reading device?

[Hatgirl]

Exactly, pepak you have clarified my points far more eloquently than I could have. As for

Originally Posted by porkupan

What's this about? Why can't you put PDFs and EPUBs on the same device? Never has been a problem AFAIK.

there have been a number of threads on this issue. Here is an example
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68463

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by pepak

Regarding "obsolete": I would very much like to know what's "obsolete" in, say, PRS-505. Which hardware component would you say is not enough for whatever's today's thing to have in a book-reading device?

I guess, you might call obsolete everything that is not part of the current product line. PRS-505 may still work great, but some components in it are not up-to-date. FreeScale probably no longer manufactures the i.MXL chip developed when it was still part of Motorola; Vizplex screen is going away soon; so is Metronome e-Ink controller; the NAND flash is rather small by today's standards. The device hasn't been manufactured for more than a year, so even the newest PRS-505 are going to be out of warranty soon. I guess I would call it obsolete.

As far as FW updates are concerned, I am not sure what exactly is involved in changing over the version of Adobe SDK. Maybe a couple of days worth of work for a software developer. But the logistics of deployment probably make it not worth their time. You remember the 500 EPUB update - that was quite a disaster. If they issued an official update for 505, 300 and 600, out of every 5000 people updating there will be 100 people calling the customer service numbers with real and imagined problems. If the update screwed up their device, or they think it did, Sony is responsible. Sony is going to have to get those devices shipped into the service center, get them fixed or replace them with newer models. If you were a manager at Sony, would you want to spend your resources on that?

Perhaps if there was a major outcry over EPUB justification they would have to do something about it. If at every press-conference the reporters and bloggers were throwing this at them: "Why aren't EPUB right-justified? What are you going to do about it?". Then they might have done something about it. I suspect to 98% of their customers this is a non-issue.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by porkupan

If at every press-conference the reporters and bloggers were throwing this at them: "Why aren't EPUB right-justified? What are you going to do about it?". Then they might have done something about it. I suspect to 98% of their customers this is a non-issue.

And yet, if it was fixed for the 2% to whom it is an issue a much larger percentage would probably say "Oh, this is good, thanks". And be another little bit more likely to buy from Sony in the future.

And the same would apply to every other little niggle that perhaps only affects a small percentage of the customers, such as the ePub/PDF issue.

It all adds up. Releasing firmware updates isn't just about satisfying the vocal minority.

Graham

[etienne66]

I doubt it would take them much time to recompile their firmware with the new ADE. I think it would take more time for the quality assurance checks, but they could offset that by working with MobileRead members and releasing a beta firmware. I'm sure there are plenty of gullible people such as myself that are willing to be guinea pigs.

The ability to have both a PDF and epub library book checked out at the same time is a major flaw and should definitely be addressed. And in the process they might make a few other users, like myself, happy by using the newest ADE to resolve various formatting bugs and the ability to have fully justified text.

It's either that or wait for ebookapplications.com to release their firmware for the PRS-600. They say they are working on one, but haven't release it yet. But they do have one already for the PRS-300 with fully justified text and many other features.

Etienne66

[Hatgirl]

So, as I was asking before the conversation got derailed for a while...

Does anyone know/have a link to the actual version numbers of ADE and what version Sony devices use versus what the Nook uses? And a changelog of ADE bug fixes? Or even just known xhtml/css buggy implementation in Sony that works on the Nook or another device?

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

So, as I was asking before the conversation got derailed for a while...

Does anyone know/have a link to the actual version numbers of ADE and what version Sony devices use versus what the Nook uses? And a changelog of ADE bug fixes? Or even just known xhtml/css buggy implementation in Sony that works on the Nook or another device?

I'm not sure why you want a link to that information. Open ADE and click on About ADE and read the version number right there.

You keep calling things bugs when you don't seem to be understanding the meaning of the term. A 'bug' is what you call an aspect of the program that isn't working the way it was designed to by the programers. You're looking for specific features that you want to be a certain way and that's fine but that isn't a bug.

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

Exactly, pepak you have clarified my points far more eloquently than I could have. As for


there have been a number of threads on this issue. Here is an example
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68463

That only applies for library books not PDF's and epub's in general.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

You keep calling things bugs when you don't seem to be understanding the meaning of the term. A 'bug' is what you call an aspect of the program that isn't working the way it was designed to by the programers. You're looking for specific features that you want to be a certain way and that's fine but that isn't a bug.

I work in software testing, and it is likely we would call this a bug because it is a feature that does not meet user requirements. Consider that many people would have bought their PRS when LRF was still the main Sony format; as we know LRS is fully justified. Then Sony unilaterally decides to ditch LRF in favour of ePub, which would be fine except that ePub on the device is missing one of the main features of the format it is replacing. Arguably this is a bug; whatever you call it, there is a moral case for Sony to upgrade to a version of ADE that has a feature (full justification for the main format) that users had when they first bought the device.

[ShellShock]

In the PRS505 firmware, I believe the epub viewer is the file opt\sony\ebook\application\FskDocumentViewerAdobe. so, If we could extract the equivalent file from the e.g., 650, and flash it to the 505, I wonder if it would still work?

[kartu]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

In the PRS505 firmware, I believe the epub viewer is the file opt\sony\ebook\application\FskDocumentViewerAdobe. so, If we could extract the equivalent file from the e.g., 650, and flash it to the 505, I wonder if it would still work?

Most likely no (I think somebody already tried it, but can't remember who). It's linked with different versions of libraries.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by kartu

Most likely no (I think somebody already tried it, but can't remember who). It's linked with different versions of libraries.

pepak tried this with the PRS900 and 505 and it did not work (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/arc...p/t-66102.html). Probably won't with the 650 either.