Folder and SD card support on 5 inch devices

[Storm27]

I think I want a 5 inch reader which makes the choice one of Sony 300, Bebook mini (or other Hanlin clone) and Cybook Opus.

I currently own about 1100 ebooks and confidently expect to buy/create more so being able to organise and find my books is pretty important.

So - which of the 5 inch readers currently have folder support? If any doesn't have folders right now, are there reliable plans for that to change?

Can you have nested folders inside other folders?

Does the built in software allow for arranging the books in "bookshelves" or "reading lists" like the mobi desktop software? Or is it folders or nothing?

Also I believe the Sony does not have an SD slot, but the Bebook mini does? Does the Opus? If so, is there any difference between reading off the SD card and reading from internal memory? Is the card just another location among many folders or is it like having 2 entirely separate libraries?

Thanks!

[AnemicOak]

The BeBook Mini/Astak Pocket Pro and the Opus both do folders (and folders inside folders). The Opus also has a 'library' view if you prefer not to use folders which lists titles alphabetically. The Jinke rebrands have an SD slot, the Opus has a Micro SD slot.

On the Pocket Pro the card is separate from the internal memory when browsing. Not sure on the Opus as I don't have a Micro SD card to check. I'm sure someone will chime it on that.

[wallcraft]

The Sony PRS-300 has "collections" which are like reading lists, but it does not have folders.

On the BeBook Mini/Astak Pocket Pro it is folders or nothing.

You can have folders nested inside folders.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Storm27

Does the built in software allow for arranging the books in "bookshelves" or "reading lists" like the mobi desktop software? Or is it folders or nothing?

The closest to this would be the Sony. It's collections are sort of like 'playlists' are for music.

[wallcraft]

For screen scans of a 6" EZ Reader, see File Navigation: Hanlin V3 vs OpenInkPot. The 5" BeBook Mini/Astak Pocket Pro is very similar. OpenInkPot is an alternative firmware, which has no DRMed format support and is not available on the Pocket Pro (so concentrate on the 1st post).

[Storm27]

Thank you both!

I'm currently assuming that if I have folders I won't need collections and that if I did have collections I'd have to add all 1100 books to them individually. The Sony already has strikes against it anyway for weight, no expandable memory and having to convert my entire mobi library before I could use it.

For the devices that do have folders, is navigation a simple matter of using up and down buttons plus an enter command? Is there a limit to how many folders it is practical to use?

And do ebooks in a folder just appear with their filename or is there some process of applying author and title information to them?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Storm27

Thank you both!

I'm currently assuming that if I have folders I won't need collections and that if I did have collections I'd have to add all 1100 books to them individually. The Sony already has strikes against it anyway for weight, no expandable memory and having to convert my entire mobi library before I could use it.

For the devices that do have folders, is navigation a simple matter of using up and down buttons plus an enter command? Is there a limit to how many folders it is practical to use?

And do ebooks in a folder just appear with their filename or is there some process of applying author and title information to them?

eBooks don't appear with their filename, but with the respective metadata.
Very often, even with legally purchased books, you'll find strange things like "24/7" for author's name. Sorting by author's name would be helpful, but without manipulations to the originals, it isn't working for at least 1/3 of all titles.
You can change the metadata though.

[kacir]

I also suggest, have a look at
PocketBook 360°
http://pocketbook.com.ua/index.php?id=342

It has firmware features, none of the [5 and 6 inch] competitors have.
have a look at video demo at http://pocketbook.com.ua/index.php
See this post https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=19 for translation of naration in video
Text search, notes, dictionary (that user can replace), file operations (copy, move, delete ...), even games and scientific calculator!
You can run user created programs from an SD card. You can create your own program - or compile existing one with different options.
There is :GASP: terminal emulator that runs [bussybox version of] Bourne Shell. Yes. You can run included busybox Linux binaries from the terminal emulator.
Have a look at http://pocketbook-free.sourceforge.net/en/index.shtml for user contributed programs.
You can even try software, if you install SDK (software development kit that includes device emulator!)

The entire device was tailored exactly to the demands of users at http://www.the-ebook.org . Using translate.google.com you can browse the forums and see discussion. Hardware was also tailor made. Look at the cover/lid.

Last but not least, have a look at youtube and search for pocketbook 360.

[Jack Tingle]

You might consider the Ectaco jetBook. It has two views of the data. One is an internal memory+SD card view with readable files and folders only. This is for general reading use. The second is a file manager that gives a good view of either the internal memory or the SD card. This shows all of the files on the card and lets you manage them. The look and feel is very similar to my WM PDA that I also use for reading.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

eBooks don't appear with their filename, but with the respective metadata.

This is true for the Opus and Sony, but if I recall correctly the Pocket Pro/BeBook mini uses the file name.

[Storm27]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

eBooks don't appear with their filename, but with the respective metadata.
Very often, even with legally purchased books, you'll find strange things like "24/7" for author's name. Sorting by author's name would be helpful, but without manipulations to the originals, it isn't working for at least 1/3 of all titles.
You can change the metadata though.

Thanks - not ideal but good to know.

So there's a folder view but it's not a true explorer type view of what's in each location, is that right? Is that just true for the Opus or for the bebook mini as well?

And how do you add metadata to books on this type of device? I hadn't thought there was custom software on the pc or that the readers ran mobipocket etc as searate programs. (I know that when I have imported prc books into Calibre they seem to have lost the author/ title metadata that had been attached to them in Mobipocket reader.)

[Storm27]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

This is true for the Opus and Sony, but if I recall correctly the Pocket Pro/BeBook mini uses the file name.

Cross-posted!

Still interested In how it works on the other devices, but bebook mini is looking better all the time.

[esecallum]

Originally Posted by Storm27

I think I want a 5 inch reader which makes the choice one of Sony 300, Bebook mini (or other Hanlin clone) and Cybook Opus.

I currently own about 1100 ebooks and confidently expect to buy/create more so being able to organise and find my books is pretty important.

So - which of the 5 inch readers currently have folder support? If any doesn't have folders right now, are there reliable plans for that to change?

Can you have nested folders inside other folders?

Does the built in software allow for arranging the books in "bookshelves" or "reading lists" like the mobi desktop software? Or is it folders or nothing?

Also I believe the Sony does not have an SD slot, but the Bebook mini does? Does the Opus? If so, is there any difference between reading off the SD card and reading from internal memory? Is the card just another location among many folders or is it like having 2 entirely separate libraries?

Thanks!

Software is very primitive.ebook readers at the moment are a joke.very primitive.

very over priced. they should be under $40

why do they put in a niggerdly amount of flash memory when 4gigs only cost $3?

why?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

This is true for the Opus and Sony, but if I recall correctly the Pocket Pro/BeBook mini uses the file name.

or folder name and you have to navigate through them just like on windows etc.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by esecallum

Software is very primitive.ebook readers at the moment are a joke.very primitive.

very over priced. they should be under $40

why do they put in a niggerdly amount of flash memory when 4gigs only cost $3?

why?

and not very helpful.