eReader for the Hebrew reader

[carmelra]

Hi,

Finally, the Hebrew eBook market shows some signs of awakening.

Unfortunately, not all reading systems (eReader devices and applications) support Hebrew properly.
Hebrew is a Right To Left (RTL) language (like Arabic) and therefore needs a little different treatment.

I would like to post in this thread the current status of Hebrew support among various eReaders, reading applications and platforms. I'll try to update it from time to time.
If you have a device that is not listed here, you are welcome to check and post the results.

My main focus is on the ePub format. However, I also tested Kindle with mobi ebook...

Sample Hebrew ePub is attached here as well as a few screen captures of the expected results as seen with Calibre.

In addition, any test results for applications and devices listed here are linked to the appropriate post in this thread. Just the latest and up to date result is linked.


eReader Devices and applications that support Hebrew

Dedicated e-ink eReaders:
1) Amazon Kindle (3rd generation and above) - kneidlach site
2) PocketBook devices (using FBreader) - Test Results
3) eVrit - a dedicated Hebrew eReader based on Qisda QD060B00
4) PAGEone by Next Papyrus - a Korean eReader, possibly with a firmware update for the Israeli market - Test results.
5) Rooted Nook Simple Touch with Android reading app that supports Hebrew.
6) Rooted Sony PRS-T1 with Android reading app that supports Hebrew. - See details
7) Onyx Boox X61S (using FBReader) with a dedicated (Polish) firmware - Test results
8) Spring Design Alex (possibly with a firmware update by Newpan for the Israeli market ).

Tablets and smartphones:
1) iPad, iPhone, iPod (using Stanza or iBooks) - Test results
2) Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola XOOM and any other Android Tablet using a capable reading application.

Applications:
1) EPUBReader add on for Firefox
2) Calibre (On PC or Mac)
3) FBReader (On PC)
4) AZARDI 6 (On PC, Mac and Linux) - Test Results
5) Aldiko for Android up to Version 1.2 only!!! - Test results
6) Moon+ Reader for Android - Test results
7) OverDrive Media Console (On iOS, Android and Blackberry)
8) Blio Reader for Android.
9) Kobo Reader for Android.
10) Readium extension for Chrome - Test results
11) eBook Reader widget for Opera
12) Bookworm
13) BookGlutton











eReader Devices and applications that doesn't support Hebrew

1) Adobe Digital Editions - Test results
2) Sony Readers - Test results
3) Nook Readers - Test results
4) Kobo Readers - Test results
5) FBReaderJ for Android - Test results
6) Kindle (before the third generation while using valid Hebrew mobi file)
7) BeBook - Test results
8) Foxit eSlick
9) Freda for Windows Mobile
10) iRex
11) JetBook
12) Alex
13) CyBook by Bookeen
14) Aluratek eReaders
15) Aldiko version 2

Below are sample screen captures of valid Hebrew display of the attached ePub:

TZR-PedroParamo.epub









TZR-PedroParamo.epub

[carmelra]

place holder

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by carmelra

Hi,
eReader Devices and applications that doesn't support Hebrew
10) Freda for Windows Mobile

The latest version of Freda for Windows Mobile (see http://www.turnipsoft.co.uk/freda/freda6.htm) does make an effort at rendering Hebrew. I don't expect it to work perfectly well with text that mixes Latin (left-to-right) and Hebrew (right-to-left) characters, but for EPUBs that are just in Hebrew, you should be OK. It does depend on various tags appearing in the EPUB itself; if these are missing (or if Freda fails to spot them for some reason) then you can go into Freda's Settings screen and adjust the 'Force line direction' and 'Force word direction' settings to make it render right-to-left.

You might also get strange effects with left- and right-alignment of text.

Anyhow, I'd be happy to work on any issues with Freda's presentation of Hebrew text - if there's something not rendering correctly, please just email me a sample epub and a screen shot showing the correct appearance, and I will do what I can. I'm at home@jim-chapman.net or jim@turnipsoft.co.uk .

By the way, the situation with Windows Phone 7 is not as good. So far, the device itself does not support Hebrew characters or right-to-left rendering. I expect that will change at some point, but not just yet.

[carmelra]

Originally Posted by Jim Chapman

The latest version of Freda for Windows Mobile (see http://www.turnipsoft.co.uk/freda/freda6.htm) does make an effort at rendering Hebrew.

Hi Jim,

I know you made this effort and I appreciate it. However, I didn't have the opportunity to check it and verify that it's working properly. I hope that someone having a Windows Mobile based device will be able to check and confirm it.

Your last sentence about the Windows 7 current status is disappointing. I have high expectations about this platform...

[kacir]

Originally Posted by carmelra

Unfortunately, not all reading systems (eReader devices and applications) support Hebrew properly.
Hebrew is a Right To Left (RTL) language (like Arabic) and therefore needs a little different treatment.

I would like to post in this thread the current status of Hebrew support among various eReaders, reading applications and platforms. I'll try to update it from time to time.
If you have a device that is not listed here, you are welcome to check and post the results.

My main focus is on the ePub format. However, I also tested Kindle with mobi ebook...

Sample Hebrew ePub is attached here as well as a few screen captures of the expected results as seen with Calibre.

PocketBook devices have explocit support for Hebrew. You have even possibility to switch to user interface in Hebrew out of the box.
I will post printscreens later.

[jbcohen]

My Aluratek Libra Pro does not support Hebrew either. Open Office software is fluent in over 100 different langueges including Hebrew and Yidish and is probably the only software that supports Estonian, bulgarian, Tai and Hindi.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by kacir

PocketBook devices have explocit support for Hebrew. You have even possibility to switch to user interface in Hebrew out of the box.
I will post printscreens later.

- Files 01-04 are printscreens from a third-party fbreader, so called "wrist pageturn fbreader". Author of this program obviously didn't focus on making his version of fbreader with right-to-left languages.

- Files 05-08 are printscreens from official built-in fbreader. Those are good. Please note that fbreader throws away formatting information. I prefer fbreader, because I can replace default book formatting with my preferred formatting. I can choose font, margins, line spacing and other formatting regardless of what is set in epub. So even badly formatted books look exactly to my taste.

- Files 09-14 are from official built-in epub viewing application. This is exact formatting from epub.

[Logseman]

I just come here to recommend the posted book, Pedro Páramo, as it is one of the peaks of the South American Spanish literature ^^

[carmelra]

Originally Posted by kacir

- Files 01-04 are printscreens from a third-party fbreader, so called "wrist pageturn fbreader".

This application doesn't handle Hebrew properly.

Originally Posted by kacir

- Files 05-08 are printscreens from official built-in fbreader. Those are good.

The result is good and it's possible to read. As you wrote, the formatting got lost...

Originally Posted by kacir

- Files 09-14 are from official built-in epub viewing application. This is exact formatting from epub.

By "official built-in epub viewing application" I guess you mean the default viewing application on the PocketBook which is ADE. The result is not good and it's impossible to read.

[carmelra]

Originally Posted by Logseman

I just come here to recommend the posted book, Pedro Páramo, as it is one of the peaks of the South American Spanish literature ^^

[carmelra]

Aldiko for Android test results

In general, it almost support Hebrew properly...

Most of the text is being displayed properly, the text is aligned to the right and is readable.
The only problem I found is with punctuation marks. Every line that includes even a single word with a punctuation mark is displayed from left to right (the whole line) which makes the text unreadable.

I like this application and would be happy to use it. However, this problem makes it unusable for the Hebrew readers.

Attached are screen captures.
pic1 includes a song with punctuation marks. All the text is right to left and not readable at all.
pic3 includes a text with no punctuation marks. All looks perfect.
pic4 includes a single word with punctuation mark witch make the relevant line (the last one) non readable. pic7 has the same issue with lines 5 and 6.

[carmelra]

Adobe Digital Editions test results

So disappointing :

Despite its position in the market, ADE doesn't support Hebrew ePub properly.

In the attached screen capture one can see that the text is being displayed left to right (Maybe they should supply the application with a mirror...)
However, the text of the TOC (on the left side) is being displayed perfectly

Where are Adobe brilliant developers?

[tobassam]

Carmelra, thank you for the interesting post. Has anyone checked Hebrew support on Sony PRS-505/300 using this custom firmware (supports Hebrew UI): http://ebookapplications.com ?

[tobassam]

Carmelra, Can I ask what version of Android you ran Aldiko and FBReaderJ on? Thank you.

[carmelra]

Originally Posted by tobassam

Carmelra, thank you for the interesting post. Has anyone checked Hebrew support on Sony PRS-505/300 using this custom firmware (supports Hebrew UI): http://ebookapplications.com ?

I don't know. I was not aware to this alternative firmware for the Sony Readers. I'll try to check this option. Thanks!