Hands-on with the iRex iLiad

[sammykrupa]

Henrique,

Thanks for the info!

Just one question:

What book formats does it support in total (Does it support eBooks that use the Adobe eBook format? Does it support the Microsoft format eBooks?)? Do they plan on implementing such support?

The reason I ask is, what is the point of having a super-car without gas to power it.

Thanks!
Sam Krupa

[bicradash]

Hello Henrycat, thank you for your information, and your kind offer for taking questions!

I want to know if the iLiad is capable of displaying multibyte characters (especially Japanese) in it's PDF/TEXT/XHTML browsers.
There are some downloadable files to test this:

Multilingual PDFs

• http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/unicodeexample.pdf
• Sample Outputs of Many Languages in the World, File 1 (Languages in Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States)
• Sample Outputs of Many Languages in the World, File 2 (Languages in Europe, South and North America, Oceania, etc.)

Sample PDFs for Japanese "top to bottom, right to left" writing direction

• http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/~kinsui...3c/keika2e.pdf
• http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/~kinsui/tex/kunkai.pdf
• http://monju.elec.ryukoku.ac.jp/abe/.../shousinng.pdf

UTF-8 plain text (more can be found in openi18n's testsuite)

• http://www.openi18n.org/subgroups/te...more.test1.txt
• http://www.openi18n.org/subgroups/te...more.test2.txt

HTML

• http://homepage2.nifty.com/PAF00305/lib/unicode.html
• http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode-example.html
• http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/utf8.html
• http://www.macchiato.com/unicode/Uni...criptions.html

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a multilingual test page written in valid XHTML.
But FYI, there's HTML Tidy to convert (and tidy up) HTMLs into XHTML.
I tested it using a Windows binary, and converted http://homepage2.nifty.com/PAF00305/lib/unicode.html by doing:

tidy -utf8 -asxhtml -m unicode.html

It worked fine, and gave me a valid XHTML in UTF-8.

I hope it's not too much trouble for you...

[CommanderROR]

I have another, rather specific question:

Did iRex tell you anything new concerning how much information will be available for developers? I'm no programmer myself, but I see what all those freelance and semi-professional programmers out there did and still do for other devices, so my hopes are high, that there will be freeware apps for things like calender (a simple one would be enough for me) and additional reader software. Branko Collins gave us some insight on this, and things sounded pretty hopeful, but I'd love to hear some confirmation.

The newest rumour: Iliad will be on sale at the end of May...somebody over in the webshop-delay thread just apparently got that information from iRex by phone...can somebody (Henrycat?) please confirm this?
Thanks.

There are two new messages in that thread, both by new members, one of them calling the Iliad "vaporware" and the other claiming this further delay...call me paranoid...but somehow I'm not sure I should believe them...or maybe it's just wishful thinking...

[Henrycat]

Sorry for the delay but:

- Internet not working
- So reinstall windows
- but Windows cd no bootable (i'm not at home so don't have access to my usual cd's)
- so install longhorn beta and prayed (bootable and given by a friend some time ago)
- so far OK
- write answers, take pictures
- when uploading internet down (2 times!!)
- This beginning to look like work :P

Internet is working so i will post everything i have got so far. I'll break it in posts. (Alexander feel free to mess around with the posts )

The following pictures illustrate what user's asked, and what i answer in the posts.
















Big pics:

http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1424.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1428.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1430.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1431.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1435.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1437.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1439.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1441.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1442.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/IMG_1445.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/with%20flash.JPG
http://ilimas.com.sapo.pt/without%20flash.JPG

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by ElaHuguet

From the picture which shows the list of books on the iLiad (from the Irex page): is this something like the tag (ID3) one can put on mp3's in Winamp, so any book I load on the iLiad can have this information updated (by me)? Or will this only be available on books received from the IDS server or otherwise prepared by the publisher?

So far all my files only show their name, so i suppose it probably will have to be a specific format to show this extra information.

I don't remenber if it appeared on mr. Henzen device. I'll have to ask him.

You say it "only" lasts 5-7 hours (hehe) with everything on, can you actually have everything "off", or at least some of the functionalities, or is that what they're working on?

That's one of the things that is being finished for the update of next week.

Can you have folders/subdirectories in the file directory, to be able to organize your books, or is everything in one big bag?

You can have subdirectories. My OS version doesn't present any "quick" way to go back more than one subdirectory, but i think the new had a generic directory structure similar to the one from Windows Vista.

How does it manage html files with accompanying folders (where all the images, css files, etc. are)?

Right now it show all the files by alphabetical order, even files in formats the device doesn't work yet.

File filters are to be added later :P

That's all for now, MANY thanks for taking the time to review it for us.

Here to help with what i can

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by pitcher23

I like to read a lot of web news . If I used a program, like Webzip and saved a site like CNN or Fox plus all links within the sites to a CF card, would I be able to click onto those links on the Iliad while offline?

I download Webzip and saved the Wired magazine.
I copied the directory it created to the CF and opened it in the device. Then i tried opening links but couldn't get it to work

I then decided to create a simple "website":
- 1.htm
- 2.htm
- level/3.htm

Copied it to CF and tried it. It works but you have to do some "point and click" to use text links since you have to "click" on the text :P
I'll have to ask mr. Henzen if they are planning on creating auto hotspots for text links...

So if the simple website works why not wired? I was looking at it in the PC browser and noticed it creates fixed links:
c:\website\1.html -> c:\website\2.html -> c:\website\level\1.html

Instead of relative links (1.htm -> 2.htm -> level/3.htm)

Does anyone know any setting in webzip to do relative linking from the root were the site is saved? or other program that does it?

BTW thanks for taking the time to answer any questions. I know it must be difficult to tear yourself away from your prized possession.

I'm glad to do anything i can to help the device appeall to the public, except disassemble it

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Henrycat

Alexander feel free to mess around with the posts

Heh, "mess around", I hope you don't feel that way

I'll reupload the pictures here asap.

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by ribrdb

How's the display rate when you're writing? Is it difficult to write notes, or does the screen keep up?

It is fast but i had to write a little slowly than usually. I can easely write/draw on screen.

When i borrowed the device to a friend of mine he actually wrote at full speed without waiting for the screen to update. It was a little weird but he liked it...

I could make a video with my (photo) camera to give an idea of the speed but it doesn't have a lot of quality

You can see the quality of video in the videos i made from my librie:
Librie Boot
Librie working

I don't have the stand for the camera right now, so the image will be shaky :P

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by tribble

How ist the bookmark Management? I think that will be very important for me.

The device on-screen toolbal has a button to bookmark, and another to show the list of bookmarks of the book you are reading.

I think i'm remembering correctly, my device doesn't have it yet but i saw it working on Alex device which had the latest OS version.

It seemed easy enough

Do they have a dictionary implemented? Would be very helpful some times.
Anything like Calendar, Addressbook and usual PDA stuff planned or integrated?

Right now it isn't planned. Irex was aiming at making only an ebook reader, so no "PDA" functionality was to be included.
But, it has been mentioned a lot so they are planning of including it till the end of the year.

The device doesn't bring a dictionary because they consider it "content" that publishers could sell. I got the impression it could be offered through IDS after the lunch, but it was more of a maybe than a certainty.

Can you stor stuff directly on the Iliad by ftp or the like?

The device can be connected to a PC and is recognized has an usb disk. I have no idea if this allows it to be shared for ftp :P

Could you give an example of how i can check this?

Also, the device wasn't planned to access a library in the PC by wireless. But guess what? Since it has been talked, it's also one of the things that is being studyed

Can you install your own fonts? If so, which type of fonts (TTF, PS, OpenType)?

I can't install fonts on my device, but i can create PDFs with any font i want. See picture with a list of fonts

It's one of the things they are working on the final version, but it seems it is giving them some problems. I'll have to ask to see how it working :P

Can you provide your own styles for XML files?

Do you mean if i can create my XML file with my styles? Or if i can change an existing XMl to what i like?

Yes to the first, anything that a browser can do the Iliad should be able to do, if you are thinking XML only without use of plugins.

The second is trickier since it would require a lot of convertion (which can easily go wrong).

You wouldnt believe, how jealous I am of you at the moment
Thanks for your work Well, fun would be more precise, wouldnt it?

Yes i have heard that a lot recently

Like Alex told me, if the market doesn't show some support for this Black and White device, then there won't be any faster/color/video devices in the future.

I'll just do what i can so it won't come to that.

[doctorow]

Is that Gisele on one of the photos, Henrycat?

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by TadW

So if I understand correctly, with the final software version, you could turn everything completely off when you only want to read a book, and thus maintaining a battery life similar to that of the Sony Reader?

Or even better

Its hard to give certainties, because it all depends on how the OS and viewer is optimized. Even if the OS is 100% the viewer can only be 50%, some viewers might need more power, etc...

The iLiad has slightly fewer ppi (158 compared to 167 of 6-inch screen devices). But I guess from your account that this doesn't have a visible negative impact.

Unless you are using a microscope it should be neglegible. Just the fact that the background is "whittier" in the Iliad improves the reading. Add to that the 16 greys and you have a much better legibility than the Librie.

Here is one: How is the feel factor of the device? It looks a lot bigger than the other readers, and I wonder if your arm gets tired from holding it for a longer time.

I find it as easy to hold as the Librie and not heavy at all. 390 might seem a lot but compared to Davinci codes...

Also, how easy is it to "flip" pages? I remember fondly back in the past the good old scroll wheel of my Sony Clie.

With the flipbar it's very easy to flip pages, even with only one hand (use it almost all the time). The only doubt i have would be for left handed users...

Thanks for taking the time, Henrique. You rock!

You said it not me

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Is that Gisele on one of the photos, Henrycat?

Yep, Victorias angels pdf i think. Just tried for something "nice" to look at

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by sammykrupa

Henrique,
What book formats does it support in total?

The device reads pdf and html/xhtml.

I have been reading pdfs i already had, or created pdf's from regular text, because right now it gives the best formatting (hiphnization, page layout, etc).

Viewers will become available with time. Alex told me they will invest heavily on it after the device begins selling.

Formats like mobypocket are expected, but they (mobipocket) haven't responded to Irex yet.

The suport for Apabi and Openreader is also being studied, but don't know how far it is.

There is also the possibility of users creating viewers.

(Does it support eBooks that use the Adobe eBook format? Does it support the Microsoft format eBooks?)?
Do they plan on implementing such support?

Right now it only reads normal PDFs. Support for encripted PDFs is only expected end of the year (there is already a company working on it).

I asked about support for LIT files, and was told Microsoft hasn't answered to any of the requests from iREx.

Will probably have to wait for a "user" viewer. Or just convert to html files...

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by bicradash

Hello Henrycat, thank you for your information, and your kind offer for taking questions!

I want to know if the iLiad is capable of displaying multibyte characters (especially Japanese) in it's PDF/TEXT/XHTML browsers.
There are some downloadable files to test this:

Multilingual PDFs

• http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/unicodeexample.pdf
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/unicodeexample.JPG
  
  
• Sample Outputs of Many Languages in the World, File 1 (Languages in Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States)
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/Sample%20...0Languages.JPG
  
  
• Sample Outputs of Many Languages in the World, File 2 (Languages in Europe, South and North America, Oceania, etc.)
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/Sample%20...Languages2.JPG

Sample PDFs for Japanese "top to bottom, right to left" writing direction

• http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/~kinsui...3c/keika2e.pdf
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/keika2e.JPG
  
  
• http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/~kinsui/tex/kunkai.pdf
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/kunkai.JPG
  
  
• http://monju.elec.ryukoku.ac.jp/abe/.../shousinng.pdf
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/shousinng.JPG

UTF-8 plain text (more can be found in openi18n's testsuite)

• http://www.openi18n.org/subgroups/te...more.test1.txt
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/test1%20%...0pixels%29.JPG
  
  
• http://www.openi18n.org/subgroups/te...more.test2.txt
  
  http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/test2.JPG

HTML

• http://homepage2.nifty.com/PAF00305/lib/unicode.html
  
  
  http://ilimas2.com.sapo.pt/unicode.JPG
  
  
• http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode-example.html
  
  
  http://ilimas2.com.sapo.pt/unicodeexample.JPG
  
  
• http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/utf8.html
  
  
  http://ilimas2.com.sapo.pt/utf8.JPG
  
  
• http://www.macchiato.com/unicode/Uni...criptions.html
  
  
  http://ilimas2.com.sapo.pt/Unicode_transcriptions1.JPG
  http://ilimas2.com.sapo.pt/Unicode_transcriptions2.JPG
  

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a multilingual test page written in valid XHTML.
But FYI, there's HTML Tidy to convert (and tidy up) HTMLs into XHTML.
I tested it using a Windows binary, and converted http://homepage2.nifty.com/PAF00305/lib/unicode.html by doing:

tidy -utf8 -asxhtml -m unicode.html

It worked fine, and gave me a valid XHTML in UTF-8.



http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/Tidy1%20%...0pixels%29.JPG
http://ilimas3.com.sapo.pt/Tidy2.JPG

I hope it's not too much trouble for you...

Finished editing

[Henrycat]

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

I have another, rather specific question:

Did iRex tell you anything new concerning how much information will be available for developers? I'm no programmer myself, but I see what all those freelance and semi-professional programmers out there did and still do for other devices, so my hopes are high, that there will be freeware apps for things like calender (a simple one would be enough for me) and additional reader software. Branko Collins gave us some insight on this, and things sounded pretty hopeful, but I'd love to hear some confirmation.

I asked about the development of programs. And it seems to be a delicate issue because of security.

iRex wants to give access to programers, but also be able to convince publishers of it's security.

I got the idea iRex would release software tools to create/test the viewer. If a user creates a "stable" viewer he can send it to iRex, and it is OK, iRex will deliver it to all devices through IDS.

Also about security.

All content delivered through IDS will be locked to the user, and incrypted with the code of the device that receives it.

If a user breaks his device his content still belongs to him, and when downloaded will just be encrypted for the new device.

A backup file from the old device will not work in the new.

The newest rumour: Iliad will be on sale at the end of May...somebody over in the webshop-delay thread just apparently got that information from iRex by phone...can somebody (Henrycat?) please confirm this?
Thanks.

I'll have to ask, but since it seemed they were having problems with the software companies i can't say i wold be surprised.

It's very likely the chinese Iliad will sell first, because it has the SO and viewer (APABI) almost finished.

There are two new messages in that thread, both by new members, one of them calling the Iliad "vaporware" and the other claiming this further delay...call me paranoid...but somehow I'm not sure I should believe them...or maybe it's just wishful thinking...

Well i know what i'm holding isn't vaporware

Has for the delay i'll ask around, but don't expect quick answers because its out of iRex hands, they did their part with the hardware, but the software...

Remember they are a startup Hardware company.