Firmware for My New 6" EZReader

[carblanco]

I just purchased a 6" EZReader on Ebay. I expect to recieve it later this week.

One of the first thing I plan on doing is making sure that it has the "latest-and-greatest" firmware. Does anyone have any opinions or recommendation about which firmware is currently the best?

As far as I can tell, these are my main choices:

1) Astak: http://www.theezreader.com/

2) BEBook: http://mybebook.com/a11/downloads/article_info.html

3) LBook: http://lbook.ua/en/downloads/firmwarev3

4) Open Inkpot: http://openinkpot.org/

5) Jinke Hanlin: http://www.jinke.com.cn/Compagesql/E...ice/update.asp

I understand that the all of the vendors are selling the same "Hanlin V3". Have any of them done anything different that makes one firmware more stable or usable than the others?

My gut fill right now is to use the latest on the Jinke site since it was released just a few days ago. It doesn't look significantly different than what is posted on the Astak site. However, changelists are sometimes lacking in details. I don't plan on using Open Inkpot since I need something with DRM in order to purchase the latest and greatest novels.

Any suggestions?

[polly]

Originally Posted by carblanco

I just purchased a 6" EZReader on Ebay. I expect to recieve it later this week.

One of the first thing I plan on doing is making sure that it has the "latest-and-greatest" firmware. Does anyone have any opinions or recommendation about which firmware is currently the best?

As far as I can tell, these are my main choices:

1) Astak: http://www.theezreader.com/

2) BEBook: http://mybebook.com/a11/downloads/article_info.html

3) LBook: http://lbook.ua/en/downloads/firmwarev3

4) Open Inkpot: http://openinkpot.org/

5) Jinke Hanlin: http://www.jinke.com.cn/Compagesql/E...ice/update.asp

I understand that the all of the vendors are selling the same "Hanlin V3". Have any of them done anything different that makes one firmware more stable or usable than the others?

My gut fill right now is to use the latest on the Jinke site since it was released just a few days ago. It doesn't look significantly different than what is posted on the Astak site. However, changelists are sometimes lacking in details. I don't plan on using Open Inkpot since I need something with DRM in order to purchase the latest and greatest novels.

Any suggestions?

LBook has a very attractive user interface and some nice extras, but some of the menus for v5 are still in Ukrainian. No idea how it works for the v3s, but they have a good reputation.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by carblanco

I understand that the all of the vendors are selling the same "Hanlin V3". Have any of them done anything different that makes one firmware more stable or usable than the others?

All the Hanlin V3 hardware is the same regardless of the label names from the various resellers. BeBook and Astak do not seem to do any firmware development of their own, so their firmware is basically the Jinke firmware with their own boot screen logo. IMHO, Lbook seems to do more value added development on the basic Jinke firmware, and that is what I am currently using on my V5. I use OpenInkpot on my V3 because I like their firmware the best from what I have tried on the V3. I routinely remove DRM to future proof my book purchases, so the lack of DRM capable reading software in OI is no obstacle in that regard.

[wallcraft]

If you use OpenInkPot then install the 0.2-rc5 snapshot. Note that it has an OI-on-SD version that you can try out without replacing the standard firmware. If you like it, then you can switch to the firmware version.

I second Dave_S's comments about Lbook firmware being worth a look. However, at the moment Jinke has the most recent firmware:

V3update 2.20EN.091124 2009-11-24
Description:

1.Support 9 X zoom in PDF and EPUB files.

This will probably become an EZ Reader firmware soon unless Astak finds something wrong with it.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

All the Hanlin V3 hardware is the same regardless of the label names from the various resellers. BeBook and Astak do not seem to do any firmware development of their own, so their firmware is basically the Jinke firmware with their own boot screen logo. IMHO, Lbook seems to do more value added development on the basic Jinke firmware, and that is what I am currently using on my V5. I use OpenInkpot on my V3 because I like their firmware the best from what I have tried on the V3. I routinely remove DRM to future proof my book purchases, so the lack of DRM capable reading software in OI is no obstacle in that regard.

Dear All:


For what it is worth, I work for Astak and I like the Astak Firmware Upgrades. WHY? Because we check the firmware made by the factory before we post. Last upgrade we found two errors and had the factory correct it before we posted it. Also, we often are the first to report a problem or a change we want made to the factory. We are ACTIVE when it comes to the additions or changes and the factory listens. The factory and BeBook do not monitor or have a rep on MobileRead Forum and Astak does. So, from my perspective, I think we are the better choice for sourcing firmware upgrades. Also, we can answer questions and they cannot. IF you do someone else's firmware upgrade on an Astak product we cannot solve any problems with that.

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear All:


For what it is worth, I work for Astak and I like the Astak Firmware Upgrades. WHY? Because we check the firmware made by the factory before we post. Last upgrade we found two errors and had the factory correct it before we posted it. Also, we often are the first to report a problem or a change we want made to the factory. We are ACTIVE when it comes to the additions or changes and the factory listens. The factory and BeBook do not monitor or have a rep on MobileRead Forum and Astak does. .

Now be fair - BeBook have their own forums at mybebook.com, and there are posts on there from "BeBook Support".

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Now be fair - BeBook have their own forums at mybebook.com, and there are posts on there from "BeBook Support".

Dear Jusmee:

I know! I know!! There is just no way I can write without someone saying I am predjudiced. I really do NOT know about what BeBook does or what support they have. While they are, I am sure, a great firm... we have almost no interaction or correspondence between us and the factory wants it that way.

Yes, I would also think that BeBook and us would be great friends and comrades. Like I say, I think they are fine people. I just have almost nothing to base that on So, being fair means laying it out as I see it. I just do not have any idea what BeBook offers in support and it may be wonderful.

I am only saying that IF your new Astak unit has a problem and you call for tech support with a BeBook Firmware Upgrade... we have NO knowledge of what they have or have not in that upgrade. It is likely marvelous... but we will not know.

I cannot be more fair than this.

[jusmee]

I was just calling you out on your statement "BeBook do not monitor or have a rep on MobileRead Forum and Astak does". The fact that they have their own forum allows this statement to be factually correct, but at the same misleading, as they seem to have their own monitoring mechanism. Just because they don't monitor THIS forum doesn't mean they don't monitor and listen to their own customers. I could turn it around a make the statement, "Astak don't monitor the myBeBook forum and Bebook does" . You see, still true, but also misleading as to the support you can expect from either company.

disclaimer: I have never dealt with BeBook so I don't know how good their support happens to be, but then no company is perfect, not even Astak

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by jusmee

I was just calling you out on your statement "BeBook do not monitor or have a rep on MobileRead Forum and Astak does". The fact that they have their own forum allows this statement to be factually correct, but at the same misleading, as they seem to have their own monitoring mechanism. Just because they don't monitor THIS forum doesn't mean they don't monitor and listen to their own customers. I could turn it around a make the statement, "Astak don't monitor the myBeBook forum and Bebook does" . You see, still true, but also misleading as to the support you can expect from either company.

disclaimer: I have never dealt with BeBook so I don't know how good their support happens to be, but then no company is perfect, not even Astak

Dear Jusmee:

I agree. I like Astak but they surely are not perfect. I like that we really fight hard to get better and we try harder than most. I do not like disjointed communication between Marketing and me. I spend more time on here explaining inept contest rules that could have been done much cleaner. So, I agree. Astak also has a ways to go to improve.

[Stormchild]

Robertb
First my statement. I am one of the Moderators on the BeBook support forums at MyBeBook.com.
This is not there first time you have had a snide dig at BeBook and judging by your OT sales pitches, it will not be the last. Just try to be factual for a change eh? Agreed, BeBook do not have a forum here, they don't need one but I along with the other moderators DO monitor the Hanlin forum but most BeBook owners know to come to the BeBook forums, you know those? They are the forums owned and run by BeBook for BeBook owners not borrowed from the good folk here at MR to act as a sales pitch.
Oh and as a parting gift to you, try to be more careful in some of the responses you give to your customers, some of which are inaccurate to say the least.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Stormchild

Robertb
First my statement. I am one of the Moderators on the BeBook support forums at MyBeBook.com.
This is not there first time you have had a snide dig at BeBook and judging by your OT sales pitches, it will not be the last. Just try to be factual for a change eh? Agreed, BeBook do not have a forum here, they don't need one but I along with the other moderators DO monitor the Hanlin forum but most BeBook owners know to come to the BeBook forums, you know those? They are the forums owned and run by BeBook for BeBook owners not borrowed from the good folk here at MR to act as a sales pitch.
Oh and as a parting gift to you, try to be more careful in some of the responses you give to your customers, some of which are inaccurate to say the least.

Dear Stormchild:

As stated, I have almost NO knowledge of BeBook and would like to learn more. I do not remember talking much at all about BeBook except to suggest that maybe BeBook might have spare batteries and an end user might check. Call it a referral.

IF I offended you or anybody else at BeBook... and I do not remember any snide digs... I do apologize.

No, I do not know the BeBook forums or even that they existed. I specialize in my product and nobody elses.

Will you or BeBook be at CES? Maybe we can meet and shake hands. Honestly, I am very lost on your objection as I do not think I have mentioned BeBook more than twice. I do honestly not remember. I certainly meant no offense to you or BeBook. As mentioned, I know nothing about them so I do not mention them unless someone asks.

I DO hope that Astak owners will get their upgrades from Astak as we can provide the technical support. This does NOT mean that BeBook cannot provide technical support... only that we cannot do technical support on a BeBook Upgrade we know nothing about. I have NEVER EVER tried to get a BeBook owner to use Astak Firmware Upgrades. I have never said that BeBook does not support their customers other than wonderfully.

Let's bury the hachet, friend. I am extending the olive branch here!