Yup, another one of these. Help an open-source vigilante? - Page 7

Ankh · 08-31-2011, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

BTW, we're not actually in disagreement about the Sony - I wouldn't recommend one either to the original poster. As I said before, I'd get one which encourages open source development, like Pocketbook and BeBook do.

Aw, c'mon... but of course I caught that!

Disagreement, if there ever was one, was with certain friendly and ever-polite moderator who frequents these parts of the forum.

For a brief moment I thought that he is unhappy with my... well... assertive tone directed toward certain corporate entity. I happen to believe that said corporate entity can not be (horrors!) granted rights and privileges of card-carrying member of MR, and is, therefore, a fair game for (verbal) dissection. I also happen to be a one of (77, was that a final number?) millions of happy recipients of this e-mail. A very important event which can be, with a healthy dose of paranoia and a pinch of conspiracy theory traced back to a remote and now forgotten relation to Linux and Open Source in general.

And nothing ever spices internet discussions as a dose of paranoia and hint of conspiracy theory, don't you think?

SmokeAndMirrors · 08-31-2011, 11:33 PM

I have been looking at the Pocketbook 602 (which as I understand it is the same as the 302, just with a different screen finish? - will this be as easy to read as a typical eInk screen?).

I'm sort of confused on whether this has touch or not? What sort of firmware comes on it?

P.S. This does notes and bookmarks as well, yeah? How well do these features work?

Is there a way to disable the automatic accelerometer so that it only switches orientation when I tell it to?

Billi · 09-01-2011, 02:53 AM

I think you're talking about the Pocketbook 602/603. They are the same devices with the difference that the 603 has a wacom touch screen and a pen. But as it is wacom you can't use it with your fingers, only with the pen. But the screen quality is the same, it's not degraded because of the wacom layer.

Bookmarks are no problem, note taking is. I would recommend to wait at least until the next firmware update appears. Pocketbook promised it to have working annotations in epub and pdf files. And tomorrow a new Pocketbook 612 will be introduced at the technical fair IFA in Berlin.

Yes, you can switch off the automatic accelerometer. Most of the people who have the accelerometer switched on use it to turn pages with a movement of their wrist, without pressing any button. Sounds funny.

HarryT · 09-01-2011, 03:44 AM

Wacom screens are really, really good for note taking and annotation. They are the most accurate of all the different touchscreen technologies.

ETA: The BeBook Neo also has a Wacom screen. Note taking works very well on that.

p_a_smith · 09-01-2011, 12:24 PM

Not sure if it matters to the original poster or not but if you read other languages the new Kobo firmware update (which takes care of some bugs) has also added translation dictionaries for English to French, German, Spanish, and Italian as well as the other way (French to English etc) which works for all epubs (kobo and others).

As well as the ability to set your lanuage preferences on the reader as whole to one of those languages. Nice for those of us who occasionally read things other than English!

SmokeAndMirrors · 09-01-2011, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p_a_smith

Not sure if it matters to the original poster or not but if you read other languages the new Kobo firmware update (which takes care of some bugs) has also added translation dictionaries for English to French, German, Spanish, and Italian as well as the other way (French to English etc) which works for all epubs (kobo and others).

As well as the ability to set your lanuage preferences on the reader as whole to one of those languages. Nice for those of us who occasionally read things other than English!

Can't say that it does. Embarrassingly, I am so obsessed with English that I've never become competent in another language despite having traveled for years.

But that is cool. And also good to see the responsive firmware updates are continuing. I've been watching the Kobo subforum a bit and have been a bit worried about a reported reset glitch that seems to have been around for a while. Has that been addressed?

p_a_smith · 09-01-2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeAndMirrors

Can't say that it does. Embarrassingly, I am so obsessed with English that I've never become competent in another language despite having traveled for years.

But that is cool. And also good to see the responsive firmware updates are continuing. I've been watching the Kobo subforum a bit and have been a bit worried about a reported reset glitch that seems to have been around for a while. Has that been addressed?

It was supposed to and some are starting to report that it has (the problem didn't affect everyone). The next couple of days as the update rolls out will bring a more definite answer.

I must say I have been impressed by the firmware updates which expand what the Kobo can do. You expect fixes so it is a nice surprise to discover added features because of an update. Since they still have a team working I expect to see more updates in the future. There are hints of new features (the ability to annotate and do searches within books are most hoped for) but only time will tell if or when they arrive.

mjdb · 09-03-2011, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

There are no DRM free stores for books sold by mainstream publishers.
[snip]

Maybe not mainstream Fiction, but if you are interested in Speculative Fiction, one of the Major SF Publishers is Baen, who have been selling all their titles as eBooks without DRM from their own store since 1999.

As well as giving away lots of free eBooks in their Free Library and on the numerous Baen CD-ROMs, the contents of which are DRM free and can be legally copied and shared.

Martin.

p_a_smith · 09-06-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjdb

Maybe not mainstream Fiction, but if you are interested in Speculative Fiction, one of the Major SF Publishers is Baen, who have been selling all their titles as eBooks without DRM from their own store since 1999.

As well as giving away lots of free eBooks in their Free Library and on the numerous Baen CD-ROMs, the contents of which are DRM free and can be legally copied and shared.

Martin.

Add to the fact that they offer bundles which means you can get new releases for about $4 each and they have a tremendous catalogue to choose from I often find myself wishing that other publishers would be so e-friendly.

GreenMonkey · 09-14-2011, 06:06 AM

I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in here, but any reason you're not going with a Nook color with CM7 installed, and one of the reading apps from the market? Seems like about as close to open source as you're going to get

They've been on sale as refurbs and such for as cheap as $150.

I'm an e-ink guy myself, but my NC is a pretty nice device with CM7 on it.

anabolina · 09-21-2011, 02:05 PM

I think the OP was saying he wants E-ink. And while I love my NC, my only complaint is that it's really heavy, I've never used it without CM7 so it's UI may suck bagels(to coin a phrase) and I'd never know.

So Smoke and Mirrors, I think you will probably love whichever one you buy so long as you know what to expect. I loooveed my Sony 350 so much I gave/sold it to my little sister so she could have an ereader and bought a 950. I also bought an old Sony 300 for my grandmother and am probably going to give my parents each one of the new Sony T1s for Christmas(if I can get my siblings to contribute and it gets good reviews). Now, from this you might say that I'm a bit Sony-centric and you'd be right. I love collections and no restrictions on side-loading and have so far managed to avoid most DRM. I've bought 2 books from major publishers (with DRM) and checked out many library books, but everything else comes from DRM-free sources so you can avoid DRM if you want to and don't want to read any of the major publishers' books that aren't available through the library.

08-31-2011, 11:33 PM	#92
SmokeAndMirrors Addict Posts: 280 Karma: 2064388 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: MN, US Device: Kobo Touch, Asus Eee Pad Slider	I have been looking at the Pocketbook 602 (which as I understand it is the same as the 302, just with a different screen finish? - will this be as easy to read as a typical eInk screen?). I'm sort of confused on whether this has touch or not? What sort of firmware comes on it? P.S. This does notes and bookmarks as well, yeah? How well do these features work? Is there a way to disable the automatic accelerometer so that it only switches orientation when I tell it to? Last edited by SmokeAndMirrors; 08-31-2011 at 11:46 PM.

09-01-2011, 03:44 AM	#94
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Wacom screens are really, really good for note taking and annotation. They are the most accurate of all the different touchscreen technologies. ETA: The BeBook Neo also has a Wacom screen. Note taking works very well on that. Last edited by HarryT; 09-01-2011 at 03:55 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New in using open source	Naderstouhy	Development	33	07-18-2011 04:12 AM
IQ Is the IQ open source?	alexish	PocketBook	1	01-30-2011 07:22 PM
Open Source?	cipri	PocketBook	6	11-10-2010 04:04 PM
Open source	bradrice	Kindle Formats	2	12-21-2009 09:30 AM
TrueCrypt V2.0 Open-Source	Alexander Turcic	Lounge	1	06-21-2004 02:02 PM

09-01-2011, 02:53 AM	#93
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	I think you're talking about the Pocketbook 602/603. They are the same devices with the difference that the 603 has a wacom touch screen and a pen. But as it is wacom you can't use it with your fingers, only with the pen. But the screen quality is the same, it's not degraded because of the wacom layer. Bookmarks are no problem, note taking is. I would recommend to wait at least until the next firmware update appears. Pocketbook promised it to have working annotations in epub and pdf files. And tomorrow a new Pocketbook 612 will be introduced at the technical fair IFA in Berlin. Yes, you can switch off the automatic accelerometer. Most of the people who have the accelerometer switched on use it to turn pages with a movement of their wrist, without pressing any button. Sounds funny.

09-01-2011, 12:24 PM	#95
p_a_smith Me, Myself, but not I Posts: 161 Karma: 228652 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kobo Original, Acer 200, Asus FHD, Kobo Touch	Not sure if it matters to the original poster or not but if you read other languages the new Kobo firmware update (which takes care of some bugs) has also added translation dictionaries for English to French, German, Spanish, and Italian as well as the other way (French to English etc) which works for all epubs (kobo and others). As well as the ability to set your lanuage preferences on the reader as whole to one of those languages. Nice for those of us who occasionally read things other than English!

09-14-2011, 06:06 AM	#100
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in here, but any reason you're not going with a Nook color with CM7 installed, and one of the reading apps from the market? Seems like about as close to open source as you're going to get They've been on sale as refurbs and such for as cheap as $150. I'm an e-ink guy myself, but my NC is a pretty nice device with CM7 on it.

09-21-2011, 02:05 PM	#101
anabolina Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 429002 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Great State of Texas Device: Current: tablet, kindle paperwhite, onyx boox t68. Past: Sony, nook	I think the OP was saying he wants E-ink. And while I love my NC, my only complaint is that it's really heavy, I've never used it without CM7 so it's UI may suck bagels(to coin a phrase) and I'd never know. So Smoke and Mirrors, I think you will probably love whichever one you buy so long as you know what to expect. I loooveed my Sony 350 so much I gave/sold it to my little sister so she could have an ereader and bought a 950. I also bought an old Sony 300 for my grandmother and am probably going to give my parents each one of the new Sony T1s for Christmas(if I can get my siblings to contribute and it gets good reviews). Now, from this you might say that I'm a bit Sony-centric and you'd be right. I love collections and no restrictions on side-loading and have so far managed to avoid most DRM. I've bought 2 books from major publishers (with DRM) and checked out many library books, but everything else comes from DRM-free sources so you can avoid DRM if you want to and don't want to read any of the major publishers' books that aren't available through the library.