PocketBook Ink Pad 840

[wyf49679]

So, I got the OTA-update yesterday.
New firmware is really better than 4.4 and 5.4 combined.

[rexgideon]

Hi
Been using Inkpad since May with no problems, but yesterday noticed two, very little, shiny spots, like white dead pixels on edge and center of screen.
It looks like dust under the screen reflecting the frontlight. It is very little but annoying. Reader was never dropped, carried in sleeve, but possible something was left on screen like books, eyeglasses ...
What it can be? Any experience? Read some comments on Amazon about PW, that it happens but almost always it is from the beginning.
My only concern is if it will progress to even more dead pixels.
Thanks for any help.

[rkomar]

Do you still see those spots with the light turned off? It sounds more to me like your front light layer got damaged slightly.

[rexgideon]

You are right, no spots when light is off.
Few more spots showed during the day, now there are five.
Have no clue why it is damaged, no scratches on screen, reader was resting for a couple of days, did not even moved it.

[rkomar]

Are you using some kind of stylus on it? Hitting it with something pointy is probably a bad idea.

[rexgideon]

Hi
Never used stylus or similar sharp things on screen, but suspecting that, from time to time, family, including me, were leaving small things on reader like CD, mobile phone... and Inkpad was without screen protection and lot of times not in protection sleeve. Must obtain screen protector ASAP and would advice the same everyone using this ereader.
Hope that this is only damage and would not increase.


[Post edited - Please take off-topic questions to its own thread - MODERATOR]

Cheers

[p38lightning]

Any enlightened commentary/discussion of the new PB 840 software update by a user? Prior to breaking my screen, I was using the beta of it and felt it was the best of the lot so far (4.4, 5.4, 5.11).

[joepie]

Hi p38lightning,

I have been using version 5.11 for a week now, I do like the main screen with the big cover.

What I don't like is that I can't seem to be able to sort the library by filename. It does offer options to sort on other fields, but none are useful to me.

As I read mostly series of novels, I use a suffix number to each book on filename level. In version 4.4 I could use the filename to sort on. The library functions sorts the title, many of which begin with the word 'The'.

Maybe I've missed an option to sort on filename, and will look for a bit. If not, I will probably revert to version 4.4 before the year end.


Edit: after a few days I reverted tot 4.4. The 5.11 wouldn't mark a book read and there is no manual option, also it doesn't list some of the books I'm reading: ergo I had to go to the library to start those books. This is broken firmware IMO, maybe I'll try a later version.

[p38lightning]

Since I broke my original 840, I have been using the Android app "Prestigio" for ereading. It allows me to create separate "libraries" such as "Military Fiction", "Alternate History", "Science Fiction", etc. which I then move my downloaded titles into. These can then be arranged by title, author, etc.

I know I could not do the topic libraries with 4.4. Can this be done with 5.11?

[p38lightning]

12/28:

Hooray...my replacement unit arrived from Latvia today! Got it from the same vendor as my original (cracked screen) unit and at very close to the same total price (item plus shipping) I got from PB that they then never followed up on.

I have already answered my own question above and created my Bookshelves easily using 5.11 which I d/l and installed OTA.

Have really missed this unit though my LG gPad 8.3 using the Prestigio app served quite well except for reflection issues.

[joepie]

Hi p38lightning, congratz, you must be very happy to be reading on the 840 again. I love this reader to bits.

[p38lightning]

Thanks and it has been missed. Now, to keep it from ever getting a cracked screen again!

BTW, can you remind me how to get the 840 to recognize the "Books" folder I copied onto my SD card rather than keeping the actual tomes on the internal memory?

Everything else I remembered and set up properly.

PS (somewhat later...)

Figured that out also. Have placed all books on the SD card and that is now set up in Calibre as "Card A" for sideloads.

Have changed both the boot and shutdown pictures so "all is well"!

There better not be a new version of this showing up at CES at this point.

PPS: Does anyone make a correctly sized matte/non-glare screen protector for this unit or do I have to get a correctly sized custom made one?

PPPS: One last question: does anyone know of a soft sleeve case that will fit the 840, preferably neoprene. I am currently using my Nook+ swivel case which works perfectly but would like something much more light weight.

[AdmiralAnimE]

Hello,
I have some questions to anyone that has the official brown cover. Is it needed? Is it heavy? Is it good quality?
I never buy covers for my phones (I don't like them and I'm very careful with the devices), so I probably won't read with it, and the reader is already heavy. I'm wondering is it worth it to get it just for when I go on a trip somewhere, to protect it. Is the screen that fragile?

[joepie]

Hi AdmiralAnimE,

I have the original cover, the blue version. I do like it, and do not perceive it as heavy. The quality is ok, not briljant, but I never had any complaints about the Pocketbook covers, they last for years. And this cover is really nice, touch and look.

Some ppl complained about the way the reader is held in the cover, you have some flexible corner holders, that fold over each corner. I like it that way. You have to free up the top right corner to charge or copy books through usb. Works nicely.

When reading, the front cover folds backwards, and out of the way. When closed it has some magnets holding it in place. I never take it off, and do use it when traveling. I think it is sturdy enough and not bulky so it doesn't hamper reading.

Personally, I don't use a screen protectors anymore. I did use them for over a decadeand on many devices. But in the end I found that they scratch easily and make the device ugly to look at (bubbles and superficial wear).

The original screen often don't normally scratch that easy, so I prefer the plain glass.

[redchili]

disclaimer: i posted a related text on another somewhat dead thread as my issue with the power-button was mentioned there already by another user.

dear inkpad-users,

i'm happy to hear that the long-promised firmware with many issues addressed finaly made it into pocketbooks-release-channel and i plan to give the new 5.11 firmware a shot soon.

whats become somewhat of a bugger is the unreliable power button that has gone from difficult to use to almost impossible as there is no noticeable tactile feedback any more of the possure-point and most of the time the switch won't close (long enough?) to trigger the action it is supposed to trigger.
things haven gotten worse during months of steady use and i am coming to a point where i don't enjoy using the inkpad any more because turning it on/off involved a lot of fiddeling.

anybody else having similar issues? any solutions? anybody issued a warranty-claim for this yet?

if the power switch was more usable to me the pb-840 would still be a good and satisfiable choice for me as i totally enjoy the screen-size, resolution and multitude of formats supported and i very much hope there is something to revive my inkpad-experience...

cheers,
red