Update to firmware V3.0 for older devices

[jilgo]

Originally Posted by james_

You can have layers right now. Just install the apk for knotes posted above. Copy it to the download folder over USB on your device, browse to that folder from the storage app, and run the APK. You'll need to enable 'Unknown sources' in the Settings/Applications menu. No need to torture yourself waiting for upgrades. Just do it!

I have an old (in Onyx terms!) Note plus, and the layers works just fine for me in 6.0.1. I really love having more than black and white as well, I held off upgrading to the latest (for me) 2.3.1 firmware for a long while as I don't need the boox store, but I shouldn't have, as all the other features are excellent.

Big thanks to @Markismus for this!

anyone know if this can work with the first onyx boox note?
Thanks

[Sevenlives]

I've had it for a few days now on NovaPro and it's fantastic. I was a little disappointed the drop down uI remained the same though. Ive seen it change on other models and liked it quite a bit. But then again it is beta so who knows if those things will come with the official release or not. For anyone else who managed to get it, did your drop down uI change?

So far I have gotten new icons which are nice. Theres a new push read app as well. And several other minor changes.

Android is still 6. I dont think that will change ever.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Sevenlives

Android is still 6. I dont think that will change ever.

That would also require Boox to have driver sources which they may not have. Only with Android 8 Google introduced a new hardware abstraction layer (Project Treble) and if the vendor makes use of it, it's actually quite easy to just update the Android core without having to recompile all driver sources. So the newer devices may receive Android updates, if they support Treble.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

That would also require Boox to have driver sources which they may not have. Only with Android 8 Google introduced a new hardware abstraction layer (Project Treble) and if the vendor makes use of it, it's actually quite easy to just update the Android core without having to recompile all driver sources. So the newer devices may receive Android updates, if they support Treble.

Only Onyx or Boox has never made an Android update - only OS updates.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Only Onyx or Boox has never made an Android update - only OS updates.

Android is the OS. They updated their customizations and apparently backported them to Android 6 but they didn't do any OS updates besides security updates.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Android is the OS. They updated their customizations and apparently backported them to Android 6 but they didn't do any OS updates besides security updates.

Boox refers to the surface as OS.
For Android 6 there is OS 2.x.y, for Android 9 OS 3, ....

[james_]

Originally Posted by jilgo

anyone know if this can work with the first onyx boox note?
Thanks

Yes it should. I'm running a Note Plus and that's effectively the same hardware (except for the front flush bezel) as the original Note (which I also had but which died due to battery troubles).

You should be able to do an OTA update to get your device to the latest firmware and then install the reader and note packages in this thread and that effectively (as far as I can see) gives you pretty much everyting useful for the 3.0 install, except for the split screen for apps.

I was thinking of upgrading my device, but I'm not sure it is worth it. Sure, it will be faster to load stuff, and some apps will now work, but the original Note and Note Plus don't have a backlight, so you should gain in terms of weight saving, robustness, screen clarity and writing experience compared to the later models.

[jilgo]

Originally Posted by james_

Yes it should. I'm running a Note Plus and that's effectively the same hardware (except for the front flush bezel) as the original Note (which I also had but which died due to battery troubles).

You should be able to do an OTA update to get your device to the latest firmware and then install the reader and note packages in this thread and that effectively (as far as I can see) gives you pretty much everyting useful for the 3.0 install, except for the split screen for apps.

I was thinking of upgrading my device, but I'm not sure it is worth it. Sure, it will be faster to load stuff, and some apps will now work, but the original Note and Note Plus don't have a backlight, so you should gain in terms of weight saving, robustness, screen clarity and writing experience compared to the later models.

Thanks a lot. I have finally installed the new apps and they work on the boox note. I'm very happy

[Markismus]

Did anyone else notice that the dictionary didn’t work anymore after installing knote and kreader apk’s? If that the case we should port more from v3.0. At least the dictionary app. IIRC, v3.0 is supposed to allow 3rd party dictionaries to be used. So it would not be that strange that it the new apk’s need code that the v2.3.1 dictionary app can’t provide.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Markismus

Did anyone else notice that the dictionary didn’t work anymore after installing knote and kreader apk’s? If that the case we should port more from v3.0. At least the dictionary app. IIRC, v3.0 is supposed to allow 3rd party dictionaries to be used. So it would not be that strange that it the new apk’s need code that the v2.3.1 dictionary app can’t provide.

Seems to work for me. What is not working is translate (getting an error message "Unfortunately system UI has stopped). Same happens when I have a document and notes side by side, draw something and then clicks on the arrow left button to close the notes. Then I need to reboot the whole device to be able to use it.
Edit: Rebooting might not be needed everytime, once I needed to do it though

Do you btw have the old versions of knote and kreader available in case I'd like to downgrade, if downgrading even is possible?

[Markismus]

I’ll post them later this evening.

Before upgrading they can also be found in the system>applications folder that you can browse with Total Commander. (That’s why they were not uploaded yet.)

[baljo]

Great, I'll grab them once you've uploaded them!
I still hope Onyx decides to upgrade these older devices with Android 6, at least with new versions of the apps.

[Markismus]

Well, since a beta for the Nova Pro is being tested by @Sevenlives, it seems rather probable.

Anyways, I put them at the same location as before.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Markismus

Well, since a beta for the Nova Pro is being tested by @Sevenlives, it seems rather probable.

Anyways, I put them at the same location as before.

Oh, did not know that Nova Pro is similar as the Max 2 (not Pro) that I have. Have not followed all the product lines.

Thx anyway for the original 2.2.2 versions, I've now grabbed them!

[Markismus]

@baljo All three share the Android 6 system. So even if no update would come for the Note Pro and the Max 2, we would be able to share all packages with the beta of the Nova Pro.