Update available

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 04:34 AM

My Alex just tried to update.
It did fail (damaged bin), but I'll try again right ahead.

EDIT: Update did work now. Don't see any difference so far.

EDIT2 : Okay, at least one change: New user guide, ePUB instead of PDF, way crisper/darker font in the user guide.

EDIT3 : They've added Twitter-ability.

EDIT4 : Font sizes for PDFs. Finally!!!!

NNolan · 05-14-2010, 05:08 PM

I just got home and turned my wifi on. I wonder how long it will take for them to push it down. I can't see anything in the Settings that will let me pull it myself.

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NNolan

I just got home and turned my wifi on. I wonder how long it will take for them to push it down. I can't see anything in the Settings that will let me pull it myself.

You can manually set the date 1 day ahead, then back. This should trigger it.

NNolan · 05-14-2010, 06:00 PM

Cool beans. I'll be trying that shortly.

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NNolan

Cool beans. I'll be trying that shortly.

Should be working. The manual states, it only checks once per day (and the first try did fail for me because of damaged file). Well, then we have to simulate a new day... You may have to restart between setting the dates back and forth. I did so, but maybe it's doing without as well.

Nate the great · 05-14-2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmueller

My Alex just tried to update.
It did fail (damaged bin), but I'll try again right ahead.

EDIT: Update did work now. Don't see any difference so far.

EDIT2 : Okay, at least one change: New user guide, ePUB instead of PDF, way crisper/darker font in the user guide.

EDIT3 : They've added Twitter-ability.

EDIT4 : Font sizes for PDFs. Finally!!!!

Do you mean that it reflows PDFs now?

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Do you mean that it reflows PDFs now?

No. The layout remains intact. But by changing the font size, you kind of zoom in (*). Actually, that's what I prefer for PDFs. Sony 505 did this before, but with the firmware update for ePUB they've switched to reflow.
Usually, I don't read Stephen King or John Katzenbach in PDFs. Often it's "professional" documents with tables, formulas, paragraphs, ... where I prefer the original layout.
Alex really grows on me. I was quite disappointed about the lacking PDF support, especially as it wasn't mentioned in the various reviews (or maybe I've overread in my enthusiasm for getting a new gadget). But now....cool...

(*) Of course this means bigger margins for smaller font sizes.

2 Pictures: Font sizes "normal" and "huge"

NNolan · 05-14-2010, 06:55 PM

No luck with the date change, but I didn't try the restart last time. I'm now waiting on firmware updates to both my Alex and my Kindle!

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NNolan

No luck with the date change, but I didn't try the restart last time. I'm now waiting on firmware updates to both my Alex and my Kindle!

Maybe you're better of without the update. Dictionary support is gone. The icon isn't there anymore...

NNolan · 05-14-2010, 07:42 PM

Ok, I like the dictionary so I won't be too upset if I don't get this upgrade.

mgmueller · 05-14-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NNolan

Ok, I like the dictionary so I won't be too upset if I don't get this upgrade.

Could you please check, whether you've got any application "dictionary" (in settings)? I haven't got anything like that, but I'm not sure whether it has been there before the update.
I've just mailed Spring Design about it...

Problem is: I can't revert it.
When resetting, the update gets re-installed, directly in the first instance, not in a second session. On one hand, that's very advanced and convenient. On the other hand this means, I can't go back (as long as Spring Design doesn't make the former firmware available for manual installation).

NNolan · 05-14-2010, 08:50 PM

I've got something under "Manage Applications" called com.android.provider.userdictionary and under the "Text" menu I've got "User Dictionary" although I haven't added any words to it. When the lcd is active in Reader I've still got the ABC icon that brings the regular dictionary up.

mgmueller · 05-15-2010, 02:35 AM

Spring Design's support:
"Yes. We removed the Dictionary temparorily because Alex didn't have enough space to store system firmware in the current flash partition. And we can't update the partition this time. So we are going to update the partition next update and will use Android 1.6 with Dictionary support.

We resolved many bugs at this update. Some big updates are listed as follows:
1. Fixed the system hang bug.
2. Enabled to transfer DRM books from Adobe Digital Edition (PC) to Alex.
3. Enabled Font size for PDF books.
4. Revised User Manual to use ePub format,which is good for reading."

NNolan · 05-15-2010, 07:34 AM

I forgot and left my WiFi on overnight, but no upgrade. I hope they make the updates available for download on their website at some point.

I was going to try loading ADE onto my netbook today to see if I could get library books onto my Alex because it doesn't work right now on my MacBook. I also can't load library books onto my Sony 300 through ADE on the MacBook, and according to some old posts at Teleread the workarounds for the Sony are to authorize the reader through a PC version of ADE, or to use the Sony Reader software to download the library books instead of ADE. I was hoping I could use Windows ADE to solve the Alex problem, but I guess not until I finally get the download.

kejia · 05-15-2010, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmueller

You can manually set the date 1 day ahead, then back. This should trigger it.

Sorry to be so obtuse, but do you set day 1 day ahead, then 1 day back, and wait for update?

Also, if the LCD goes into sleep mode, with wifi on, do you know if wifi is still running in background? Will it wake Alex up to get the update?

Thanks!

05-14-2010, 04:34 AM	#1
mgmueller Member Retired Posts: 3,308 Karma: 13024950 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Augsburg (near Munich), Germany Device: 26 Readers, 44 Tablets	Update available My Alex just tried to update. It did fail (damaged bin), but I'll try again right ahead. EDIT: Update did work now. Don't see any difference so far. EDIT2 : Okay, at least one change: New user guide, ePUB instead of PDF, way crisper/darker font in the user guide. EDIT3 : They've added Twitter-ability. EDIT4 : *Font sizes for PDFs. Finally!!!! Last edited by mgmueller; 05-14-2010 at 05:56 PM.*

05-14-2010, 08:50 PM	#12
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	I've got something under "Manage Applications" called com.android.provider.userdictionary and under the "Text" menu I've got "User Dictionary" although I haven't added any words to it. When the lcd is active in Reader I've still got the ABC icon that brings the regular dictionary up. Last edited by NNolan; 05-14-2010 at 08:52 PM.

05-15-2010, 02:35 AM	#13
mgmueller Member Retired Posts: 3,308 Karma: 13024950 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Augsburg (near Munich), Germany Device: 26 Readers, 44 Tablets	Dictionary missing Spring Design's support: "Yes. We removed the Dictionary temparorily because Alex didn't have enough space to store system firmware in the current flash partition. And we can't update the partition this time. So we are going to update the partition next update and will use Android 1.6 with Dictionary support. We resolved many bugs at this update. Some big updates are listed as follows: 1. Fixed the system hang bug. 2. Enabled to transfer DRM books from Adobe Digital Edition (PC) to Alex. 3. Enabled Font size for PDF books. 4. Revised User Manual to use ePub format,which is good for reading."

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05-14-2010, 05:08 PM	#2
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	I just got home and turned my wifi on. I wonder how long it will take for them to push it down. I can't see anything in the Settings that will let me pull it myself.

05-14-2010, 06:00 PM	#4
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	Cool beans. I'll be trying that shortly.

05-14-2010, 06:55 PM	#8
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	No luck with the date change, but I didn't try the restart last time. I'm now waiting on firmware updates to both my Alex and my Kindle!

05-14-2010, 07:42 PM	#10
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	Ok, I like the dictionary so I won't be too upset if I don't get this upgrade.

05-15-2010, 07:34 AM	#14
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 395 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Almost Canada Device: One of each, and two in some cases	I forgot and left my WiFi on overnight, but no upgrade. I hope they make the updates available for download on their website at some point. I was going to try loading ADE onto my netbook today to see if I could get library books onto my Alex because it doesn't work right now on my MacBook. I also can't load library books onto my Sony 300 through ADE on the MacBook, and according to some old posts at Teleread the workarounds for the Sony are to authorize the reader through a PC version of ADE, or to use the Sony Reader software to download the library books instead of ADE. I was hoping I could use Windows ADE to solve the Alex problem, but I guess not until I finally get the download.

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