A long overdue update

don't forget to improve the e-ink side library software, this is what the customers want and not only android updates (Dingo Pingo Gringo versions and so on). We bought an Entourage Edge because we need the e-ink side (in fact this is what differences Edge from other tablets...)
so, you know...
-landscape mode
- better zoom that moves across the screen
- open a lot of formats: microsoft word doc, powerpoint, fb2, html,txt, mobipocket, lit, comics crb...
- control of font size
- better document and book navigation
- and when you a have little bit more time maybe e-ink internet browser and e-ink text editor with external keyboard (do you know that spanish charachters don´t work yet with external keyboard!)
thank you

I would really like to see Honeycomb 3.0 on Edge since it's designed for tablets.

Originally Posted by aidren

Hey! I believe I suggested that name! Shouldn't I get a prize or something?

Claiming a prize for a non-existent contest, are we?

Originally Posted by bmoc

...things are well underway with Android 2.2 and that I have our Ermine release (yes, the next furry beast) on both my pocket edge and entourage edge. Being a user of the software for a number of weeks (We showed it at CES), it has improved performance and it has some new features......Once we get that in and test everything thoroughly, then we will release it. While I am hoping for the end of February, I believe it will be ready the middle of March and none is more disappointed in that than I am. Thanks for your support and patience.

Over the last 10 days, since the release of Dingo 1.13, this is, to my knowledge the only thing we have heard from Entourage about software upgrades. We still have no information about 1.13, already released. Although we were told about a month ago that Android 2.2 is "weeks, not months" away, we have no further information about that. While the message quoted here is hopeful, it is unclear what Ermine is...is it Android 2.2? Or some further release of 1.6? This is all very disturbing to me.

Originally Posted by Kynareth

I would really like to see Honeycomb 3.0 on Edge since it's designed for tablets.

You are in good company wanting to see Honeycomb. Don't hold your breath.

Originally Posted by fgruber

- At some point there were talks about volunteers for beta testing. What ever happen to this idea?
- Any news about the SDK for developers wanting to use the eink
- Is flash lite 4.1 compatible with flash 10?

Don't expect to see a call for beta testers until a week before launch. The update will need to be pretty solid before they lab test it on guinea pigs. Besides, do you really want to risk messing up such an indispensible device?

Forget about the SDK. Not going to happen unless there's a significant policy shift at enTourage. For reasons known only to them, they do not actually want to release the SDK.

Wikipedia's info on Flash Lite 4.1 only indicates it's the latest, and supports "ActiveScript". Because of the limitation of the current eDGe hardware, full Flash 10 isn't possible. Flash Lite 4.1 is a poor man's substitute for inadequate hardware. We can expect it will have better video support, but it's not clear how well it'll support Flash websites. If anyone has a link to a detailed description of Flash Lite 4.1's capabilities vis-a-vis Flash 10, please do post the URL!

Originally Posted by bmoc

What I can also tell you, is it is not ready for prime time as we are still awaiting new code from one partner. Once we get that in and test everything thoroughly, then we will release it. While I am hoping for the end of February, I believe it will be ready the middle of March and none is more disappointed in that than I am.

I would caution all not to set you hearts on the mid-March timeframe. Remember that this release was originally due in Q4 2010, a date that is already 2 months past. The reliance on "new code from one partner" is of particular cause for concern as any delay in the partner's side will delay enTourage. Furthermore, being a software developer myself, I can tell you that integrating third party code into your own rarely goes perfectly the first time. Expect enTourage to require time to make their own necessary changes to accommodate this piece, as well as go through at least a couple of rounds of bug fixes with their partner.

Overally, let's expect an April delivery so that we aren't disappointed If it comes earlier, excellent!

Originally Posted by Hopi

So does this mean Boris and Dr. T are coming back earlier from their self-imposed hiatus? Or, this does not make up for the silence on Dingo 1.13?

Since enTourage has essentially what little support they ever had of these forums, it lies with us to fill the gap. Given there are no release notes for Dingo 1.13, we can assume that this release is essentially a non-event, and probably fixes a bug or two that only a handful of people might have encountered.

Originally Posted by Fred

Do you have a feature/bug list of what we can expect in the upcoming release ?

Release notes won't be released until a week before the release at the very earliest. No doubt development will be ongoing right up to the final tests, and you never know what features might have to be pulled at the last minute for quality control issues, or what additional features might make it in. If you've ever followed a Microsoft Visual Studio or Windows release, you'll recognize this typical pattern.

Originally Posted by VenturingSoul

A bit of clarification please......is the Ermine release 2.2?? Or, since it includes flashlite 4 instead of flash 10, is Ermine actually 2.1??

Yes, Ermine includes Android 2.2 ("Froyo"). it includes Flash Lite 4.1 instead of Flash 10 because the current eDGe hardware is unable to implement Flash 10 to the performance requirements that Adobe needs in order to certify Flash 10's deployment on the eDGe.

Originally Posted by supermarkitos2004

-landscape mode
- better zoom that moves across the screen
- open a lot of formats: microsoft word doc, powerpoint, fb2, html,txt, mobipocket, lit, comics crb...
- control of font size

The "partner" piece mentioned by bmoc is either the Reader software from Adobe, or drivers from the CPU manufacturer (Marvell) for better power control (needed for a true "hibernate" mode, and for minor power bugs like spontaneous soft reboots on the PE - or am I the only one that has this problem on the PE?). The landscape suppport would come from Adobe.

Don't expect direct support for Word, PowerPoint in the Reader (if Adobe Reader on your desktop can't do it, the Reader on the eDGe likely won't). Mobipocket and lit are somewhat obscure formats at this point, and again, not supported by Adobe, so don't expect it on the eDGe eInk. Note for all these, you have apps that will handle these documents on the LCD side, and Calibre can be used to translite mobi and lit files EPUB/PDF.

Originally Posted by Kynareth

I would really like to see Honeycomb 3.0 on Edge since it's designed for tablets.

Basically forget about Honeycomb 3.0. The eDGe can barely handle Android 2.2, and can't support Flash 10. Android 3.0 is much more graphically intensive and will expect much more of the hardware, including things like hardware graphics acceleration. There was a rumour for a short while that Android 3.0 would even require a dual core CPU, although that was quickly dispelled. However, I'd say it's safe to say that Android 3.0 tablets will feature 1 GHz or faster CPUs, and an enhanced graphics chip like the Intel Integra 2. The eDGe has a CPU running at 800 MHz, due to heat and battery life constraints), and a lack of video acceleration.

Instead, expect enTourage to launch a new line of eDGes later this year with better hardware, and correspondingly versions of Android (3.0 or maybe even 4.0). I'm also hoping for colour e-Ink, but you can't have everything

Originally Posted by VenturingSoul

A bit of clarification please......is the Ermine release 2.2?? Or, since it includes flashlite 4 instead of flash 10, is Ermine actually 2.1??

It is interesting that Entourage has not clarified this point at all yet. Rather, it is disappointing.

Originally Posted by Fred

Do you have a list of changes in Dingo 1.13 which was rolled out last week ?

Sadly, no one from Entourage has yet told us anything about 1.13!!! This is not only surprising, but I find rather disturbing. Perhaps this will be the "new order".

Originally Posted by supermarkitos2004

.....We bought an Entourage Edge because we need the e-ink side (in fact this is what differences Edge from other tablets...)
so, you know...
-landscape mode

The landscape mode on the eInk side is something that I don' really care about, but many users have voiced a desire for this ability. Yet, sadly, we have no information, not a single word if that new and highly desired feature is in the pipeline. We just don't know.