Odyssey PDF/image handling + Sync + Why Bookeen do you prefer Bookeen

flips01 · 12-05-2012, 06:34 PM

Hi!
I'm considering getting a Bookeen Odyssey Frontlight HD (vs. a Kobo Glo or Kindle PW). I already have a Kindle DX, but a frontlit/backlit eInk device would be very nice.

Three questions about the Frontlight HD:

1. How does it handle large scanned PDF documents (scanned book pages, A4/Letter size pages), does it handle zooming and skipping to the next part gracefully? (My Kindle DX is very slow and also a little clumsy compared to GoodReader on the iPad. I don't expect a 6" eInk reader to be as good as a larger tablet, but does it work somehow? Or is it quite unusable for this?)

2. How about cloud/OTA syncing (or just fetching somehow) notes, highlights, bookmarks and latest read page? Have you found a way for any of this, or is it generally not possible?

3. If you would prefer Bookeen over the competition, what would be your main reason?

(Edit: Found this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=117869
It seems custom font and language support is main reasons ...)

Jellby · 12-06-2012, 03:13 AM

I don't own an Odyssey (frontlight or not), and I've never used a Kobo, but I've had a Gen3 and an Orizon, and tried a Sony and a Pocketbook.

My reasons to prefer Bookeen:

- Custom font support (but I've been told recent Kobos have that too).
- Full justification when the book does not specify any alignment.
- Hyphenation and ligature support (I guess other readers with a non-prehistoric Adobe engine will have these too).
- Possibility of disabling status bar, headers, etc. Just give me the text with as narrow margins as possible.
- Folder display in the library (I might also like some other methods, but I definitely want something else than just sorting by author or title).
- Cover thumbnails in the library.
- Quickly highlight words and short text fragments (I use this a lot to mark typos or other problems that I later fix in the computer, probably not that useful for people who just read).
- Can rotate the screen and read in landscape orientation (I guess all modern readers allow this).
- Can use most features (particularly change pages) with a button, without being forced to move my hand from its comfortable resting position to touch the screen with my greasy fingers.

Things I miss:

- Settings for margins and line spacing (again, I've been told recent Kobos have this).
- Follow links in images (this is an Adobe bug, I'm afraid).
- Fit large images in screen, allow zooming into them. This works with the image viewer, but not with images inside an ePub.
- Dictionary (the Odyssey has that, but not the Orizon).
- Manually rotate the screen (I have to enable accelometer, rotate, disable accelerometer).
- A clock, reading progress and battery meter in a small status bar (which can be disabled).
- Customizable stand-by screens, and a useful start screen which can be operated without the touchscreen.

WS64 · 12-06-2012, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

- Dictionary (the Odyssey has that, but not the Orizon).

Just a French one...
You can manually add others, but what I found is just crap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

- Manually rotate the screen (I have to enable accelometer, rotate, disable accelerometer).

Works on the Frontlight with just one finger movement. It does not do it automatically anymore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

- Customizable stand-by screens

At the frontlight you can browse to one picture, go to the context menu and tell it to use that one as a screensaver. But you just have this one picture then. In my opinion Kobo does it best here, it shows the cover of the last read book.

Fourvin · 12-09-2012, 11:40 AM

Thanks for summarizing the qualities of Bookeen, nevertheless:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

Things I miss:

- a text search function!!! One year after starting to use an Odyssey, I still do not understand how they can have missed that...

flips01 · 12-09-2012, 06:16 PM

Reviews I've read indicate that both the Odyssey and Kindle PW does not handle scanned PDF (images) zooming and moving very well. (Didn't find this mentioned in Frontlight HD reviews) Can anyone confirm/unconfirm that these do not zoom/scale and pan well?

I haven't found anything about this when it comes to Kobo Glo ...
And I assume the Nook's lower resolution makes it worse for this purpose ...(?)

12-05-2012, 06:34 PM	#1
flips01 Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle DX	PDF/image handling + Sync + Why Bookeen do you prefer Bookeen Hi! I'm considering getting a Bookeen Odyssey Frontlight HD (vs. a Kobo Glo or Kindle PW). I already have a Kindle DX, but a frontlit/backlit eInk device would be very nice. Three questions about the Frontlight HD: 1. How does it handle large scanned PDF documents (scanned book pages, A4/Letter size pages), does it handle zooming and skipping to the next part gracefully? (My Kindle DX is very slow and also a little clumsy compared to GoodReader on the iPad. I don't expect a 6" eInk reader to be as good as a larger tablet, but does it work somehow? Or is it quite unusable for this?) 2. How about cloud/OTA syncing (or just fetching somehow) notes, highlights, bookmarks and latest read page? Have you found a way for any of this, or is it generally not possible? 3. If you would prefer Bookeen over the competition, what would be your main reason? (Edit: Found this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=117869 It seems custom font and language support is main reasons ...) Last edited by flips01; 12-05-2012 at 06:47 PM.

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12-06-2012, 03:13 AM	#2
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,542 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I don't own an Odyssey (frontlight or not), and I've never used a Kobo, but I've had a Gen3 and an Orizon, and tried a Sony and a Pocketbook. My reasons to prefer Bookeen: - Custom font support (but I've been told recent Kobos have that too). - Full justification when the book does not specify any alignment. - Hyphenation and ligature support (I guess other readers with a non-prehistoric Adobe engine will have these too). - Possibility of disabling status bar, headers, etc. Just give me the text with as narrow margins as possible. - Folder display in the library (I might also like some other methods, but I definitely want something else than just sorting by author or title). - Cover thumbnails in the library. - Quickly highlight words and short text fragments (I use this a lot to mark typos or other problems that I later fix in the computer, probably not that useful for people who just read). - Can rotate the screen and read in landscape orientation (I guess all modern readers allow this). - Can use most features (particularly change pages) with a button, without being forced to move my hand from its comfortable resting position to touch the screen with my greasy fingers. Things I miss: - Settings for margins and line spacing (again, I've been told recent Kobos have this). - Follow links in images (this is an Adobe bug, I'm afraid). - Fit large images in screen, allow zooming into them. This works with the image viewer, but not with images inside an ePub. - Dictionary (the Odyssey has that, but not the Orizon). - Manually rotate the screen (I have to enable accelometer, rotate, disable accelerometer). - A clock, reading progress and battery meter in a small status bar (which can be disabled). - Customizable stand-by screens, and a useful start screen which can be operated without the touchscreen.

12-09-2012, 06:16 PM	#5
flips01 Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle DX	Reviews I've read indicate that both the Odyssey and Kindle PW does not handle scanned PDF (images) zooming and moving very well. (Didn't find this mentioned in Frontlight HD reviews) Can anyone confirm/unconfirm that these do not zoom/scale and pan well? I haven't found anything about this when it comes to Kobo Glo ... And I assume the Nook's lower resolution makes it worse for this purpose ...(?)

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