Cybook Recieved, First Thoughts

billyad2000 · 03-28-2008, 12:08 PM

Ater much anticipation, I finally received my Cybook yesterday.

I've got to say i'm very impressed with the overall product. The screen clarity is excellent and really is as easy to read as paper. The operation is straight forward and the firmware seems to do it's job quite well.

The page change flash is quite strange to me but I think I will soon get used to that, what I find a bit annoying is the time it takes between pressing the button and changing the page, sometimes the page change is immediate, and this is perfect for reading. Sometimes the page change happens, but it seems to need to think about it first, with the whole change taking about twice as long as normal, this is a bit annoying, and finally there is the page change that doesn't happen. I've pressed the button, the LED lights up briefly so I know its accepted the input, then nothing happens.

There was a few things which I found dissapointing. I am a very fast reader and in an effort to get more text on each page I found myself trying to read with an uncomfortably small font size. I noticed in the menu there is options to remove the header and pageometer. I removed these expecting to get an extra couple of lines on each page, unfortunatley the page size doesn't change. In a similar vein, an option to set the size of the borders would be great. There is enough room on each page for the ammount of text I wish, It's just not utilized at the moment.

I did encounter one serious problem with bookmarks, they all dissapeared and I couldn't create any new ones. Pressing the reset button seemed to fix this but my bookmarks never came back. Not a problem if it was a one off, a big problem if this is going to happen often, considering how difficult it is to navigate to a point somewhere in the middle of a book. Has anybody else encountered this?

Overall though, if someone was to offer me the full price I paid for it in cash, I'd tell them to get in line with everyone else cos this is a keeper

pilotbob · 03-28-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyad2000

what I find a bit annoying is the time it takes between pressing the button and changing the page, sometimes the page change is immediate, and this is perfect for reading. Sometimes the page change happens, but it seems to need to think about it first, with the whole change taking about twice as long as normal, this is a bit annoying, and finally there is the page change that doesn't happen. I've pressed the button, the LED lights up briefly so I know its accepted the input, then nothing happens.

Hmm... that sounds like a bug to me. On my Sony I have gotten used to the page turn delay and generally know when I get near the end of the screen when to press the next page button so it will flash and turn just as I get to the last word on the page.

But, if the CyBook page turns happen at different speeds I don't see how you can do this.

BOb

HarryT · 03-28-2008, 12:24 PM

Missing the occasional button press is a well-known bug. We can hope that the forthcoming firmware update will fix it.

tompe · 03-28-2008, 12:28 PM

But this was not missing the button press. I have also observed that the time varies. It seems like sometimes it has to wake up and that this take time.

HarryT · 03-28-2008, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyad2000

I did encounter one serious problem with bookmarks, they all dissapeared and I couldn't create any new ones. Pressing the reset button seemed to fix this but my bookmarks never came back. Not a problem if it was a one off, a big problem if this is going to happen often, considering how difficult it is to navigate to a point somewhere in the middle of a book. Has anybody else encountered this?

Are your books on an SD card? If so, try using a different card. There appear to be certain cards that the Gen3 just isn't happy with at all, and losing bookmarks is the "classic" symptom. Once you have a card that works, it works perfectly.

billyad2000 · 03-28-2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

But this was not missing the button press. I have also observed that the time varies. It seems like sometimes it has to wake up and that this take time.

Thats exactly right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are your books on an SD card? If so, try using a different card. There appear to be certain cards that the Gen3 just isn't happy with at all, and losing bookmarks is the "classic" symptom. Once you have a card that works, it works perfectly.

The SD card is an Elite PRO and came with the Cybook. I did notice that whe I first installed it the folders were not readable on my PC. Once I formatted it it seemed fine. If it occurs again i'll try another card.

HarryT · 03-28-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

But this was not missing the button press. I have also observed that the time varies. It seems like sometimes it has to wake up and that this take time.

Thanks - I misread it. I wonder if the "missed button press" bug was fixed in 538? I don't recall whether or not I've seen it since upgrading. Have you?

wallcraft · 03-28-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyad2000

There is enough room on each page for the ammount of text I wish, It's just not utilized at the moment.

I wish there was a screenshot (sreen bitmap dump) program for the Cybook, since that would allow non-owners to get a clearer picture of which device wins the "maximum text per page" race. For example, here are my screenshots of the Kindle in reading mode.

In any case, based on the photo's I have seen, the Cybook uses a large line spacing (as does the Kindle and the iLiad's MobiPocket Reader) and this is typically more important than the margin size in reducing the per page content. On the Cybook, line spacing might be effected by the font used (and it might be possible to modify a font to reduce the line spacing - since you know it will only be used in this one application). Also, some fonts are less wide (more characters per line) than others.

HarryT · 03-28-2008, 01:27 PM

The Gen3 uses the line spacing that's specified in the Mobi book; it doesn't overwrite it or (currently) provide options for changing it. I think it's pretty reasonable myself.

JSWolf · 03-28-2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are your books on an SD card? If so, try using a different card. There appear to be certain cards that the Gen3 just isn't happy with at all, and losing bookmarks is the "classic" symptom. Once you have a card that works, it works perfectly.

But from what I have read, one of the sometimes troubles with SD cards is the SD card supplied with the Gen3 by Bookeen. Why would they supply an SD cared that isn't 100% reliable in all cases with the Gen3?

HarryT · 03-28-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But from what I have read, one of the sometimes troubles with SD cards is the SD card supplied with the Gen3 by Bookeen. Why would they supply an SD cared that isn't 100% reliable in all cases with the Gen3?

Who knows? They seem to supply people with all sorts of different cards. The one they sent me works perfectly.

Barcey · 03-28-2008, 01:55 PM

Try turning off the "Justified Text" in the "Layout" menu and see if that helps. I thought it made my page turn speed more consistent but it might have been my imagination.

wallcraft · 03-28-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The Gen3 uses the line spacing that's specified in the Mobi book;

Do you have an example of a MOBI book with an explicitly specified line spacing? On the iLiad and the Kindle, all books seem to have the same spacing - which I assumed was set by the Reader software.

tompe · 03-28-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks - I misread it. I wonder if the "missed button press" bug was fixed in 538? I don't recall whether or not I've seen it since upgrading. Have you?

I do not remember it. But now that you mention it is is very possible that missed button press had been replaced with long pauses sometimes since I do not remember these long pauses from the previous firmware.

tompe · 03-28-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Do you have an example of a MOBI book with an explicitly specified line spacing? On the iLiad and the Kindle, all books seem to have the same spacing - which I assumed was set by the Reader software.

I think it is always the same on the Cybook also. And I really appreciate that the line spacing is as it is since it makes it easier to read.

03-28-2008, 12:08 PM	#1
billyad2000 Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 2968 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Cybook Gen3	Cybook Recieved, First Thoughts Ater much anticipation, I finally received my Cybook yesterday. I've got to say i'm very impressed with the overall product. The screen clarity is excellent and really is as easy to read as paper. The operation is straight forward and the firmware seems to do it's job quite well. The page change flash is quite strange to me but I think I will soon get used to that, what I find a bit annoying is the time it takes between pressing the button and changing the page, sometimes the page change is immediate, and this is perfect for reading. Sometimes the page change happens, but it seems to need to think about it first, with the whole change taking about twice as long as normal, this is a bit annoying, and finally there is the page change that doesn't happen. I've pressed the button, the LED lights up briefly so I know its accepted the input, then nothing happens. There was a few things which I found dissapointing. I am a very fast reader and in an effort to get more text on each page I found myself trying to read with an uncomfortably small font size. I noticed in the menu there is options to remove the header and pageometer. I removed these expecting to get an extra couple of lines on each page, unfortunatley the page size doesn't change. In a similar vein, an option to set the size of the borders would be great. There is enough room on each page for the ammount of text I wish, It's just not utilized at the moment. I did encounter one serious problem with bookmarks, they all dissapeared and I couldn't create any new ones. Pressing the reset button seemed to fix this but my bookmarks never came back. Not a problem if it was a one off, a big problem if this is going to happen often, considering how difficult it is to navigate to a point somewhere in the middle of a book. Has anybody else encountered this? Overall though, if someone was to offer me the full price I paid for it in cash, I'd tell them to get in line with everyone else cos this is a keeper

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03-28-2008, 12:24 PM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Missing the occasional button press is a well-known bug. We can hope that the forthcoming firmware update will fix it.

03-28-2008, 12:28 PM	#4
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	But this was not missing the button press. I have also observed that the time varies. It seems like sometimes it has to wake up and that this take time.

03-28-2008, 01:27 PM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The Gen3 uses the line spacing that's specified in the Mobi book; it doesn't overwrite it or (currently) provide options for changing it. I think it's pretty reasonable myself.

03-28-2008, 01:55 PM	#12
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Try turning off the "Justified Text" in the "Layout" menu and see if that helps. I thought it made my page turn speed more consistent but it might have been my imagination.

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