Bluefire reader app

[arcadata]

Originally Posted by toddos

Did you try the workaround of adding an exception for BlueFire in Backgrounder and set its backgrounding mode to "None" rather than Native? Oddly, I didn't have the hang with Feedbooks-downloaded books, but as soon as I copied my own books into the reader I immediately got the hang. Adding the Backgrounder exception got rid of the hang for me.

Thank you! I must've missed your previous post - can now enjoy Bluefire on my iTouch!

[Micah]

Originally Posted by neonbible

A bit of a longshot but do you think you can support Kindle "locations" instead of page numbers?

don't know if it is possible, but not sure why we'd want to?

[Micah]

Originally Posted by toddos

Any news on when you'll get generic OPDS reader functionality in the app? The //nav/transfer solution is okay for now, but this really needs to be able to read from my local calibre catalog.

I'm really hoping that we can get it in there in January, but I can't promise that. We have to give priority to adding stores and doing white labels - as we need to eat

[Illinifan]

I might be a complete moron, but are there step by step instructions for the wireless download of an Overdrive library book to my iPod touch without going through ADE?

[steph_g]

Originally Posted by Illinifan

I might be a complete moron, but are there step by step instructions for the wireless download of an Overdrive library book to my iPod touch without going through ADE?

To summarize the info in this thread regarding downloading library books directly to your ipad, iphone, ipod, etc.-

You will need iCab browser which does cost money (but not much). I'm assuming you already have Bluefire Reader and that you have authorized it with your Adobe ID and that you already have an Overdrive library account somewhere. Use iCab to navigate to your library's Overdrive web site, select a book to checkout, and go through the normal checkout process. When you get to the download page, touch the download button and hold for a bit until a window pops up with some choices. Choose to "download file" and the download should start. Then open the download window in icab (arrow pointing down icon) and find the file you just downloaded. Touch it and hold until a window pops up that should say "Open in Bluefire Reader", touch that, and you should be taken automatically to BF reader and the book will download and open in that. I hope that helps! There may be other browsers that will also do this, but I know it works in iCab.

[Illinifan]

Well, I'm hoping that I'll find another use for iCab since this didn't work and won't for the foreseeable future.

I can access 4 different Overdrive libraries and none of them allow access to their ebook collections via my iPod touch. The only thing I can get to is their .mp3 files. They all specifically say that Apple devices aren't supported.

So at this point, I'll have to settle for downloading my books through ADE and then sideloading them to Bluefire. Unless, of course, somebody has another idea.

[steph_g]

Originally Posted by Illinifan

Well, I'm hoping that I'll find another use for iCab since this didn't work and won't for the foreseeable future.

I can access 4 different Overdrive libraries and none of them allow access to their ebook collections via my iPod touch. The only thing I can get to is their .mp3 files. They all specifically say that Apple devices aren't supported.

So at this point, I'll have to settle for downloading my books through ADE and then sideloading them to Bluefire. Unless, of course, somebody has another idea.

Try changing the browser ID so that it looks like it is coming from windows. Go to the gear icon in icab and then the browser ID section. The library won't know it's coming from an iPod then, so it should work. Hope so!

[neonbible]

Originally Posted by Micah

don't know if it is possible, but not sure why we'd want to?

Because page numbers change depending on size of screen, font, margins etc. Locations should never change. If you read the same book on different devices or software, locations can be used as a common reference point in the book. So you dont need to sync position or bookmarks, you just remember the location number.

[Illinifan]

Originally Posted by steph_g

Try changing the browser ID so that it looks like it is coming from windows. Go to the gear icon in icab and then the browser ID section. The library won't know it's coming from an iPod then, so it should work. Hope so!

Unfortunately, Overdrive still recognized it as a non-approved mobile device.

[steph_g]

Originally Posted by Illinifan

Unfortunately, Overdrive still recognized it as a non-approved mobile device.

I wonder how it could know? Hmmm, well, I would try contacting those libraries and letting them know there is now an app that works for library books and ask them to change their websites to allow access. Sorry it didn't work for you. My local overdrive system doesn't restrict what I can view on my iPad. I haven't tried on my iPhone. Good luck!

[tomsem]

Perhaps this is obvious to everyone, and it still requires a computer (though not ADE), but you can also email a downloaded .acsm file as a file attachment to a Mail account you have set up on your iThing. Open the attachment, and it offers to open it with Bluefire, etc.

At least this is more convenient than having to tether and go through ADE/iTunes/sync.

Presumably the Overdrive iOS app (when available) will be able to download directly somehow, though if it works like their Media Console app, it will be using Safari, which implies they'll also have to change the mobile web interface to allow this (my library's portal is hosted on overdrive.com). And when they do that, you should be able to download directly to Bluefire as well, without a 3rd party browser.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by toddos

Did you try the workaround of adding an exception for BlueFire in Backgrounder and set its backgrounding mode to "None" rather than Native? Oddly, I didn't have the hang with Feedbooks-downloaded books, but as soon as I copied my own books into the reader I immediately got the hang. Adding the Backgrounder exception got rid of the hang for me.

I don't use backgrounder. I have iOS 4.1 on my iPhone 3G.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by neonbible

A bit of a longshot but do you think you can support Kindle "locations" instead of page numbers?

Use the Kindle App for that.

[Micah]

Originally Posted by neonbible

Because page numbers change depending on size of screen, font, margins etc. Locations should never change. If you read the same book on different devices or software, locations can be used as a common reference point in the book. So you dont need to sync position or bookmarks, you just remember the location number.

Our page numbers do work that way, at least for RMSDK based reading systems like ADE, etc. That numbering system was proposed as an extension to EPUB, but there is another popular method that is used for EPUB and we intend to support that as soon as we can. Amazon uses their own proprietary format, so I'm not sure that we could even support their numbering system if we wanted to. But, I'll look into it. It would likely be low on our list, as Amazon books use their proprietary DRM and format, so those can't be read on any other app/device.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Micah

Our page numbers do work that way, at least for RMSDK based reading systems like ADE, etc. That numbering system was proposed as an extension to EPUB, but there is another popular method that is used for EPUB and we intend to support that as soon as we can. Amazon uses their own proprietary format, so I'm not sure that we could even support their numbering system if we wanted to. But, I'll look into it. It would likely be low on our list, as Amazon books use their proprietary DRM and format, so those can't be read on any other app/device.

Are you going to do it the way Sony Readers do it which is if a page splits in the middle of the screen, the page number will be say ... 34-35 of 345 and if the page is complete on the screen, it will be 36 of 354 or maybe if need be 33-34-35 of 345?