Reader app for non-touchscreen Pocketbook 613

groman · Yesterday, 02:10 AM

Hello. I recently found an old Pocketbook 613 which doesn't have touchscreen. The display isn't very good, so I needed an app which can increase font weight. I found two options: KOReader and CoolReader. However, KOReader is oriented towards touchscreen devices and it's not very easy to go follow links and use dictionary. In that sense CoolReader looks like a better option, however it doesn't support Japanese fonts. Is there any other alternative for the two I mentioned?

rcentros · Yesterday, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groman

Hello. I recently found an old Pocketbook 613 which doesn't have touchscreen. The display isn't very good, so I needed an app which can increase font weight. I found two options: KOReader and CoolReader. However, KOReader is oriented towards touchscreen devices and it's not very easy to go follow links and use dictionary. In that sense CoolReader looks like a better option, however it doesn't support Japanese fonts. Is there any other alternative for the two I mentioned?

Can you find a font you like and install it? I use Constantia on my PocketBooks because it's a nice, dark font — but I have no idea what would be a good Japanese font. (And I don't know if the 613 allowed adding fonts, but I think it did.)

Sorry to be of so little help.

groman · Yesterday, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

Can you find a font you like and install it? I use Constantia on my PocketBooks because it's a nice, dark font — but I have no idea what would be a good Japanese font. (And I don't know if the 613 allowed adding fonts, but I think it did.)

Sorry to be of so little help.

Thank you for your answer. I tried installing a custom font and choosing it in the settings, but font stayed the same. I think the application (adobe viewer) uses fonts embedded into the book and there's no setting to ignore them.

church mouse · Yesterday, 06:00 AM

From all the searching I did a couple of years ago, when I acquired my Verse Pro, I could not find any alternative readers for Pocketbook other than koreader and Coolreader. I wish there was one, because do not find any of them to be optimal.

neil_swann80 · Yesterday, 10:08 AM

If you are unable to switch to an installed (heavier) font, I think you're out of luck unfortunately.

Whilst I dislike the modern "throw-away" culture we see with technology, when it comes to ones hobbies I see no harm in shortening the upgrade purchase window if the features offered by the upgrade provide a more pleasurable experience.

I say this in case you're feeling any guilt in retiring a device that whilst still functional is no longer ideal for your current requirement. Essentially treat yourself! And perhaps gift the old device to someone with use of it.

groman · Yesterday, 10:21 AM

I think I will try to look into CoolReader's code and try to figure something out. If I won't figure anything out, I will probably use CoolReader anyways because it's better than both KOReader and default reader app on my Pocketbook. Another option that I have is to order a new screen for 15 euro off AliExpress, which should probably fix the readability issue and occasional text fading issue. And the third option is to read with bigger font size in the default reader, which would probably be the easiest fix.

Cyfranek · Yesterday, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groman

Thank you for your answer. I tried installing a custom font and choosing it in the settings, but font stayed the same. I think the application (adobe viewer) uses fonts embedded into the book and there's no setting to ignore them.

Be sure to put *.ttf files into (already existing) hidden "system/fonts" folder. I can use my own fonts on my PB (616) Basic Lux 2 (non-touchscreen) and Basic Lux (615) as well without any problem. I think there is quite the similar firmware to your PB 613.

groman · Yesterday, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyfranek

Be sure to put *.ttf files into (already existing) hidden "system/fonts" folder. I can use my own fonts on my PB (161) Basic Lux 3 (non-touchscreen) and Basic Lux (615) as well without any problem. I think there is quite the similar firmware to your PB 613.

I did put my font into that folder and they show up, I tried using the pre-installed fonts and it didn't work either. I think the application uses the font specified by the e-book you read.

groman · Yesterday, 03:55 PM

So, I tried instaling Japanese font (Noto Sans Japanese) and writing some japanese characters to a .txt file. When I opened the file using built-in fbreader and selected the newly installed font the characters displayed correctly. Also, I noticed that only built-in Adobe Viewer draws Japanese characters in the .epub book correctly.

groman · Today, 12:00 AM

Reinstalled CoolReader, set fallback font to one with Japanese coverage and it worked.

Yesterday, 02:10 AM	#1
groman Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2025 Device: Pocketbook Basic (613)	Reader app for non-touchscreen Pocketbook 613 Hello. I recently found an old Pocketbook 613 which doesn't have touchscreen. The display isn't very good, so I needed an app which can increase font weight. I found two options: KOReader and CoolReader. However, KOReader is oriented towards touchscreen devices and it's not very easy to go follow links and use dictionary. In that sense CoolReader looks like a better option, however it doesn't support Japanese fonts. Is there any other alternative for the two I mentioned?

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Yesterday, 06:00 AM	#4
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 486 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Poke 2, PocketBook Verse Pro (634)	From all the searching I did a couple of years ago, when I acquired my Verse Pro, I could not find any alternative readers for Pocketbook other than koreader and Coolreader. I wish there was one, because do not find any of them to be optimal.

Yesterday, 10:08 AM	#5
neil_swann80 0000000000101010 Posts: 5,901 Karma: 12983233 Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: An island off the coast of Ireland Device: PB632 [HD3]	If you are unable to switch to an installed (heavier) font, I think you're out of luck unfortunately. Whilst I dislike the modern "throw-away" culture we see with technology, when it comes to ones hobbies I see no harm in shortening the upgrade purchase window if the features offered by the upgrade provide a more pleasurable experience. I say this in case you're feeling any guilt in retiring a device that whilst still functional is no longer ideal for your current requirement. Essentially treat yourself! And perhaps gift the old device to someone with use of it.

Yesterday, 10:21 AM	#6
groman Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2025 Device: Pocketbook Basic (613)	I think I will try to look into CoolReader's code and try to figure something out. If I won't figure anything out, I will probably use CoolReader anyways because it's better than both KOReader and default reader app on my Pocketbook. Another option that I have is to order a new screen for 15 euro off AliExpress, which should probably fix the readability issue and occasional text fading issue. And the third option is to read with bigger font size in the default reader, which would probably be the easiest fix.

Yesterday, 03:55 PM	#9
groman Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2025 Device: Pocketbook Basic (613)	So, I tried instaling Japanese font (Noto Sans Japanese) and writing some japanese characters to a .txt file. When I opened the file using built-in fbreader and selected the newly installed font the characters displayed correctly. Also, I noticed that only built-in Adobe Viewer draws Japanese characters in the .epub book correctly.

Today, 12:00 AM	#10
groman Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2025 Device: Pocketbook Basic (613)	Reinstalled CoolReader, set fallback font to one with Japanese coverage and it worked.

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