My (current) thoughts on JustRead.app

[dcbrow2]

Hi, I wanted to give some additional feedback on this epub app that is coming along nicely.

I really like the ability to customize the header with just the chapter name. I wish the same could be done for the footer, which in default mode is just too busy for me. I like the details when I single tap to bring up the options bar, but I also wish just a single page number could be displayed at the bottom when reading so it looked a bit more like a regular paper book. I also wish there was an option to see the status bar with the time and battery when the options bar is displayed. I don't want to see the time when I'm reading, but I do like to be able to tap to see it quickly.

I think the options bar (the thing at the bottom of the screen after a single tap) is getting too cluttered. I know by design you want fewer taps to get to settings and options, which I applaud, but I would move statistics out of that bar and probably make them only viewable from the library. I wouldn't normally look at those when reading. But maybe others would? I think the bookmark and highlights might be able to be combined so the bar was cleaner? UI is hard. Same for colors, I think those 2 color options could be combined into one.

For me, the history viewer is only so-so. I think what makes it hard to use is that every page turn shows up. What I find valuable, personally, is when I move around the book (for example, switch to notes at the end) is to be able to quickly get back. The way it's currently laid out and so busy makes that difficult. I would probably only display location changes more than a single page turn. Maybe others have ideas on this as well.

Similarly, I don't find the image browser to be very helpful. I have some texts with quite a few pictures but I'm not sure what value seeing all the images in a book in a scrollable display. Further, if I don't display that, I can't click an image in the text and see it bigger or zoom in. Also, the images (when using the browser) should open full screen (or nearly so). Currently they open in a medium size popup but I think it would be better to be full screen.

I'm not sure why (something about the underlying HTML or CSS?) but some books when not viewed in publisher mode don't respect centering alignment (like for chapter titles) or the small breaks between sections in the text, common in novels and stories. Other books at least seem to resect centering and the spacing also. I would like to have access to adjust the typography but I'm often defaulting to publisher view because it overall looks better that way. Not sure if others are having this issue?

I'm curious how pagination works in Justread.app. It is not the pages on the screen, which obviously varies considerable based on font and layout. I might find it valuable to have a pagination option that matches the pages displayed. I realize this only works with the normal display and not the scrolling display, which I don't personally use.

For me, on my iPad mini, when clicking to turn pages there is a distinct blinking effect on half the screen. I don't see that in other ebook readers (Apple Books or Yomu). Does anyone else see that effect? I tend to use swipe so as not to see that.

Consider for future upgrades: Make it possible to edit the date read. Allow it to track 2nd, third, etc. times reading a book.

Thank you for bringing a good epub reader to the iPad and iPhone! I appreciate your dedication and your interest in the feedback of the users, which obviously varies, people being people, meaning we rarely agree! All the best.

[petrjahoda]

Hello and thank you for this great feedback. Will dig through it tomorrow as I am totaled today ...
... but just one thing: yes, that bottom panel is a pain in the *** for me. I want it simple, yet detailed. What I will be doing tomorrow for sure is merging those two color icons into one (with presets) and then continue as I got some ideas (inspiration from others)

Also I will look into that "blink", there is no reason for it.

And this caught my eye :-) 'Allow it to track 2nd, third, etc. times reading a book.'

[petrjahoda]

Hello dcbrow2, let's dig into it.

1. Will look into those different top-bottom bar settings, many can be done immediately (I understand what you want and know what to do), few I will need to talk to you

2. Options bar is right now under redesign, I agree with you there

3. History Viewer: no problem changing that, like you described, but this was specifically done from feedback from testFlight (to be able to go back to precisely every page)

4. Image browser can be turned off, but I will add that 'touching on image' sooner than planned, it was already in the roadmap, but with low priority

5. HTML+CSS problem: can you please send me more detailed information to email, I would like to have more information and do not clutter others with this as this can be a 'problem' within a file itself

6. Pagination: Because there is no real and right 'page count' in the file itself, there are different algorithms like ADE, APNX, Calibre, Readium and others. Now Readium is used. Maybe I got an idea here: what about I would add a preferences for user to choose from those?

7. Blinking is solved, will be in next version

8. Edit read data and 'multiple times read a book' added into to-do list

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by petrjahoda

Also I will look into that "blink", there is no reason for it.
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I don't get the blink on my ipad mini 6 os 26.4.

[petrjahoda]

It is a really subtle blink when pages are changing (when not swiping pages, but tap to change pages). Maybe it is device specific, because I do see it occasionally on my phone too. But it is fixed now for all possible devices (the new page appears after it is fully rendered, not during render).

[peaceridge]

Probably nothing can be done on this suggestion and I don't even know what can be done. However, on the Library screen, the book list takes up so much room that it is hard to scroll through a library with many books, especially since it has 2 columns, maybe if only one column? It would help is the Recently Read sort listed them in order of last read rather than "This Week", etc. Just some thoughts as I add more books.

[petrjahoda]

Hi, you can always use search (if you have thousands of books) or skim through using the jumper on right.

What do you mean exactly by that 'hard to scroll'?

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by petrjahoda

Hi, you can always use search (if you have thousands of books) or skim through using the jumper on right.

What do you mean exactly by that 'hard to scroll'?

I may not remember the exact book. I like to find books I've recently started. I read a lot of books and usually have 10 or more going at a time. So, when I scroll looking for one that maybe I started a week or so ago, my eyes have to jump sideways back and forth looking at the list. The little dots help, but the books aren't in order of the dots. I'm not explaining this very good. It is certainly not a show stopper as the reading part of the app is so excellent. I'm just trying to figure out how to work with the library part. It just occurred to me that I can put "Currently Reading" in a new Collection and that would give me what I want.

Oh, I just saw the Home page - I've been using the Library one. I see it has an "In Progress" list. That would be perfect if it wasn't sideways. This app is so versitile!

[petrjahoda]

Can you please contact me via email and send me some screenshots with description. We can surely sort it out, but I am not 100% sure where the problem is.

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by petrjahoda

Can you please contact me via email and send me some screenshots with description. We can surely sort it out, but I am not 100% sure where the problem is.

Will do. Through Support in the app?

[petrjahoda]

Yes or you can use support(at)justread.app (maybe it will be better to write on computer)