File Navigation: Hanlin V3 vs OpenInkPot

wallcraft · 02-23-2009, 10:49 PM

The Hanlin V3 is one of the few ebook reading devices with "folders". However, I would describe its file navigation software and user interface as functional but basic. I have never used a Cybook Gen3, but its user interface seems to be a bit snazzier.

In any case, the attached screen scans (100 ppi, so a lower resolution than the actual screen) show some of the features of the Hanlin V3 interface. This is not comprehensive (i.e. there are options I am not showing). The next post will be the same shots from OpenInkPot.

The 1st scan shows my top level directories on the SD card. Note that "Recent Files" is a virtual directory that contains the recent ebooks. There are 8 entries so that they can selected using keys 1-8 (keys 9-0 are page back and forward).

The 2nd scan is the "Recent Files" virtual directory. The boot-OI-V3.fb2.exe "ebook" is the OI-on-SD live version of OpenInkPot (click on this to reboot into OpenInkPot).

The 3rd scan is the contents of the "New" directory. This actually contains one ebook for each of many file types. Only the ebook types that are actually supported are shown. Ebooks that are not show (not supported) include Plucker and zTXT (both .pdb files), but PalmDOC (another .pdb) is shown and supported. I like the different icons for each ebook type. Note that only the MOBI ebook is showing the actual title of the book, all the rest are using the filename. This includes the FB2 ebook where the title is easily found (less easy, but also possible, for ePub and some others).

The 4th scan is the next (last) page of New. Showing two more ebooks types (PDF and CHM). An eReader (.pdb) file is not shown (not supported).

The 5th scan is the SciFi directory, showing another set of directories, based on author name. Using folder hierarchies (genre/author/series/book) is why folders are so important for large libraries.

The 6th scan is the Pournelle directory, showing the 1st eight ebooks. These are in filename order (i.e. The Gripping Hand is under "G", because the filename excludes the "The").

wallcraft · 02-23-2009, 11:12 PM

The attached screen scans (100 ppi, so a lower resolution than the actual screen) show some of the features of the OpenInkPot interface on the Hanlin V3. This is not comprehensive (i.e. there are options I am not showing). Also, OpenInkPot is at release pre-0.2 which indicates beta code well short of a final release.
The last post was the same shots from the standard Hanlin V3 firmware.

The 1st scan shows my top level directories on the SD card. Note that there is not a "Recent Files" entry and some directories that were "hidden" under the standard firmware show up here. There are once again 8 entries so that they can selected using keys 1-8 (keys 9-0 are page back and forward).

The 2nd scan is empty, to line up with the original firmware's "Recent Files" virtual directory. It is actually the "internal" directory listing, illustrating that this is different from the Hanlin's standard internal filesystem (which also contains some ebooks).

The 3rd scan is the contents of the "New" directory. This actually contains one ebook for each of many file types. Only the ebook types that are actually supported should be shown. However, OpenInkPot keys only on filename extensions, so file selection isn't perfect. FBReader does support Plucker and PalmDoc and zTXT, the three .pdb formats shown here. All ebook types have the same book icon, and the font used is smaller than the standard firmware (and is too small in my opinion). Only the FB2 ebook is showing the actual title (I, Robot), all the rest are using the filename. This includes the MOBI ebook where the title is easily found (less easy, but also possible, for ePub and some others).

The 4th scan is the next (last) page of New. Showing four more ebooks types (TXT, eReader, PDF and CHM). However, eReader is not supported by FBReader or Cool Reader. It is listed because it has the .pdb filename extension, and OpenInkPot isn't looking at the file header to detect the actual ebook type. PDF is displayed using a different reader, and hence the different icon.

The 5th scan is the SciFi directory, showing another set of directories, based on author name. Using folder hierarchies (genre/author/series/book) is why folders are so important for large libraries.

The 6th scan is the Pournelle directory, showing the 1st eight ebooks. These are in filename order, and (as MOBI files) are showing the filename rather than its title.

Overall, I prefer the icons and the text size used by the standard Hanlin firmware (in fact, an even larger font would be better). However, either implementation is "good enough" to be usable.

iterati · 02-24-2009, 11:34 AM

Even larger icons and fonts: http://www.lbook.com.ua/ru/download/lBook%20V3 (the firmware file is the second "download" icon). I think you'd like it more.

Greg Anos · 02-24-2009, 11:43 AM

I consider the navigation to be "close enough" between the two firmware choices. I find the HTML and RTF displaying to be better on the Openinkpot readers...

02-23-2009, 10:49 PM	#1
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	File Navigation: Hanlin V3 vs OpenInkPot The Hanlin V3 is one of the few ebook reading devices with "folders". However, I would describe its file navigation software and user interface as functional but basic. I have never used a Cybook Gen3, but its user interface seems to be a bit snazzier. In any case, the attached screen scans (100 ppi, so a lower resolution than the actual screen) show some of the features of the Hanlin V3 interface. This is not comprehensive (i.e. there are options I am not showing). The next post will be the same shots from OpenInkPot. The 1st scan shows my top level directories on the SD card. Note that "Recent Files" is a virtual directory that contains the recent ebooks. There are 8 entries so that they can selected using keys 1-8 (keys 9-0 are page back and forward). The 2nd scan is the "Recent Files" virtual directory. The boot-OI-V3.fb2.exe "ebook" is the OI-on-SD live version of OpenInkPot (click on this to reboot into OpenInkPot). The 3rd scan is the contents of the "New" directory. This actually contains one ebook for each of many file types. Only the ebook types that are actually supported are shown. Ebooks that are not show (not supported) include Plucker and zTXT (both .pdb files), but PalmDOC (another .pdb) is shown and supported. I like the different icons for each ebook type. Note that only the MOBI ebook is showing the actual title of the book, all the rest are using the filename. This includes the FB2 ebook where the title is easily found (less easy, but also possible, for ePub and some others). The 4th scan is the next (last) page of New. Showing two more ebooks types (PDF and CHM). An eReader (.pdb) file is not shown (not supported). The 5th scan is the SciFi directory, showing another set of directories, based on author name. Using folder hierarchies (genre/author/series/book) is why folders are so important for large libraries. The 6th scan is the Pournelle directory, showing the 1st eight ebooks. These are in filename order (i.e. The Gripping Hand is under "G", because the filename excludes the "The"). Attached Thumbnails

02-23-2009, 11:12 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	The attached screen scans (100 ppi, so a lower resolution than the actual screen) show some of the features of the OpenInkPot interface on the Hanlin V3. This is not comprehensive (i.e. there are options I am not showing). Also, OpenInkPot is at release pre-0.2 which indicates beta code well short of a final release. The last post was the same shots from the standard Hanlin V3 firmware. The 1st scan shows my top level directories on the SD card. Note that there is not a "Recent Files" entry and some directories that were "hidden" under the standard firmware show up here. There are once again 8 entries so that they can selected using keys 1-8 (keys 9-0 are page back and forward). The 2nd scan is empty, to line up with the original firmware's "Recent Files" virtual directory. It is actually the "internal" directory listing, illustrating that this is different from the Hanlin's standard internal filesystem (which also contains some ebooks). The 3rd scan is the contents of the "New" directory. This actually contains one ebook for each of many file types. Only the ebook types that are actually supported should be shown. However, OpenInkPot keys only on filename extensions, so file selection isn't perfect. FBReader does support Plucker and PalmDoc and zTXT, the three .pdb formats shown here. All ebook types have the same book icon, and the font used is smaller than the standard firmware (and is too small in my opinion). Only the FB2 ebook is showing the actual title (I, Robot), all the rest are using the filename. This includes the MOBI ebook where the title is easily found (less easy, but also possible, for ePub and some others). The 4th scan is the next (last) page of New. Showing four more ebooks types (TXT, eReader, PDF and CHM). However, eReader is not supported by FBReader or Cool Reader. It is listed because it has the .pdb filename extension, and OpenInkPot isn't looking at the file header to detect the actual ebook type. PDF is displayed using a different reader, and hence the different icon. The 5th scan is the SciFi directory, showing another set of directories, based on author name. Using folder hierarchies (genre/author/series/book) is why folders are so important for large libraries. The 6th scan is the Pournelle directory, showing the 1st eight ebooks. These are in filename order, and (as MOBI files) are showing the filename rather than its title. Overall, I prefer the icons and the text size used by the standard Hanlin firmware (in fact, an even larger font would be better). However, either implementation is "good enough" to be usable. Attached Thumbnails

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02-24-2009, 11:34 AM	#3
iterati Zealot Posts: 100 Karma: 170 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Greece Device: Hanlin V3, RCA REB1100, iPaq 214	Even larger icons and fonts: http://www.lbook.com.ua/ru/download/lBook%20V3 (the firmware file is the second "download" icon). I think you'd like it more.

02-24-2009, 11:43 AM	#4
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,492 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	I consider the navigation to be "close enough" between the two firmware choices. I find the HTML and RTF displaying to be better on the Openinkpot readers...

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