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Old 06-10-2009, 03:15 AM   #1
ColdSun
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SmartQ 7 Customization: Stock OS - Comics and Image Slideshow

I know some of you purchased your SmartQ 7 to read comics. I'm going to show you how to make your device into a great comic book reader. Next, I'm going to show you how to load a replacement image viewer that has far more features than the stock image viewer that comes with the device. I'm going to help you install these applications, but you must do so at your own risk.

Quick Note: Bug Found in the SmartQ 7 OS!
People may be having trouble with "SDHC" (high capacity) cards when trying to install applications (using the package installer). My suggestion is to get a standard 1-2GB SD (NOT high capacity) card to fix this issue. It seems to have trouble creating a file called "soft.img" on the card. The steps below are vital in getting the SmartQ 7 open to install new applications to the stock OS:

1. Format your standard SD card for FAT32 (use a card reader and your Windows PC or if you have something else to do it you can do it that way) - don't put any files on it
2. Make sure the SmartQ 7 is OFF and insert the newly formatted SD card.
3. After the device boots up, click on the SmartQ icon (looks kind of like four colored circles in the top left of the screen) to bring down the system menu.
4. Select System Tools
5. Select GDebi Package Installer
6. Let the package installer finish loading - it might take a little while. If you get an SD Card Failed to Init error - then your SD card may not be compatible or you might have skipped step 1 and had an existing soft.img file that needs to be removed from the card. Be sure you format it just for good measure.
7. At this point you can close the GDebi Package Installer. We will be opening it later, when we begin to install our new applications. Normally, for Linux, you would simply use a repository and grab whatever applications you need. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get that working yet. So we need to download them to the device.

Installing Your New Applications
Assuming you have followed the requirement above, you should be ready to start installing applications to the SmartQ 7. You can find more applications by going to the parent directories of the application links I give you for the apps below. For now, I'm giving you direct links to the applications. BE SURE YOU DOWNLOAD THESE FILES TO THE SD CARD! YOUR DEVICE DOESN"T HAVE LOTS OF FLASH MEMORY (only 1GB).

Comix - Comic Book Reader





1. Click Here to download the deb installation package file for Python Imaging (required to install Comix).
2. Click Here to download the deb installation package file for Comix.
3. Click the SmartQ icon (top left of screen) to open the system menu.
4. Select System Tools
5. Select GDebi Package Installer (GPI from this point forward)
6. Click the File menu from the GPI.
7. Select Open from the File Menu.
8. Navigate to Disk (should be a shortcut there for it now) - if you don't find it, never fear - just find the Media/Disk folder from the root of the device file structure.
9. You should have saved the above DEB Install Package files and they should be listed here. Click the python-imaging_1.1.6-1ubuntu5_arm.deb file and click the Open button.

NOTE: You may receive an error message talking about the package already being available in your software channel. Just ignore it by clicking the OK button.

10. Select the Install Package button to the top right of the current dialog window that gives information about the packet itself. This will install the required python imaging files. This might take a few minutes so grab a drink and relax.

11. You should see a message indicating the package has been successfully installed. Click to close the message and you should be back at the packet's information screen. At this point we are ready to install the next DEB package.

12. Select Open from the File Menu.
13. Navigate to Disk (should be a shortcut there for it now) - if you don't find it, never fear - just find the Media/Disk folder from the root of the device file structure.
14. You should have saved the above DEB Install Package files and they should be listed here. Click the comix_3.6.4-1.1_all.deb file and click the Open button.

NOTE: You may receive an error message talking about the package already being available in your software channel. Just ignore it by clicking the OK button.

15. Select the Install Package button to the top right of the current dialog window that gives information about the packet itself. This will install the required Comix files to the device.

16. Don't worry! The hard part is over. You might notice no icon on your desktop for the Comix program. Never fear! We fill put one there. Click the SmartQ icon in the top left of your device's screen.

17. Select System Tools
18. Select PC Man File Manager
19. Go to /usr/share/applications
20. You should see a green cat-like icon there that says Comix. Click Edit from the menu and Select Copy to copy the file to memory.
21. Go to /home/user/desktop and click Edit and Paste the file to the desktop. You can now launch Comix from the desktop!

Mirage Image Viewer
This is a pretty sleek, fast and feature-rich image viewer. It should give you the features you need to replace the stock image viewing application included with the device. One feature someone asked me to help find was a viewer with slideshow abilities. Here it is!





1. Click Here to download the deb installation package file for the Mirage Image Viewer application.
2. Click the SmartQ icon (top left of screen) to open the system menu.
3. Select System Tools
4. Select GDebi Package Installer (GPI from this point forward)
5. Click the File menu from the GPI.
6. Select Open from the File Menu.
7. Navigate to Disk (should be a shortcut there for it now) - if you don't find it, never fear - just find the Media/Disk folder from the root of the device file structure.
8. You should have saved the above DEB Install Package files and they should be listed here. Click the mirage_0.9-1_arm.deb file and click the Open button.

NOTE: You may receive an error message talking about the package already being available in your software channel. Just ignore it by clicking the OK button.

9. Select the Install Package button to the top right of the current dialog window that gives information about the packet itself. This will install the required Mirage files.

10. You should see a message indicating the package has been successfully installed. Click to close the message and you should be back at the packet's information screen.

11. Don't worry! The hard part is over. You might notice no icon on your desktop for the Comix program. Never fear! We fill put one there. Click the SmartQ icon in the top left of your device's screen (you can close the package installler now).

12. Select System Tools
13. Select PC Man File Manager
14. Go to /usr/share/applications
15. You should see a Tree icon there that says Mirage. Click Edit from the menu and Select Copy to copy the file to memory.
16. Go to /home/user/desktop and click Edit and Paste the file to the desktop. You can now launch Mirage from the desktop!

Another Quick and Optional Trick
Some folks (like me) don't like single-clicking to launch applications. I find that I sometimes launch more than one! You can change it to require double-clicks if you are interested.

1. Click the SmartQ icon in the top left corner of the screen to bring down the system menu.
2. Click System Tools
3. Click PC Man File Manager
4. Click Edit from the menu along the top of the file manager
5. Click Preferences from the Edit menu.
6. In the general tab, uncheck the "Open Files with a single click" option.
7. Click OK to close the Preferences window.
8. Close the File Manager application and you are finished.

I'll post more information about customizing the SmartQ after I do a full review (tomorrow). I'll be loading Mer on the device next and am working hand-in-hand with the developers of Mer to test the device for the new OS. I will also explore WinCE for this device as soon as it is ready.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry pictures! It was late and I'm pooped.

Regards,
Cold

Last edited by ColdSun; 06-10-2009 at 03:19 AM.
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Old 06-10-2009, 06:45 AM   #2
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Thx cold great post looking forward to your full review
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Old 06-10-2009, 11:06 AM   #3
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Wow! That looks awesome. Thanks so much for the review and instructions, ColdSun! Does Comix support CBR and CBZ archives (basically, renamed RAR and ZIP files filled with images)?

*sigh* And here I was already decided on the Viliv X70... Now I'm back to thinking about getting a couple of Smart Q7's instead.
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Old 06-10-2009, 11:26 AM   #4
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Yes, in fact the screenshots are from a CBR comic. It supports just about every archived format you can think of for comics.
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Old 06-10-2009, 09:23 PM   #5
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Has anyone put a screen protector on your Q7? I have an extra one from my umpc that I can use. My hesitation is that may diminish the touch sensitivity on the device. Maybe I need to re-calibrate, but right now it isn't as responsive as some of my other devices, or I am not tapping correctly.

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Old 06-11-2009, 07:34 AM   #6
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Thanks for this Coldsun, especially about the Gdebi package I was having all sorts of problems trying to work that one out.

Going to be very interested in trying out the mirage image viewer too.

At the moment I'm having problems with my wicd, I think it's all messed up. It's not finding any wireless networks. Tried a reflash but it didn't help it. Tried Gdebi to install another version of wicd but it wouldn't install because it said I had a later one already installed.

Was wondering how to uninstall a program with this operating system. I can't really see how to do it. Anyone have any ideas?
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Old 06-13-2009, 07:24 PM   #7
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Mar wrote on another thread:

In Terminal
sudo apt-get remove appname

where appname is the name of what you want to install
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Old 06-15-2009, 01:11 PM   #8
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An update to this thread for people who have installed firmware 3.0 and are having problems with the XAuthority bug.

If you receive this error message:

Failed to run gdebi-btk '--non=interactive' '/media/disk/mirage_0.9-1_arm.deb' as user root. Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

1. Open evilvte and type this command exactly how you see it:

sudo touch ~/.Xauthority && sudo chown $LOGNAME ~/.Xauthority && chmod 775 ~/. Xauthority

Also, if someone found an easier way to fix it - please post it here. Thanks!
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Old 06-16-2009, 03:14 PM   #9
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ColdSun: Thanks for all the great info! You've talked me into getting one of these -- almost. I just have a question or two before I pull the trigger on it. How's the experience reading comic books with Comix? Can you view a whole page and still read the smaller text? This is the primary reason I'd be getting one -- for reading CBR and CBZ files. Right now I'm reading them on my iPhone (in landscape mode, which if I'm not mistaken is the same resolution in that direction as the SmartQ7 in the virtical direction while in landscape, if that makes sense)-- which is nice, but I'm constantly having to zoom in and out. I would absolutely love it if I could view a whole page at a time, with minimal instances of having to zoom in for especially small text. Thanks again!

Warner

Last edited by wermy; 06-16-2009 at 03:19 PM.
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Old 06-16-2009, 03:26 PM   #10
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ColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongueColdSun can tie a knot in a cherry stem with his or her tongue
 
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I can fit a comic to full screen quite beautifully in portrait mode. No zooming in or out is necessary.
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Old 06-16-2009, 04:42 PM   #11
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ColdSun,
Thanks for the quick reply! I thought of just a couple more for you, if you don't mind.. (sorry, but comics are really the only thing I want to do with this device, so I want to make sure it'll fit the bill).
- How are the controls while reading a comic book? Do the hardware buttons work to change pages, or do you have to touch the screen? And if you did need to zoom in, is there an easy way to do this? What about dragging and panning around a double-paged image?
- What size comic books are you reading? I ask because you said you read manga, which I'd imagine has smaller pages than a regular comic book (and thus be easier to fit a whole page without zooming). I plan on reading "normal sized" comics, like those published by TopCow, DC, Marvel, etc...
Sorry for not putting these questions in my original post. You've got me all excited now! Thanks again!

Warner
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Old 06-16-2009, 05:00 PM   #12
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The screenshots in this thread are from a normal-sized comic from the United States. The buttons on the face of the device can go forward and backward in the comic. To rotate and go fullscreen just tap the screen and hold the stylus until the menu comes up, and choose the options you want from the menu (there are many). Don't forget to tell it to Keep Transformation when you rotate the screen. If you look at the screenshots above, you can see I rotated it clockwise and then kept the transformation. At this point a normal-sized comic page fits almost perfectly on the screen and can be read quite nicely (see second screenshot in my original post). I don't have the greatest camera in the world, but trust me, for comics this thing is perfect.
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Old 06-25-2009, 05:38 PM   #13
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ColdSun,

Thank you for this, very helpful. As with wermy, I'm interested in the SmartQ 7 almost entirely for reading comics (everything else it does are welcome bonuses).

Once the steps above are taken to install the apps, is it simply a matter of dropping the .cbr/.cbz files into the relevant folder?

I have a MacBook - have you read of any problems using the Q7 with them or should that be fine?

Finally, where would you buy one from?

Any advice much appreciated.
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Old 06-29-2009, 10:35 PM   #14
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CS,

Apologies for getting obsessive and busting your balls about this, but if you could post any more Q7 comic screenshots, then you'd be a god among men (or it'd be much appreciated, at least).
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Old 06-30-2009, 12:41 AM   #15
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Del,

I'm very sorry for the delay. I'm prepping for an unplanned trip out of the country. I promise to post some new screenshots as soon as I can.
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