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Other features to address on JBL since 0.15  XML
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pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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If these pdb formatting and DRM pdb unlock code issues _ARE_ resolved, and I hope they are, we can go onto the other major issues: speed and dictionaries.

1) Speed issues - I was really (negatively) surprised at the speed of this device since it is and LCD and not eink display with a Linux based OS. The device takes a long time to power up and go to the Books/Pictures/Settings menu - especially if it stops at the logo of a bookshelf. Page rotating and Page turning is also very slow - granted better than eink devices, but very slow for an LCD. After reading the features for this, I was really hoping I had finally found a replacement for my verable, 15 year old, Rocket Reader updated to modern DRM. The Rocket is very fast turning on and it rotation and pageing is nearly instant.

Continued ...

Panagiotis
pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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2) Dictionary - it would be real nice if we could use alternate dictionaries like the Unabridged you can get from B&N. The dictionary built in is nearly useless. Very abbreviated definitions and doesn't handle word variations. It doesn't provide a keyboard to edit the word so you can get a word that _IS_ in the dictionary.

Panagiotis
kmrowley



Joined: 12/31/2009 17:14:27
Messages: 106
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Seriously?
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BlairH



Joined: 01/05/2010 00:32:34
Messages: 15
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The comments about speed are, I think, off base. I'd guess that there are several tradeoffs between speed and energy use and I think that ECTACO has struck a very acceptable balance. Granted, the time for a cold start to the main menu is lengthy, especially if you have a really big SD card with lots of books. However, once the catalogs are built, the time to open a book is not unreasonable ( a couple of seconds). If you are reading a book and switch the machine off and then on, the time from on to resumption of reading is a couple of seconds at most. The time to turn a page is almost zero. And if you want to switch books the time is a couple of seconds. All in all a very credible performance!
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pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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kmrowley wrote:Seriously?


Very seriously. Might also add the ability to add / change fonts available to the device.

The speed issues are very serious. I think the Kindle, and related eInk devices, have drastically lowered our expectations of what is acceptable in an ereader.

Maybe I was spoiled by the Rocket reader, but that device came out over 10 years ago. The last version, produced by RCA, came out about 10 years ago for only $250. Pretty much every action is instant, It reads it's own format, oebf, Word, txt, rtf, html, 3rd party app to convert PDF. The document format is so pwerful, somone made a book that was actually a 3D graphic adventure! Has touchscreen, instant screen rotation, replaceable dictionary, user loadable fonts, perfect ergonomics, physically solid enough to last all this time. Oh and the battery lasted a week long with the backlight on at 30%.

Why should I settle for something LESS capable?

Panagiotis

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/12/2010 14:10:10

pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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Heck, reading eReader (DRMed pdb) documents on my phone has all features instant. Why should an expensive monotasker have _WORSE_ performance?

Panagiotis


PS this limit on message length on this forum is a pain - especially since the max is not listed and no dynamic character counter.
kmrowley



Joined: 12/31/2009 17:14:27
Messages: 106
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pgovotsos wrote:Maybe I was spoiled by the Rocket reader, but that device came out over 10 years ago. The last version, produced by RCA, came out about 10 years ago for only $250. Pretty much every action is instant, It reads it's own format, oebf, Word, txt, rtf, html, 3rd party app to convert PDF. The document format is so pwerful, somone made a book that was actually a 3D graphic adventure! Has touchscreen, instant screen rotation, replaceable dictionary, user loadable fonts, perfect ergonomics, physically solid enough to last all this time. Oh and the battery lasted a week long with the backlight on at 30%.

Why should I settle for something LESS capable?

Panagiotis


If you have something that does ALL that, why shell out another $150 for something new?
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RobertJSawyer



Joined: 12/23/2009 15:52:51
Messages: 42
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I agree with pgovotsos: the old RCA REB-1100 was an amazingly well-thought-out machine, and it did perform every function almost instantly.

And, yes, separately, I'm getting tired of having fewer features on devices made in 2010 than were standard on Palm OS e-reading platforms many years ago. Support for eReader DRM books on a Palm is much more robust and capable than it is on the jetBook - Lite, the Foxit eSlick, or the Barnes & Noble Nook.

kmrowley, the reason for wanting something newer than the RCA REB-1100 is that the RCA REB-1100 used a DRM format that's no longer widely supported; if you want to read current DRM'd books, you need something that supports a modern format. The reason for wanting something newer than the Palm OS devices is to have bigger screens.

===

ROBERT J. SAWYER, Science Fiction Writer
Author FLASHFORWARD, basis for the TV series
http://sfwriter.com * sawyer@sfwriter.com
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kmrowley



Joined: 12/31/2009 17:14:27
Messages: 106
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RobertJSawyer wrote:kmrowley, the reason for wanting something newer than the RCA REB-1100 is that the RCA REB-1100 used a DRM format that's no longer widely supported; if you want to read current DRM'd books, you need something that supports a modern format. The reason for wanting something newer than the Palm OS devices is to have bigger screens.


I like my palm PDA too.. and also got the JBL because I wanted to read books on a bigger screen. Sure my palm does a lot more than the JBL, but then again it cost a lot more, add to that I bought eReader Pro to read my books on it. But I can't get over the amount of whining some people are doing about the feature set of a $150 gizmo.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 01/12/2010 22:10:52

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kmrowley



Joined: 12/31/2009 17:14:27
Messages: 106
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I see most of the eBook readers as first generation devices (yeah, I know there were some earlier attempts) - along the lines of the first GameBoy or the first iPod. Both of which compared to their today's incarnations were very clunky and lacking in features. Give these devices and the people creating them a bit more time and I bet that in a year or so you will start to see versions that are a lot more sophisticated or at least more evolved.
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RobertJSawyer



Joined: 12/23/2009 15:52:51
Messages: 42
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Gently, I'd say don't think of it as whining. Think of it as fans of the jetBook genuinely wanting ECTACO to succeed in a competitive marketplace, and providing them with feedback to help them achieve that goal.


===

ROBERT J. SAWYER, Science Fiction Writer
Author FLASHFORWARD, basis for the TV series
http://sfwriter.com * sawyer@sfwriter.com

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pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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kmrowley wrote:
If you have something that does ALL that, why shell out another $150 for something new?


Because it doesn't support modern DRM. If it did, I wouldn't be looking for something else.

Panagiotis

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/13/2010 00:06:22

pgovotsos



Joined: 12/22/2009 14:30:04
Messages: 114
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kmrowley wrote:
But I can't get over the amount of whining some people are doing about the feature set of a $150 gizmo.


I wouldn't call it whining (nice adult behavior there BTW). I want a device that performs as promised and does it well. I also don't really like being a beta tester and paying for the "priviledge"

Panagiotis

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/13/2010 00:06:43

kmrowley



Joined: 12/31/2009 17:14:27
Messages: 106
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pgovotsos wrote:
kmrowley wrote:
But I can't get over the amount of whining some people are doing about the feature set of a $150 gizmo.


I wouldn't call it whining (nice adult behavior there BTW). I want a device that performs as promised and does it well. I also don't really like being a beta tester and paying for the "priviledge"
Panagiotis


I apparently missed the part of the advertisement for this JBL where it said that it had all the same features of a Rocket book…

I recently bought a new 19” LCD television with a built in DVD player – paid less than $200 for it. It’s not from one of the major electronics companies and I’ve even seen the same set with two other companies' logos on it. Does it do everything that the company promised it would - I guess, does it do everything that I would like for it to do and how I might like it done? Not really.. Am I going to whine to the company? No.. Why not?

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 01/13/2010 07:36:21

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RobertJSawyer



Joined: 12/23/2009 15:52:51
Messages: 42
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Well, kmrowley, you certainly do like to do your own whining -- about what you perceive as other's failings in making postings here.

Not sure what you hope to accomplish; the forum exists for the posting of questions and views about ECTACO products, so comments like your one-word "Seriously?" or your repeated references to others whining or the sarcasm of your latest replies don't seem to be very helpful to ECTACO, the people making the comments, or anyone else. So why bother?
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