Microsoft Reader: Is it quirky for you, too?

[famousdavis]

I'm using Microsoft Reader to read eBooks -- have been for a few weeks now. I'm noticing a lot of quirky behavior with Reader:

-- Selecting text is a fussy procedure. Sometimes it will select the text I want, and sometimes it won't select anything when I'm tapping on the screen.

-- Often slow response in turning pages.

-- Requesting a word lookup is slow (using Pocket Dictionary, Microsoft's free add-on dictionary) and can sometimes take several seconds...or even longer!

-- When the word definition screen pops open, so does my Fitaly input keyboard, so I can't see the word definition without first minimizing my keyboard.

-- Long response to get the "riffle bar" (I think that's what it's called -- I would call it a progress bar that appears when you tap and hold the page number at the bottom of the screen.

I don't really have these problems with any other application, so it's not strictly a hardware problem (unless the processor requirements of Reader are far more demanding than what my hp 1910 can handle).

How does Reader work for you? Are these characteristics common?

[Johnny Blaze]

I went back and read a few books on my PPC's and didn't have the problems you mention. See what's running in the background and also check program memory to see whats available.

I tried on my Ipaq 3955 and my 2215 . Although I did notice that it wouldn't let some of my books be opened on my 2215 but thats a DRM issue. That problem cleared itself up once i changed my owner info to the name I used to buy the books.

[Jorgen]

Well, it is certainly slower than the other readers I have tried (iSilo, PalmReader, MobiPocket and uBook).

If you are using the PPC2002 operating system, books with graphics could result in a memory leak.

One of the books I made using the free utility program is *very* slow; I don't know if that happens often as I normally make iSilo ebooks. But once in a while, I feel like reading on MS Reader because of the very nice typeface.

Jorgen

[famousdavis]

Thanks for your responses.

I use the entry-level hp iPAQ 1910, and I guess Reader consumes a LOT of resources! Fortunately, I use Clear Speed to increase the speed of the processor, and in so doing, the responsiveness of Reader is really quite good. I usually only overclock certain programs, figuring that in spite of what the program authors say about their product, overclocking the processor isn't probably a good thing, all things considered.

[Jorgen]

I currently read on my 1910 but underclocked to 100 using Turbo Tray - also when using MS Reader. I cannot see any difference between the 100 and 300 setting. I will one day try to reset the PPC and try with 300, then reset again and run with 100 again.

Jorgen

[qmrq]

I use iSilo and uBook. MS Reader is slow, has huge margins that necesitate page flipping more often, it's slow, I don't like proprietary formats, it's slow...

Oh! One more thing!

sloooowwwwwwwwww :)

[Jorgen]

>I don't like proprietary formats

Ahem, I think you will find that iSilo uses a proprietary format. :)

I anyway fully agree about iSilo - probably 90% of all ebooks I make and read are in this format. It has the best compression rate around and works for Palms as well.

Jorgen

[MLO]

Well, it is certainly slower than the other readers I have tried (iSilo, PalmReader, MobiPocket and uBook).

If you are using the PPC2002 operating system, books with graphics could result in a memory leak.

One of the books I made using the free utility program is *very* slow; I don't know if that happens often as I normally make iSilo ebooks. But once in a while, I feel like reading on MS Reader because of the very nice typeface.

Jorgen


Just as an FYI, iSilo is releasing betas of the program with clear type functionality.

MLO

[ux4484]

I'm not wanting to get into a DRM debate........but MS reader seems to be pretty good (for me) with open source stuff (though I prefer iSilo or Palm reader for my open source stuff) DRM enabled stuff is a tad slower.....and in particular for me: Rosetta books are PAINFULLY slow often taking up to/over a minute to load even small books. I've also found leaving MS reader open for days (specifically with a DRM enabled book) tends to freak the built in PIM out, causing (again for me) contacts not to load. For the duration of MS's free ebook promotion, I'll be leaving contacts open to prevent this quite annoying bug that requires a soft reset to clear.

[qmrq]

>I don't like proprietary formats

Ahem, I think you will find that iSilo uses a proprietary format. :)

Jorgen

Ah yes, it encrypts it's pdb files somehow. I do -store- all my books as HTML though, just use iSilo for mobile reading.

[qmrq]

A good way to avoid the whole DRM deal is to make your own ebooks. :)