New eReader for Pocket PCs Available, with VGA Support!

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=17534' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketgear.com/software_...il.asp?id=17534</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Our eReader for Pocket PC and Windows Mobile Edition software allows you to read your eBooks whenever you want and wherever you go. You can use eReader to add bookmarks, navigate your eBooks easily, and search for words in your eBook. eReader.com has worked hard to ensure that reading eBooks on your handheld is a pleasure! Our latest release includes support for the latest devices that support VGA! eReader recently won Pocket PC Magazine's Best Software Awards for e-Book readers."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=3815">MobileRead</a> has a full list of the new features in v2.61, including: <li> Added RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation)<br /><li> Improved reference book character support<br /><li> Dictionary opens with no word selected by default<br /><li> Improved Bookshelf scrolling<br /><li> VGA and Landscape support If anyone has time to try it out today, let us know how it works. Strangely, it doesn't seem to be on eReader's site yet... although maybe I didn't see it.

[surur]

Just installed it. It ?now does cleartype. What is RSVP? Is it some kind of speed reading thing? A real "RSVP" would have been wonderful. Imagine being able to reply to the author of a book while you are reading the ebook to give feedback.

Surur

[damager]

What about EReaderPro? It seems to be stuck at 2.52 still (at least at Ereader.com...

[KAMware]

This is eReader Pro. I just donwloaded it and installed it over my older version. The clearer type is great. Just like it was before VGA.

The RSVP and Autoscroll features allow reading without using any controls. It automatically runs thru the book. The RSVP one put 2 or 3 large words at a time in an area at the top of the screen. You can adjust the speed. RSVP is mainly for smaller screens or people with vision problems. I like the autoscroll function although I can see me falling asleep as I read at night and having the whole book scroll by before I wake up!

:D

[surur]

What about EReaderPro? It seems to be stuck at 2.52 still (at least at Ereader.com...

Just download the trial and install it over your existing software. It will register as eReader pro.

Surur

[tigerhunter]

I installed this version on top of my of my previous registered PRO EReader and what I got is the free version, not the PRO one. Unistalled and reinstalled again, no results. Anything that you guys did different?

[surur]

If you go to options>Register ereader pro what does it say?

Surur

[damager]

Wow - that's wierd. First time I installed, I got the free version. I reinstalled my OLDER version of Pro, and then reinstalled this new version, and now it's Pro. Oh well...... :oops:

[beq]

Well this file download from PocketGear is labelled "eReader Pro for PocketPC 2.6.1 (EN).zip" which sounds similar enough to my previous eReader Pro zip filename: "eReader Pro for PocketPC 2.5.2 (EN).zip".

My question is, how come the files inside the v2.61 zip file are dated March 9, 2005, whereas the files inside the v2.52 zip file are dated March 5, 2005?

Was v2.61 for Pocket PC in fact released last month, just 4 days after v2.52 (but if so, how come it still doesn't show up at eReader.com)?

[tigerhunter]

I do not have a "Register" choice under "options". Should I try to reinstall again?

[PR.]

I used the res hack on an older version of Palm Reader I have upgraded but all the menus are over sized.

[beq]

Hmm this is strange, I can't find my current eReader v2.52 installation listed under my PPC's Remove Programs (although the app itself is running fine).

I usually like to do a clean uninstall before installing a newer version of an app, and I was just about to ask here if I should also uninstall the Agfa Monotype Fonts at the same time and then reinstall it along with eReader v2.61. But now I only see the Agfa Monotype Fonts under Remove Programs but not the eReader itself!


Edit: Ah never mind I forgot that the eReader app is installed unconventionally on the PPC :oops:

[bigdog999]

I love the look of the Ereader over other readers, but wish they had a bigger library base. I've had to buy books for other readers to get the content that I wanted, although I've been using Ereader for years.

[lanwarrior]

This maybe off-topic, but are all E-book readers suffer the problem where the text is very jaggy in VGA-enabled PPC? I have the newest Adobe Reader for Pocket PC version 2.0 and all the text are jaggy, even Adobe's own Acrobat for PPC Manual.

[damager]

Try reinstalling your Pro version (2.5.2) and then reinstall this new version - worked for me...

[bvkeen]

I used the res hack on an older version of Palm Reader I have upgraded but all the menus are over sized.

Ditto.
The menu fonts look dorky, but otherwise it's a great upgrade. I love being able to have margins (2.5.2 had but you couldn't hack it to handle WM2003SE). The older version that I was able to tweak didn't have this feature. Also, it's great to be able to copy (at least some amount of) text from an eReader document - not sure what the word or character limit is yet, but I missed not be able to qoute a few lines out of an ebook, something MobiReader has allowed for a while (50 character limit per copy operation).

All in all, a good and much appreciated release.

[blazingwolf]

Well this file download from PocketGear is labelled "eReader Pro for PocketPC 2.6.1 (EN).zip" which sounds similar enough to my previous eReader Pro zip filename: "eReader Pro for PocketPC 2.5.2 (EN).zip".

My question is, how come the files inside the v2.61 zip file are dated March 9, 2005, whereas the files inside the v2.52 zip file are dated March 5, 2005?

Was v2.61 for Pocket PC in fact released last month, just 4 days after v2.52 (but if so, how come it still doesn't show up at eReader.com)?

2.52 was released last year. I have had it since July. So I would imagine that the date shold be 2004.



This upgrade is fantastic. It is nice to finally have this working correctly on a VGA device. :D

[kamikun]

blazing wolf sez:This upgrade is fantastic. It is nice to finally have this working correctly on a VGA device. :)
Am I missing something?

I guess you guys mean on a WM2003SE device. On the e800 with MyVGA the older version looked just fine at VGA resolutions. Anyone using OzVGA on another system that can corroborate this?

Are there any benefits for non-SE WM2003 VGA users to installing the upgrade? (If it's not broke...) :?

[Jereboam]

I used the res hack on an older version of Palm Reader I have upgraded but all the menus are over sized.

Here also. I have scrubbed eReader and Palm Reader from my device, scrubbed the registry manually, reinstalled twice and still this massive menu bar down below. Useless and I am very annoyed.

Upon reflection the fact it has not appeared on ereader.com leads me to believe that PocketGear were not supposed to list it quite yet...internal build that's not quite right?

J'bm

[ChristopherTD]

FWIW eReader Pro 2.5.2 works well on WM2003SE on my QVGA iMate Jam.

It supports landscape, cleartype (in portrait and landscape) and has configurable margins.

Maybe only VGA support is the big new thing?

[TMann]

FWIW eReader Pro 2.5.2 works well on WM2003SE on my QVGA iMate Jam.

It supports landscape, cleartype (in portrait and landscape) and has configurable margins.

Maybe only VGA support is the big new thing?

I just installed this last night on my x50v and it's working pretty well. I had previously installed an older version of eReader, (Palm Reader 2.4.1) and used Tweaks2k2 to get the type to look good on my VGA screen. It's nice to not have to do that anymore.

The one issue that I'm having is that it the program won't display in landscape mode. When I access the "Rotate Screen" function on my Dell, the menus will change to landscape, but the text portion of the screen will turn completely upside down, (180 degree rotation!) That's a little weird...

Anyways, it's not a a big deal to me, but I thought I should mention it. Is anyone else having this problem?

TMann

[surur]

Is anyone else having this problem?

TMann

Works as expected on mine.

Surur

[bvkeen]

FWIW eReader Pro 2.5.2 works well on WM2003SE on my QVGA iMate Jam.

It supports landscape, cleartype (in portrait and landscape) and has configurable margins.

Maybe only VGA support is the big new thing?

2.5.2 actually worked well on a WM2003SE device when running in "true VGA" mode (using SE_VGA, for example), but it did not work well at all in WM2003SE mode. It was designed to accomodate QVGA AND pure VGA during the time when the only VGA device was the e800/e805 and before WM2003SE was introduced (I used to have an e800 and 2.5.2 worked well on it UNTIL Toshiba came out with a WM2003SE ROM update - 2.5.2 just wasn't made to accomodate WM2003SE in non-QVGA mode). So, those of us who upgraded to WM2003SE had to find an older version of eReader (I think I used PalmReader 2.4.1) and we applied the Tweaks2k2 hi-res patch to get it to work in WM2003SE 480x640 screens. The problem with the patch was that, while the reading experience was great, the menus looked really, really bad (for selecting text size, etc).

I loaded the new one on my x50v last night and it works great. The menus look odd, but they are much more usable than they were in the 2.4.1 tweaked app. Additionally, the things that I missed about the 2.5.2 version in pure VGA mode (margin settings and so on) are in a version that I can use (the patched 2.4.1 did not have margin settings, and had very little settings capabilities at all).

Probably more than you wanted to know, and my wording is a bit clumsy today, but hopefully clarifies the delta between this version and 2.5.2 (and even 2.4.1).

[Jereboam]

When you say the menus look odd, do you mean the menu text and bar down below is/are HUGE?

J'bm

[bvkeen]

When you say the menus look odd, do you mean the menu text and bar down below is/are HUGE?

J'bm
Yes - that's the case on the new version: the menus are HUGE.
On the tweaked 2.4.1, the menus were tiny, tiny, and when you opened one the format of the dialog boxes was all dorked up, with some fields overlapping others. Usable, but barely.

I can live with the HUGE menus, but I expected better. Looks to me like they still have some coding to work on.

[Jereboam]

I agree - I also expected much better. If not for margins I would go back to 2.4.1.

Apart from losing space on an already small screen, the massive font size for the menu text is incredibly distracting while I am reading.

We've waited so long for an upgrade and now it has come it's really not up to scratch.

J'bm

[surur]

I don't understand what you guys are talking about. To me, running in true VGA mode, it looks perfectly normal, and all the fonts are in correct proportion.

Are you running in seVGA or true VGA. Can you post some screen shots?

Surur

[Jereboam]

Here forthwith HUGE menu bar screenshot -

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/11436/eReader1.jpg

The menu bar is actually larger (taller), as well as the fonts...

Landscape works fine though...bar the same huge menu bar issue...

J'bm

[tigerhunter]

I have reinstalled this version at least four times, all of them reinstalling my PRO version first, and I get either my PRO 2.5 version or the free 2.6 version, never the PRO 2.6 version. Any ideas?

[Jereboam]

Check for different versions of the eReader executable on your device...it should be in a directory under Program Files named Peanut Press. Make sure you installed to the same location as you did previously - the install routine is simplistic and it will not check for older versions or whether you installed in a different place last time around...and the shortcut you are using to launch the program might point to the old version. Multiple versions will co-exist quite happily...

If you find multiple versions, check which is 2.6.1 and just copy and paste it over the old one.

If you need to, you can re-register eReader using the code from eReader.com, from your account page at the bottom.

J'bm

[tigerhunter]

Thanks for the advice, jereboam. The new version installa properly over version 2.5 and replaces it, bit it does not install as a PRO version. What you mention is true for version 2.4, which installs as Palm Reader instead of eReader, and coexists nicely with version 2.5. I downloaded version 2.6 from PocketGear and I seem to have the free version, not the PRO one. Could that be the problem?

[Jereboam]

The free and pro versions were merged as of 2.4 - so there is only one version you can download. The switch to pro after the demo period is up is achieved by registering it, otherwise it disables certain features and turns into the free version...when you select the option to register what does it give you? Mine shows my user name and registration code...

J'bm

[tigerhunter]

I finally found out what's going on! The version that is now available at the PocketGear site is the PRO version, which is not the same one that was available yestaerday morning. I was probably one of the first ones in downloading it, and I was stuck with the free version. I downloaded again, and now it is labeled as PRO and works as such. Thanks for all of your help.

[surur]

Here forthwith HUGE menu bar screenshot -

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/11436/eReader1.jpg

The menu bar is actually larger (taller), as well as the fonts...

Landscape works fine though...bar the same huge menu bar issue...

J'bm

Try running in true VGA if large menu bars bother you.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/4259/truevga.png

Surur

[GadgetMan]

Try running in true VGA if large menu bars bother you.


Since not all of us are willing to hack our Pocket PC's with true VGA utilities, I trust that eReader will soon release a fix to this oversized menu bar font, so that it displays properly in native VGA.

Cheers,

[sperhacs]

I used the res hack on an older version of Palm Reader I have upgraded but all the menus are over sized.

Yes the res hack does not seem to work with this version :(

[Jereboam]

Try running in true VGA if large menu bars bother you.


Since not all of us are willing to hack our Pocket PC's with true VGA utilities, I trust that eReader will soon release a fix to this oversized menu bar font, so that it displays properly in native VGA.

Cheers,

Thanks Surur for the screenshot, but I have to agree with GadgetMan...

That would be a solution if I only ever used my PPC for one thing at a time, but I usually have PI and Mail running, both of which are well optimised for VGA without hacks, alongside eReader for a quick chapter when I can.

I've tried brute force VGA as well, but can confirm it doesn't work.

J'bm

[surur]

Ive been running in true VGA mode for the last two months, and am finding more and more software that has been updated recently working even better in true VGA mode. Clearly even though MS does not support that mode, developers have been stepping in and supporting their renegade users. eReader is a good example, with the new version working even better in true VGA mode than before, and the recent Pocket Informant update also performing better and fixing some annoying problems.

In the end resolution independence is a sign of a good programmer, and with the increasing diversity of screen sizes and resolutions no developer can afford to make assumptions. I suspect working (and staying) in true VGA mode will just get easier and easier in the future. The only program I switch for currently is tomtom navigator, but I believe the new version coming out in a few weeks will work fine in true VGA mode.

Of course with the wastefully large menu bars being drastically reduced in size there will be less space for those fantastically beautiful skins, but I believe its a price worth paying for a much more computer like (vs fisher price) interface.

Surur

[Deus]

Ok I think I am finally going to take the plnge and start buying ebooks today. Will I be able to read these from any computer also. Books from eReader that is? Should I get them elsewhere?

[surur]

Ok I think I am finally going to take the plunge and start buying ebooks today. Will I be able to read these from any computer also. Books from eReader that is? Should I get them elsewhere?

eReader books have the best DRM. It only uses your credit card number. This means you can share books with anyone you would trust with your credit card. In practise this usually means your immediate family. They have an eReader software for pocketpc, palm and the desktop Windows and Mac. You can download your books over and over again.

If you start with eReader you will have the best introduction possible to commercial ebooks.

Surur

[Deus]

Can the files downloaded there be read with mobipocket?

[blazingwolf]

I'm not sure why people are complaining about oversized menu bars. Those are the 52 pixels menu bars that are standard unless you run a VGA hack program. I turned my font down to 8 point and have a ton of text available to read. Puts MSReader to shame.

[blazingwolf]

Can the files downloaded there be read with mobipocket?

Probably not. The .pdb files that eReader puts out are not standard ones.

[Riled]

Uh, I has some weird experiences with this update. Never could get it to work as it just ran what looked like a DOS based command window for a fraction of a second and then nothing at all happened. Then, I couldn't delete the file using windows (ended up having to use a special program to delete it on boot before windows loaded). I then re-downloaded the file and tried to immediatly delete it and it wouldn't, so it may be something wierd with just my system.

Anyway, I sent a detailed report of all this to the support e-mail, but I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience. I am looking forward to what this update brings to the table, but it looks to me like it may be beta-like at this point. I will wait until eReader supports it officially on their website. I do love me some eReader (word of advice: get their studio software for authoring your own eReader books from RTF files).

[Jereboam]

I'm not sure why people are complaining about oversized menu bars. Those are the 52 pixels menu bars that are standard unless you run a VGA hack program. I turned my font down to 8 point and have a ton of text available to read. Puts MSReader to shame.

On my 4700 at least, they are oversized by quite a few pixels (taller). The menu item font is also enormous. Did you not see my screenshot earlier?

My actual reading font is 7 pixels, and at least the text is now sharp without having to do brute force. But this does not stop the massive menus being very distracting while reading.

It is not good use of limited screen space. In this respect Mobipocket is much better, with a full screen mode.

I actually installed and tried ozVGA but it really is just too much hassle.

J'bm

[surur]

On my 4700 at least, they are oversized by quite a few pixels (taller). The menu item font is also enormous. Did you not see my screenshot earlier?

I actually measured your screen shot, and its exactly 52 pixels. The size in true VGA is 26 pixels, so its consistent with being doubled.

My actual reading font is 7 pixels, and at least the text is now sharp without having to do brute force. But this does not stop the massive menus being very distracting while reading.
It seems you main problem is with the contrast between the size of the text and the menus. I dont believe making the menu text smaller would actually decrease the size of the menu bar, as this is under control of the OS.

I actually installed and tried ozVGA but it really is just too much hassle.
If you stay in trueVGA mode it will be much less of a hassle. SEVGA is an abomination and a waste of a perfectly good 480x640 screen.

Surur

[Jereboam]

Wow. People seem determined to convert me to "real" VGA.

It's a hack. The OS is not designed to support it, and with a few exceptions, most software is a bit weird with the hack enabled at the least, and non-usable at worst.

While I agree that the OS does not make best use of VGA, I don't want to use the hack for myself.

I attach a screenshot showing the difference in size between the menu fonts. It is consistent throughout all other apps, why have they inflated the size in eReader? Note the black lines on the File Explorer half, which make the eReader bar seem larger - they are both in reality 52 pixels.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/11436/Screen.jpg

And much vaunted VGA compatibility but they can't even be bothered to update the magnifying glass icon?

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/11436/Glass.jpg

J'bm

[GadgetMan]

I also do not understand why some True VGA zealots are pressing so hard to convince us, default VGA users, that this new eReader is 100% perfect, and the fault lies with us, who stubbornly insist on not embacing true VGA nirvana.

Well, I will never install a "true VGA" hack. I am perfectly happy with default VGA implementation. I use a lot of VGA aware application (like the latest Pocket Informant 2005,or RepliGo, or CHM eBook Reader, etc., etc.), that use smaller manu bar, and much smaller menu fonts and therefore look perfect on default VGA screen.

If other developers can do it right, so can eReader! They grossly oversized menu font (which is obvious just by lookin at it, but can be easily verified by looking at other VGA aware apps running in default VGA mode) and they should fix it. Plain and simple.

And I really am getting tired of all that propaganda from those "true VGA" evangelists :)

Cheers,

[Jereboam]

[Mr T Voice]

Yeah.

[/Mr T Voice]

;)

[Janak Parekh]

And much vaunted VGA compatibility but they can't even be bothered to update the magnifying glass icon?
Both issues are worth reporting as bugs/flaws (aesthetic issues?) to the eReader team. Jereboam, since you worked up a nice post about it, did you send them a link? :) The eReader folks have slowly/steadily been updating their software, so let's hope they fix this as well.

--janak

[surur]

Wow. People seem determined to convert me to "real" VGA.

It's a hack. The OS is not designed to support it, and with a few exceptions, most software is a bit weird with the hack enabled at the least, and non-usable at worst.

While I agree that the OS does not make best use of VGA, I don't want to use the hack for myself.


J'bm

I can see you are getting upset, so I'll just make some last points.

1) The OS DOES support VGA, else the hack would not work. MS's built-in software also works very well under a large range of resolutions.
2) Many apps work better under true VGA than SE VGA. eReader is just one example.
3) There is nothing holy about the way MS chose to implement VGA, and more and more developers are releasing software which takes true VGA into account. Most actively developed software appears to fall into this group.
4) Well written software should not care about resolution in any case.

Anyway, unless you build a psychological block to true VGA due to your experience in this thread, I suspect in a few months you too will join the true VGA bandwagon.

Surur

[Jereboam]

I've asked what the plan is re the large menu fonts so far...no reply yet.

I suggested they might change them to icons which would be less distracting to the overall page view...

Venting is useless unless followed up on...

J'bm

[Jereboam]

Wow. People seem determined to convert me to "real" VGA.

It's a hack. The OS is not designed to support it, and with a few exceptions, most software is a bit weird with the hack enabled at the least, and non-usable at worst.

While I agree that the OS does not make best use of VGA, I don't want to use the hack for myself.


J'bm

I can see you are getting upset, so I'll just make some last points.

1) The OS DOES support VGA, else the hack would not work. MS's built-in software also works very well under a large range of resolutions.
2) Many apps work better under true VGA than SE VGA. eReader is just one example.
3) There is nothing holy about the way MS chose to implement VGA, and more and more developers are releasing software which takes true VGA into account. Most actively developed software appears to fall into this group.
4) Well written software should not care about resolution in any case.

Anyway, unless you build a psychological block to true VGA due to your experience in this thread, I suspect in a few months you too will join the true VGA bandwagon.

Surur

Nah, not getting upset. My life is plenty occupied with other things to get upset about if I feel the need!

It's a question of consistency. For me, the Pocket PC platform is quirky enough without me adding another into the mix by using true VGA hacks.

1. Yes, in a purely hardware sense. The GUI isn't really designed for it though, and most apps have hiccups when put into true VGA mode.

2. That's hit and miss as above.

3. No it's UNholy. I wish they had designed the OS to properly take advantage of VGA. The overall sharper screen is really nice, but MS, I think, let us down on this one. As for 3rd party software, reference 1 and 2.

4. Well written software should be resolution-independent, I agree, but that's just not the reality of it. For example, I'm betting new square-screen devices will be a huge headache for developers.

I've given ozVGA a proper go over the last few days and it just doesn't work for me (in an I-can't-be-bothered-with-this sense). The extra viewing area is nice, agreed, but at the expense of teeny menus, buttons, borked settings pages etc...

If we could switch between the two VGA modes on the fly, without resetting, perhaps on a per-app basis (ie set PIE, eReader etc to always launch in true VGA) that would be amazing. I don't think that's possible though...

J'bm

[buckyg]

Looks like ereader.com has updated to version 2.6.1 for the PPC. Just bought some books there, it included 2.6.1 since I hadn't downloaded that version yet. I also noticed an ad on one of the pages mentioning the new version for the PPC.

[Jereboam]

I noticed that and redownloaded 2.6.1 direct from eReader.com in the hope that it might be different. But alas - no.

J'bm