Ilium Software Releases NewsBreak 1.2

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/nw/newsbreak.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/nw/newsbreak.htm</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060406-NewsBreak.gif" /><br /><br />Ilium Software's popular RSS application, NewsBreak, has just been updated to v1.2. This new version adds full Windows Mobile 5.0 support (including soft keys), support for the latest batch of high-resolution Smartphones, support for Atom 1.0, and many other usability improvements. All current NewsBreak users can upgrade to v1.2 for free. If you've yet to try it, head over to our <a href="http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=142855&productType=2">affiliate software store</a> and download a free trial version. The full version costs $19.95.

[galt]

Damn, they broke one-handed navigation in landscape mode on the Jas Jar. :0(

In the previous version you could use the button inset in the d-pad (on the screen side of the device) to trigger an "ok" to back out of a feed item and return to that channel's list of feed. Now pressing this button in the reading item view does nothing at all. There is a WM5 softkey for "Done" on the left side but it's not reachable when holding the device in your right hand using your thumb to navigate on the dpad next to the screen. Also, after using the dpad to scroll to the bottom of a feed item you used to be able to keep navigating down to jump to the next feed item in that channel. Now when you get to the bottom you are stuck there. You can use the right softkey to open the menu and then choose "next" but that ends up really working the thumb.

It might sound petty, but my whole joy of feed reading was based on how quickly and easily I can read through a ton of threads. I'll have to revert back to th previous version unless they can restore the previous functionality.

Dev's, please remember: Just because the softkeys are there doesn't mean you need to kill the other navigation methods!

[oo_void]

Agreed, it's now almost unusable on my Sprint PPC-6700. What used to be a simple and single D-Pad operation to switch stories now requires three interactions, Done -> D-Pad Down - D-Pad Enter. What a major step backwards in regards to usuability.

Hopefully, I still have the 1.10 install lying around somewhere so I can revert back.

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oo_void

[galt]

Anyone who's having this problem should email Iliumsoft and explain the problem we're having: [email protected]

They've done a good job with their support in the past, I'm sure we'll hear back from them soon, hopefully they can address the situation and return the previous functionality to the new version.

[ikesler]

yep... it needs the one handed operation bad. :?

[Ilium Software]

Hi,

Sorry you've been having trouble! We have had a couple of people run into this (and we replicated it) and we're working on an update to help with it as we speak.

If, in the meantime, you'd like to continue using the old version just drop us an email. Send it to [email protected] and we'll get you set up. Plus, if you mention it we'll make sure to contact you personally when the update is ready.

Again, sorry for the trouble! Looks like the new WM 5.0 softkey buttons had an unexpected side effect for some users!

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
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http://www.iliumsoft.com

[galt]

Thanks Marc, it's good to hear that you guys are planning a fix.

[bluevolume]

Hi,

Sorry you've been having trouble! We have had a couple of people run into this (and we replicated it) and we're working on an update to help with it as we speak.

If you guys are listening -- how about adding support for downloading images? That is the ONE thing that is missing from NewsBreak that would make it perfect. If its an offline newsreader, why do I need to be online to see it?

Thanks,
Blue

[intothevoid]

I just updated newsbreak on my Axim X50 WM5.0 and when I am online and newsbreak tries to download an image it just I guess crashes. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this issue. After the crash I don't get any message.

[Ilium Software]

To answer a few more questions/comments:

newsbreak tries to download an image it just I guess crashes.

Now this is something we haven't been able to replicate. Drop our support folks a message ([email protected]) and say that I sent you. We'll work with you to find out why this is happening.

how about adding support for downloading images

Yep, that's one we've received a number of requests for. While I don't have a list of exactly what is going into the next release I'll make sure your vote gets passed along to the NewsBreak development team!


Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

[Ilium Software]

Although it isn't released yet we now have an update that should help those of you who ran into the 'can't switch articles' issue.

What happened was that in order to support the way WM 5.0 handles live links (the ones that take you to "Read More") it interfered with the navigation on WM 5.0. Unfortunately we simply can't make up/down work like it used to if we want live links to work.

BUT, we did find that we could get left/right to switch between articles! If you'd like to try it out pre-release, send me an email directly to marc(at)iliumsoft.com and I'd be happy to get you an early download.

Thanks again for pointing this out and sorry for the trouble!

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

[galt]

Hi Marc,

Please forward my thanks to the folks who worked on this quick update! I'm now using the pre-release version and I'm pretty happy with the left/right navigation to go to the next thread. In a way it's probably an improvement, in the previous version I've often accidentally jumped to the next article when trying to scroll down in the current one.

The d-pad button that used to trigger an OK to back out of an article still does nothing in my version (and is still missed), is that also blocked by WM5 navigation methods or might it return in an updated version? Also, when scrolling down I don't get any focus jumping to links (including Read More) but I am using a PIE registry hack to force page up/page down behavior for the d-pad (instead of link navigation) so I assume that's impacting it.

Galt

What happened was that in order to support the way WM 5.0 handles live links (the ones that take you to "Read More") it interfered with the navigation on WM 5.0. Unfortunately we simply can't make up/down work like it used to if we want live links to work.

BUT, we did find that we could get left/right to switch between articles! If you'd like to try it out pre-release, send me an email directly to marc(at)iliumsoft.com and I'd be happy to get you an early download.

[Ilium Software]

Glad you like the left right change. I like it as well because now I can hop through articles for feeds with LONG posts without scrolling through the whole thing.

Focus should jump to links just fine (and has on all the devices we have here as well as the emulator.) I couldn't say for sure if the hack is to blame but we'll keep an eye on this.

As for the OK function, I'm sad to report that it is a victim of WM 5.0. In order to get the live links to work properly on a WM 5.0 device we had to let this one go. As always we'll keep looking for ways to improve the product but for now I'm afraid that the soft keys/OK are the only OK option.

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

[tisoy]

Am just testing the pre-release version and and the D-Pad navigation is great.

Like the ability to switch between feeds on the article list view as well.