PRS-T1 update to latest firmware or to Linux

[guru]

Hello,

I've got a PRS-T1 since 2012. I do not see any newer updates from Sony after 2014 (1.0.07.05070 - released on 19 June 2014). Is this really the latest one? Or are there any FOSS versions based on Linux?

Thanks

matthias

[Ghitulescu]

What features are you missing from the old FW that you need a new one?
Or what bugs of the old FW bugs you?

[guru]

Originally Posted by Ghitulescu

What features are you missing from the old FW that you need a new one?
Or what bugs of the old FW bugs you?

I have some issues with the device, sometimes it just locks-up and I have to push the small reset button. This could be as well hardware faults after such a long time. In any case the software (1.0.04.12210) is very old and for example the webbrowser can not render pages I'm used to read (example: www.jungewelt.de). That's why I was looking for a recent version, but even the last available is old (2014).

May be it's time to buy another device.

[4691mls]

You could look into getting a used T2 or T3. I had a T1 that eventually started locking up when trying to look up words in the dictionary. My T3 hardly ever locked up - I stopped using it only because it stopped being able to get Overdrive library books directly. From what I've read on this forum, the T2 is also reliable.

[Quoth]

I got a T1 from CEX. I decided after updating to the last version FW, that it was inherently unreliable. I demonstrated it freezing.
They refunded.
The PRS350 is fine. Kindle PW3 is fine, Nook simple Touch OK, Kobo H2O original OK.
I've read many threads on the T1. It seems to be a lemon.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I got a T1 from CEX. I decided after updating to the last version FW, that it was inherently unreliable. I demonstrated it freezing.
They refunded.
The PRS350 is fine. Kindle PW3 is fine, Nook simple Touch OK, Kobo H2O original OK.
I've read many threads on the T1. It seems to be a lemon.

My T1 worked fine for a few years but once it started having the frequent dictionary lockup problem that was pretty annoying. Then it stopped being able to get library books direct after an Overdrive change so I moved on to a T3.

The T3 was much more stable and only rarely locked up. Unfortunately it recently lost the direct Overdrive capability so I switched to Kobo. However, the T3 still works well otherwise so I am keeping it as a backup.

[Quoth]

My was OK as long as I didn't annotate!

[SchockoNougat]

Originally Posted by guru

Hello,

I've got a PRS-T1 since 2012. I do not see any newer updates from Sony after 2014 (1.0.07.05070 - released on 19 June 2014). Is this really the latest one? Or are there any FOSS versions based on Linux?

Thanks

matthias

Nice thread!
I own a PRS-T1 too and a I ask myself: Why is there no custom rom out there or a ArchLinux or ArchLinuxARM for it.

I think 1.0.07.05070 is the newest officially stock rom from sony but, correct me if I am wrong, this version is not compatible with minimal-root.zip or rupor-minimal.zip .

My problem is that I want to run spotify on it and a web-browser (+android system) with security issues.

I found http://fread.ink/ wich seems to be a "alternate operating system for electronic paper ebook readers".

The PRS-T1 seems to have a i.MX508. Here is info paper:
https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/fact-sheet/IMX508FS.pdf
And here is a hackaday post:
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/25/hope...for-e-readers/

Does the PRS-T1 had a bootloader an is it possible to unlock them?

At the moment I run 1.0.05.11130 wich is based on Android 2.1.1 (froyo)(sdk 8). Android 4 or 5 would be awesome and support a lot of more apps to test with the device.

BR, SchockoNougat

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by guru

May be it's time to buy another device.

Someone is selling white T2s on eBay for $25, which includes shipping. I've never had any of the issues you mention on the T2, but I have had odd issues on a couple T1s I owned (one I still own). The T2 will be very familiar. Slightly different buttons.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-PRS-T2...UAAOSwckRdXAZp

This guy has sold 43 of these so far. Apparently he got them at a library or school (or something like that). Actually it was a library, the sticker is still on the back in his pictures.

[DoctorM]

Is there actually any difference between the T1 and T2 besides the button change and loss of audio support?

The firmware could be quite similar.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DoctorM

Is there actually any difference between the T1 and T2 besides the button change and loss of audio support?

The firmware could be quite similar.

No, I don't think so. The main difference was that the T2 didn't have the glitches that (at least some) of the T1s seemed to have had.

[4691mls]

I went from a T1 to a T3 and it was also pretty similar. The main difference I noticed was that the "default font" on the T3 was Amasis instead of whatever it was on T1.

The T3 hardly ever locked up and required a restart. The sleep cover with light is nice, the light will shut off when the reader goes to sleep. Useful if you want to read while you are falling asleep in bed.

The only reason I switched to Kobo was because the Sonys lost the ability to obtain books directly from Overdrive libraries. Otherwise my T3 was still working well and I am keeping it as a spare.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I went from a T1 to a T3 and it was also pretty similar. The main difference I noticed was that the "default font" on the T3 was Amasis instead of whatever it was on T1.

The T3 hardly ever locked up and required a restart. The sleep cover with light is nice, the light will shut off when the reader goes to sleep. Useful if you want to read while you are falling asleep in bed.

The only reason I switched to Kobo was because the Sonys lost the ability to obtain books directly from Overdrive libraries. Otherwise my T3 was still working well and I am keeping it as a spare.

a big difference with the T3 is that it has a newer version of RMSDK that supports hyphenation. The T1 & T2 do not support hyphenation.

[Ghitulescu]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I went from a T1 to a T3 and it was also pretty similar. The main difference I noticed was that the "default font" on the T3 was Amasis instead of whatever it was on T1. .

The fonts in T1 seem to comprise much more glyphs than the Amasis in T3.