New Reader with great pdf-support: Mantano Reader (like aldiko+ezpdf) - Page 101

Purple Lady · 12-22-2016, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Isn't "10" an exaggeration too, though?

We had 3.0.16 followed shortly by v4. Then .0.1, .0.2, and .0.3. Now we hear there's a 4.0.4 in the works. It's several, sure, but nowhere near "10". Besides, I'm not one who views several bug-fix releases in a short period of time to be a bad thing. Tells me someone's actively trying to get things tweaked just right.

But the non-skippable Home page was already present in v3. That's nothing new. If you leave Bookari running in the background you don't have to see the Home page, but starting it fresh; the non-skippable Home page has been around since before v4.

Several bug fixes in a short period of time is a bad thing. It tells me that their QA stinks or is nonexistent.

DiapDealer · 12-22-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Several bug fixes in a short period of time is a bad thing. It tells me that their QA stinks or is nonexistent.

We'll just have to disagree on that, I suspect.

I realize I'm a bit of a rare bird when it comes to usage. I simply use Bookari to read one book at a time on one device at a time. I don't diddle my library, or check on my progress, or sync to a cloud. I just read books with it. And Bookari still provides me the best reading experience of all the available third-party apps (and I test them all pretty regularly).

The last bug that really affected me was when Mantano would lose my place in the book I was reading. That was a deal-breaker for me. But it got fixed in one of its (apparently) too-frequent bug-fix release phases, and I was happy again.

Any Mantano bugs that I've taken the time to clearly explain to the dev team how to reproduce have eventually been fixed (if they are, in fact, a bug).

I just don't get that excited about a $5-7 app not fulfilling my every need. I figure I've gotten my investment back many times over already. *shrug*

stumped · 12-22-2016, 02:40 PM

i have now put play store 4.03 on both my devices ( I can do that now that I have google services framework installed on the Fire HDX ). Sync and archive is working ok now.
I will just forget about the amazon store version & its issues

Also, in doing that I accidentally solved the missing page border effect issue. the border effect is there if the app is in its default "light" home screen mode,but toggle it to dark mode from the home screen toggle,& then that effect goes awol, no matter what book level custom theme settings you add.

Could be a bug, could be a design feature. I am done fretting & testing, unless a new deal breaker bug appears.

All my reading-in-progress books have been moved into moon+ pro , which is now promoted to be my #1 reader. I still don't understand moon's concepts of background colour vs background image & how they interact, but I found some workable theme settings.

Purple Lady · 12-22-2016, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumped

All my reading-in-progress books have been moved into moon+ pro , which is now promoted to be my #1 reader. I still don't understand moon's concepts of background colour vs background image & how they interact, but I found some workable theme settings.

They don't interact. You use one or the other. The last one that you choose is the only one that will be in effect.

stumped · 12-23-2016, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

They don't interact. You use one or the other. The last one that you choose is the only one that will be in effect.

your last sentence was my missing info - thanks. i simply could not deduce that. Is it written in any FAQ / help anywhere.

so If I wanted a backgound for landscape with a virtual vertical crease in the middle , I'd have to make an image in an app like paint - thsn put a copy in the moon + images folder. Are there any rules or tipd for DIY images ?
Bookari does one ( so long as their APP is is not toggled to dark mode) but no obvious way to copy it. best I can think off is make/find a book with a couple of blank pages, screen grab the the blank pages with the device, use that screen grab as a background image if format is compatible

Purple Lady · 12-23-2016, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumped

your last sentence was my missing info - thanks. i simply could not deduce that. Is it written in any FAQ / help anywhere.

so If I wanted a backgound for landscape with a virtual vertical crease in the middle , I'd have to make an image in an app like paint - thsn put a copy in the moon + images folder. Are there any rules or tipd for DIY images ?
Bookari does one ( so long as their APP is is not toggled to dark mode) but no obvious way to copy it. best I can think off is make/find a book with a couple of blank pages, screen grab the the blank pages with the device, use that screen grab as a background image if format is compatible

I've never wanted an image so I don't know.

stumped · 12-23-2016, 01:20 PM

it still surprises me that with 10 million claimed dwonloads of Moon + there is no place for users to swap tips, backgrounds etc. There's not even a live discussion area here on mobileread for that software.
And Bookari only has this one very very very long thread, not that useful for someone new to it unless they have time to go through 1500+ posts

colour me retro but I like a virtual crease down the centre for 2 column landscape. Bookari does that and it combines quite well with their virtual page edges they draw in the left and right borders ( tick the borders preference in epub 2 settings )

Blossom · 01-01-2017, 11:02 PM

There are plenty Moon+ threads on here. You just got to search for them.

Bookari has changed alot since I last used it. I see a dropbox option has been added.

stumped · 01-02-2017, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

There are plenty Moon+ threads on here. You just got to search for them.

Bookari has changed alot since I last used it. I see a dropbox option has been added.

it has had the ability to read from dropbox for a while now, but CC does it better. Bookari is just a file explorer style interface so if your calibre library is copied to dropbox you still have to navigate the structure.
& arguably that weakens your dropbox security as the app can look anywhere in dropbox, once you have allowed it access.
What is improved is that the free Bookari cloud now allows up to 50 books on 2 devices. That is sufficient to sync all my reading-in-progress across 2 tablets. it copies the whole book in/out of its' own cloud ( unlike moon which just reports the reading postion in dropbox )

Blossom · 01-02-2017, 01:41 AM

I disagree. Allowing Dropbox access does not put your stuff at anymore risk. I've been using Dropbox Integration for years on Moon and other apps. No problems. Mantano has been around a very long time. Dropbox Integration is fairly new if you waited years for it.

Sent from my XT1528

stumped · 01-02-2017, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I disagree. Allowing Dropbox access does not put your stuff at anymore risk. I've been using Dropbox Integration for years on Moon and other apps. No problems. Mantano has been around a very long time. Dropbox Integration is fairly new if you waited years for it.

Sent from my XT1528

well that depends on your usage. an unsecured portable device with bookari having full read access to dropbox IS a risk if you lose it, have it stolen. Compare that with say Calibre Companion which can access only a calibre library copy in Dropbox, not any other dropbox folders..

& it was available in every Mantano premium version I have owned so it's been there for 2+ years - that's not "new" ?

dropbox integration on Moon AFAIK is just for backup restore, last page sync, it does not also allow unrestrtcted browse ( I coud be wrong about that )?
I keep a lot of passwords in txt files in my dropbox - not banking/ financial /shopping ones though - just the log ins for various web sites which need registration- like this one. IT's a handy way of getting them to any new device as a one-time thing, then the tablet browser can store them.

Blossom · 01-02-2017, 04:28 AM

You should never store passwords in the cloud that is just asking for trouble.

My Dropbox has my books. Nothing else. There's no sensitive information. I don't trust any cloud service with that kind of information.

Moon has a browser option so it accesses your entire Dropbox.

Dropbox is new if you are using v2.5.4 then upgrade.

Sent from my XT1528

stumped · 01-04-2017, 02:46 AM

continuing to test the cloud sync feature:
3 bugs/ annoyances
1. sometimes I see a pause followed by " could not connect to server" when opening the app. But no indication of whether it then succeeded, or gave up. [ could be caused by tablet turning off wifi when in sleep mode,on again when it wakes ]
2. NO obvious way to force a sync, or to see date & time of last sync: there is a refresh button on home but it is not documented, & it does not give any feedback when pressed. so does " refresh" = " re-sync" ?
3. on closing a synced book and returning to books page, the app now puts a red cloud icon on that book cover ( this is in details view) . the user guide says red cloud icon indicate sync in progress, but that icon on the just closed book never goes away unless you leave the page and return. I tried waiting it out but got fed up waiting. so that, combined with issue #2 means you never know for sure whether the last read page has synced to cloud, or not.

as an aside, I see from recent play store reviews that I am not the only one who finds the " by design - no a bug" awful cropping of cover thumbnails in books details view to be a bad design decision. Maybe they will reconsider if the -ve reviews stack up.
I see other gripes in play store reviews re bookshelves and collections which do not affect me, as I only keep less than one screen full of books in Bookari at any time

A quick look through all reviews of the last month indicates that many of the new UI changes are not being well received. I don't think I saw any saying "wow this new interface is way better than the old one "
perhaps they should look into using focus groups or beta testers ?

DiapDealer · 01-04-2017, 06:40 AM

I've got no problems with the new UI. I've adjusted and moved on. The ability to have the dark-themed UI with the daytime reading theme is worth the price of admission for me. I don't review/rate android apps, however, because I've no interest in setting up a Google+ account/profile. Always thought it was stupid of the Google Play store to require Google+ to rate/review.

stumped · 01-04-2017, 06:50 AM

play store lets me review stuff & I never use google+ , but I may have enabled it at some past time in order to have bookmarks in you-tube ( I rarely use youtube either; every time I do the UI has changed beyond recognition and something like edit a playlist then takes 30 mins cursing & googling...)

checking (any) app reviews helps me with " is it just me or do others share my problem.. "
& most apps nag nag nag until you leave a review, though just going as far as they play store page then quitting sometimes fools the nag into leaving you be.
PS I got a late reply on the missing page borders when app is in dark mode issue. Bookari said that's a bug & it will get fixed ( no eta)

12-22-2016, 02:40 PM	#1503
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	i have now put play store 4.03 on both my devices ( I can do that now that I have google services framework installed on the Fire HDX ). Sync and archive is working ok now. I will just forget about the amazon store version & its issues Also, in doing that I accidentally solved the missing page border effect issue. the border effect is there if the app is in its default "light" home screen mode,but toggle it to dark mode from the home screen toggle,& then that effect goes awol, no matter what book level custom theme settings you add. Could be a bug, could be a design feature. I am done fretting & testing, unless a new deal breaker bug appears. All my reading-in-progress books have been moved into moon+ pro , which is now promoted to be my #1 reader. I still don't understand moon's concepts of background colour vs background image & how they interact, but I found some workable theme settings. Last edited by stumped; 12-22-2016 at 02:44 PM.

01-02-2017, 04:28 AM	#1512
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	You should never store passwords in the cloud that is just asking for trouble. My Dropbox has my books. Nothing else. There's no sensitive information. I don't trust any cloud service with that kind of information. Moon has a browser option so it accesses your entire Dropbox. Dropbox is new if you are using v2.5.4 then upgrade. Sent from my XT1528 Last edited by Blossom; 01-02-2017 at 04:38 AM.

01-04-2017, 02:46 AM	#1513
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	continuing to test the cloud sync feature: 3 bugs/ annoyances 1. sometimes I see a pause followed by " could not connect to server" when opening the app. But no indication of whether it then succeeded, or gave up. [ could be caused by tablet turning off wifi when in sleep mode,on again when it wakes ] 2. NO obvious way to force a sync, or to see date & time of last sync: there is a refresh button on home but it is not documented, & it does not give any feedback when pressed. so does " refresh" = " re-sync" ? 3. on closing a synced book and returning to books page, the app now puts a red cloud icon on that book cover ( this is in details view) . the user guide says red cloud icon indicate sync in progress, but that icon on the just closed book never goes away unless you leave the page and return. I tried waiting it out but got fed up waiting. so that, combined with issue #2 means you never know for sure whether the last read page has synced to cloud, or not. as an aside, I see from recent play store reviews that I am not the only one who finds the " by design - no a bug" awful cropping of cover thumbnails in books details view to be a bad design decision. Maybe they will reconsider if the -ve reviews stack up. I see other gripes in play store reviews re bookshelves and collections which do not affect me, as I only keep less than one screen full of books in Bookari at any time A quick look through all reviews of the last month indicates that many of the new UI changes are not being well received. I don't think I saw any saying "wow this new interface is way better than the old one " perhaps they should look into using focus groups or beta testers ? Last edited by stumped; 01-04-2017 at 02:51 AM.

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12-23-2016, 01:20 PM	#1507
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	it still surprises me that with 10 million claimed dwonloads of Moon + there is no place for users to swap tips, backgrounds etc. There's not even a live discussion area here on mobileread for that software. And Bookari only has this one very very very long thread, not that useful for someone new to it unless they have time to go through 1500+ posts colour me retro but I like a virtual crease down the centre for 2 column landscape. Bookari does that and it combines quite well with their virtual page edges they draw in the left and right borders ( tick the borders preference in epub 2 settings )

01-01-2017, 11:02 PM	#1508
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	There are plenty Moon+ threads on here. You just got to search for them. Bookari has changed alot since I last used it. I see a dropbox option has been added.

01-02-2017, 01:41 AM	#1510
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I disagree. Allowing Dropbox access does not put your stuff at anymore risk. I've been using Dropbox Integration for years on Moon and other apps. No problems. Mantano has been around a very long time. Dropbox Integration is fairly new if you waited years for it. Sent from my XT1528

01-04-2017, 06:40 AM	#1514
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,696 Karma: 196509000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've got no problems with the new UI. I've adjusted and moved on. The ability to have the dark-themed UI with the daytime reading theme is worth the price of admission for me. I don't review/rate android apps, however, because I've no interest in setting up a Google+ account/profile. Always thought it was stupid of the Google Play store to require Google+ to rate/review.

01-04-2017, 06:50 AM	#1515
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	play store lets me review stuff & I never use google+ , but I may have enabled it at some past time in order to have bookmarks in you-tube ( I rarely use youtube either; every time I do the UI has changed beyond recognition and something like edit a playlist then takes 30 mins cursing & googling...) checking (any) app reviews helps me with " is it just me or do others share my problem.. " & most apps nag nag nag until you leave a review, though just going as far as they play store page then quitting sometimes fools the nag into leaving you be. PS I got a late reply on the missing page borders when app is in dark mode issue. Bookari said that's a bug & it will get fixed ( no eta)

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