Likebook Alita

[parkher]

ottischwenk,

In other words, you cannot access that card via portable devices api? No way to load it with stuff via a usb cable from pc to the reader?

Another question. What about your 512 GB card. Did you have to make it thinner, and if not - what card? Interesting to know what card to order, so that it is thin enough.

My 256 card has died. That is why it was no longer detected. Perhaps because of the squeeze it got. Otherwise cards are detected, Alita is OK.

BTW, I just found this, and downloaded .apk:
Far On Droid File Manager
This is great! As I cannot do anything on PC without FAR

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by parkher

ottischwenk,

In other words, you cannot access that card via portable devices api? No way to load it with stuff via a usb cable from pc to the reader?

Another question. What about your 512 GB card. Did you have to make it thinner, and if not - what card? Interesting to know what card to order, so that it is thin enough.

My 256 card has died. That is why it was no longer detected. Perhaps because of the squeeze it got. Otherwise cards are detected, Alita is OK.

BTW, I just found this, and downloaded .apk:
Far On Droid File Manager
This is great! As I cannot do anything on PC without FAR

Trays are not designed to be removed frequently, but they are more convenient than previous solutions that remove the case cover.

Both the SD cards from the Likebook Ares and the Alita are recognized by the PC (Windows 10/64 Pro 1909) as external devices via USB cable.
The Ares is called "Likebook-K78W", the Alita is called "Likebook-K103". Thus, MTP data transfer is easily possible.
The internal flash is not accessible in this way.

The Flash is accessible via the app "WiFi File Transfer Pro" (Google Play Store). On the PC is only needed as a counterpart browser, from which one controls the transfer

The SD cards that I have built in the Alita and Ares are "Samsung 512 Evo Plus".

Another option for data transfer is USB-OTG - even a 4 TB Seagate USB hard disk is recognized and you can work with it - and there are no problems with the exFAT file system of USB sticks.

In summary, I would like to say that there really is no point in using the SD cards as an external one, especially since the internally used file system (GPT, Ext4) is significantly more fail-safe than the accepted ones, Fat32 with its large clusters or slow NTFS.

On a PC you do not even remove the second hard disk to move data somewhere else.

[parkher]

ottischwenk,

So, just to make sure, did you have to file off that protruding edge from Samsung 512 Evo Plus to fit it into Alita? Some cards fit without any modifications to them, but not sure about 512 GB cards. I mean, I would lose the warranty on it for filing off the edge.

As to the internal usage - yes, your arguments are sound. I guess I will try again. The short time I tried it on Mimas - I was confused not to find that additional storage anywhere. Mimas itself did not show it, and I did not see it on PC through the usb cable.
Older android versions allowed to map the card or the internal memory to a drive letter on pc, by mass storage class (MSC) protocol. But newer do not. So the media transfer protocol has to be used, through portable devices api I can see both the internal and external android memory on pc. In explorer or even in FAR. I can see the total storage size and the free storage size that way.
So, when the card was formatted as internal, it did not show up on the pc as separate external storage, but the internal storage was shown only the original one, without the storage on the card added. The card simply as if disappeared.
That is why I switched back to the external mode.

[ottischwenk]

I tested 3 Samsung 512 Evo Plus - each fits without any modifications.
I had problems with a 256 Evo Plus, no problems with 256 Evo+.

When connected to a PC you will not see any additional starage.
Likebook shows the content of the Memory card and hides certain files (Apps aso).

[parkher]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Both the SD cards from the Likebook Ares and the Alita are recognized by the PC (Windows 10/64 Pro 1909) as external devices via USB cable.
The Ares is called "Likebook-K78W", the Alita is called "Likebook-K103". Thus, MTP data transfer is easily possible.
The internal flash is not accessible in this way.

With Mimas, when formatted as internal, the card did not show up on windows PC at all, as "Likebook-anything". But the internal flash did. Of the original internal flash size. I was thinking: is this a misleading size information or what.
I was expecting at least the merged size of both.
It is a very strange feeling to copy files not knowing how much free space is remaining. And not being sure to where exactly the files are being copied. Only to the internal flash or what.
I am using FAR plugin PortaDev. But it shows the same as windows explorer does.
Only you can't miss it in FAR. Glaringly obvious.

[parkher]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

When connected to a PC you will not see any additional starage.

So what to do? To copy to the reader 500 GB even if it shows 10 GB free anyway?

I just want to be able to connect Alita to the pc with a usb cable and to be able to create folders, to copy files to them, or just copy folders with files, or to delete/rename them - doing everything from the pc side. And it would be nice to know how much free space is remaining. That may become important when the card fills up.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by parkher

With Mimas, when formatted as internal, the card did not show up on windows PC at all, as "Likebook-anything". But the internal flash did. Of the original internal flash size. I was thinking: is this a misleading size information or what.
I was expecting at least the merged size of both.

Why?

It is a very strange feeling to copy files not knowing how much free space is remaining. And not being sure to where exactly the files are being copied. Only to the internal flash or what.

You copy to the SD - internal flash is of no interest and therefore not shown.

I am using FAR plugin PortaDev. But it shows the same as windows explorer does.

This app I donot know.

Only you can't miss it in FAR. Glaringly obvious.

Alita is master when copying files via USB OTG. And when using other ways, Windows Explorer shows the size of the SD Card.
Alita and Ares are not recognized as drives, but as external devices.

[parkher]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

And when using other ways, Windows Explorer shows the size of the SD Card.
Alita and Ares are not recognized as drives, but as external devices.

When I tried with Mimas with the sd card formatted as an internal storage, I got only the Mimas device in windows explorer (its original internal storage). But no sd card. Not separately. Not incorporated into that storage either.
It was not accessible and not even visible. If formatted as external storage, it is accessible as a separate storage device, everything is clear then.
Perhaps there is something wrong with the Mimas firmware. Or perhaps it needed a reboot. But just before that, the formatting as internal finished successfully, and the offer to move installed apps to it was made.

Anyway, I will try again. Also with Alita. When I get those cards. Perhaps on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Ordered a couple of those:
Samsung Memory MB-MC512GAEU 512 GB Class 10 - U3 EVO Plus Micro SD card

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by parkher

Or perhaps it needed a reboot.

I think, this was the reason.

[parkher]

An alternative to an sd card is a stand, such as Onyx Boox Desk Stand.
It can be adjusted in various ways or even hung upside down.
If you can find a comfortable way to read with the stand, then a flash drive with your books and dictionaries can be kept inserted permanently. Then Note 2 becomes a poor man's Alita. No much point in doing this with Boyue readers.

Originally Posted by mbrisco

The new firmware is out. Anyone tried it? Did they upgrade Android from version 6?

There is a new update? It says no updates available on my Alita...

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Merithyn

There is a new update? It says no updates available on my Alita...

What version can you see?

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

What version can you see?

BYRead-V1.1.3-2019092718. When searching for new version the message that pops up is: "Already the latest version".

[mbrisco]

Originally Posted by Merithyn

BYRead-V1.1.3-2019092718. When searching for new version the message that pops up is: "Already the latest version".

Same for me. Actually, it asked me to update a few days ago, but I didn't have time, so I said later. And now when I check, it says it's "Already the latest version". Ha.

[parkher]

Is there a website or a forum anywhere, where I can download firmwares?
I tried to google - no success.
One would assume boyue.com/support or similar.