New PocketBook InkPad X Pro

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think PocketBook has done a pretty good job with their "Linux tinkering."

Once Upon a time

And if they're really restricted to Android 4.4 with their chosen CPU, isn't that going to be restrictive?

Why would they go to Android 4.4 when the outdated CPU they are using is non-existent or almost non-existent?

[Amon_Re]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

They are EInk devices with a well-functioning operating system.
Not this Linux tinkering that doesn't fit properly with the application

Linux is just the kernel, the same kernel that powers android. It all comes down to the additional software & libraries etc. Personally I find the lack of Android a net win for an e-reader because it means you have no real advertising framework.

An android (with google framework & app store and shit) is a net loss in freedoms & privacy.

[Amon_Re]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think PocketBook has done a pretty good job with their "Linux tinkering." And if they're really restricted to Android 4.4 with their chosen CPU, isn't that going to be restrictive?

They only have 1GB of ram, you wouldn't be able to run recent android versions on that footprint. The kernel could probably be updated but they would not get any support of the manufacturer for that. Don't forget that the linux kernel is the same for android (android sits on top of the linux kernel).

It all comes down to priorities and development work, if all you want is a reader there would be little advantage to build an android rom. If you want an app ecosystem you're better of with an Android based system as it's a well known system; however, as far as I know not all functionality for e-ink and wacom/stylus support is built into Android itself, it's not a magic bullet and if you want to offer access to the play store there are certain requirements google will impose on you too. As far as I know Pocketbook is in Europe which would make it rather easy for Google to go after them if they include the play store.

You could release an android based system without the play store, but at this point you might as well stick with your homebrew solution.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Amon_Re

Linux is just the kernel, the same kernel that powers android.

No - there are different versions, which have to be adapted to the existing hardware

It all comes down to the additional software & libraries etc. Personally I find the lack of Android a net win for an e-reader because it means you have no real advertising framework.

The result is the crap that the developer envisioned as good handling, but which in my experience never really fits

An android (with google framework & app store and shit) is a net loss in freedoms & privacy.

loss of freedom & privacy?
On Android you can choose the application you want and are happy with.
For me, that is freedom - not the compulsion of a single application that can hardly be adjusted to one's own needs.
So far, no Linux reader manufacturer has managed to create a properly functioning library management in its devices.
Well, you don't need them for 2 books either

[Amon_Re]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

No - there are different versions, which have to be adapted to the existing hardware

Allwinner provides the Linux kernel for their SOC, that kernel is used amongst others for android. That kernel can be downloaded on git.

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

The result is the crap that the developer envisioned as good handling, but which in my experience never really fits

I have no complaints for their UI and tools, they are pretty much intuitive and work. Can they be improved? Sure, but so can anything else.

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

loss of freedom & privacy?
On Android you can choose the application you want and are happy with.
For me, that is freedom - not the compulsion of a single application that can hardly be adjusted to one's own needs.

You can do that on Pocketbook today, you can install eg koreader and set that as default for any or all formats. There are quite a few projects on git for pocketbooks and all of those are made possible precisely because of the linux underpinnings of the device's operating system and as I said, having android in itself is no guarantee you'll get an Open system, you would need a store and google imposes restrictions and rules on which devices they allow to come bundled with it. There ARE alternative stores, but they all have their trade-offs.

As for standards for e-ink devices in Android... this might provide some more background.

[ottischwenk]

Allwinner? "10 years ago".
There are decidedly more effective SOCs for EInk devices - but these are correspondingly more expensive.
KOreader?
I find it useless; it can do far too little and is massively overrated and the book management is not usable in my opinion.

And if I want more information than the simple plot of my books, then I need a functioning offline information system such as Kiwix or AARD2 - the manufacturers do without something like that because their simple customers don't think of it anyway.
Apart from that, it takes up a lot of space (Kiwix Wiki... need about 80 GB)

And if you want to compare texts, then a split screen is ideal.

Linux readers may be usable for simple users, but they are not usable for more.

[Amon_Re]

Allwinner is what they used up to today, until we know more about this upcoming device anything and everything is nothing more than speculation.

Koreader is just an example, there are other readers available and you could always write one too if you were so inclined.

As for kiwix or AARD2, the storage requirements pretty much alone renders a whole lot of devices unusable regardless of OS.

I think for your needs some BOOX devices have the biggest chance of meeting them, but your requirements are definitely very niche. Based on the information available I'd say the target audience is the same as the Kobo Elipsa or the Kindle Scribe, reading/note taking/annotation.

[ottischwenk]

I don't feel like writing a reading application for Linux myself - there are excellent ones for Android.
But the memory requirements for Kiwix or AARD2 are only available for Android devices - eg Likebook P6 for ~$120

Originally Posted by Amon_Re

Allwinner is what they used up to today, until we know more about this upcoming device anything and everything is nothing more than speculation.

Kobo, Pocketbook, Tolino; but not Boyue Likebook Meebook, Boox.
And even the Allwinner B300 from Kobo/Tolino is not particularly energy-efficient - so it doesn't make sense either.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Once Upon a time

"Once upon a time" is now.

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Why would they go to Android 4.4 when the outdated CPU they are using is non-existent or almost non-existent?

I don't know. I'm just going by what was said in this thread, that the Linux kernel couldn't be updated because of a CPU that only supports Linux 3.10 or Android 4.4. If that's not the case, then (again) the question arises, why not update the Linux kernel?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Amon_Re

Linux is just the kernel, the same kernel that powers android. It all comes down to the additional software & libraries etc. Personally I find the lack of Android a net win for an e-reader because it means you have no real advertising framework.

An android (with google framework & app store and shit) is a net loss in freedoms & privacy.

Yep, that's a big part of why I don't want Android. I don't like Google.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Amon_Re

...You could release an android based system without the play store, but at this point you might as well stick with your homebrew solution.

One of my main concerns is battery life. Battery life is very good on the firmware PocketBook is currently using (at least it is on my PocketBooks). I don't want to see that monkeyed with.

I just want a reader. I don't want something that will run Android apps.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rcentros

"Once upon a time" is now.

For outdated technology!
Even the latest Pokebook development uses obsolete (2 year old) screen technology

I don't know. I'm just going by what was said in this thread, that the Linux kernel couldn't be updated because of a CPU that only supports Linux 3.10 or Android 4.4. If that's not the case, then (again) the question arises, why not update the Linux kernel?

Because that means a lot of development work, for which it is not even certain whether the component manufacturer has the right drivers for it.
For Android there are such.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rcentros

One of my main concerns is battery life. Battery life is very good on the firmware PocketBook is currently using (at least it is on my PocketBooks). I don't want to see that monkeyed with.

For me it is sufficiently safe to get to the next socket option.

I just want a reader. I don't want something that will run Android apps.

I also want a reader, but one that does what and how it suits me; and not one that can only display text and images and whose interface I have to adapt to.
And something like this is only possible on Android

[kandwo]

If this has page turn buttons, reasonably fast hardware and 300 PPI I'll instantly buy it.

As for Android vs Linux for e-readers there's no contest for me: Android wins hands down.

The one point where Android just wipes the floor with Pocketbook/Kobo/Kindle is reading in foreign languages. The dictionary support is woeful on "pure ereaders". They don't support inflection, so forget about having a useful Russian or Spanish dictionary. Few languages are supported.

On an Android reader I can just install Goldendict, a stardict file for the language I want and a hunspell dictionary for morphology support and off I go. Perfect language learning device.

Would I prefer this to be implemented in Kobos own ecosystem or directly in Koreader? Yes. Is that ever going to happen? No.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by kandwo

If this has page turn buttons,

It looks like this