Likebook Mars, Borrowbox and other questions

Quoth · 01-17-2021, 01:12 PM

Anyone using the Borrowbox Android app to read ebooks from their local library on a Likebook Mars?

I have plenty of ereaders and probably I'll continue mostly using the Kobo Libra, but I selfishly and extravagantly bought a Mars and sleep cover. I happen to have a spare unused 128 G micro SD card. That should work. Currently I read PDF manuals, scans of ancient textbooks and old magazines on my 10" Lenovo tablet using Xodo, but some might work with the margin crop on the Mars?

Will it be like my Android phone and tablet for Calibre managing books?

ottischwenk · 01-17-2021, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Anyone using the Borrowbox Android app to read ebooks from their local library on a Likebook Mars?

This app is not compatible with any of my EInk Android devices (Likebook Alita, Ares, Boox Poke 2/3. Nova 2, Note Air. It doesn't work with my Android smartphones either.
However, I live in Austria.

Quoth · 01-18-2021, 09:06 AM

Do you mean it doesn't install, or you can't log into your library, or that you can login but can't borrow books, or that you can borrow books but it doesn't open them, or that it opens a book, but it's messed up?

I can't test it yet on anything as the libraries here are closed from the 28th Dec 2020 and I need a PIN as well as my library barcode. I have no memory of a PIN and never used one in the libraries. There is a PIN reset, but that requires that the library has your email address. The error suggests I don't have an email on file. So I've emailed the main library asking.

ottischwenk · 01-18-2021, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Do you mean it doesn't install, or you can't log into your library, or that you can login but can't borrow books, or that you can borrow books but it doesn't open them, or that it opens a book, but it's messed up?

I was not shown an installable device from the Google Play Store with registered Android 9/10 smartphones, Boox / Likebook EInk tablets.

Quoth · 01-18-2021, 01:21 PM

Working on an old 7" Android 5.1.1 tablet.
However the Borrowbox ereading app is horrible. Choice of 3 font (Arial, New Times Roman and something else) Spends ages renumbering pages if font size changed. No settings for line spacing, margins, justification mode etc. Though oddly narrower, wider and normal as well as larger and smaller font.

No settings to control page turn with volume buttons, though I think the Mars has only a power button?

Search to find a book can be really really slow. No browsing, so you need to already know the author or enough of the title. Maybe series.

I'll try the likebook Mars when it comes.

Note that the Playstore will always claim an app isn't suitable/optimised if it's coded for a small phone screen, but in practice such apps have always worked on my 10" tablet, just expanded to fill the screen and identical in content to the 4.3" phone screen i have, though now I use a 6" phone.
Recently the Playstore doesn't even list apps that don't run on older Android, like Kobo. Kindle runs on an older Android than Kobo, but it and Viber no longer appear listed on my oldest Android phone.

Quoth · 01-18-2021, 05:14 PM

My bad, because the narrow, normal and wide in Borrowbox are the margins.

ottischwenk · 01-19-2021, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Note that the Playstore will always claim an app isn't suitable/optimised if it's coded for a small phone screen, but in practice such apps have always worked on my 10" tablet, just expanded to fill the screen and identical in content to the 4.3" phone screen i have, though now I use a 6" phone

I can't download from the Play Store because I don't see a device to download for.
As I said, I'm in Austria

Quoth · 01-20-2021, 09:58 AM

I've used about 8 different models of Android phone or tablet (not all my own) and the only ever apps that referenced specific models were apps for specific hardware connected to USB.

Never, ever have I seen any actual Android models listed. Some apps using a light sensor, mems orientation/movement, fingerprint reader, real FM tuner or other built in hardware that varies between models might list some models, but most of those just remark it might not work.

Playstore does seem to filter search results by minimum Android version, though it didn't always. I've never seen it list models.

It's also possible to access (but not purchase) the Playstore and download any free apps with only a basic gmail account created on the phone. In theory then playstore has no idea where you are, if Location services are off, other than Geographic guess based on IP, which can get the region or country wrong.

Quoth · 01-21-2021, 12:43 PM

The Mars is here and I'm checking it out:

Playstore works and was enabled by default.
I was able to install Borrowbox, Jota text editor and other apps from my Google Playstore account Library tab.
The existing ebook and audiobook I have borrowed on a regular 7" android tablet work fine. Download was speedy.
Audio similar to the LCD 7" Tablet. The eBook ereader App in Borrowbox is faster and still rubbish. You have to resize the font to see the end of chapters. Apparently the Library Borrowbox ebooks can be downloaded as Adobe DRM epubs, but the Adobe reader program doesn't work directly on Linux. You can register a Kobo with Adobe. I guess for the Mars, you'd need the Adobe Android App?

Still not figured where to manually copy via USB to the SD card for the built in Music Player, audio book Mort player or built in readers.

01-17-2021, 01:12 PM	#1
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Likebook Mars, Borrowbox and other questions Anyone using the Borrowbox Android app to read ebooks from their local library on a Likebook Mars? I have plenty of ereaders and probably I'll continue mostly using the Kobo Libra, but I selfishly and extravagantly bought a Mars and sleep cover. I happen to have a spare unused 128 G micro SD card. That should work. Currently I read PDF manuals, scans of ancient textbooks and old magazines on my 10" Lenovo tablet using Xodo, but some might work with the margin crop on the Mars? Will it be like my Android phone and tablet for Calibre managing books?

01-20-2021, 09:58 AM	#8
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	I've used about 8 different models of Android phone or tablet (not all my own) and the only ever apps that referenced specific models were apps for specific hardware connected to USB. Never, ever have I seen any actual Android models listed. Some apps using a light sensor, mems orientation/movement, fingerprint reader, real FM tuner or other built in hardware that varies between models might list some models, but most of those just remark it might not work. Playstore does seem to filter search results by minimum Android version, though it didn't always. I've never seen it list models. It's also possible to access (but not purchase) the Playstore and download any free apps with only a basic gmail account created on the phone. In theory then playstore has no idea where you are, if Location services are off, other than Geographic guess based on IP, which can get the region or country wrong. Last edited by Quoth; 01-20-2021 at 10:01 AM.

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01-18-2021, 09:06 AM	#3
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Do you mean it doesn't install, or you can't log into your library, or that you can login but can't borrow books, or that you can borrow books but it doesn't open them, or that it opens a book, but it's messed up? I can't test it yet on anything as the libraries here are closed from the 28th Dec 2020 and I need a PIN as well as my library barcode. I have no memory of a PIN and never used one in the libraries. There is a PIN reset, but that requires that the library has your email address. The error suggests I don't have an email on file. So I've emailed the main library asking.

01-18-2021, 01:21 PM	#5
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Working on an old 7" Android 5.1.1 tablet. However the Borrowbox ereading app is horrible. Choice of 3 font (Arial, New Times Roman and something else) Spends ages renumbering pages if font size changed. No settings for line spacing, margins, justification mode etc. Though oddly narrower, wider and normal as well as larger and smaller font. No settings to control page turn with volume buttons, though I think the Mars has only a power button? Search to find a book can be really really slow. No browsing, so you need to already know the author or enough of the title. Maybe series. I'll try the likebook Mars when it comes. Note that the Playstore will always claim an app isn't suitable/optimised if it's coded for a small phone screen, but in practice such apps have always worked on my 10" tablet, just expanded to fill the screen and identical in content to the 4.3" phone screen i have, though now I use a 6" phone. Recently the Playstore doesn't even list apps that don't run on older Android, like Kobo. Kindle runs on an older Android than Kobo, but it and Viber no longer appear listed on my oldest Android phone.

01-18-2021, 05:14 PM	#6
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	My bad, because the narrow, normal and wide in Borrowbox are the margins.

01-21-2021, 12:43 PM	#9
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,812 Karma: 87663463 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	The Mars is here and I'm checking it out: Playstore works and was enabled by default. I was able to install Borrowbox, Jota text editor and other apps from my Google Playstore account Library tab. The existing ebook and audiobook I have borrowed on a regular 7" android tablet work fine. Download was speedy. Audio similar to the LCD 7" Tablet. The eBook ereader App in Borrowbox is faster and still rubbish. You have to resize the font to see the end of chapters. Apparently the Library Borrowbox ebooks can be downloaded as Adobe DRM epubs, but the Adobe reader program doesn't work directly on Linux. You can register a Kobo with Adobe. I guess for the Mars, you'd need the Adobe Android App? Still not figured where to manually copy via USB to the SD card for the built in Music Player, audio book Mort player or built in readers.

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