LINux on MOBile - E-ReaderLINMOB.net is a blog about LINux on MOBile devices. With the PinePhone (Pro) and Librem 5 shipping it is back to report on GNU+Linux on mobile devices.Zola2021-07-15T15:15:00+00:00https://linmob.net/tags/e-reader/feed.xmlLinBits 53: Weekly Linux Phone news / media roundup (week 27/28)2021-07-14T21:54:00+00:002021-07-15T15:15:00+00:00https://linmob.net/linbits-53-weekly-linux-phone-news-week27-28/<p><em>It's Wednesday. Now what happened since last Wednesday?</em></p>
<p>New sounds for Plasma Mobile, Phosh, Phoc, Ubuntu Touch, Manjaro and DanctNIX see new releases and more!<span id="continue-reading"></span> <em>Commentary in italics.</em> </p>
<h3 id="software-releases">Software releases</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://social.librem.one/@dos/106557650811135885">Phoc 0.8.0 has been released</a>, bringing a fix for idle inhibition and more. Read the <a href="https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/phoc/-/releases/v0.8.0">full release notes for more</a>. </li>
<li><a href="https://social.librem.one/@agx/106578916170941330">Phosh 0.12.1 has seen yet another release</a>, containing mostly bug and translation fixes. Read the <a href="https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/phosh/-/releases/v0.12.1">full release notes for more</a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://botsin.space/@manjarolinux/106555866278226857">Manjaro Phosh Beta 12</a> has been released.</li>
<li>Danct12 has released <a href="https://github.com/dreemurrs-embedded/Pine64-Arch/releases/tag/20210713">Arch Linux ARM 2021/07/03</a>, containing Phoc 0.8.0 and more nice new things.</li>
<li><a href="https://ubports.com/blog/1/post/3764">Ubuntu Touch OTA 18 is also out!</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="worth-reading">Worth reading</h3>
<h4 id="software-progress">Software progress</h4>
<ul>
<li>NxOS: <a href="https://nxos.org/maui/maui-monthly-report-13/">Maui Monthly Report 13</a>. <em>Great stuff that's coming along here, a lot to look forward to! Strike and NX Software center sound really exciting.</em></li>
<li>Plasma Mobile: <a href="https://www.plasma-mobile.org/2021/07/08/winners-of-kde-lmms-sound-contest/">Winners of the KDE and LMMS Plasma Mobile Sound Contest</a>. <em>Sounds nice!</em></li>
<li>Purism: <a href="https://puri.sm/posts/purism-and-linux-5-13/">Purism and Linux 5.13</a>. <em>Mainlining keeps going quite well for the Librem 5!</em></li>
<li>Janet Blackquill: <a href="https://blog.blackquill.cc/approximately-two-pink-weeks-in-tok">Approximately Two Pink Weeks In Tok</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="gsoc-progress">GSoC progress</h4>
<ul>
<li>Claudio Cambria: <a href="https://claudiocambra.com/2021/07/11/an-eventful-week-kalendar-week-5-gsoc-2021/">An eventful week — Kalendar week 5 (GSoC 2021)</a>. </li>
<li>Visvesh Subramanian: <a href="https://visveshs.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-new-look-for-health-app.html">A New Look for the Health app</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="metadata-nerdery">Metadata nerdery</h4>
<ul>
<li>Philip Withnall: <a href="https://tecnocode.co.uk/2021/07/12/add-metadata-to-your-app-to-say-what-inputs-and-display-sizes-it-supports/">Add metadata to your app to say what inputs and display sizes it supports</a>. <em>You may find this boring and think: Why this XML stuff? Because it matters. Specifying where an app will fit in metadata is an important step to better app stores for Linux Phones.</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="foss-reporting">FOSS reporting</h4>
<ul>
<li>PineGuild: <a href="https://pineguild.com/manjaro-arm-beta12-of-phosh-for-pinephone-2/">Manjaro ARM Beta12 of Phosh for PinePhone</a>.</li>
<li>TuxPhones: <a href="https://tuxphones.com/kobo-clara-e-book-ereader-linux-kernel-hack/">Some Kobo e-readers can now run Linux, becoming inexpensive e-ink tablets</a>. <em>Great post!</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="assistive-pinephone">Assistive PinePhone</h4>
<ul>
<li>Linux Smartphones: <a href="https://linuxsmartphones.com/mycroft-an-open-source-voice-assistant-works-with-linux-smartphones-like-the-pinephone/">Mycroft, an open source voice assistant works with Linux smartphones like the PinePhone</a>. <em>I have had Mycroft on PinePhone on my To Do list for months. Maybe I'll get to it one day.</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="ubuntu-touch">Ubuntu Touch</h4>
<ul>
<li>Linux Smartphones: <a href="https://linuxsmartphones.com/ubuntu-touch-ota-18-brings-improved-performance-for-older-devices-among-other-updates/">Ubuntu Touch OTA 18 brings improved performance for older devices, among other updates</a>. <em>Brad's take on the above Ubuntu Touch announcement.</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="propaganda">Propaganda</h4>
<ul>
<li>Purism: <a href="https://puri.sm/posts/proud-to-be-top-contributor-to-gtk4/">Proud to Be Top Contributor to GTK4</a>. <em>Well, 0.3%. On the other hand, that's more than Canonical or Intel contributed so far.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="worth-watching">Worth watching</h3>
<h4 id="postmarketos">postmarketOS</h4>
<ul>
<li>Wolf fur Programming: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PrS6Ls4A8">Plasma Mobile Oneplus 6t postmarketos</a>. <em>Nice!</em></li>
</ul>
<h5 id="ereader-extravanganza">eReader extravanganza</h5>
<ul>
<li>Martijn Braam: <a href="https://spacepub.space/videos/watch/3aac1314-291f-425c-b36a-0f5b6a54e357">postmarketOS on the Kobo Clara HD</a>. <em>The comments are interesting, mentioning a software called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaBj7acHRHk">InkBox</a> for future software.</em></li>
</ul>
<h5 id="tiles">Tiles</h5>
<ul>
<li>Drew Naylor 2: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGZ3E5nqb0s">RetiledStart demo #4: Landscape All Apps List</a>. <em>If you've been missing Windows Phone, this might excite you!</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="mutantc">mutantC</h4>
<ul>
<li>mutantC: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh6L0XZP86Y">Revisiting mutantC v2, BTW everything works</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h4 id="tutorials">Tutorials</h4>
<ul>
<li>kdlk.de: tech: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hKtGKBD7YE">PinePhone Essentials: Turning off the Hardware Switches - Camera Turn Off</a>.</li>
<li>kdlk.de: tech: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHpOzgBgf6o">PinePhone App Development - Where to start? #01 Rust + GTK</a>. <em>Really nice!</em></li>
</ul>
<h4 id="grumpy-stuff">Grumpy stuff</h4>
<ul>
<li>Twinntech: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpQ0Hqq5vY">Pinephone daily drive round 2</a>. <em>Admittedly, the title is not entirely fair. He's trying stuff again, and I hope it works. Also, you can see confirmation bias at work.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="stuff-i-did">Stuff I did</h3>
<h4 id="content">Content</h4>
<p>Nothing. Well, we recorded another PineTalk, which will be out this weekend. I was going to publish a short post on Phosh's new app drawer feature tonight, but I just couldn't – too tired.</p>
<p>One thing I managed to actually finish, is a <a href="https://framagit.org/1peter10/flatpaks">Flatpak manifest so that you can try accelerated video playback in Clapper without tainting your /usr/local</a>.</p>
<h4 id="linmobapps">LINMOBapps</h4>
<p>LINMOBapps did not get much love again, but luckily Marco H. contributed one new app:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://invent.kde.org/plasma-mobile/vakzination">Vakzination</a>, a Kirigami app which manages your health certificates like vaccination, test, and recovery certificates.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://framagit.org/linmobapps/linmobapps.frama.io/-/commits/master">Read here what (else) happened</a>.
Please <a href="https://framagit.org/linmobapps/linmobapps.frama.io/-/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md">do contribute!</a></p>
The Nook Glowlight 32018-11-17T12:12:44+00:002018-11-17T12:12:44+00:00https://linmob.net/the-nook-glowlight-3/<p><em>Yet another post on a device featuring an eInk screen, how likely is that? I honestly don't know, but this is another post about such a thing.</em></p>
<p>I have been an avid buyer of the devices US book giant Barnes & Noble has made under the Nook brand since 2012, when I purchased a Nook Simple Touch. <span id="continue-reading"></span>Then, in 2015 (?) I upgraded to a Nook Glowlight Plus which I unfortunately broke a couple weeks ago. Recently, I purchased the latest iteration of Barnes & Noble's 6" eInk product: The Nook Glowlight 3.</p>
<h3 id="hardware-or-design-is-how-it-feels">Hardware or "Design is how it feels"</h3>
<p>Where the Glowlight Plus was a water proofed device (IP 67) with one capacitive button and an metal back, the Glowlight 3 reminds me a lot of the Nook Simple Touch which I adored for its handy design: It just was a pleasure to hold and use. The Glowlight 3 is a lot like its great-grandparent. To me, it does not feel quite as nice, as the back isn't as contoured and feels less rubbery. But, compared to the cold, heavy metal feeling of the Glowlight Plus, it feels really nice to hold, which in part is also due to the huge bezels.<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#1">1</a></sup> While the recessed, optical/infrared touch screen feels like a downgrade to the capacitive, flush touchscreen of its predecessor, it – like the big bezels – helps with avoiding touching the screen accidentally. Also, you don't need to use that touch screen that often while reading: The Nook Glowlight 3 after two generation reintroduces the page turn buttons last seen on the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. Minor nitpick: The page turn buttons are too loud for my liking, so much so I would not want to use them in a silent environment.<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#2">2</a></sup></p>
<p>Technically, aside from the aforementioned differences, the only truly new feature of the Glowlight 3 is the "Night light". It's quite a simple thing: The frontlight can turn red-ish, which is easier on the eyes. It's just nice. Really nice, so much so, that it – if you are, like me, into Nook e-readers, and you read a lot at night in the dark, it should make the upgrade worthwhile on its own merits.</p>
<h3 id="software">Software</h3>
<p>I live in Europe. So why do I even bother with an e-reader that is so much made for the United States, that you can't even set a non-American time zone during the initial setup?</p>
<p>Simple! It runs Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) which – to my knowledge – is the latest iteration of Android you can get on e-readers at this price point.<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#3">3</a></sup> That makes it very tinker friendly, and introduces you to a ton of options – although the eInk screen and the single core i.MX6 CPU and the meager 512 MB of Ram are severely limiting. So just forget using all these overly animated or memory intensive apps on this device – these won't be pleasant.</p>
<p>So which apps am I using? I run the <a href="https://fdroid.org">FDroid store</a> and also the Yalp store<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#4">4</a></sup>, use the KISS Launcher<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#5">5</a></sup> and for reading I have special eInk optimized versions of CoolReader and FBReader I downloaded years ago from xda-developers or mobiread forums, and also the Android port of <a href="https://koreader.rocks/">KOReader</a>. And then there is <a href="https://f-droid.org/de/packages/org.sufficientlysecure.viewer/">DocumentReader</a>. Reading with multiple apps comes in handy, because I usually read (or re-read) multiple books at a time. As changing books in all these apps is often rather clunky, I love the fact that I just have to hit the home button to get back to the launcher and can then choose a different app to change to another book.</p>
<p><em>Buttons.</em> That's a big one. The Nook is my only device a run the XPosed framework on, as it in conjunction with the <a href="https://bitbucket.org/Ryogo/n-toolkit/downloads/">N+ Toolkit</a> allows to simply customize that home button to do more than it does by default. I also made it so (by editing a couple system files), that I can use the page turn buttons on the left side of my Nook Glowlight 3 to function in those reading apps I run on the device.<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#6">6</a></sup></p>
<p><em>Now why all this hassle?</em> Good question. While I believe, that except for the night light-feature of the Nook the Kindle Voyage I also own is the better device, as it is far smoother in daily operation and the better choice for most people, I like to have an eReader that can be a tad more versatile and can be extended in functionality. I would like it to be able to do more than it can, as the Nook Glowlight 3 unfortunately has neither USB Host capability nor Bluetooth, scenarios like attaching a keyboard and using this Android eReader as an ePaper typewriter are not attainable. So functionality can't be it. In fact, I think that I like the fact that with the modified software I have an eReader that offers me some privacy. There is no cloud sync that would tell some server on which page of an ebook I am or which passages I marked or commented on.</p>
<h3 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h3>
<p>Should you get one? Unless you are as weird as I am, I don't think so. If you want a basic eReader, get one that integrates well with your preferred book store. If you want a versatile eInk device, you should be better of with one of <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/store/3333002">Boyues offerings</a>, that are more open by default or the Dasung <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/not-ereader-first-e-ink-mobile-phone-monitor#/">"Not-eReader"</a>, which seems to be an interesting beast.</p>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="1"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">1</sup>
<p>Which I don't find too aesthetically displeasing, although the fact that chin and forehead are more massive than the side bezels feels unnecessary for handling. Also, that nook logo on the devices forehead feels slightly misplaced.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="2"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">2</sup>
<p>Which isn't a problem at all, as touching or swiping the screen to turn pages works just fine.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="3"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">3</sup>
<p>For perspective: Tolino, a german e-reader brand makes e-readers that still run Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich); Boyue, a chinese e-reader maker offers Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean).</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="4"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">4</sup>
<p>A FOSS app that can download free and (when logged in with a personal Google-Account) paid apps.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="5"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">5</sup>
<p>I should probably try other light launchers out, but I am just too lazy, sorry.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="6"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">6</sup>
<p>When I hold the device in my right hand, I can just tap the screen to easily flip to the next page.</p>
</div>