Any luck with ereader?

[TheCrusher]

Hi,

I downloaded the android ereader (1.0.32 Beta) from ereader.com. But I'm having zero luck with this thing.

I like the idea of ereader format, because I'm coming from a Treo, and because B&N adapting that format makes it look like a good choice long term.

But first I find that ereader has not registered pdb mime types with the browser, let alone register itself as a handler. This means that I couldn't download books, because the stupid browser wouldn't let me. I've used Astro to tell it to download anything (incredibly stupid that android requires 3rd party software to allow this obvious feature), so I can get it on the card, and then move it from downloads to ereader.

But I haven't gotten anything to work in ereader. I downloaded 20,000 Leagues and Call of the Wild from manybooks.net (which is recommended by ereader.com), and told it to download with the eReader pdb format. But the books get stuck on "waiting for page" and never display anything. Examining them with some homegrown palm utilities, I find that the palm database type and creator are PNRd and PPrs, which as far as I can tell are correct.

Just to be sure I tried copying in a Treasure Island book that worked in ereader on my Treo, but I think is in PalmDOC format. It's palm type and creator are TEXt and REAd. This was a free book from memoware.com, but ereader claims it is locked and asks for my credit card. (No, it's not surprising that ereader mishandles it since it is not an eReader format file, but it'd be nice if it simply said it was the wrong format).

So has anyone gotten ereader to read anything? Or to properly download things without doing fiddly stuff with some 3rd party app?

tom

 

[ldimick]

I use it all the time to read books from ereader.com, fictionwise, Mobi and homemade ereader docs. I can dl it within the app. I did find that on one particular book it was not working for the DL. I manually used my PC and received a notice that I had downloaded the book too many times. A qucik note to support fixed the count issue.

Remove and try again.

 

[Trip]

I use eReader all the time too without issue. I have 1.0.30 though, not sure if theres an issue with the newer version. I'd try a fresh download and install and if that doesn't work try contacting eReader and see if they know of any issues.

 

[Dr. Tenma]

Wow, I thought for a second we had an emulator with e-Reader support running and I was about to get out a bin of cards

 

[TheCrusher]

Well, I reinstalled, but found the same behavior.

Then I tried getting a free book from ereader.com (Call of the Wild again). This one works. It loaded onto my bookshelf, and I can read it.

So, while ereader.com says that any ereader format pdb files will work, apparently only some of them will (at the moment). And while they specifically refer to manybooks.net, apparently some or all of their books do not actually work.

And while the document on getting books through other sources says you can just download them, this feature is not yet implemented. Now, where do I report bugs to ereader?

tom

 

[ldimick]

I would report any issues to ereader.com

 

[yoopermjm]

ereader works fine for me, I do download the books from the droid on the ereader website. I prefer the Aldiko app for a better interface. I atually paid for I like it so much. Better options and much better look and feel than ereader. I used to love it on my palm, but for now I'm not buying any more books until I see if they get it up to speed. It does work fine with the books I already purchased on my bookshelf though.

 

[ldimick]

ereader works fine for me, I do download the books from the droid on the ereader website. I prefer the Aldiko app for a better interface. I atually paid for I like it so much. Better options and much better look and feel than ereader. I used to love it on my palm, but for now I'm not buying any more books until I see if they get it up to speed. It does work fine with the books I already purchased on my bookshelf though.

Me too and I make it a point to bug them at least every week that they need to make an Android app. I am not a fan of the nook so far but unless Amazon gets up to speed very quickly B&N might be able to seriously make up some lost ground between the Nook and an Android app.

 

[miss chris]

I hate teh ereader software so I switched to aldiko. I have to do quite a bit of fussing to convert from pdb to epub, but it is so worth it!

 

[yoopermjm]

I hate teh ereader software so I switched to aldiko. I have to do quite a bit of fussing to convert from pdb to epub, but it is so worth it!

Are you saying you can get your ereader books on aldiko? I love the app but have been limited to the books available for it. The ereader app on android is terrible, anf aldiko's app is even better than the ereader app I loved on my palm. How do you do it?

 

[miss chris]

That is exactly what I am saying. Go here and read the post made by some updates on December 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm. Word of caution, they are very helpful at this site if and only if you are simply trying to use books you legitamately purchased on a device of your own. If you need help make sure you let them know your purpose so they do not think you are a pirate.

 

[jpharper999]

:angry:

Thought you all might like to see the following email chain

-----Original Message-----
From: John Harper
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 10:36 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Cc: 'Fictionwise.com'
Subject: FW: Response for Support Ticket #152149

To whom it may concern,

I am forwarding the following email chain to Barnes and Noble Management in the hopes they may be able to prompt/nudge ereader.com and fictionwise in to action. They have been a Barnes and Noble owned company since their purchase in March of 2009.

Their android software has been in beta (currently at version 1.0.39) for a pretty long time. I think the current version was released back in 2010. Judging by the responses I received as well as no new releases, I honestly do not believe they have any intention of bringing their android software up to current levels of usability. Either that or (no offense) they may lack the skill set with their current developers/programmers.

I converted to Android about a year ago and have been patiently waiting for them to publish a working ereader.com android app. Unfortunately I did not know it was going to be this long. Now I am frustrated and mad. I logged in to ereader.com and pulled my purchase history from them for a more accurate read on how many books I cannot read. I have twenty-seven or so books in my library. I can read four or five of them in another reader app as those are unlocked. The rest is money I apparently flushed down the drain.

From my experience, it is completely unlike Barnes and Noble to allow a subsidiary to fall behind in a matter that reflects on them. One it prevents your company from taking advantage of the huge market share that is made available through the android users and two it causes those of us that have androids now to shy away from ereader.com, fictionwise, and Barnes and Noble as a whole.

Is there anything you can do for us. I would gladly trade off my ereader account if Barnes and Noble would provide me with the copies of books on the nook app.

John Harper


-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 8:00 AM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

Our Android version of eReader is a Beta version and does not support Honeycomb, the 3.0 and higher versions. We have not announced plans for any new version of Android eReader.

I will pass your feedback onto our development team.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
Android 3.1 or higher

-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 2:48 PM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

The norm is a few files that do not unlock. Which version of Android are
you using?

"Nook for Android" software, the "Nook for iPhone/iPad" software, (and the
"Nook for ..." app on other platforms) can only read Barnes&Noble purchases.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
Lynn,

I completely understand why you cannot "pre-announce" future versions.
Simple fact though that Android operating system has been around for a few
years now. Your version still being in BETA version 1.0.39 shows very little
in any attempt to support android. I was able to correct the screen issue I
was experiencing. I still cannot unlock my books though. The bug of not
being able to unlock the files is not something that needs to be addressed
in future versions. It is something that should be addressed immediately
with a high priority. Fact of the matter is that I have 20 something books
that I cannot read now and that is upsetting to me. The bug does not affect
some of my files... it affects all of them that are locked.

As you are a Barnes and Noble company, can the NOOK software for android
unlock and read the files?

Sincerely,

John Harper

-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 1:44 PM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

There a few known issues with our Beta version of eReader for Android. There
is an issue with larger device screens and a bug which causes some files to
error "unlock failed". This is something that will need to be addressed
with any future versions of eReader for Android.

I'm sorry, but we cannot pre-announce future versions of our reading
software.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
I have an HTC Inspire Phone and a Toshiba Thrive Tablet.
Your "BETA" version keeps crashing. Also fails to unlock
the files. Also whe it does display a book that does not
need to be unlocked, it does so in format that does not
conform to screen of the tablet. This is ridiculous.
Seriously, I used to praise your software and service but
now I find myself in a position that I hesitate to do so.
Is there another way I can get my books? I notice that you
are a Barnes and Noble Company... Are you allowing the Nook
e-reader software to read the books?

Please assist!

John Harper

 

[yoopermjm]

I too have many books in ereader format. It is disappointing to be an early adopter and supporter and spend money on books only to lose them. Makes you wonder how tenuous your collection of resources is if they are saved electronically by a third party. Sad.

 

[ayi]

Use iReader instead?

I had the same exact problem after upgrading my Nexus S into ice cream sandwich and I stumbled upon this post through google.

However, it seems there's an alternative solution.
It appears I now can open all of my encrypted books by using iReader instead:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chaozh.iReader15

Thought just let everybody knows.

:angry:

Thought you all might like to see the following email chain

-----Original Message-----
From: John Harper
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 10:36 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Cc: 'Fictionwise.com'
Subject: FW: Response for Support Ticket #152149

To whom it may concern,

I am forwarding the following email chain to Barnes and Noble Management in the hopes they may be able to prompt/nudge ereader.com and fictionwise in to action. They have been a Barnes and Noble owned company since their purchase in March of 2009.

Their android software has been in beta (currently at version 1.0.39) for a pretty long time. I think the current version was released back in 2010. Judging by the responses I received as well as no new releases, I honestly do not believe they have any intention of bringing their android software up to current levels of usability. Either that or (no offense) they may lack the skill set with their current developers/programmers.

I converted to Android about a year ago and have been patiently waiting for them to publish a working ereader.com android app. Unfortunately I did not know it was going to be this long. Now I am frustrated and mad. I logged in to ereader.com and pulled my purchase history from them for a more accurate read on how many books I cannot read. I have twenty-seven or so books in my library. I can read four or five of them in another reader app as those are unlocked. The rest is money I apparently flushed down the drain.

From my experience, it is completely unlike Barnes and Noble to allow a subsidiary to fall behind in a matter that reflects on them. One it prevents your company from taking advantage of the huge market share that is made available through the android users and two it causes those of us that have androids now to shy away from ereader.com, fictionwise, and Barnes and Noble as a whole.

Is there anything you can do for us. I would gladly trade off my ereader account if Barnes and Noble would provide me with the copies of books on the nook app.

John Harper


-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 8:00 AM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

Our Android version of eReader is a Beta version and does not support Honeycomb, the 3.0 and higher versions. We have not announced plans for any new version of Android eReader.

I will pass your feedback onto our development team.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
Android 3.1 or higher

-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 2:48 PM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

The norm is a few files that do not unlock. Which version of Android are
you using?

"Nook for Android" software, the "Nook for iPhone/iPad" software, (and the
"Nook for ..." app on other platforms) can only read Barnes&Noble purchases.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
Lynn,

I completely understand why you cannot "pre-announce" future versions.
Simple fact though that Android operating system has been around for a few
years now. Your version still being in BETA version 1.0.39 shows very little
in any attempt to support android. I was able to correct the screen issue I
was experiencing. I still cannot unlock my books though. The bug of not
being able to unlock the files is not something that needs to be addressed
in future versions. It is something that should be addressed immediately
with a high priority. Fact of the matter is that I have 20 something books
that I cannot read now and that is upsetting to me. The bug does not affect
some of my files... it affects all of them that are locked.

As you are a Barnes and Noble company, can the NOOK software for android
unlock and read the files?

Sincerely,

John Harper

-----Original Message-----
From: Fictionwise.com [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 1:44 PM
To:
Subject: Response for Support Ticket #152149

Hi John,

There a few known issues with our Beta version of eReader for Android. There
is an issue with larger device screens and a bug which causes some files to
error "unlock failed". This is something that will need to be addressed
with any future versions of eReader for Android.

I'm sorry, but we cannot pre-announce future versions of our reading
software.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Lynn
eReader.com Support Team

============================================================
You wrote:
I have an HTC Inspire Phone and a Toshiba Thrive Tablet.
Your "BETA" version keeps crashing. Also fails to unlock
the files. Also whe it does display a book that does not
need to be unlocked, it does so in format that does not
conform to screen of the tablet. This is ridiculous.
Seriously, I used to praise your software and service but
now I find myself in a position that I hesitate to do so.
Is there another way I can get my books? I notice that you
are a Barnes and Noble Company... Are you allowing the Nook
e-reader software to read the books?

Please assist!

John Harper

 

[Taunton]

That's really useful, thanks. Still, it's quite a big disappointment on the ereader part.