[bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
- From: buhrow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Brian Buhrow)
- To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 14:59:21 -0700
Hello Richard. Yes, I understand that. That's why I used the word
"often". :)
How often do you change your settings? Once a week, once a day? The
"save" feature, as I like to think of it, works anytime and, so, you could
achieve your feature, more or less, by employing it after you change your
settings, every time. You can also use it when you change flash cards, so
that you can retrieve your settings, regardless of what card you're using
at the moment.
I too would like a "panic mode" where settings could be saved during a
crash, but this works reasonably well, except for the clock, as I said
earlier.
-Brian
On Sep 16, 4:51pm, "Richard Ring" wrote:
} Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
} Brian, that only works if the crash you experience is planned for.
} I have had to reset my device because, sometimes, it simply locks up.
} I would like a way to avoid having to redo the settings when those
} unexpected crashes happen.
}
} -----Original Message-----
} From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Brian Buhrow
} Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 4:45 PM
} To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
}
}
} Hello Richard. To save settings, as I learned early in my
} Bookport
} career, press D, E, and F often. Then, when it crashes, just pull the
} batteries, put them back, and you're all set, except for the clock.
} -Brian
} On Sep 16, 4:28pm, "Richard Ring" wrote:
} } Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
} } No, I don't believe that all feature requests are a result of
} } dissatisfaction, however I do sense that many individuals seem to feel
} } that the unit is seriously flawed. All of the units specifications
} are
} } public knowledge, and I simply feel that if those who feel that the
} } device does not meet their needs had taken the time to find out
} exactly
} } what the machine can and cannot do, they would not be as unhappy with
} } their purchase as some seem to be.
} } I am glad that the device plays MP3 files, I don't use it for that,
} but
} } I am glad it does.
} } I have experimented with its MP3 navigation, and I find it wonderful.
} } I wish there was a way to save settings to the compact flash card so
} as
} } to allow you to reload your previous settings after a crash, but
} that's
} } about all I want.
} }
} } -----Original Message-----
} } From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gary Wunder
} } Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 4:19 PM
} } To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
} }
} }
} } Hi Richard. You may be right, but in my case my suggestions for
} } enhancements have come not from a dissatisfaction with the unit
} } but the very opposite - observing just how much the APH folks can
} } make the unit do now that it didn't do when first I saw and
} } purchased one. It was fantastic when I purchased it, but it
} } couldn't handle MP3 very well unless it had come through the
} } transfer software and now these play fine. I couldn't move files
} } to different folders, but now I can. This is a fine fine machine,
} } and I hope no one interprets observations and suggestions as
} } regrets for a tremendous purchase.
} }
} } ----- Original Message -----
} } From: "Richard Ring" <ring.richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
} } To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
} } Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 3:55 PM
} } Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
} }
} }
} } I have one thought on this subject.
} } It seems that many individuals on this list have purchased the
} } Bookport
} } who now find it lacking in many features they would like the
} } device to
} } have.
} } Perhaps it would have been a good idea for individuals to
} } research the
} } product thoroughly before purchase so as to not become so
} } disappointed
} } and frustrated with the current unit.
} }
} }
} } -----Original Message-----
} } From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Neal Ewers
} } Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 4:23 PM
} } To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } Subject: [bookport] Re: My Last Word on Feature Changes
} }
} }
} } Bruce, nice list. I didn't see it when you posted it originally.
} } Thanks for sharing it again.
} }
} } Neal
} }
} }
} }
} } -----Original Message-----
} } From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bruce Toews
} } Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 4:14 PM
} } To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
} } Subject: [bookport] My Last Word on Feature Changes
} }
} }
} } As my very last word ever on the subject of suggestions for new
} } features
} } and so on, I wil repost my annotated wish list, lest people like
} } Walt
} } think I am trying to turn the BP into something other than what
} } it is.
} }
} } After this post, I assure you this is the last you'll hear from
} } me on
} } this
} } list about not-yet-implemented changes.
} }
} } HIGH PRIORITIES:
} } 1. USB 2-enabled; the speed difference is substantial.
} } No functionality increase here, just a difference in speed for
} } existing
} } functionality.
} }
} } 2. A true lock mode that doesn't activate the unit every time a
} } key is
} } pressed; Again, no increased functionality here, just more
} } efficient
} } use of an existing
} } function.
} }
} } 3. Seek to time feature; seeking by time is fine for short files,
} } but
} } seek to
} } time would still, in my mind, be desirable.
} } Yes, it's a new function, but it's well in keeping with BP's
} } mandate.
} } Searching
} } through a long audiobook MP3 can often be better facilitated by
} } jumping
} } directly to a specified time.
} }
} } 4. Direct, no-vonversion-necessary, OGG Vorbis support.
} } Nothing new to learn, just a little more versatility in formats
} } that
} } are
} } allowable. Well with in BP's current mandate.
} }
} } 5. Option for an externally audible beep to indicate recording.
} } The
} } record
} } feature is really nice, but it gets less convenient if you have
} } to put
} } on a
} } pair of headphones each time to get the audible varification that
} } you're
} } recording.
} } Nothing new to learn, unless the audible beep is configurable in
} } the
} } menu. Just
} } making an existing function more convenient.
} }
} } 6. Independent volume controls for voice and audio.
} } The volume differences between synthetic speech and audio are
} } really
} } quite
} } profound, and if you have the volume set right for a piece of
} } audio,
} } you might
} } miss error or warning messages the machine tries to give you.
} }
} } 7. More memory in the unit and a more modern processor, so that
} } things
} } like necessary conversions, grade two translation, etc. could be
} } done
} } in the
} } unit and on the fly.
} } Offers speed increases and more flexibility for APH programmers.
} } Essentially it
} } allows the BP itself to do what the software previous had to do.
} } What
} } if you
} } don't have an hour to transfer a large book to your unit?
} }
} } 8. 4-GIG CF card support.
} } No new functionality here, just more potential versatility for
} } those
} } who want
} } it.
} }
} } 9. Correct mapping of the stereo channels to the correct
} } speakers.
} } Simple fix of a hardware bug, no new functionality.
} }
} } 10. Still-finer control of volume.
} } No increased options to learn, just a finer control over how loud
} } you
} } want your
} } unit to be for those of us whose ideal volume is between two
} } existing
} } volume
} } levels.
} }
} } 11. Eliminate transfer limit of 250 MB
} } Just the removal of a restriction that inhibits transfering of
} } DAISY
} } books on
} } CD. No new functionality.
} }
} } 12. Ability to sort directory listings automatically so files
} } play in
} } correct order.
} }
} } Again, BP's mandate is served by this, some purchased MP3 books
} } are
} } numerically
} } named and it is helpful to know what order you're going to hear
} } your
} } book in.
} } No new outward functionality, but a smoother reading experience.
} }
} } Lower-Priority:
} } 1. Third battery to run the clock.
} } This could be a small watch battery which would probably last for
} } years, since
} } it's just running a clock, not displaying or saying anything.
} }
} } 2. Ability to write error messages to files so that line numbers
} } need
} } not be
} } memorized.
} } Handy for beta testing.
} }
} } 3. Memorize latest point read in a file in case that point was
} } inadvertently navigated away from; should work for audio and text
} } files.
} }
} } Not terribly ground-breaking, just a way to get to the last point
} } read
} } in case
} } you inadvertently lean on the go-to-top feature or something.
} }
} } I utterly fail to see what is so outrageous about these
} } suggestions,
} } or how
} } these suggestions turn the BP into something other than what it
} } is.
} } With the
} } exception of the rewiring to correct the switched stereo channels
} } and
} } a clock
} } backup battery, everyon one of these suggestions is directly
} } relevant
} } to book
} } reading. I am not asking for PDA functions, for Internet support,
} } or
} } anything
} } else that doesn't directly fit into BP's reason for being. My
} } list
} } isn't
} } suggesting radios, external speakers, WIFI support, spell
} } checkers,
} } dictionaries, blood pressure gauges, dehumidifiers, or anything
} } else
} } like that.
} } I was very deliberately thinking of the BP's mandate, what it's
} } here
} } for, and
} } what its potential, with redesign, could be to improve on its
} } existing
} } features
} } and purposes.
} }
} } --
} } Bruce Toews
} } E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: dogriver@xxxxxxxx
} } Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries):
} } http://www.ogts.net Info on the Best TV Show of All Time:
} } http://www.cornergas.com
} }
} } On Thu, 18 Aug 2005, Scott D. Henning wrote:
} }
} } > Hi,
} } >
} } > I only drop in sometimes, this discussion is interesting. The
} } Pocket
} } > PC is the machine many are envisioning for raw horsepower and
} } > connectivity. The battery life is poor, but they are very
} } mature
} } > devices now. If someone wrote a screen reader for it...we
} } could
} } > experience true Windows power and frustration. Devices with
} } a
} } focus
} } > like Bookport can be more stable and can be easier to use, due
} } to a
} }
} } > lack of ambiguity. I actually feel the Bookport may already
} } be
} } too
} } > many things. I have hundreds of keystrokes to remember (so
} } does
} } > everyone else here, smile), I actually think menu driven
} } software
} } and
} } > devices make sense when so many options are availible.
} } >
} } > The Bookport can evolve, should evolve, but I do not think it
} } should
} } > lose it's basic function in a wealth of features.
} } >
} } > Scott D. Henning
} } > Cheif Engineer
} } > KSUT Public Radio
} } >
} } >
} } >
} } >
} }
} }
} } --
} } Bruce Toews
} } E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: dogriver@xxxxxxxx
} } Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries):
} } http://www.ogts.net Info on the Best TV Show of All Time:
} } http://www.cornergas.com
} }
} }
} }
} }
} }
} >-- End of excerpt from "Richard Ring"
}
}
}
}
>-- End of excerpt from "Richard Ring"
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