Wishlist/Finger based Ebook Reader

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The current applications list has the Reader as a Stylus based app.  Personally I feel that a "simple" finger app would be more useable for reading ebooks, with a seperate stylus app with text input for editing/annotating/re-formatting ebooks/documents.
 
  
I think the Reader could use the standard finger app template using the AUX button to page down through the document, and the scroll wheel to page up and down (tap arrows) and scroll through the document (press and drag).
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OK, the UI has changed since I wrote my initial wish so I guess I should modify it just in case somebody out there is looking to be a genie.
  
Pressing the black centre of the scroll wheel could pop-out the menu buttons with 6 buttons.
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I still think that an ebook reader should be operable without a stylus, at least on its main page, a stylus might be needed for changing the options on the settings tab (more later).
  
The buttons would:
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I think that the name of the book should be displayed on the topbar of the app, if pressed this should open the file dialog to open other books.
1. Change font size (press button, use scroll wheel, press button to return)
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2. Change line spacing (as above)
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3. Start/stop the text scrolling up the screen, scroll speed could be changed using the wheel (scrolling also stopped by AUX)
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4. Open standard file browser to find another document
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5. Open a menu screen with further options
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6. Exit the app
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A progress bar would also be good, either across the bottom or curved around the scroll wheel.
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The main body of the app will obviously display the text, pressing the AUX button should page down or stop scrolling.  Pressing on the right hand side of the text could open a side bar with up (back one page or slow scrolling), right (retract sidebar) and down(page down or speed up scrolling) arrows on it.
  
I'd love to help with the development of this app but I'm afraid I'm a complete novice. If anybody else wants to take it on I'll help in any way I can.
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Below the main body a progress bar could be used as a means to zoom to another part of the book like a scrollbar.  
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I think that we could get away with as few as 2 buttons at the bottom, one to start/stop scrolling and one to switch to an settings page where you can alter line spacing, font (for plain txt documents), sidebar at left or right, etc.
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If anybody wants to implement this I'd love to help with ideas, testing and any documentation that would be needed but my coding skills are limited at best, which is why I'm not writing it myself.
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Mock-up:
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[[Image:300px-Ebook Reader.png]]
  
 
Kombipom
 
Kombipom
  
[[Category:Ideas]]
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[Edit] Maybe it would be better to use landscape mode? That way the eyes need to hop less from one line to another. [/edit]
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[[Category:Software ideas]]

Latest revision as of 08:41, 3 September 2008

OK, the UI has changed since I wrote my initial wish so I guess I should modify it just in case somebody out there is looking to be a genie.

I still think that an ebook reader should be operable without a stylus, at least on its main page, a stylus might be needed for changing the options on the settings tab (more later).

I think that the name of the book should be displayed on the topbar of the app, if pressed this should open the file dialog to open other books.

The main body of the app will obviously display the text, pressing the AUX button should page down or stop scrolling. Pressing on the right hand side of the text could open a side bar with up (back one page or slow scrolling), right (retract sidebar) and down(page down or speed up scrolling) arrows on it.

Below the main body a progress bar could be used as a means to zoom to another part of the book like a scrollbar.

I think that we could get away with as few as 2 buttons at the bottom, one to start/stop scrolling and one to switch to an settings page where you can alter line spacing, font (for plain txt documents), sidebar at left or right, etc.

If anybody wants to implement this I'd love to help with ideas, testing and any documentation that would be needed but my coding skills are limited at best, which is why I'm not writing it myself.

Mock-up: 300px-Ebook Reader.png

Kombipom


[Edit] Maybe it would be better to use landscape mode? That way the eyes need to hop less from one line to another. [/edit]

Personal tools

Template:Unimplemented The current applications list has the Reader as a Stylus based app. Personally I feel that a "simple" finger app would be more useable for reading ebooks, with a seperate stylus app with text input for editing/annotating/re-formatting ebooks/documents.

I think the Reader could use the standard finger app template using the AUX button to page down through the document, and the scroll wheel to page up and down (tap arrows) and scroll through the document (press and drag).

Pressing the black centre of the scroll wheel could pop-out the menu buttons with 6 buttons.

The buttons would: 1. Change font size (press button, use scroll wheel, press button to return) 2. Change line spacing (as above) 3. Start/stop the text scrolling up the screen, scroll speed could be changed using the wheel (scrolling also stopped by AUX) 4. Open standard file browser to find another document 5. Open a menu screen with further options 6. Exit the app

A progress bar would also be good, either across the bottom or curved around the scroll wheel.

I'd love to help with the development of this app but I'm afraid I'm a complete novice. If anybody else wants to take it on I'll help in any way I can.

Kombipom