{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-js","path":"/tweaks-despair-and-hope-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-2/","result":{"data":{"site":{"siteMetadata":{"title":"Rope and Tire","author":"Suprada Urval"}},"markdownRemark":{"id":"1b965ffe-cea6-5d68-90dd-e2f4d41a8580","excerpt":"In Part 1, I talked about buying my Boyue T62+ Once it was in, around Jan 28, 2016, it was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I knew before I bought the Boyue, that out of the box was not going to be good. I had to do some work to at least…","html":"<p><span\n      class=\"gatsby-resp-image-wrapper\"\n      style=\"position: relative; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 590px; \"\n    >\n      <a\n    class=\"gatsby-resp-image-link\"\n    href=\"/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/00d43/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png\"\n    style=\"display: block\"\n    target=\"_blank\"\n    rel=\"noopener\"\n  >\n    <span\n    class=\"gatsby-resp-image-background-image\"\n    style=\"padding-bottom: 39.86486486486486%; position: relative; bottom: 0; left: 0; background-image: url('data:image/png;base64,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'); background-size: cover; display: block;\"\n  ></span>\n  <img\n        class=\"gatsby-resp-image-image\"\n        alt=\"tweak your android\"\n        title=\"tweak your android\"\n        src=\"/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/fcda8/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png\"\n        srcset=\"/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/12f09/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png 148w,\n/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/e4a3f/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png 295w,\n/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/fcda8/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png 590w,\n/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/efc66/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png 885w,\n/static/0d1dcc77626b843c0e573652557a7134/00d43/tweakyourandroid_zpsd3f63a54.png 1000w\"\n        sizes=\"(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\"\n        style=\"width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;vertical-align:middle;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;\"\n        loading=\"lazy\"\n      />\n  </a>\n    </span></p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https://ropeandtire.com/2016/05/09/greed-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-1\">Part 1</a>, I talked about buying my <a href=\"https://www.banggood.com/Boyue-T62-8G-Dual-Core-6-Inch-WIFI-Android-Ebook-Reader-p-942029.html\">Boyue T62+</a></p>\n<p>Once it was in, around Jan 28, 2016, it was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I knew before I bought the Boyue, that out of the box was not going to be good. I had to do some work to at least install Google Apps framework so it could function as a full fledged android e-ink tablet / e-reader.</p>\n<p>So these are the steps I took</p>\n<ol>\n<li>First things first, root the Boyue as per the instructions in this mobileread forum thread – <a href=\"https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245888\">[Guide][Root &#x26; MOD]Icarus Illumina (E653) AND Boyue T61+T62</a> . This was essential for two reasons – to install the google play store for android apps, and for the satisfaction of having a rooted device.</li>\n<li>Once Google Play store was installed, sign in.</li>\n<li>Installed the Nova Launcher and made it my default launcher (because the stock launcher really really sucks)</li>\n<li>Installed the external sd card.</li>\n<li>Install the Scribd app and see if it works. Yes! Do the happy dance.</li>\n<li>Install the Kindle app and see if it works. Yes! Do the happy dance.</li>\n<li>Install ES File Explorer and Google Drive</li>\n</ol>\n<p>Next try to read personal book. I tried the default reader but hated it. So I tried FBreader and didn’t like it. I searched online and found other Boyue /Android e-ink reader owners raving about the Moon + Reader (One mobileread link <a href=\"https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242470\">here</a>). So I bought and installed <a href=\"https://www.moondownload.com/\">Moon + reader</a>, the pro version and connected it to my google drive so I could have cloud sync capabilities.</p>\n<p>At this point, I took a break and played around. I read a Scribd book, and was trying to upload, download to my device and start reading a .mobi book.</p>\n<ol>\n<li>And I realized the home screen and launcher combo was driving me crazy. ‘Throw the device against the wall” crazy. So back to research. I found and installed ReLaunch launcher. Link and instructions in this forum thread – <a href=\"https://forum.xda-developers.com/nook-touch/general/relaunch-best-nst-launcher-version-1-4-t3060782\">https://forum.xda-developers.com/nook-touch/general/relaunch-best-nst-launcher-version-1-4-t3060782</a> . The version I installed was 1.4</li>\n<li>Then, I saw TTS capability somewhere and installed the free <a href=\"https://www.ivona.com/\">Ivona TTS</a> and the <a href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ivona.tts.voicebeta.eng.gbr.amy&#x26;hl=en\">Ivona Amy UK voice</a>. When I tried to test the TTS, I could hear nothing! I was sad that my reader was somehow broken. Then I tried headphones, and the sound was nice and clear. I guess my Boyue doesn’t have speakers, or they aren’t functional. But it’s not a problem for me and I decided to not pursue that.</li>\n<li>Then I set up Moon+ Reader, copied books onto my Google Drive, and enabled the ‘sync page position via Google Drive’ feature.</li>\n</ol>\n<p>And then I read a couple of books over the next week or so. So what are my impressions so far?</p>\n<p><strong>What I like about Boyue</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>I can read Scribd, kindle and my other books!</li>\n<li>Thanks to moon + reader, I get the kindle functionality – sync across devices via Google Drive, I can download highlights and notes on all my books (update: or so I thought at that time)</li>\n<li>It is Android based and clunky and takes work. I really enjoyed the setting up, tweaking process.</li>\n<li>I really like the Relaunch loader (update: or so I thought at that time)</li>\n<li>I really, really, really love that I can use the volume buttons on either side to turn pages.</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>What I don’t like about the Boyue</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Glitchiness of the stock ROM. My screen gets stuck at least twice a day and I have to reboot it. It is quite annoying.</li>\n<li>The lack of good brightness control – only two modes – off or bright (and can be made brighter and brighter). There is no dim setting. Even with 1 bar of brightness, it is still too bright to read in a dark room, even with the Moon+ Reader in night mode. Turn it to 0 bars, and you can’t read anything in a dark room. I loved the brightness control in Kindle Paperwhite.</li>\n<li>The crappy quality of the case. I loved the Kindle black case with magnetic closure. This seems such a silly thing, but every time I pick it up, I’m reminded of how crappy it is for $20.00. What sucks about it? The texture is horrible. The front flap is just a flap with no velcro or something to keep it shut. It just flaps around when you shake it. And of course, I loved how the Kindle would wake up when you opened the magnetic case.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>So overall, what do I think about the Boyue? I miss my Kindle. The Boyue, going in, I knew will need some work and tweaking before I was comfortable with it. After this tweaking and playing around, I am still not in love with it. But I really enjoy reading Scribd books in it. So far I am on the fence regarding – if I like the Boyue or not.</p>","frontmatter":{"title":"Tweaks, despair and hope – The e-ink reader saga Part 2","date":"May 12, 2016","url":"/tweaks-despair-and-hope-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-2/","tags":["Books","Thoughts"]}}},"pageContext":{"slug":"/tweaks-despair-and-hope-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-2/","previous":{"fields":{"slug":"/greed-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-1/2016-05-09-greed-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-1/"},"frontmatter":{"title":"Greed – The e-ink reader saga Part 1","url":"/greed-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-1/","tags":["Books","Thoughts"]}},"next":{"fields":{"slug":"/despair-and-the-quest-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-3/2016-05-16-despair-and-the-quest-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-3/"},"frontmatter":{"title":"Despair and the Quest – The e-ink reader saga Part 3","url":"/despair-and-the-quest-the-e-ink-reader-saga-part-3/","tags":["Books","Thoughts"]}}}},"staticQueryHashes":["3128451518","426816048"]}