NeoReader 2 improvements and other issues

Note Series
#1

Hello, I recently purchased a BOOX Note that I immediately updated to 1.9.0 and am really enjoying the device but I think the NeoReader 2 APP needs some improvements:

  • The app should be accessible through the task selector and not disappear as soon as we return to the home screen (if the “System Status Bar” is set to visible when the app is running than it is possible to see the app in the “Multi-tasking Interface” but switching to another app or to the home screen closes the app)
  • The app should have an option to display the “System Status Bar” only when the menu is visible since this would allow for quick changes between apps (if the previous point is implemented) and to easily refresh the screen when needed but not clutter the screen while reading. As it stands one can either have the bar always on or never on while in several 3rd party apps this can be achieved by unchecking the “Run In Full Screen” option in “Apps Optimize Settings.
  • The behavior described on page 23 of the manual regarding the creation of txt for annotations should not be the default and there should at least be an option to remove this or select an alternative base folder. It creates an unneeded folder in the location of the file with the same name as the file which makes browsing files more difficult. If someone wants to export notes as txt files there already is the option described on page 25 of the manual.
  • The location and file name for exporting pdfs with notes should be editable and not forced to default folder (description as default on page 40 of manual leads to wrong impression that it can be altered, which should be possible but is not, and the name of the folder is not “Export” as mentioned but the name of the file which leads to unnecessary additional folders)
  • It is difficult to select highlights to delete them or add notes as most of the time it will wither open the general menu (not the highlight selection menu) or change pages.
  • The highlight color and style should be selectable, i.e.: 4 or 5 grey levels and the current inverted color option and option to underline or strike out (this should be by note and not globally like the Annotation Style option)
  • The side note feature should allow for both page locked notes and general notes, i.e.: notes that are visible on all pages, except maybe those that have locked notes, which would be save as either the last page or first page when exporting a pdf (user selectable preferably if not last page would probably be the best option)
  • The stylus button should erase notes in NeoReader the same way it does in the note app (version 1.9.0)
  • The rotation symbols are misleading as they give the impression that the rotation is relative to the back button when its actually in relation to the current rotation (should be in relation to the back button as it would be simpler)
    Then there are the issues with integrating the app with other pdf editors such as editors on a PC:
  • Standard pdf highlights are not recognized, i.e.: if a pdf is highlighted in the PC and then imported into the BOOX Note the highlights are visible but not selectable (not the same problem as the difficulty selecting highlights done in the app itself as those can actually be selected after some tries)
  • The location of highlights in the exported pdf do not match the location on NeoReader as highlights spanning multiple lines will actually a single rectangle encompassing all lines where there was a highlight
  • Once both of the above have been fixed the original pdf should be edited instead of having to export the file

Other issues (not NeoReader related):

  • Password protection in English language (latest version of the 1.8.3 (the one that came with my device) had it in English but upon updating it was removed). An update for just this function would be justifiable no need to delay it to add more features.
  • Access to the actual android settings (to hide passwords when typing and to see and manage application permissions)
  • Option to refresh screen with long press or by double clicking the back button (ideally a menu in the settings to select what long press does such as refresh screen, switch app, take screen shot)
    Some of these points where already made by other users in this forum (like different highlight colors and password protection) but since they are important it doesn’t hurt to repeat them.

Notes:

  • the highlight color as currently implemented might not be possible when exporting the file so an alternative would be to display export as a specific color and display all comments in that color as the current color inversion.
  • ScribbleBar menu described in page 48 of manual is missing (even in the image in page 43 of the manual)
3 Likes
#2

Thank you for your support for our products. Your opinion is very important to us. We will seriously discuss with the R&D dep. Please look forward to our next software update.

1 Like
#3

I fully agree with this list.

I am a Max2 user and the most frustrating thing is the sidenotes feature. I need to be able to read a pdf while taking notes. Adding a new page every time in sidenotes when I go to a new page in a pdf is useless for me.

Imagine that you have a large corporate pdf and you need to summarise and remember the key points of it. Right now I need to have the pdf open in the Max2 and summarise it on a piece of paper!

I really hope this will be corrected. This feature is also necessary for mathematics, engineering and anything business related where it is important to remember the key aspects of a .pdf.

The other possibility would be to enable multi tasking: Neoreader on one side of the screen and the separate Note taking app on the other.

(the Max2 and Note have both great potential)

1 Like
#4

It’s a very important feature, i created “Feature request”:

Please support my request by liking.

3 Likes
#5

Can an Admin please pin this post to the top of the forum, so we can all use it for NeoReader feature requests.

I’ve resorted to using the app Xodo, because I find navigating the markup and annotation menus in Neoreader so slow and awkward.

Can the developer team please create a permanent notation sidebar (the screen is certainly big enough to accommodate it) with icons for highlighter, scribbler, eraser, and stickey note (annotation that isn’t linked to highlighted text.) Maybe some other users would want options for underline and strikethrough too.

The need to enter and exit the scribble window every time I need to use stylus gets pretty frustrating.

And can we get some better differentiation between press centre to open the menu, press and hold to drag the page around the screen, and press and hold to select/highlight word. I keep doing the wrong input by accident.
I propose:
-doubletap the centre to bring up the menu
-two finger press and hold for dragging the page (once you’ve got the page sized up you rarely need to move it again) as well as zooming.
-single finger quick press for select word or press and hold for select multiple words.

That should speed up my workflow a bit.

Also, I’m not sure whether this is an easy fix but can I please have the option to set EBpocket as my preferred dictionary. This is pretty useful if you’re studying Japanese and all the best dictionaries are in Epwing format.

Thanks for the Max2. Keep up the great work!

1 Like