Latest update and E-Ink E-Readers

I also was unaware that e-ink devices came in the hardware-accelerated variety.  Between the two aforementioned devices, is there a clear winner in performance and storage terms when running logos?

The overall performance of the two is similar. Both have 6 inch Carta E-Ink displays, both with the same 212 dpi resolution. Both have 8 GB of internal storage. Both have a microSD card slot. Both have limited audio capability (if you use headphones). The Boyue T62+ has a larger battery and a larger partition for user apps (1 gig). The Onyx Boox C67ML is lighter and thinner (smaller battery), and has slightly better contrast and slightly better frontlight controls. The price is similar, I believe. The Onyx C67 has only 350 MB for user apps, and Google Play Store and Play Services take up a chunk of that. If you opt for the Onyx, don't install many apps besides Logos!

Simply for purposes of using Logos, these two devices offer very similar features. It's really a toss-up from this perspective, unless you want to install a number of other apps on your device. Then the Boyue is the way to go.  

Don't install many apps or use something like App2SD. Fixed all of my space issues! Now I've got all the apps I want on there!! Little bit fiddly to get going, but my Onyx Afterglow 2 does exactly what I bought it for

Very helpful guys.  Thanks.  Anything on the horizon for newer editions of these devices?

Very helpful guys.  Thanks.  Anything on the horizon for newer editions of these devices?

There is talk of a Boyue Shine, or T63, that supposedly has a 300 dpi resolution (like the Kindle Voyage), but nothing definite as to availability or other specs, as far as I can tell. That talk started in June.  I haven't seen anything about an Onyx C67 update. Onyx also offers E-Ink readers in 8 inch and 9.7 inch sizes, but I don't know if the latest Faithlife apps run well on them. 

I have bought the 8 inch Onyx Boox i86, and can say that the Logos apps doesn't work on my device. But I will look for hardware acceleration - to see if it is possible to toggle it somewhere. Right now it is in for repair, as the page turn buttons didn't work out of the box. Will keep you updated when I get it back.

-RS

I am just thinking, that if hardware acceleration is the key point which defines whether a e-ink device is needed - it would be helpful for users to check whether their prospective device supports this, before buying. But if nothing is mentioned, it feels like you got fooled - if you bought the e-ink device, maybe mainly, to be used to read logos resources - only to find out that it doesn't have hardware acceleration, and hence cannot fulfil one of the major purposes to which it was intended...

-Just a thought that would have helped me...

I am just thinking, that if hardware acceleration is the key point which defines whether a e-ink device is needed - it would be helpful for users to check whether their prospective device supports this, before buying. But if nothing is mentioned, it feels like you got fooled - if you bought the e-ink device, maybe mainly, to be used to read logos resources - only to find out that it doesn't have hardware acceleration, and hence cannot fulfil one of the major purposes to which it was intended...

-Just a thought that would have helped me...

This is a significant issue for anyone who wants to use an E-Ink device with a Logos app. I have looked at the specs for various devices - some of which run the newest Logos app well and some which do not - and I can't find anything that tells me whether or not the device in question is compatible with the "hardware acceleration" requirements for the newer Logos app. For example, The Onyx Boox T68 can't run the latest Logos app, whereas the Onyx Boox C67ML can. Compare their specs. Try to figure out why. I can't. I can't see why the Onyx i86 can't run the latest Logos apps, either. If someone else can point out what to look for, it would help prospective E-Ink users. It shouldn't have to be 'trial and error'. But, other than trying to compile a list of E-Ink devices that are known to work with Logos, I don't know what help we can offer. 

I wonder how many people just rely on the "send to kindle" as opposed to finding a dedicated, hardware-accelerated reader to run the logos app in android.  Anyone go that route who'd care to chime in on their experience?  Perhaps a new thread may be necessary.

Spent the last week away using my onyx eReader and would not have used send to Kindle even if you paid me. No battery charger required. When I got home, all I had to do was connect my eReader to WiFi and all my notes and highlights were synced. The only thing that could get better might be the speed of typing on the touch screen keyboard (or the ability to use a Bluetooth one) 

Hello! Have you got the logos app working on the i86 by now?

Does an older version at least work?

Hello! I have an i86 too.

Did Logos ever get back with you?

Did you find a hardware acceleration option or were you able to fix the problem?

Now I'm just running an old version of logos which isn't too bad, as you know some books just don't work.

I bought an Icarus illumina XL which is an 8" e-ink reader running android. I loaded Logos and it works AWESOME! The only think from making this a flawless experience is some kind of bold font feature. I like the font that Logos uses but it's a little "light" on my e-ink device. I took some screenshots to show you what I mean. In the illumina device there is a built-in dictionary. The font is nice is dark; looks great. But in logos the font is light could be easier on the eyes if it was darker.

As you can see below, the heading "A Basket of Ripe Fruit" looks really nice, but the text itself is not "ideal". I think if I had a way to make it bold that might solve the issue.

Please vote on bold font suggestion: 

https://logosmobile.uservoice.com/forums/190765-logos-mobile-apps/suggestions/12297018-add-an-option-to-make-the-font-bold

Please vote on no page turn circle animation: 

https://logosmobile.uservoice.com/forums/190765-logos-mobile-apps/suggestions/12297048-add-an-option-to-remove-the-loading-circle-on-pa

Matt, I've had my eyes on that device. Of the reviews, the most common complaint has to do with poor screen resolution. I like to shrink the font down pretty small.  How well does it work?

Matt, I've had my eyes on that device. Of the reviews, the most common complaint has to do with poor screen resolution. I like to shrink the font down pretty small.  How well does it work?

It might not be for you then. The image you see is the smallest I go while still being pleasant to read. On my iPhone I go a lot smaller because it has good resolution.

Thanks for the link. I just bought an Onyx N96ML, and the screen blacks out with Bible 5.2.1. But with Bible 4.3.9, everything works perfectly so far.

Thanks again !

Be careful there. New resources don't load on Bible 4.3.9.

Try this month's Spanish free book for example.

Hi, Matt. Thanks for the images. I'm considering this same device. A few months into your experience, would you still recommend it? I'd take the plunge if I knew I could easily return it, but you can't exactly buy it from Best Buy (or even Amazon)... I'd appreciate your most current thoughts for the sake of a fellow Logos user hoping to read from an eye-relieving e-ink screen!

I would recommend it so long as it fits what you need. I have found it doesn't work for me for several reasons. I don't like how slow it is in jumping between resources via passage guide. To go from one resource to another might take a good 10 seconds whereas it's virtually instant on an iPad. Also, the iPad has such a high DPI that it's actually quite pleasing on the eyes, especially now with the night mode feature (feature of ios) or the black mode feature (feature of logos). If I want to read my Bible, and just my Bible though, I'll either use my paper Bible or my Kindle Paperwhite. These work just fine and the Paperwhite has a much better screen and is much faster than the Icarus. But the benefit of these e-ink devices is that browsing the internet on them is a total chore so it's much harder to get "distracted" when you intend to set aside some Bible time whereas on an iPad you can start reading, look something up, say oh wow let me wikipedia that, and then you're looking at power drills or chainsaws somehow.

[:P]

With all of that said, I think the Icarus might work for you if:

1) You want more than just a Bible (i.e., kindle) and need some Logos resources;

2) You really suffer from eye-strain and even an iPad won't cut it and/or you want to read Logos stuff outside; and

3) You don't mind waiting a few more seconds for various resources to load.

If you want mine, PM me and maybe we can work something out lol.

Very helpful information. Thank you!

Hmm... I'm don't usually struggle with social media, but I can't figure out how to PM you. I can see your profile, but there's no option on it to message you. I can go to my profile and start a message, but I can't add you to the "to" field, nor will it find you if I search you. Um, could you message me??

It doesn't look like there is a PM field. Just email me at mezimm at gmail dot com.

From what I have read on this forum every E-reader that supports the newer version of Logos comes equipped with the A9 dual core processor while those that do not feature the A9 Single core processor.

Can anyone confirm if the Onyx Boox C67ML or other dual core E-reader works with the newest version of Logos (5.4.5 I believe)?

I'm not sure about that, but in case this is helpful information: I use the Icarus Illumina, and it works great. There are pluses and minuses to it as a device, but the Logos Android App runs fine on it.

I have the inkBook Obsidian, which is a polish version of one of the boyue Ereaders (not sure which one). It runs "Android 4.2 on a 1GHz dual-core CPU with 512MB RAM. The 6" screen has a resolution of 1024 x 758, for 212 ppi, topped by a frontlight and capacitive touchscreen. Under the hood you'll find 8GB storage, a microSD card slot, and Wifi" 

I sideloaded Logos 5.5.5, and it runs great. I started with the 4.5.6 (because it was the first Apk I found) and ran that for a month, no problems. Then I sideloaded 5.5.5 and have been running that for two weeks no problems. 

I find this to be a very satisfactory setup. It has page turn buttons on the sides of the device that don't work with Logos, but I am fine tapping the screen to turn the page. All in all I would highly recommend this device. You can get it on amazon Prime for $120, and it is realtively easy to sideload apps (no root necessary). Hope this helps. 

Hey Taylor, 

Are you still liking the inkBook Obsidian?

Can anyone confirm if the Onyx Boox C67ML or other dual core E-reader works with the newest version of Logos (5.4.5 I believe)?

I just received an Onyx Boox C67ML Carta 2 device. This device has 300dpi. The latest version of Logos/Verbum (5.6.2) works just fine on it. If you get any C67ML device, be aware that the user app partition is only 350MB. (You have over 6GB for data, and the device will accept microSD cards.) Once Play Store and Play Services are set up and have updated, that leaves you with maybe 150MB of space to install apps. Install Logos/Verbum first. You may get a message from Play Store saying that you lack enough storage space to install the app. In that case, you'll need to get the apk from another device, and then you can sideload it onto the C67ML.  Then install any other apps you want - but you won't have room for many! I suggest that you get the C67ML only if you intend to use it for Logos/Verbum and eBooks and not much else. I have Verbum, iBreviary and Moon Reader installed, and I have maybe 65MB of space left. I moved any part of each app that I could to the internal sd card to gain a little more space. I haven't rooted my device; I see little point in doing so.  

Any e-ink device will run Logos/Verbum a little more slowly than most current Android tablets will, but you have the eye-friendly advantages of e-ink. 

Support for Android 4.3 and below will end on February 1, 2017. This will affect a lot of e-ink e-readers.

Support for Android 4.3 and below will end on February 1, 2017. This will affect a lot of e-ink e-readers.

It will indeed. Still, all is not lost! There seems to be some interest at Faithlife in developing some simplified app to enable e-ink e-reader users to read Logos resources. Even if this doesn't happen, it doesn't mean that the Logos app will suddenly stop working on e-ink devices on February 1. I have seen posts from people who still use an older version of the Logos app on their devices (maybe 4.3.9?) and they say that, even now, most resources can still be read on their apps. 

On the e-ink e-reader side, my understanding is that the hardware manufacturers would have to upgrade some components to enable e-ink devices to run Android 4.4+. Whether that will happen any time soon is another story.  

Yes, I still really like it. Works fine for what I need. It can be a bit slow in the library, so I would recommend knowing the name of the resource you want to open and just typing it in. Otherwise, it would take forever to scroll through the library, especially if you have a large library. the backlight does not go as dim as say a kindle paperwhite, I have found that to be a bit annoying at night. On the flipside, it does get very bright. If you had any more specific questions I would be glad to try to answer them. 

Are all of your books working on the Logos app on your inkbook? Even the new books? For instance some other ereaders won't run books like Tom Schreiner's "New Testament Theology." I guess you have the "Lexham Bible Dictionary" - does that book work? That should be a good test case. 

Thanks!

I am also interested in buying a e/ink reader. Is it possible to use any 9,7" or 13,3" e-ink tablet?

I have been looking on Onyx Boox N96 or Onyx Boox Max and Good e-reader 13.3. Has anyone tried them?

They seems to come with Android 4.0.4. I understand that Logos and Verbum need Android 4.1.

They seems to come with Android 4.0.4. I understand that Logos and Verbum need Android 4.1.

Please see https://community.logos.com/forums/t/132764.aspx .

Thank you Kevin!

There's news for those of you who have the Onyx Boox C67 (any one in this series). The latest firmware update expands the user app partition to about 700 MB. This eliminates the issue with installing/upgrading Logos/Verbum for lack of space. 

Upgrading to the new firmware is a bit more involved than usual. Here you will find the links and instructions, all on the Onyx International web site.  

The firmware still uses Android 4.2.2 - alas - but, so far, my Verbum is fine with it.   

If you click the above link, you'll find yourself on the Onyx International home page. If it's in Chinese, click the UK flag icon on the top right. Then click "support", then "firmware", then "Firmware for C67 series...factory tools". 

No such luck on my artatech c67 afterglow 2

Hey Mark,

.I have an Onyx Boox C67 Carta 2.

I copy and pasted the new 1.8.2 firmware to my devices local storage like it said but it doesn't seem to recognize it.

When I click the update button from local storage I get a message "No update package available"

I have tried multiple things including unzipping the file in the local storage.

Nothing is working. Could use any advice.

Thanks.