Classic 1st Nook in Thailand? - Still cannot register

[bthoven]

Hi,

So excited getting my Nook yesterday via Vpostasia shipped from its US address to my home (Bangkok, Thailand). Not sure I'm the first Nook owner here 8-)

Overall, I'm impressed with the built quality and its functionality. Though I have no experience in any other dedicated ebook reader, I can easily navigate Nook without a hitch. The only gripe is the very slow movement of hilight cursor when choosing word for dictionary lookup; however, the lookup function is fine to me.

I know that I cannot rely on the simcard. Last night I can connect my Nook with my home wifi hotspot. I can load B&N catalog without problem, actually, very smooth operation.

The problem is I can't register my Nook. I already have my account in B&N. I've tried it several times last night and again this morning via wifi. It always came back with error message something like "sorry I cannot register right now, please try again" (not the exact wordings). I'm not sure Nook block non-US ip on this respect?

Another questions: anyone know what is the specification of custom wallpaper size, gray scale, filetype; also the screensaver? I can place my own wallpaper image in the wallpaper folder; but the photos I put in screensaver photo was not showing up. I need help.

Thanks in advance for your suggestion.

[bthoven]

Just to report further.

Before ordering Nook, I'm aware that it will not display Thai properly for epub and pdb formatted ebook; but I still had hope on PDF file. I found displaying PDF English document is quite acceptable and readable when set font size to medium to Large. Some PDF documents with more graphic seem very slow when opening and sometimes freeze when changing page; but for less-graphic PDF, it works very well.

When opening Thai PDF ebook, it can show Thai alphabets and vowels which are in the same level of the alphabets correctly; but the upper/lower vowels are all missing. Hope when there are more Thai owners, somebody will do some hack to make Nook display Thai correctly.

[ssophon]

Have you try to update the new firmware? I heard that it improve a lot from the original. I don't expect that Thai language will be solved in this new firmware or even soon.

I am also keep an eye on nook, but I am still afraid about Thai display since I want to be able to read Thai on the ebook reader as well. I am sure that there might be some work around in the future, just keep the fingers cross.

[bthoven]

Thanks Khun Sophon. Updating to new firmware 1.1.1 was the first thing I did last night. So far so good.

[stangri]

If you embed fonts in your epub/pdf files that should work.

For the wallpapers and all, http://nookdevs.com/Wallpapers

[bthoven]

Thanks strangri. I can now create my own wallpapers and screensavers.

Could you show me the link(s) where you think it is a workable solution for Nook? I saw only those for other ereader.

[stangri]

I use ePubGen (http://nookdevs.com/Creating_Books) just make sure to go into settings and tick the option for embedding fonts and it worked for all the epubs I've created in russian.

I've also posted photos of international (I believe czech and japanese) PDF files on nook and from what I gathered they displayed fine.

[Sakura]

were u able to register it ? and can you download book samples ?

[bthoven]

Thanks strangi.

Further update on Thai ebook on PDF format. If I set font size to extra small, it would display Thai correctly, but very tiny and a very difficult to read. Setting font larger than extra small will result in upper/lower vowel disappearing. I think Nook will display PDF in reflow mode if we set font larger than "small"; and reflow is still not working with Thai.

I'm not sure if I recreate those PDF file with different setting, e.g larger font, less number of words in one page, would help.

Sakura...I can confirm that in Thailand, we cannot register our Nook; thus cannot download anything from B&N, including the book samples. It will always ask for your account information, ie. email address and password; which will never go through.

The Nook manual also says something like you can register only with AT&T GPRS...carrier or wifi in B&N bookshop, in US or Canada.

[bthoven]

Hi Stangri,

I've downloaded the epubgen-0.5.0.jar. Running it, drag an rtf document to the Document tab, nothing happen. How I did wrong?

I also download rtf2epub-0.3.0.jar, do I need this? because when double click this one, nothing happened.

Thanks

[ssophon]

bthoven,

I believe, display Thai character is a problem in most of ebook reader right now, except the pioneer one such as Kindle 2 and Sony PRS505 which has a lot of hack on it.

A couple months ago I bought EZ-Reader and got the same problem with Thai display, finally I decided to return. Even I try to create a PDF, it still did not display correctly. Some of them even worth that it display everything in one line.

However, I found one book that can display without any problem. It is a BasicJava book. I cannot remember where I got it from. So, I am not so sure that the problem is because of the ebook or reader.

[bthoven]

Khun Sophon,

Thanks for your input. I downloaded and tried that Java ebook. It can display Thai properly as long as I set font size to "small", bigger than that Nook go into "reflow" mode which cause the mentioned problem.

I tried with another Dhamma PDF ebook, the font size is readable even font set to "small". So I can draw my conclusions:

1. always set font size to "small" in order to avoid reflow mode
2. create an appropriate size (still finding out) font PDF ebook which can be read comfortably with "small" font setting

I'm trying ePUB ebook creation with included Thai font whether it is an alternative to creating PDF ebook.

Any more suggestion is welcome

[ssophon]

Hello K Bthoven,

For Java ebook, that weird. If it is the same book I have, Author Pharan Chumsai, Far Eastern College, then Nook might need some update on the fireware for this.

The small font size is very difficult to read for PDF. I went to many stores to try Thai PDF but none of ebook in store capable enough to display it correctly.

However, EZ Reader seems to be more proactive on this since I believe that there is some developer in Thailand as well. And the guy from EZ-Reader is very active, as I can see he post in Astak section. Anyway, this might out of the scope.

For ePUB, please also post the result after you tried. Thanks in advance.

[haste]

Sawasdee Krub K Bthoven,

I'm also Thai living in BKK. I am at the moment bidding on Sony prs-600 from Ebay, and thanks to your post, i might be using vpostasia to ship

Anyhow, where did you order the Nook from? I saw on its website that it will ship around 14 Feb, which i don't want to wait

Regarding your problem of registration, are you able to even buy the books from the website using PC? I've bought a book from them and now reading on my Blackberry.

Apparently BN checks for both US ip address and US creditcard. You will need some proxy and virtual c/c to overcome the country striction.

If you think i can help you can pm me krub.

Cheers,

[bthoven]

Originally Posted by haste

Sawasdee Krub K Bthoven,

I'm also Thai living in BKK. I am at the moment bidding on Sony prs-600 from Ebay, and thanks to your post, i might be using vpostasia to ship

Anyhow, where did you order the Nook from? I saw on its website that it will ship around 14 Feb, which i don't want to wait

Regarding your problem of registration, are you able to even buy the books from the website using PC? I've bought a book from them and now reading on my Blackberry.

Apparently BN checks for both US ip address and US creditcard. You will need some proxy and virtual c/c to overcome the country striction.

If you think i can help you can pm me krub.

Cheers,

Sawadee Krub,

Great to know you are also interested in this kind of device; and thanks a lot for your offer to help.

I usually read ebooks in my iPhone; and now turn to dedicated ebook reader to preserve my eyes.

Vpostasia re-shipping charge is quite reasonable. It charged me only around Bt.1,000.- (US$30) for Nook itself and its cover in the same package (1.6kg). I found other similar services charge more by 50%. Fortunately, the box came straight to my home without any import duty/VAT! Sorry, I ordered direct from B&N since early Nov. Just got it this Tuesday.

Actually I used alwaysvpn service (pay some minimal fee) when I ordered my Nook with my Thai visa card. I believe I can order ebooks the same way; but I don't think that you can sideload it to Nook?

I also just want to try whether it is possible to workaround B&N restriction from registration and ebook order via my Nook (through my home wifi).

Today, I just play around with freeware soPDF. It really help solve Thai ebook (PDF) reading in my Nook! I can now set bigger font size without losing those upper/lower vowels.

Also PM me if you need any private discussion.