Frame not rigid enough

[Arizona Willie]

I always use my tablets for reading in bed.

Having lots of trouble with the Surface.

Holding it by the edges causes book reader apps to turn pages at random with just the slightest uneveness in pressure.

It seems as though the frame ( does it even have a <frame>? ) is not stiff enough.

Very aggravating when the pages turn by themselves and it switches from showing two pages in split view in landscape mode to a single page in portrait mode but I am still holding it in the landscape postion.

 

[bosamar]

What app are you using?

 

[Ruffles]

Hmm. I'm using the Kindle and Nook apps and I'm not having those problems.

 

[Garyjk]

i don't think it's the frame, i think it's your fingers

 

[Russ]

I always use my tablets for reading in bed. . . . It seems as though the frame ( does it even have a <frame>? ) is not stiff enough.

Willie --

Like you, I use my tablet for reading in bed. I've been using my RT that way since I got it back in October. I had a couple of problems at first:
* I kept seeing the Volume Control indicator, and realized I was squeezing it.
* Kept letting my thumb drift over the Windows button on the side.
Solved both problems by turning the device over.

I have not had the problems you describe, and, for that purpose, the RT is just a thin Pro. I think Garyjk may be right -- it's your fingers.

Finished my last book on the RT, so tonight I start reading with the Pro. If I have any peculiar events, I'll let you know.

Take care,
Russ

 

[bosamar]

When I first got my RT I experienced some of the same things you did Russ. I still accidently run my finger over the Windows key now and again.

 

[Arizona Willie]

I've been using an app call " Book Bazaar Reader ".
I wanted to use either Kindle or Nook apps but neither one will let you read any books except books you buy from THEM.
Even books from other places you can get in the Kindle or Nook formats.
I read a lot of science fiction I get in monthly bundles of 6 books for $18 from Baen.com and from Obooko.com ( free books ), so that lets the Kindle and Nook apps out. Can't use them.
Unfortunately, I deleted the Reader app that comes with it. I think I can put it back, though I believe I took a brief look at it and didn't like it and that is why I downloaded the app I'm using.
I'm surprised more reader apps haven't come online yet.

As for holding it, I generally find it easiest to hold it by the bottom corners. Don't know what you mean about hitting the Windows key, because I use it without the keyboard for reading in bed. There is no Windows key.

I'm sure I am supporting it solidly. Last night I noticed that just the slightest tilt towards me caused it to switch between landscape and portrait modes -- at least in this reader app. I would think this was related to the sensitivity of the position sensors, not the app itself.

I've noticed my Surface seems to be very sensitive. The stylus activates while it's still maybe a 1/4" away from the tablet surface, maybe more. Don't even have to get close to get a dot on the screen for the stylus. I would like it a lot better if it didn't work until it actually touched the screen.

I wonder if there is a way to turn sensitivity down like turning brightness down.

What app are you using?

 

[Ruffles]

I'm also using that app and have had no problems. My understanding is the surface is about the strongest tablet out there. Didn't Panos attach skateboard wheels to it and ride it around? Seems like I've seen videos of that.

As for the stylus, it's supposed to do that. The tablet senses the stylus about 1/2" away and shows the dot. It then disables the touch screen so you can rest your palm on the screen while you type. It's called "Palm Block". I don't know of any way to disable that (and I wouldn't want to).

 

[Russ]

I wanted to use either Kindle or Nook apps but neither one will let you read any books except books you buy from THEM. . . . Don't know what you mean about hitting the Windows key, because I use it without the keyboard for reading in bed. There is no Windows key.

Willie --

There is a "Windows Key." It's that little flag on the bottom (in keyboard mode) of the device. That's the one I kept drifting my thumb over.

You can read other book formats in Kindle. At least I know you can read .mobi formats, because that is what I read. Haven't tried any other formats. However, this is true only of the "Kindle for PC" app (available free from Amazon site), not the Kindle app from the Store.

If you install the "Kindle for PC" app, you can "sideload" books into it. In "Users\Willie\My Documents" there is a folder called "My Kindle Content." (After you install the app.) Move your book files into that folder, and the app will find them. Again, I don't know if this works for anything other than .mobi books, because that is all I have tried. What book formats are you using?

Regards,
Russ

 

[Arizona Willie]

Russ: you mean that White Win.ows flag on the bottom of the Surface actually does something? I thought it was just decoration. Hmm, I'll have to go test it.

Yes, I could use the PC Kindle but I wanted to use apps as much as possible for the way Windows 8 memory management handles apps.
I can get my books in just about any e-book format mostly I get epub but .mobi is available no problem.

I can't blame Kindle and Nook for restricting the books their apps lets you read, but it's strange that they just started that with the Windows 8 apps and their PC clients let you read any book in the proper format. I poked around and poked around but could never find where they ( Kindle and Nook ) are putting their books. I tried searching c: for the titles that they give you for freebies but it wouldn't find them. I was hoping I could take the books I get from other sources and put them in the proper directory and the Kindle or Nook would then use them but no luck.

====

I'll be darned!! I just went and tried that Windows Icon on the front of the Surface.
Touching it switches back and forth between desktop and metro modes!!!

I didn't know that!!! I thought that was just a decoration. Don't believe I ever saw that mentioned anywhere.

Aren't computers fun?

Always something to learn.

 

[Russ]

you mean that White Windows flag on the bottom of the Surface actually does something?
Yes, I could use the PC Kindle but I wanted to use apps as much as possible for the way Windows 8 memory management handles apps.
I can get my books in just about any e-book format mostly I get epub but .mobi is available no problem.
I can't blame Kindle and Nook for restricting the books their apps lets you read, . . ..
I poked around and poked around but could never find where they ( Kindle and Nook ) are putting their books.

Willie --

Yeah, that little flag brings up the Win8 Start Menu. I discovered that quite by accident when reading in bed with my RT.

As to using PC apps versus Store apps, I don't see the difference. You have plenty of memory on the Pro, and you can close the app when you're done.

I don't think there was anything sinister in Amazon's restricting the app. That app was originally written for RT, and I suspect that they were trying to observe some of the limitations of RT. Their own Kindle devices will read .mobi books, so they haven't excluded them.

As to finding the titles -- you won't. Under the Store app, the titles are converted to Javascript file names. I found them, but have now forgotten just where. It didn't matter, anyway, as I tried loading books into that folder, and it didn't work.

Ok, I just now tried sideloading an .epub book on my desktop PC and the app didn't find it. I had not tried before, because I have so many .mobi books. I had to convert them to .epub to read on the RT, but sometimes the conversions are messy.

Get the Kindle for PC app and try it. You can always remove it if you don't like it. If you prefer sticking with Store apps for your .epubs, you might try Freda. That's the one I use on my RT, and preferred it over several others I tried.

Take care,
Russ

 

[J515OP]

Willie, also try the lock screen rotation feature for when you are reading in bed. In the Charms bar (swiping from right edge in) Settings>Screen and at the top of the brightness scale there is a screen with arrows at the corner. Touch that and it will lock the screen in whatever orientation it is in at that time. Then no matter how you tilt or twist the screen it will stay in the same orientation.