https://github.com/Kobo-InkBox/inkbox
An open-source, Qt-based eBook reader for Kobos (and other devices). - Kobo-InkBox/inkbox
So the obvious question, how does this compare to KOReader? That's had a long, stable life and, at first glance, seems to have the same goals. I didn't see any kind of acknowledgement or comparison in the wiki.
I will add it to the FAQ
This is an OS, not an 3 party app for the stock OS. Why does it exist? ( In my opinion at least):
We have a reader up but it's not great. A rewrite is ongoing, will finish this year for sure. It won't be better than koreader for sure, we don't have 200 developers but it uses Qt, which enables us to use better looking UI than simple menus like Koreader / Plato.
Oh did i mention we have koreader as a user app? you can use it ;)
it also enabled us to do some crazy things: https://youtu.be/hRqquXvsR1Q
Yes, most or many of those things could be done on the stock OS - but no one did it for a simple reason: you want to control things or there will be chaos.
As for now, InkBox is mostly an app launcher for me, but I really like it for it. No more stock OS resets :) For the average user? if you are not interested in those apps, in not hacking your ereader, not doing something unusual with it InkBox is probably not interesting for you. But if you use koreader anyway, dislike the stock OS and like open source, you are welcome.
We are also looking for contributors ( Rust / C++ or anything really ), this project has more potential than it seems
More questions appeared, I will update this message on the wiki: https://github.com/Kobo-InkBox/inkbox/wiki/FAQ
Nice very solid answer. I didn't understand it was a replacement OS. Do you have a browser?
I'd love an e-reader with a browser. Nothing fancy, just something for looking up lore or related topics while reading.
We have netscape and midori browser but they arent great and you cant switch between them fast and reading.
A new rewrite for the current reader is on the go, it could improve on that
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/hRqquXvsR1Q
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
This sounds really freaking cool! I was looking for something more in-depth than just koreader launched via nickelmenu. The world of e-ink just doesn't seem well supported in the custom firmware space. Gonna give this a try on my Glo!
This looks like an awesome project! I have a Kobo Clara HD which I would love to run an open OS on. My priorities would be:
We have koreader which has dark mode
Both our software and koreader support it ( maybe an update would be needed, idk - easy to add )
Syncthing is a user app already
We have feathernotes which is simmilar to cherry notes - only usb keyboard tho
There is an experimental image for the clara hd but eink performance is not great. Maybe you could help with testing? Idk
That sounds really good - well done!
In what way is eink performance not great for the Clara HD?
Sure, I could help testing it. Do you have a download available?
because it's mainline kernel something is broken across kernel -> driver -> fbink -> qt platform plugin and it's slow to draw things on screen. We are looking for solutions and have a few ideas already
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4387514#post4387514
Join our discord server for more up to date info on this
What is the limiting factor here? Is there a possibility this could be expanded to more devices in the near future?
Some kindles are locked up on cpu level for no reason - fuck amazon
Apart from that, nothing really. Most often people just start to port devices, we help them and one day they dissapear wasting our time and effort :(
3 devices are being currently ported, anyone who has a ereader can come in and try to port it. Only time is needed, we can help with the rest.
The only device that we couldn't port was the first sony ereader because some weird cpu watchdog ressetted the device after boot - so our knowledge was limited on a complicated device
The device also needs kernel sources to be released for it, but kobo and kindle do release them ( sometimes after complaining ) so thats fine too
There is no minimum spec. It runs on a kobo mini 800 mhz 1 core cpu and 256MB of ram and lags a bit. On a kobo nia which has 1 Ghz 1 core 256 MB ram it's fine
As I stated in the FAQ, even more performance could be traded for disk size, with a bigger sd card
I'm not the creator but the only other person that contributes in a major way. "Second developer" as I like to call it