CoolReader 1.0.7 — offline dictionaries and clearer menus

Free offline dictionaries and clearer reading menus for PocketBook.

New

• Download and install free dictionaries from Settings → Dictionaries. Choose English, Russian, Ukrainian or Czech, then definitions or an available translation pair. Downloads are checked before installation and work offline afterwards.
• Use original StarDict dictionaries, including compressed dictionaries, alternate word forms and existing KOReader dictionary folders. PocketBook-format downloads remain available under each language.
• A clearer dictionary window: labeled controls, larger touch targets, readable names, whole-row entry selection and visible Previous/Next buttons.
• Hold the centre of the page for the Reader menu. Settings is first; additional and custom actions remain under More tools.

Fixed

• Crashes when changing words or browsing native dictionary entries.
• Raw HTML in entry previews and a missing dropdown-arrow glyph.
• Google/Wikipedia lookups: native browser launch, encoded non-English words and search punctuation, highlighted-entry lookup, and clear Wi-Fi/launch errors.
• Stale reader references during shutdown and browsing that resumed at the wrong dictionary entry.

Installation and compatibility

Use the shared install ZIP for Touch HD 3, Verse Pro, Era and InkPad 4. Existing shared installations can update through Settings → About & updates → Check for updates. Keep your existing settings and file associations when installing by USB.

Factory-protected PocketBook dictionaries can remain inaccessible to third-party apps. Free dictionary downloads provide an alternative. Dictionary data is credited in the download screen and supplied under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Validation: 24 ARM regression groups, software probes on three additional firmware runtimes, startup/ABI and package checks. Development builds were copied to PB632; final release hardware and complete device OTA acceptance are not claimed.

CoolReader 1.0.6 — grouped settings and reliable reading

CoolReader 1.0.6 brings clearer settings, flexible font weights, faster caching and more reliable saved reading state.

• Settings now has six groups: Font & text, Page layout, Screen & sleep, Controls, Advanced, and About & updates. Larger text, explicit On/Off buttons, size/margin controls and a font sample make changes easier to review. Done applies changes once; Back returns to the parent menu, and Cancel on the main screen discards pending changes.
• Font weight offers 0 through 1.75 in steps of 0.25, with hints such as Normal, Medium and Bold. Existing 0 (Normal) and 1 (Bold) preferences retain their appearance. Czech, Russian and Ukrainian labels are included.
• A larger glyph cache with corrected eviction, retained previous/current/next page images, direction-aware idle prefetch, cached font metadata and narrower screen copies reduce repeated work. Disk-cache writes cooperate with input, and cover/cache preparation moves to idle time.
• Reading position is checkpointed after idle periods and during sleep/task switching. Font settings preserve the actual requested values, failed saves retry, valid backups recover unreadable state, and explicit navigation wins over delayed position restoration. Sudden power loss can still lose the most recent page turn.

One shared ARMv7 softfp install ZIP serves Touch HD 3 / PB632, Verse Pro / PB634, Era / PB700 and InkPad 4 / PB743G with compatible firmware APIs. Existing shared installations can update over Wi-Fi. On older releases, use Settings → Check for updates; in 1.0.6, update controls are under Settings → About & updates. The earlier PB632-only package needs one USB installation of the shared launcher.

Validation: all 20 ARM/QEMU regression groups pass, including the native settings menu, touch targets, portrait/landscape rendering, quarter-step weights and saved-state recovery. Startup/library compatibility passes on all four firmware snapshots, with 13 software probes on each additional firmware. The grouped menu also passes on all four packaged themes. Interactive hardware behavior, battery use and end-to-end device OTA acceptance remain pending; these checks do not establish a measured hardware speed-up.

The install ZIP contains only applications/ and system/. Merge these folders into USB storage and retain existing settings, history, bookmarks and custom assets. Matching GPL source, build metadata, test results, debug symbols and SHA-256 sidecars are attached.

Downloads and installation: https://pocketbook.nimbushub.eu/installation.html

CoolReader 1.0.5 — reading performance

CoolReader 1.0.5 improves everyday EPUB/FB2 reading performance across the shared PocketBook ARMv7 package.

• Use bulk memory transfers for matching full-page grayscale copies, with clipping, offset, format and stride checks.
• Prepare the next page after 350 ms idle using the existing two-page cache.
• Preserve cached book text and the next page when battery, frontlight or clock indicators change; repaint the status header on display.
• Correct packed 2-bit grayscale refresh detection.

Settings, bookmarks, reading history and custom assets are preserved. Shared 1.0.3/1.0.4 installations can receive this release through the shared Wi-Fi update channel. Older PB632-only installations need a USB installation of the shared launcher.

Validation: 17 ARM/QEMU regression groups, package checks, and software compatibility/startup checks against the PB632, PB634, PB700 and PB743G firmware runtimes. Cached status output is compared with fresh page renders. Physical-device acceptance, battery impact and complete device OTA acceptance remain pending.

The isolated full-page copy benchmark improved from about 7.85 ms to 0.14 ms under ARM/QEMU. This is an emulated copy measurement, not a measured physical-reader page-turn result.

One install ZIP serves Touch HD 3, Verse Pro, Era and InkPad 4 with compatible firmware APIs. Extract system/ and applications/ onto the reader's USB storage, preserving existing settings. Matching source, checksums, debug symbols and automated test evidence are attached.

CoolReader 1.0.4 — Firmware API compatibility (reissued)

CoolReader 1.0.4 has been reissued with KOReader-style firmware API compatibility. The version number remains 1.0.4; the package revision is 1.0.4-api.

Firmware detection and updates

• Recognizes the four registered models: Touch HD 3 / PB632, Verse Pro / PB634, Era / PB700 and InkPad 4 / PB743G.
• Parses the numeric major/minor/build suffix independently of the model prefix, including U743g and U743G.
• Selects the highest known compatible API level at or below the installed firmware (currently 6.10 or 6.11). Different patch/build numbers are no longer rejected just because they differ from a tested snapshot.
• Applies the same API-level policy before OTA download and independently while unpacking the archive. The revised client uses a V2 API-rule channel; the original shared V1 channel remains available for older clients and points to the same package.
• Rejects unknown models, malformed version strings, firmware below API 6.10, wrong package families and updates requiring an API the client does not support.

This port uses common SDK 6.10 interfaces checked on the pinned 6.10/6.11 runtimes. It does not include KOReader's complete FFI declaration catalog. Compatible system libraries and the soft-float ARM Linux ABI remain necessary; passing the API check does not prove compatibility with untested firmware libraries or hardware.

Install this reissue

If the original 1.0.4 is already installed, reinstall the current ZIP over USB. An unchanged version number does not trigger an OTA upgrade. Back up the current installation, close CoolReader, merge system and applications into USB storage, safely eject, then open Applications → CoolReader.

Shared 1.0.3 clients can use their existing OTA channel on the firmware versions they already accept. If an older client cannot start or rejects its firmware, use USB. The revised client uses the API-level policy for subsequent updates.

Retained startup improvements

The process-local glibc.rtld.execstack=2 workaround follows KOReader's PocketBook fix. Its entry point remains inside the OTA payload, preserving older outer launchers, user settings, reading history, custom assets and rollback. The ZIP still contains one ARM executable for all four models, with support documents stored under system/.

Firmware snapshots used for verification

Device	Firmware tested
Touch HD 3 / PB632	U632.6.11.2001
Verse Pro / PB634	U634.6.10.3425
Era / PB700	U700.6.10.3209
InkPad 4 / PB743G	U743g.6.11.1683

These snapshots are validation evidence, not an exact-version allowlist. All 16 primary ARM/QEMU regression groups, 13 software probes on each additional runtime, production startup probes on all four runtimes, and package checks passed. Regression coverage includes changed firmware build numbers, API selection, alphanumeric prefixes, unsupported APIs, V1/V2 OTA handling, legacy launcher permissions and rollback. Source, test evidence, checksums and debug symbols match this package.

The original InkPad 4 report had no firmware details or logs; resolution of that specific hardware report remains unconfirmed. Physical controls, battery behavior and complete on-device OTA acceptance remain pending.

The original package and its sources are retained in the original 1.0.4 archive and the v1.0.4-original source tag.

Installation guide · Downloads

CoolReader 1.0.3 — Shared builds for qualified PocketBook readers

CoolReader 1.0.3 provides one shared install ZIP and executable for qualified PocketBook Linux readers.

Changes

• One shared download and Wi-Fi update channel for Touch HD 3, Verse Pro, Era and InkPad 4.
• Runtime device profiles select display defaults; existing reading settings take precedence.
• Manual update checks use Settings → Check for updates. Settings → Version shows the installed version.
• Update downloads retain confirmation, progress and cancellation, and verify the checksum, package family and device/firmware compatibility before installation.
• The shared launcher preserves settings, reading history, bookmarks, custom assets and the last book, with recovery and rollback handling.
• Install ZIPs contain only applications/ and system/. Documentation, license notices and build reports stay under system/share/cr3/, keeping them out of Library.

Exact qualified firmware

Device	Firmware
Touch HD 3 / PB632	U632.6.11.2001
Verse Pro / PB634	U634.6.10.3425
Era / PB700	U700.6.10.3209
InkPad 4 / PB743G	U743g.6.11.1683

Other model/firmware pairs are rejected by this build. Color readers, Android devices and other ABI families require further qualification.

Install and update

Back up your current CoolReader installation and settings, close CoolReader, and merge the ZIP's system and applications folders into the reader's USB storage. Safely eject and open Applications → CoolReader.

Moving from the earlier PB632-only release requires one USB installation of this shared package and launcher. Later shared releases can update over Wi-Fi. The historical PB632 downloads and channel remain available separately.

Installation guide · Download website

Verification

All 16 ARM/QEMU regression groups, 13 software probes on each of the three additional firmware runtimes, package layout checks, and bundled license/asset checks passed. Matching committed source, build metadata, test evidence and debug symbols accompany the binary.

Physical-device interaction, overnight battery use and complete device OTA installation remain pending. Firmware qualification establishes software compatibility, not hardware acceptance.

CoolReader 1.0.2 — OTA improvements and frontlight status

CoolReader 1.0.2 improves updates and adds frontlight information to the reading status bar for PocketBook Touch HD 3 (PB632), firmware U632.6.11.2001.

Updates

• Show installed and available versions before asking to download.
• Display actual download bytes and percentage, with cancellation.
• Verify the downloaded package, then offer Restart now / Later. Later installs on the next normal application launch.
• Keep network, HTTP, TLS, checksum and storage errors readable until OK is pressed.
• Check automatically after opening/resuming and then daily while active. Checks do not force Wi-Fi on or wake standby; failures retry quietly.
• Defer update prompts until the normal reading screen is visible. Later snoozes the same version for 24 hours, including across application restarts.
• Add Settings → Check for updates automatically; manual OTA Update stays available.
• Restore the complete settings menu after native OTA/network dialogs, preserving its page and selection.

Frontlight status

Under Settings → Page settings → Status line settings, independently enable:

• A compact sun icon, slashed when the light is off.
• Brightness percentage, labelled B (0% while off).
• Temperature/warmth percentage, labelled T (the firmware's 0–100 level, not Kelvin).

These switches default off. Unavailable values are omitted; the display refreshes when the light changes.

Install

Back up the reader's settings. Extract coolreader-touch-hd3.zip and merge applications and system into USB storage, then safely eject and restart CoolReader. Settings, history and custom assets are preserved.

OTA-enabled builds can use Settings → OTA Update. Builds predating 1.0.0 require one USB installation to enable the launcher; use USB if the older OTA interface prevents updating reliably.

Installation and feature guide

Validation

All 15 ARM/QEMU regression groups and package checks passed, including asynchronous HTTPS transfers, cancellation and error handling, automatic notification scheduling/snoozing, menu restoration after framebuffer corruption, and frontlight rendering at compact sizes and inverted colours.

The attached install ZIP and source archive match the versioned website downloads. Checksums, debug symbols and the automated test report are included.

Physical-reader OTA installation and complete interaction testing for the 1.0.2 binary remain pending. Other models and firmware versions are not supported by this OTA channel.

CoolReader 1.0.0 — OTA updates for Touch HD 3

CoolReader 1.0.0 adds website-hosted OTA updates for PocketBook Touch HD 3 (PB632), firmware U632.6.11.2001.

• Download immutable, numbered releases from https://pocketbook.nimbushub.eu/.
• Verify the package SHA-256 and embedded version before staging an update.
• Accept newer versions only, with model, firmware and stable-channel checks.
• Preserve settings, reading history, the last book and custom application assets.
• Recover interrupted directory switches and roll back a failed first application run.

Installation

Install this release once over USB. Previous FW6 builds disabled OTA and their launcher cannot install staged updates. Extract coolreader-touch-hd3.zip and merge applications and system into the reader's storage. Back up existing settings first and safely eject after copying.

For subsequent releases, connect to Wi-Fi and choose Settings → OTA Update. Keep enough free space for the download and staged application files.

Installation and OTA guide

Downloads

The attached install ZIP and matching source archive are identical to the versioned website downloads. SHA-256 sidecars are included. The engine version remains separate from the application release version.

Validation

All 13 ARM/QEMU regression groups passed, including OTA checksum rejection, package extraction, archive path traversal, missing binaries and version mismatch. Isolated launcher tests cover staging, preservation of custom assets and the last book, interrupted-switch recovery and first-run rollback.

Physical-reader OTA installation and restart have not yet been verified. Other models and firmware versions are unsupported by this OTA channel.

Touch HD 3 · Settings navigation and standby light · Firmware 6.11.2001

CoolReader for PocketBook Touch HD 3 (PB632), firmware 6.11.2001.

• Keep an already-disabled frontlight off when the standby cover appears and after waking. If the light was on, standby temporarily disables it and restores its enabled state on wake without changing the saved brightness.
• Give Previous and Next full-height touch targets matching the wide Back button. Paging moves to a bottom bar with a page counter so the settings title stays readable.
• Outline the navigation buttons, preserve pressed feedback, and keep paging arrows disabled at the first and last page.
• Add a local Docker build for macOS and Linux, including Apple Silicon with Colima/Rosetta, verified SDK/firmware downloads, matching debug symbols and automated test reports.

All twelve ARM/QEMU regression groups, metadata checks and package checks pass. The same executable was installed and hash-verified on a Touch HD 3. Interactive verification of the latest navigation and frontlight changes remains pending; other models and firmware versions are unverified.

Installation: https://coolreader.nimbushub.eu/installation.html
Downloads: https://coolreader.nimbushub.eu/

Back up the existing installation, settings and history, then merge the ZIP's system and applications folders into the reader storage. Existing settings and reading history are preserved. The matching source archive, build metadata, debug symbols, automated report and checksums are attached. Dependency licenses are included in the ZIP and source.