New Features in ActiveTextbook 2.0!

Active Textbook new version is a deep re-work of our original 1.0 platform, and includes deep architectural changes, as well as very significant changes in functionality , encompassing all components. From the user point of view, the most important changes are:

1. Complete re-write of the Portal, based on different approach
2. Introduction of Digital Rights Management system, including the device control functionality
3. Introduction of User groups
4. Introduction of multiple sets of overlays, called “Extensions” of books
5. Full support for the latest EPUB3.1 functionality
6. Support for new OS platforms: Windows classic, Surface; Chromebook and Windows 10 support are coming
7. Improved reliability and performance
See the list in more details below.

 

General Functionality
1. Full-featured DRM for all devices and Web has been implemented. It includes device tracking, session number limits, expiration control, etc.
2. The code has been reworked to present a clean API level, independent of the Portal UI. API support is extended to practically fool ATB functionality. Our experience with integration with numerous systems proved it to be reliable, universal and easy to use.
3. API is now supporting all functionality, previously available only through the portal, including sorting, search, etc.
4. 2.0 introduced the ability to have more than one “Extension”, ie set of overlays, per book.
5. In the latest version the owner of the book can grant the permission to add extensions to this book and then distribute them
6. UI for the local libraries (my books) has been completely re-written and significantly improved
7. Books that have been looked at online become a part of the “my Bookshelf”
8. The MATB format for saving, migrating and restoring ATB project has been introduced
9. The “Widget” type of overlay functionality has been significantly extended; right now, most of the HTML snippets could be used as “widgets”. Specifically, the “gallery” , the “special query” and some other types were implemented as samples.
10. EPUB3 spec support has been extended, and goes beyond the latest Readium code, making ATB the most functionally complete EPUB3 reader.
11. In particular, we now support “media overlays” in EPUB3 books;
12. We have much better CFI support for EPUB3
13. Fixed EPUB3 format is now supported
14. Proper pagination is supported for EPUB3 books (you can use either percentage or “standard” page numbers”
15. loans, timed leases are now supported
16. Hierarchical Book categories support has been introduced
17. resizable overlay showing/editing windows
18. Support sorting by Title, by Owner, by Author
19. Filtering options, including per category filters, have been added

 

Portal
Portal has been completely re-designed and re-implemented, making it a modern interactive reading platform – see new portal spec.

 

PRO Portal
With version 2.0, we introduce the Professional Portal version – PRO.ActiveTextbook.com. This portal is designed to support customizable interface, collect necessary statistics and control readers access and interaction. It is also possible to integrate the PRO cloud service with any third party sites using SSO . PRO Portal provides to professional users:

1. API-based access to the ActiveTextbook server
2. SSO support and OAuth 2.0 interface for connecting to other sites
3. Content protection
4. Extended support and flexible plans

 

Mobile Clients
1. Universal applications for phones and tablets have been developed; they adjust automatically to the device.
2. The structure of local storage on the devices has been completely reworked, providing much better reliability, smaller size, faster download from the server and faster upload to the application from the local storage.
3. New platforms have been added:
a. Windows “classic” (7.0 and desktop apps on the later Windows versions)
b. Windows Surface (so called “tiled” apps)
c. Windows 10 Universal app (in development)
d. Chrome book (only by request)
4. Implemented full synchronization between local library and the server (included)
5. reading UX changed in accordance with other similar iOS apps, e.g. click outside the menu should close the menu, long press should select the word, etc.
6. Video support became much more reliable, with the special code for partial download, resume, better codac support
7. iOS 9 is supported, and the latest libraries are now used for the iOS and Android apps

 

Web Reader
“My bookshelf” is introduced to the Web version as well. Any book that has been bought, or downloaded, and every public book that has been read are now in my bookstore

 

Server
1. Downloading mechanism for offline reading on the clients has been completely reworked, making it faster, more reliable
2. Server Admin interface has been completely reworked based on Active Admin framework.