new kobo coming soon - Page 6

JCKobo · 10-03-2010, 10:57 PM

We definitely experimented with some less orthodox keyboard configuration. One member of our team tried to convince us that with the D-Pad we could build an innovative 'Quaternary search' (that's a 4 way binary search).

When we tested it with actual people, they all were able to enter text faster with a good old QWERTY keyboard than anything else.

Here's a sneak peek of a user actually using it. (and a bit more candy to go with it)

artig · 10-04-2010, 03:09 AM

Have you also experimented with using some of the buttons on the left edge for some of the entry functions?

One of them could be used for changing between the 3 keyboard layouts (lower case, upper case, numeric/special character). With this type of entry it's always a pain having to move the cursor to the positions required to change format.

Another useful direct function is moving the cursor to the centre of the on-screen keyboard, making it quicker to get to the common keys such as space and Enter and backspace.

Bittybye · 10-04-2010, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCKobo

We definitely experimented with some less orthodox keyboard configuration. One member of our team tried to convince us that with the D-Pad we could build an innovative 'Quaternary search' (that's a 4 way binary search).

When we tested it with actual people, they all were able to enter text faster with a good old QWERTY keyboard than anything else.

Here's a sneak peek of a user actually using it. (and a bit more candy to go with it)

Goodness, it would take forever to find a book with such an inefficient way. Trying to type in a long title would be tedious and make your thumb (or whatever finger you use) sore.

Ghoda · 10-04-2010, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bittybye

Goodness, it would take forever to find a book with such an inefficient way. Trying to type in a long title would be tedious and make your thumb (or whatever finger you use) sore.

I imagine you wouldn't need to type the whole title, just the first few letters or key words and then choose from a list of results

J. Strnad · 10-04-2010, 12:43 PM

It seems as good as anything, all considerations considered.

I do have a Kindle 3 now and it's very nice, but I miss the empty space in the lower left that the Kobo provides. I don't like holding the Kindle by the keyboard because if you press too hard, you hit keys. Holding it by the edges is a bit dicey, too, since you have the page turn buttons on each side that you don't want to hit accidentally, and the sides are curved, making the hold more precarious than the Kobo.

I've tried shopping with the Kindle and it's a real third-rate experience compared with shopping with my PC. I don't imagine I'd shop with either the Kobo or Kindle except in very rare circumstances, whereas I'm holding the thing all the time. So all-in-all I'm happier without the keyboard.

wrenn1 · 10-04-2010, 06:38 PM

Still not worth $149. IMO. It is like an etch a sketch compared to the Sony or Kindle.

soondai · 10-04-2010, 06:58 PM

agreed. I wish Kobo wouldn't try to match Amazon at their game and end up putting out an inferior clone for 10 bucks more.

I'd rather they concentrated on making a 99 dollar reader that works well. no wireless, etc.

but I guess that was sorta their initial approach when they came in at 150 when every one else was over 200. then they got kneecapped by the Kindle price drop

there may just not be a viable way forward for them. I sure don't think this has a chance

moffattm · 10-04-2010, 07:06 PM

The soft keyboard is a similar setup to the one in my PVR (Personal Video Recorder). Whenever I want to save or rename a TV programme I have to use the soft keyboard. As artig said above, it's a slow job to switch between upper and lower case. However the soft keyboard is certainly a workable solution for a device that doesn't have a hard keyboard.

I also note that the "Display" button on the side has changed to "Shop"...

wrenn1 · 10-04-2010, 07:52 PM

I took my Kobo with me to the Sony store to compare the PRS 650 (and to buy one for my daughter.....had a hard time handing it over) and I couldn't believe how much sharper the text was on the Sony. Almost made the Kobo look washed out.

I wonder if that has improved on the new Kobo?

Solicitous · 10-04-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soondai

agreed. I wish Kobo wouldn't try to match Amazon at their game and end up putting out an inferior clone for 10 bucks more.

I'd rather they concentrated on making a 99 dollar reader that works well. no wireless, etc.

but I guess that was sorta their initial approach when they came in at 150 when every one else was over 200. then they got kneecapped by the Kindle price drop

there may just not be a viable way forward for them. I sure don't think this has a chance

There are plenty of ereaders without wireless getting close to the 99 dollar mark. The initial reviews of the Kobo was the complaint that there was no wireless, so it appears Kobo is answering the call. I for one feel wireless is great, especially for people like me who don't run Win/Mac so don't have access to updated supported desktop software to sync my ereader. I have had a Kindle for 2 weeks now the wife 5. Hers has never been plugged into a computer, mine has once just to see how Calibre interacts with it. Seriously, I'd be happy to pay the little extra for wireless.

It would be nice if the wifi Kobo would allow for syncing with multiple kobo supported/partnered ebook stores. Here in Aus I can buy from Kobo, Borders Australia and Angus & Robertson. They are all interconnected but I have found at times there is a varying price between identical books. Being able to buy a Kobo and have it sync with those 3 stores would be great.

Am I considering a new Kobo? Yes. Do I need it? No. But I am a geek and the number of freebies I have got from Kobo has outweighed the price of a Kobo, so indirectly I can justify its purchase. The main reason I opted for a K3 over the existing Kobo was no real supported way of buying ebooks and putting them on the Kobo through a Linux OS. The Kindle I can download the ebook for the Kindle and drag'n drop if I choose, but I just use the wifi. Kobo have the desktop app unofficially around for Linux, but who knows when that will cease, ADE needs to be installed via wine and is reasonably reliable but still..... Wifi would solve interoperability issues between the device, purchased ebooks and a Linux OS.

The thing is, for $10 more people may be more inclined to go with it. That small amount and the ability to wireless sync purchased ebooks from Kobo (like Kindle and Amazon) but the freedom to buy from any ebook store that uses ADE.

zoran · 10-05-2010, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I for one feel wireless is great, especially for people like me who don't run Win/Mac so don't have access to updated supported desktop software to sync my ereader.

Nobody has people like this on mind. One point for you.

Quote:

The Kindle I can download the ebook for the Kindle and drag'n drop if I choose, but I just use the wifi.

I was considering k3 for (people say) better screen. Maybe it is not.
Wifi with "hack" for ssh will be fine on it. Rsync even better.

dmacmart · 10-05-2010, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrenn1

I took my Kobo with me to the Sony store to compare the PRS 650 (and to buy one for my daughter.....had a hard time handing it over) and I couldn't believe how much sharper the text was on the Sony. Almost made the Kobo look washed out.

I wonder if that has improved on the new Kobo?

The new Kobo does have better readability as one of its improvements, though it does not seem they have the new Pearl technology as the Sony does.

taming · 10-05-2010, 07:28 AM

The new one has 16 levels of gray scale--which is the same as Pearl. I guess we will have to wait until the new one is released to see what, if any, difference there is between the 16 that is on Pearl screens and the 16 that come on the new Kobo.

jessicalynn · 10-06-2010, 03:37 PM

You know, if this were priced at $99 dollars, I would buy one immediately. Since I already have an ebook reader I think I'm going to wait for this one to go down in price some before I think about buying it as a second e-reader.

sabredog · 10-06-2010, 07:27 PM

Six months ago ereaders in Australia could not be purchased for under AU$200. The cheapest that was the K2i and that needed to be imported, so no local support.

Over six months ago, ereaders available for purchase here were over AU$300 up to $650.

The arrival of the sub AU$200 Kobo has shaken the ereader market here to the core, reducing prices across the board.

I would like to see the Kobo reduced to sub AU$150 here to encourage even more competition. However, I doubt it will ever get to the magic amount of US$99 here.

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10-03-2010, 10:57 PM	#76
JCKobo Kobo Product Guy Posts: 244 Karma: 36848 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Vox	We definitely experimented with some less orthodox keyboard configuration. One member of our team tried to convince us that with the D-Pad we could build an innovative 'Quaternary search' (that's a 4 way binary search). When we tested it with actual people, they all were able to enter text faster with a good old QWERTY keyboard than anything else. Here's a sneak peek of a user actually using it. (and a bit more candy to go with it)

10-04-2010, 03:09 AM	#77
artig Zealot Posts: 138 Karma: 681012 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo, kindle pw	Have you also experimented with using some of the buttons on the left edge for some of the entry functions? One of them could be used for changing between the 3 keyboard layouts (lower case, upper case, numeric/special character). With this type of entry it's always a pain having to move the cursor to the positions required to change format. Another useful direct function is moving the cursor to the centre of the on-screen keyboard, making it quicker to get to the common keys such as space and Enter and backspace.

10-04-2010, 12:43 PM	#80
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	It seems as good as anything, all considerations considered. I do have a Kindle 3 now and it's very nice, but I miss the empty space in the lower left that the Kobo provides. I don't like holding the Kindle by the keyboard because if you press too hard, you hit keys. Holding it by the edges is a bit dicey, too, since you have the page turn buttons on each side that you don't want to hit accidentally, and the sides are curved, making the hold more precarious than the Kobo. I've tried shopping with the Kindle and it's a real third-rate experience compared with shopping with my PC. I don't imagine I'd shop with either the Kobo or Kindle except in very rare circumstances, whereas I'm holding the thing all the time. So all-in-all I'm happier without the keyboard.

10-04-2010, 06:38 PM	#81
wrenn1 Addict Posts: 259 Karma: 48576 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	Still not worth $149. IMO. It is like an etch a sketch compared to the Sony or Kindle.

10-04-2010, 06:58 PM	#82
soondai Guru Posts: 672 Karma: 1109784 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Paperwhite	agreed. I wish Kobo wouldn't try to match Amazon at their game and end up putting out an inferior clone for 10 bucks more. I'd rather they concentrated on making a 99 dollar reader that works well. no wireless, etc. but I guess that was sorta their initial approach when they came in at 150 when every one else was over 200. then they got kneecapped by the Kindle price drop there may just not be a viable way forward for them. I sure don't think this has a chance

10-04-2010, 07:06 PM	#83
moffattm Addict Posts: 333 Karma: 1440670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Device: Kobo Original, Kobo Glo	The soft keyboard is a similar setup to the one in my PVR (Personal Video Recorder). Whenever I want to save or rename a TV programme I have to use the soft keyboard. As artig said above, it's a slow job to switch between upper and lower case. However the soft keyboard is certainly a workable solution for a device that doesn't have a hard keyboard. I also note that the "Display" button on the side has changed to "Shop"...

10-04-2010, 07:52 PM	#84
wrenn1 Addict Posts: 259 Karma: 48576 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo	I took my Kobo with me to the Sony store to compare the PRS 650 (and to buy one for my daughter.....had a hard time handing it over) and I couldn't believe how much sharper the text was on the Sony. Almost made the Kobo look washed out. I wonder if that has improved on the new Kobo?

10-05-2010, 07:28 AM	#88
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	The new one has 16 levels of gray scale--which is the same as Pearl. I guess we will have to wait until the new one is released to see what, if any, difference there is between the 16 that is on Pearl screens and the 16 that come on the new Kobo.

10-06-2010, 03:37 PM	#89
jessicalynn Zealot Posts: 131 Karma: 10099 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook First Gen (broken), iPad, Kindle Touch SO	You know, if this were priced at $99 dollars, I would buy one immediately. Since I already have an ebook reader I think I'm going to wait for this one to go down in price some before I think about buying it as a second e-reader.

10-06-2010, 07:27 PM	#90
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	Six months ago ereaders in Australia could not be purchased for under AU$200. The cheapest that was the K2i and that needed to be imported, so no local support. Over six months ago, ereaders available for purchase here were over AU$300 up to $650. The arrival of the sub AU$200 Kobo has shaken the ereader market here to the core, reducing prices across the board. I would like to see the Kobo reduced to sub AU$150 here to encourage even more competition. However, I doubt it will ever get to the magic amount of US$99 here.

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