Kindle Voyage vs Kobo Aura H2O - Page 6

SCION · 10-25-2014, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

...

One thing about the review I didn't like is the fact that nothing was mentioned that the eBook being shown on the H2O is a kepub and not an ePub. So when someone goes to load an ePub and doesn't get the how long do I have left feature, it may be a disappointment.
...

I guess he forgot to mention. In his H20 review he does underscore that fact. Also stated that if you sideload a book, the option to change line spacing doesn't work. Has that always been the case with the Kobos? I don't recall how it was with my Kobo Touch that I returned.

jackie_w · 10-25-2014, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

I guess he forgot to mention. In his H20 review he does underscore that fact. Also stated that if you sideload a book, the option to change line spacing doesn't work. Has that always been the case with the Kobos? I don't recall how it was with my Kobo Touch that I returned.

It's not true. The line spacing slider works fine in sideloaded epubs - but only if the epub doesn't specify its own line-height setting in its css. The Kobo has a very limited ability to override the the internal epub line-height (I can elaborate if necessary as long as you have a good understanding of css basics) which means that many epubs can't be adjusted without a little css surgery.

SCION · 10-25-2014, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie_w

It's not true. The line spacing slider works fine in sideloaded epubs - but only if the epub doesn't specify its own line-height setting in its css. The Kobo has a very limited ability to override the the internal epub line-height (I can elaborate if necessary as long as you have a good understanding of css basics) which means that many epubs can't be adjusted without a little css surgery.

Ahh, thanks for the explanation. I recall fiddling with that stuff before I sideloaded my books. I'm seriously considering getting the H20 solely for my sideloaded books. I was hesitant when he mentioned that.

slantybard · 10-25-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judith009

How difficult is it to exit the Amazon ebook system and start using kobo? Is it annoying to have to convert all ebooks that are purchased on Amazon? Is it annoying that you can't load free samples and start reading them immediately?

When people switch devices, do they usually start ordering the ebooks from Kobo instead of Amazon?

I have owned devices from both eco-systems, ordered from both eco-systems, and moved books to any device I am currently using. This requires the use of the calibre ebook software and if you have DRM'd ebooks, would also require you to remove the DRM if you want to put an amazon book on a kobo and a kobo book on a kindle. I am not allowed to tell you how to remove DRM since it is illegal in some countries, but all you need to do is google "apprentice alf" and visit the wordpress blog link.

judith009 · 10-25-2014, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slantybard

I have owned devices from both eco-systems, ordered from both eco-systems, and moved books to any device I am currently using. This requires the use of the calibre ebook software and if you have DRM'd ebooks, would also require you to remove the DRM if you want to put an amazon book on a kobo and a kobo book on a kindle. I am not allowed to tell you how to remove DRM since it is illegal in some countries, but all you need to do is google "apprentice alf" and visit the wordpress blog link.

Thanks! It sounds like it's not too annoying, especially since I already know how to use Calibre and the plugins. Sometimes I convert my Kindle books so that I can speed-read them with some Spritz apps.

Josieb1 · 10-26-2014, 01:24 AM

I have equally used a Kindle PW and a Kobo Aura for the last year and now I have a Aura H20 I'm moving completely to Kobo. I am lucky as I buy Ebooks from independent presses that don't use DRM so I have two formats of every book in Calibre, a mobi and epub. Calibre knows to send each device so it isn't a problem.

eschwartz · 10-26-2014, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judith009

Is the Kobo web browser more usable than the KV's? I wish he would've shown a little of that on the above video comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I only use the browser with dropbox but yes it's much better than the Kindle browser. I can upload epubs into dropbox and download them quickly and easily. I can't do that at all with the PW browser as it no longer works with dropbox.

Quote:

Originally Posted by judith009

Thanks for the response! That's very helpful.

Do you think it would be possible to check/read gmail on the kobo? I tried it with the KV, and it was way too slow/clunky.

You can use the mobile version. (not the regular mobile version, something else which supposedly was meant to integrate with the iPad or something.)

http://m.gmail.com

Voyager2014 · 10-27-2014, 10:06 AM

interesting reading, is the voyage shipping in the US yet

sparklemotion · 10-28-2014, 11:55 PM

I picked up a Kobo H20 today. The verdict is still out on whether I'll keep it as I'm unsure of some things, mainly the way epubs are rendered on the device. Here's my own personal (completely unbiased) thoughts on both devices.

The Kobo is a wonderful reader, I'm very impressed with it. The screen is gorgeous and even. No pinholes or other issues. Seeing the screen in person I was very impressed.

I compared it to the Kindle voyage and my also PW2 right away. The screen on the Kobo H20 is definitely warmer than both kindles I have. Slightly yellow, but a very pleasing, nice warm tone. The voyage is cooler and whiter. My PW2 is warmish, but appears cooler and whiter when directly next to the H20. So this will come down to personal preference, whether one prefers a cooler screen or a warmer one.

My voyage screen is a mess, unfortunately. Uneven two toned screen with a blue bottom, and a yellow tinted top, also some pink up there. I know others have better voyage screens, sadly mine is quite bad. I can only compare it to mine, of course. So comparing it to the voyage, the H20 screen looks lovely and very even.

My Kindle Voyage has a few pinholes and also a tiny hair stuck under the screen, like a small piece of lint.

My Kobo H20 has no pinholes or other imperfections that I have noticed.

Looking at both units, the contrast is a little better on the voyage compared to the H20. You can see much more detail in the book covers and photos in books on the voyage, for instance. Both the H20 and Voyage have better contrast and sharper fonts than my PW2, which of course was to be expected and the biggest reason I considered upgrading in the first place. However, at least in my particular case, my PW2 is still very good to my eyes compared to both the H20 and Voyage I have.

In a book, the fonts look very close in how dark they are between the H20 and voyage. If I had to give the edge to one, I'd have to give it to the voyage for being ever so slightly sharper and crisper. One thing is, you can thicken the fonts on the H20, which makes them look even darker, you cannot do that on the voyage, or on any kindle for that matter.

I will also say that certain fonts tend to look spindly and too thin on the voyage, to my eyes. It's one of my biggest issues with the kindles, not being able to change fonts and font weight to make the reading experience more optimal for different people's eyes and preferences. I really wish Amazon would listen to feedback on this issue. It's a shame that on a premium device, with a premium price tag, it lacks what I consider to be, important, almost basic customizations for an e-reader.

Coming from using kindles, I have to say that I do miss small things about the kindle software, which I didn't expect to be the case. I'll have to spend time reading on the H20 in the next couple of days to decide overall on that front.

My biggest issue with the H20 is the footer at the bottom is visually annoying to me. I know you can remove it by editing the config file, which I did, however doing that then removes page number info. Maybe I'm missing something here? I also don't like how there is literally no extra space at the top when reading epubs. It seems you have to convert everything to kobo's kepub format for there to be any space at the top otherwise the words start exactly at the top of the page with no space. It looks very odd to me and throws off the visual balance of the page, imo. Basically, I don't like the way e-pubs are rendered and converting everything in my library to kepub seems a hassle to me. If someone can advise me on something I'm missing here, I'd love to know if there's an easy workaround for this. I'm new to the Kobo so realize I could be missing something.

For what it's worth, here's my pros and cons and preferences of each device. Please note these are my own personal pros and cons as I see it for myself. Please don't reply to say that's not a pro, or that's not a con. It's just my opinion as to how I see it. Pro and cons will differ for others, I realize.

Kobo H20 pros:

Gorgeous even screen, no color hues or other imperfections
Customization. Font freedom including changing the thickness and weight of fonts; also margin changes
Nicer home screen with more info
Waterproof, nice to be able to use it while at the beach or pool or taking a bath
SD slot
Nicer browser which is much more usable than the kindle browsers
Screensaver is current book you're reading. Just something cool, but certainly not necessary

Kobo H20 cons

A little less contrast compared to the voyage
Epubs not rendered as nicely as kepub
Slightly slower (Not a big deal to me really, you only notice if you compare the devices side by side)
More fussy with things like highlighting
Bezel is a serious fingerprint magnet
Poor, almost non existent, CS

Voyage pros:

Slightly better contrast (especially noticeable on photos in books and book covers)
Slightly faster overall
Smoother and faster with small tasks, like highlighting
I prefer the kindle software while reading a book. Percentage left. etc.
Excellent CS from Amazon

Voyage cons:

Screen issues! Of course, this is a very big con on a reading device. Uneven tone on the screen seems a common issue. Cool bottom, warmer top. Mine also has color hues.
Stuck with limited fonts and margin selections
Home screen is uninspired and lacks info (I prefer the kobo homescreen)
Browser is pretty much useless
Page press buttons and auto light (mine doesn't work consistently at all) no doubt raise the cost of the device and I don't find either useful. Of course you can turn both off, but they are cons for me if they don't work properly for me, yet drive the price of the device up

So those are my thoughts right now. I think it's pretty much in line with what others have said, so probably nothing new really, but I just wanted to add my own impressions having now seen both devices in person and used them. If anyone has anything in particular they want to know or have me compare, please feel free to ask.

eschwartz · 10-29-2014, 12:18 AM

Hopefully the screen issues will go away, the same way they did with the PW1 which has similar issues. Amazon seems to get hit with quality control issues the first time around, the first few months.

Also, lots of people have had luck asking for a replacement. The quality varies.

xtine · 10-29-2014, 12:27 AM

sparklemotion, could you post pictures of your H2O with your Kindles? Switching over to Kobo too, should get my H2O in a few weeks. I sure hope I get a good screen, especially coming from a PW1

Glad you got a good one!

sparklemotion · 10-29-2014, 12:51 AM

xtine- I'll post some tomorrow for you.

I'm having a hard time getting accurate pics of all the screens next to each other which is the only reason I didn't post any yet. Frustrating!

xtine · 10-29-2014, 01:29 AM

No problem, post them whenever you can. Thank you!

GeoffR · 10-29-2014, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

My biggest issue with the H20 is the footer at the bottom is visually annoying to me. I know you can remove it by editing the config file, which I did, however doing that then removes page number info. Maybe I'm missing something here? I also don't like how there is literally no extra space at the top when reading epubs. It seems you have to convert everything to kobo's kepub format for there to be any space at the top otherwise the words start exactly at the top of the page with no space. It looks very odd to me and throws off the visual balance of the page, imo. Basically, I don't like the way e-pubs are rendered and converting everything in my library to kepub seems a hassle to me. If someone can advise me on something I'm missing here, I'd love to know if there's an easy workaround for this. I'm new to the Kobo so realize I could be missing something.

There are easy fixes for these issues. The top and bottom page margins can be set automatically for epubs sent from Calibre. (An even smaller bottom margin, or top/bottom margins adjustable from the device, can be achieved with a firmware patch). There are a lot of other things that can be done to customise the way epubs are displayed without resorting to converting them to kepubs.

Spoiler:

Josieb1 · 10-29-2014, 02:57 AM

Sparklemotion have you installed the kepub Output Plugin in Calibre ?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=220565

I have that and when i send my epubs to my Kobo devices they appear as Kobo Epubs which I have been told are Kepubs. That might help the display.

I must admit I like the ReadScreen=True option but it has an intermitant bug in that the last letter of a row is cut off so I tend to show headers and trailers now.

10-27-2014, 10:06 AM	#83
Voyager2014 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2014 Device: Yoyage (soon)	interesting reading, is the voyage shipping in the US yet Last edited by Voyager2014; 10-27-2014 at 10:10 AM.

10-28-2014, 11:55 PM	#84
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	I picked up a Kobo H20 today. The verdict is still out on whether I'll keep it as I'm unsure of some things, mainly the way epubs are rendered on the device. Here's my own personal (completely unbiased) thoughts on both devices. The Kobo is a wonderful reader, I'm very impressed with it. The screen is gorgeous and even. No pinholes or other issues. Seeing the screen in person I was very impressed. I compared it to the Kindle voyage and my also PW2 right away. The screen on the Kobo H20 is definitely warmer than both kindles I have. Slightly yellow, but a very pleasing, nice warm tone. The voyage is cooler and whiter. My PW2 is warmish, but appears cooler and whiter when directly next to the H20. So this will come down to personal preference, whether one prefers a cooler screen or a warmer one. My voyage screen is a mess, unfortunately. Uneven two toned screen with a blue bottom, and a yellow tinted top, also some pink up there. I know others have better voyage screens, sadly mine is quite bad. I can only compare it to mine, of course. So comparing it to the voyage, the H20 screen looks lovely and very even. My Kindle Voyage has a few pinholes and also a tiny hair stuck under the screen, like a small piece of lint. My Kobo H20 has no pinholes or other imperfections that I have noticed. Looking at both units, the contrast is a little better on the voyage compared to the H20. You can see much more detail in the book covers and photos in books on the voyage, for instance. Both the H20 and Voyage have better contrast and sharper fonts than my PW2, which of course was to be expected and the biggest reason I considered upgrading in the first place. However, at least in my particular case, my PW2 is still very good to my eyes compared to both the H20 and Voyage I have. In a book, the fonts look very close in how dark they are between the H20 and voyage. If I had to give the edge to one, I'd have to give it to the voyage for being ever so slightly sharper and crisper. One thing is, you can thicken the fonts on the H20, which makes them look even darker, you cannot do that on the voyage, or on any kindle for that matter. I will also say that certain fonts tend to look spindly and too thin on the voyage, to my eyes. It's one of my biggest issues with the kindles, not being able to change fonts and font weight to make the reading experience more optimal for different people's eyes and preferences. I really wish Amazon would listen to feedback on this issue. It's a shame that on a premium device, with a premium price tag, it lacks what I consider to be, important, almost basic customizations for an e-reader. Coming from using kindles, I have to say that I do miss small things about the kindle software, which I didn't expect to be the case. I'll have to spend time reading on the H20 in the next couple of days to decide overall on that front. My biggest issue with the H20 is the footer at the bottom is visually annoying to me. I know you can remove it by editing the config file, which I did, however doing that then removes page number info. Maybe I'm missing something here? I also don't like how there is literally no extra space at the top when reading epubs. It seems you have to convert everything to kobo's kepub format for there to be any space at the top otherwise the words start exactly at the top of the page with no space. It looks very odd to me and throws off the visual balance of the page, imo. Basically, I don't like the way e-pubs are rendered and converting everything in my library to kepub seems a hassle to me. If someone can advise me on something I'm missing here, I'd love to know if there's an easy workaround for this. I'm new to the Kobo so realize I could be missing something. For what it's worth, here's my pros and cons and preferences of each device. Please note these are my own personal pros and cons as I see it for myself. Please don't reply to say that's not a pro, or that's not a con. It's just my opinion as to how I see it. Pro and cons will differ for others, I realize. Kobo H20 pros: Gorgeous even screen, no color hues or other imperfections Customization. Font freedom including changing the thickness and weight of fonts; also margin changes Nicer home screen with more info Waterproof, nice to be able to use it while at the beach or pool or taking a bath SD slot Nicer browser which is much more usable than the kindle browsers Screensaver is current book you're reading. Just something cool, but certainly not necessary Kobo H20 cons A little less contrast compared to the voyage Epubs not rendered as nicely as kepub Slightly slower (Not a big deal to me really, you only notice if you compare the devices side by side) More fussy with things like highlighting Bezel is a serious fingerprint magnet Poor, almost non existent, CS Voyage pros: Slightly better contrast (especially noticeable on photos in books and book covers) Slightly faster overall Smoother and faster with small tasks, like highlighting I prefer the kindle software while reading a book. Percentage left. etc. Excellent CS from Amazon Voyage cons: Screen issues! Of course, this is a very big con on a reading device. Uneven tone on the screen seems a common issue. Cool bottom, warmer top. Mine also has color hues. Stuck with limited fonts and margin selections Home screen is uninspired and lacks info (I prefer the kobo homescreen) Browser is pretty much useless Page press buttons and auto light (mine doesn't work consistently at all) no doubt raise the cost of the device and I don't find either useful. Of course you can turn both off, but they are cons for me if they don't work properly for me, yet drive the price of the device up So those are my thoughts right now. I think it's pretty much in line with what others have said, so probably nothing new really, but I just wanted to add my own impressions having now seen both devices in person and used them. If anyone has anything in particular they want to know or have me compare, please feel free to ask. Last edited by sparklemotion; 10-30-2014 at 08:26 PM.

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10-26-2014, 01:24 AM	#81
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,027 Karma: 18018738 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, PW SE & Kindle 2022, Kobo Libra 2	I have equally used a Kindle PW and a Kobo Aura for the last year and now I have a Aura H20 I'm moving completely to Kobo. I am lucky as I buy Ebooks from independent presses that don't use DRM so I have two formats of every book in Calibre, a mobi and epub. Calibre knows to send each device so it isn't a problem.

10-29-2014, 12:18 AM	#85
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Hopefully the screen issues will go away, the same way they did with the PW1 which has similar issues. Amazon seems to get hit with quality control issues the first time around, the first few months. Also, lots of people have had luck asking for a replacement. The quality varies.

10-29-2014, 12:27 AM	#86
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	sparklemotion, could you post pictures of your H2O with your Kindles? Switching over to Kobo too, should get my H2O in a few weeks. I sure hope I get a good screen, especially coming from a PW1 Glad you got a good one!

10-29-2014, 12:51 AM	#87
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	xtine- I'll post some tomorrow for you. I'm having a hard time getting accurate pics of all the screens next to each other which is the only reason I didn't post any yet. Frustrating!

10-29-2014, 01:29 AM	#88
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	No problem, post them whenever you can. Thank you!

10-29-2014, 02:57 AM	#90
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,027 Karma: 18018738 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, PW SE & Kindle 2022, Kobo Libra 2	Sparklemotion have you installed the kepub Output Plugin in Calibre ? https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=220565 I have that and when i send my epubs to my Kobo devices they appear as Kobo Epubs which I have been told are Kepubs. That might help the display. I must admit I like the ReadScreen=True option but it has an intermitant bug in that the last letter of a row is cut off so I tend to show headers and trailers now.

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