10-30-2011, 01:01 PM | #16 |
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A couple of observations from reading the various Vox posts:
Android, unlike iOS, is not intuitive at all. It is a rather complex OS with settings scattered about in non-intuitive menu locations. It is certainly more like learning Windows OS than learning the iOS. Now it is true that that is what makes Android so much more powerful than iOS, but it also makes it exponentially more difficult and tedious to learn to use. So if Kobo did in fact go more for the "I just want a color eReader" crowd, then they really screwed up on the documentation. You can't give a hugely complex device to a novice and expect them to quickly learn how to use it. How many posts have we read of Vox owners not even knowing they should first charge it a few hours before playing with it? That is not a slap at the Vox owners. It is a slap at Kobo for not having the common sense to include a simple to follow "Getting Started" fold out to show owners how to get started. Duh!!!! So my point here is: If Kobo was aiming for the "I just want a color eReader" crowd, they should have known that audience is mostly lacking in Android skills and would need their hands held throughout the first few days of ownership. So Kobo should have made setup much more intuitive and provided easy to follow documentation. Having owned a Kobo Touch briefly, I know that Kobo thought it was brilliant to have two rendering engines rather than one. For Kobo ePubs, known as kePubs, they included a rendering engine with more bells and whistles. For non-Kobo ePubs, known as simply ePubs, they included a rendering engine that was horribly lacking in features. From reading these posts I'm inclined to think this might also be the case for the Vox. I've read how sideloaded books are rendered without features like hyperlink selection. I don't know if Kobo kePubs have that feature, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do. Using two rendering engines on the Kobo Touch was incredibly short sighted and a mistake. If they did the same on the Vox then that was incredibly stupid. True, Kobo does try to improve their shortcomings with FW updates, but they never really got it ironed out with the KT so why should we think they will eventually get it right with the Vox? On the plus side I'm happy to hear that the Vox can install and run other reader apps. That is great because it sounds like that will be required for decent ePub reading. Last edited by jswinden; 10-30-2011 at 01:07 PM. |
10-30-2011, 02:40 PM | #17 |
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While I agree that Android is not as intuitive as iOS or Windows Phone 7.5 I think that they gave as much info as possible. There is a getting started fold out with the Vox that explains the basics. The only thing it doesn't show in the fold out is how to unlock the lock screen. The lock screen shows an lock with an arrow plus a dot on the other side. Even if you couldn't figure this out right away you could have done a quick search online and seen a video on it. Once in you have the Kobo Vox manual right on the main screen that has a bunch of info. Really though once it is up and running you could use it pretty quickly as a pure e-reader without much if any configuration. It is when you want to start doing all the other fun stuff that a tablet does that the issues are going to occur.
I did say it before the Vox was released though that I thought that this isn't the device to get for the non technically inclined. The touch is a much better device for those people. |
10-30-2011, 04:56 PM | #18 | |
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Can anybody please tell me what the Karma numbers indicate? Last edited by moolyn; 10-30-2011 at 05:35 PM. |
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10-30-2011, 05:24 PM | #19 |
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10-30-2011, 05:31 PM | #20 |
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I don't get the reasoning. The iPad app allows for organization of content. Owners of the Kobo Touch have continually expressed interest in this feature.
Last edited by SCION; 10-30-2011 at 05:34 PM. |
10-30-2011, 08:18 PM | #21 |
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The reasoning is a lame excuse for not putting in the development effort
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10-30-2011, 08:23 PM | #22 |
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This reasoning is why I'm now considering returning my soon-to-be-delivered Kobo Vox unopened and waiting for a Kindle Touch.
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10-30-2011, 08:42 PM | #23 |
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I am not too fussed about this...I have a rather small book collection and tend to borrow most of my books and then delete the expired book afterwards.
What I am more miffed about is that the Vox is not recognized as a device by ADE, so I cannot sideload my library books. I need to download them directly and use the Overdrive app. to read. That's all fine and dandy, but that means that I can't use reading life and pulse on my Vox for my library books (which is over half or more of what I read). I really hope this gets resolved in time. |
10-30-2011, 08:58 PM | #24 |
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Thank you for posting the YouTube video. You're quite a good presenter! I was wondering what the Vox is like, so I began to watch and two things hit me immediately: the need for wireless, which I don't have -- though I have broadband -- but wireless is available at my apartment complex's leasing office. I don' t think they'd want me sitting in there for a long, long time... And, two, that synching books with the cloud thing or whatever, and I don't want that. Those two things kind of remind me of an outsider marrying into a very close-knit clan and she'd better conform or be kicked out and dear spouse (the device) can't do a thing about it. Devices like the Vox, IPad, Kindle, etc., make me happy for my ~3-year-old netbook with windows XP, on which I can do just about everything -- and don't have to get permission from anybody to do it. Again, thank you for the educational youtube video!
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10-30-2011, 09:17 PM | #25 | |
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10-31-2011, 10:42 AM | #26 |
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Thank you, i loved your little presentation. At the end of it you say that there is a part 2, can you post the link to it please?
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10-31-2011, 11:07 AM | #27 | |
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Thanks! |
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