!@#$ YOU KOBO

[FinancialWar]

I bought the kobo Aura HD and it's forcing me to sign in, sorry but I do not use any of the accounts listed. I bought the device, and I do not want to sign up with any of the services.

What can I do?

[Jellby]

Create a kobo account. Use a disposable email address if you don't want to use your own.

[FinancialWar]

Srz?

This is the first ereader I bought that's forcing me to sign into their ecosystem. Sorry I'm not interested in having Kobo's ads on my reader.

[davidfor]

Sorry, but that's pretty bad research for your new ereader if you don't know that you need to login to the device. As to ads, there aren't really any. There will be some tiles for the store when you first start it. If you buy books from Kobo and sync them, there can be other suggestions as you go along, but they can easily be removed. And if you never sync to the Kobo server, you will not see them.

As to the login, a dummy email address is fine. Kobo doesn't check it. It just needs to look like an email address. Or a few moment searching here will find how to skip the login process.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Even signing in doesn't tie you to their ecosystem since you can still buy books from a number of other vendors who support epub, although you'll most likely have to use Adobe Digital Editions to get the books on your reader. Or just do what I do and fill your library with free -- as in speech and beer -- public domain books. I have over 400 books on my Kobo Aura all without spending a dime.

[booklover6]

Most modern ereaders REQUIRE the user to log in. The only one I currently have that I don't have to register is my Sony T2.

Do I EVER turn the wifi on and sync my Kobos to the server? No. (Unless I am foolishly trying to download an over the air update). No, no, no. I do not like to sync with Kobo. I do not like to upgrade firmware (most of the time). When I get my Kobo the way I want it, I want it to stay exactly like that.

Register it then turn off the wifi and you are done, unless you ever need to log out to refresh the database.

[Dr. Drib]

You've been offered good suggestions.

However, rather than go ballistic, you have the responsibility of doing your own research and asking questions.

We're willing to help you, but ignorance on your part is no excuse. You've been here long enough to know our community and that we will do everything we can to assist members who remain calm.

I'm responding as a Moderator, so there is no misunderstanding where I am coming from.


Don
(Moderator)

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by booklover6

(Unless I am foolishly trying to download an over the air update).

I frequently see people make comments like this, but I'm left scratching my head because I have never had an over-the-air update go awry on either my or my wife's Kobo Touch, or now with my Kobo Aura. I can't figure out what people are doing to make this process go wrong.

[FinancialWar]

I think it is not unreasonable to think that compulsory sign is ridiculous considering I am only buying the hardware and software to read books I already have.

Any ways I already have sign in with kobo account.

[tshering]

Is there any reason nobody suggested bypassing the registration?

[U2Bono269]

There's a service that creates email accounts that last for about 10 minutes. I'm sure you can google it. Use it to create a Kobo account and log in.

If you turn the WIFI off most of the time and sideload books, you will never see anything obtrusive and it will be like your Kobo account doesn't exist.

[FinancialWar]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

If you turn the WIFI off most of the time and sideload books, you will never see anything obtrusive and it will be like your Kobo account doesn't exist.

Actually I am really like the Top 50 books function, gives a list of books that I should download (from somewhere else).

[FinancialWar]

Man, it's not like Kobo is selling their reader cheap or anything to justify such a forceful tactic. I paid $200 for this reader. That's enough $$$ to cover the manufacturing cost and still make substantial amount of profit off me. And they still forcing people to use their ecosystem.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

I frequently see people make comments like this, but I'm left scratching my head because I have never had an over-the-air update go awry on either my or my wife's Kobo Touch, or now with my Kobo Aura. I can't figure out what people are doing to make this process go wrong.

The very first update after I got my Kobo Glo was messed up. The reader would continually show "updating" and you'd sit and watch the battery drain 1% every minute or so because of it. The update file was downloaded, but wouldn't install, it would just sit there. After resetting the device with a paperclip to get back functions, I had to move it the file to my computer, unzip it and move the contents back to the reader, and then it would update.

Now however, I found a firmware I love with minimal bugs and never use the wi-fi so it won't update.

Be thankful you haven't run into any of the updating glitches that can happen.

But back to the OP's issue, I just created a dummy Kobo account that I use on the reader. I don't have an account with any credit card info listed in case I lose my reader so anyone picking it up can't log in and go crazy buying books at my expense. Since I never use the wi-fi, I never even see suggested book titles.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FinancialWar

Man, it's not like Kobo is selling their reader cheap or anything to justify such a forceful tactic. I paid $200 for this reader. That's enough $$$ to cover the manufacturing cost and still make substantial amount of profit off me. And they still forcing people to use their ecosystem.

Sorry, the only thing they are forcing you to do is create a login. Nothing else is forced. They do set a couple of defaults in their favour, but, you can easily turn them off. And as people have commented, the email address does not need to exist. And, also as at least two of us have suggested, you can bypass the registration if you want to.