Kobo on older iPad/MacBook

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

I have an Ipad2 and a Macbook Pro that are about 3 years old. For contract reasons related to software and work, I can't upgrade the OS (5.1 for the iPad, 10.6.8 on the MacBook).

I have ibooks and kindle running fine, but recently bought a book from Kobo and can not figure out *any* way to access it. The kobo software in the app store insists I must have iOS 8 (! said iOS 7 on Tuesday...) and despite what I found in other forums on this site I can't seem to access older versions of the app.

I emailed kobo and got no response after 4 business days, when I called I got someone who could not help me at all with the iPad and said the desktop software should work (it does not).

At this point I'd settle for reading my purchase through a web browser as Amazon will let you do. Otherwise I guess I have wasted my money.

Does anyone have suggestions? (again, *please* don't tell me to upgrade the OS. Can't do that for at least 3 months. Sorry.)

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Read, Eat, Sleep

At this point I'd settle for reading my purchase through a web browser as Amazon will let you do.

http://read.kobobooks.com/about/


EDIT: The other option would be if the book in question has an ePub download option, most do (occasionally it's PDF instead & some have no such option). Then you could download the ePub, either DRM-free or Adobe DRM'd (download with Adobe Digital Editions) depending on the book and read it that way. In Adobe Digital Editions on your Macbook and in a DRM capable reading app on the iPad (such as BlueFire if compatible) assuming the book is DRM'd & you don't want to remove it. If it doesn't have DRM any ePub reader should work. To see if there is a download option go to My Library on the website & it should have a blueish button by the book if there is a download other than Kobo's proprietary kePub.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Even when I sign in to kobo, the book I have paid for is not visible In read.Kobobooks.com Or on search, either....

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

http://read.kobobooks.com/about/

[49Kat]

Your best bet would be to contact Kobo using the online chat. They can issue you a refund. I've found the online chat to be the best way to get anything done.

Best of luck to you.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Originally Posted by 49Kat

Your best bet would be to contact Kobo using the online chat. They can issue you a refund. I've found the online chat to be the best way to get anything done.

Best of luck to you.

I'd try this...but how do you find the online chat? When I go to the help page, the only option I get is to submit by email (and from experience I know I'll get a pop-up for phone option after I submit the email form). Oh, and there's up to a 60 hour delay before they will respond to email.

I appreciate the help y'all are trying to give me.

This is *so* dang frustrating that I'm about ready to let them keep my money and go buy the book again on a platform that *works*. I was trying Kobo to support a local bookstore and because friends who have more contacts in publishing than I do say diversity in ebook sources is important for competition...but if the competition can't deliver a readable book to me in *any* form, I'm going to just go back to Amazon.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

EDIT: The other option would be if the book in question has an ePub download option, most do (occasionally it's PDF instead & some have no such option). Then you could download the ePub, either DRM-free or Adobe DRM'd (download with Adobe Digital Editions) depending on the book and read it that way. In Adobe Digital Editions on your Macbook and in a DRM capable reading app on the iPad (such as BlueFire if compatible) assuming the book is DRM'd & you don't want to remove it. If it doesn't have DRM any ePub reader should work. To see if there is a download option go to My Library on the website & it should have a blueish button by the book if there is a download other than Kobo's proprietary kePub.

The book is a TOR book and is not DRM'd (it's Lock In by John Scalzi). There appears to be no download option at all: when I go to my library and select the book, I get a "go to my library" button and next to it is blue text that says "available on these devices": clicking on that text just takes me to the bottom of the page where there is a list of devices that this book can be read on.

Thanks for trying to help, and I'd be happy to try anything else you can suggest.

[49Kat]

Originally Posted by Read, Eat, Sleep

I'd try this...but how do you find the online chat? When I go to the help page, the only option I get is to submit by email (and from experience I know I'll get a pop-up for phone option after I submit the email form). Oh, and there's up to a 60 hour delay before they will respond to email.

I appreciate the help y'all are trying to give me.

This is *so* dang frustrating that I'm about ready to let them keep my money and go buy the book again on a platform that *works*. I was trying Kobo to support a local bookstore and because friends who have more contacts in publishing than I do say diversity in ebook sources is important for competition...but if the competition can't deliver a readable book to me in *any* form, I'm going to just go back to Amazon.

I'm sorry, you're right. I've been all over the Kobo website just now, and I don't see any chat option there anymore. And no way to phone unless you fill out that e-mail form.

As a customer, it concerns me that a company would have customers' credit card info on file and not be easily contacted should a problem occur. The chat was good, things got done in a timely manner. Phone support...my experience with it was a few years ago and it was a disaster, but Kobo has since stopped using that particular offshore company.

I would urge you to not just let them keep your money without you having the item you paid for. I know it's a hassle for you and maybe the amount of money involved may not be worth your time, but it sets a bad precedent. It's not fair, and it's not right. You paid for an item in good faith. If you don't have what you paid for, you are entitled to get your money back.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Originally Posted by 49Kat

As a customer, it concerns me that a company would have customers' credit card info on file and not be easily contacted should a problem occur. The chat was good, things got done in a timely manner. Phone support...my experience with it was a few years ago and it was a disaster, but Kobo has since stopped using that particular offshore company.

Phone support is still offshore...and *awful*. Any conversation that starts with "I am here with you and with the email" and includes a suggestion that if I can't get the app from Apple I should just go to the Google Play store (!!!!) is a pretty clear indication of a company that has no interest in customer support, just profit.

Originally Posted by 49Kat

I would urge you to not just let them keep your money without you having the item you paid for. I know it's a hassle for you and maybe the amount of money involved may not be worth your time, but it sets a bad precedent. It's not fair, and it's not right. You paid for an item in good faith. If you don't have what you paid for, you are entitled to get your money back.

You are right -- but I am pretty d*mn annoyed by the whole thing and not looking forward to another aggravating phone call to try and get my refund.

First Nook, now this -- it's like these folks got together and tried to find the surest ways they could to drive their customers to Amazon instead...

[49Kat]

I just remembered this--and it's something I didn't use because my internet connection wasn't that great, but I still had the bookmark in my Safari browser. Kobo has an online reader. It's not a perfect solution if you want to read offline, but maybe it would help.

http://read.kobobooks.com

I just tried it, I'm on a Windows laptop with the Opera browser at the moment. I didn't sign in, but I managed to read a book preview and it seems to work OK on this platform.

Looks fine in the Safari app on my iPad 2 as well. I'm still running iOS 7.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Originally Posted by 49Kat

I just remembered this--and it's something I didn't use because my internet connection wasn't that great, but I still had the bookmark in my Safari browser. Kobo has an online reader. It's not a perfect solution if you want to read offline, but maybe it would help.

http://read.kobobooks.com

I just tried it, I'm on a Windows laptop with the Opera browser at the moment. I didn't sign in, but I managed to read a book preview and it seems to work OK on this platform.

Looks fine in the Safari app on my iPad 2 as well. I'm still running iOS 7.

I've tried that -- I even "bought" a free book to be sure that I wasn't having technical issues -- and the book that I paid for is not available on that site. Why? Gee, I'd have to have technical support tell me that, and they can't even tell the difference between an iPad and an Android device...

Sigh.

[49Kat]

Originally Posted by Read, Eat, Sleep

I've tried that -- I even "bought" a free book to be sure that I wasn't having technical issues -- and the book that I paid for is not available on that site. Why? Gee, I'd have to have technical support tell me that, and they can't even tell the difference between an iPad and an Android device...

Sigh.

Sorry to hear that.

[dgatwood]

Download the app in iTunes on a Mac or PC first. After that, the App Store on the device should allow you to download an older version that's compatible with your OS.

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

I finally got someone at tech support who could read english and understand the issue! They gave me a link to version 3.6 which runs on my MacBook.

Now...does it store the file on my hard drive somewhere, and where? I should be sure it's included in my backups....

[Read, Eat, Sleep]

Originally Posted by dgatwood

Download the app in iTunes on a Mac or PC first. After that, the App Store on the device should allow you to download an older version that's compatible with your OS.

Didn't work for me -- I get a message about Kobo not being installed because it requires a higher version of the software. I suspect I'm stuck until next year. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Read, Eat, Sleep

Didn't work for me -- I get a message about Kobo not being installed because it requires a higher version of the software. I suspect I'm stuck until next year. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

I would suggest you contact Kobo and perhaps they can send you an earlier version to use. After all they are in the business of selling books not software.

Dale