Paperwhite vs Glow Kobo - specs please

[Iskariot]

I would like to repeat the questions by pinket about the dictionaries, because this is the only thing that stands between me and defecting from Sony to Kobo

Hi Sameer or other Kobo associate,

I have some questions about the Kobo Glo specs.

Dictionaries
1. Different language dictionaries possible?
2. How many languages and or which?
3. Can custom dictionaries be downloaded and installed?
4. Can words be added to a dictionary?

Question 4 is less important to me, but I am very, very much used to the 2 english dictionaries and the french, german and dutch translation dictionaries on my Sony.

For me one of the coolest things about e-reading is the easy and immediate access to dictionaries while reading. Compared to the paper days this is such a wonderful improvement.

[sombreastre]

It's not a full answer regarding the translation dictionaries, but if we're to believe the kobo glo FAQ, I think it will at least have single-language dictionaries of these:

Which languages does Kobo Glo support?
Kobo Glo is a truly international eReader. At first launch, the Kobo Glo will be available in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, and Portuguese. We’re going to be launching more language support shortly, so stay tuned!

from: http://www.kobo.com/koboglo/support/

[sombreastre]

Originally Posted by Iskariot

but I am very, very much used to the 2 english dictionaries and the french, german and dutch translation dictionaries on my Sony.

I'm interested in this myself but I've never had a sony. When you say french and german translation dictionaries, what exactly do you mean?
Does it have all of these dictionaries?
french->french
french->english
english->french

[carmelra]

Originally Posted by sombreastre

Which languages does Kobo Glo support?
Kobo Glo is a truly international eReader. At first launch, the Kobo Glo will be available in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, and Portuguese. We’re going to be launching more language support shortly, so stay tuned!

from: http://www.kobo.com/koboglo/support/

I wonder if the Kobo Glo will support Hebrew ePub properly... As far as I know, the new kindle supports Hebrew KF8 properly.

[baggins]

Originally Posted by carmelra

I wonder if the Kobo Glo will support Hebrew ePub properly... As far as I know, the new kindle supports Hebrew KF8 properly.

If its firmware is basically the same as 2.1.1, then it won't. Hopefully they'll get to it. They now have some ePub 3 support and can display text up-to-down. All that's needed is some right-to-left support.
The Israeli market is small, but the Arabic market, which has the same problem, is huge. It would be in their best interest to tap into that market.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by vitor.fernandes

Hello guys, I am shocked nobody here seems to know how e-ink works, it doesnt work like LCD so, it uses battery not per minute or per month, but per page, it only takes battery when you change pages, and the content stays on the screen like real ink stays on paper. Saying it lasts a month or 2 is relative, depends on how fast you read.

With this information, of course it is best to leave it in standby, even if you only get back to it a few days later, it still takes less battery than rebooting the device.

The display is not the only part of the device that uses power so while the battery drain in standby is quite low, the battery drain in power off is lower. You might notice the delay when turning it on from power off from when you slide the power switch to when it starts booting up compared to the almost instant resume from sleep mode.

Even something as simple as adding an SD card (tested from the Kobo, Kobo WiFi and Kobo Touch) reduces the battery life -- not greatly but noticeably.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by taming

Me? Well, a four day weekend could blow that to bits. It's sad, but true. I really need to go out and get me one of those life things people are always talking about.

I've been looking for a life too but can't find a site where I can download one. Can you help me with this?

[murg]

I tried to find a life on the Kobo site, using their search function. I guess I can't get one in my geographic area.

The response I got from their support people when I raised a case about this was to do a factory reset.

[taming]

When I last resolved to look for a life, I ended up with a new husband. He's a keeper, so I'm having trouble envisioning the results were I to look again. I found the husband on-line about 12 years ago, btw.

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by sombreastre

It's not a full answer regarding the translation dictionaries, but if we're to believe the kobo glo FAQ, I think it will at least have single-language dictionaries of these:

Which languages does Kobo Glo support?
Kobo Glo is a truly international eReader. At first launch, the Kobo Glo will be available in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, and Portuguese. We’re going to be launching more language support shortly, so stay tuned!

from: http://www.kobo.com/koboglo/support/

To me that sounded like it was about the interface languages.

[taming]

I know they have dictionaries and translation shtuff for all of those languages. I do not know if devices activated in every country get all of them or not.

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by sombreastre

I'm interested in this myself but I've never had a sony. When you say french and german translation dictionaries, what exactly do you mean?
Does it have all of these dictionaries?
french->french
french->english
english->french

The Sony PRS 950 features the New Oxford American Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary of English.

Other languages are sadly only available in translation dictionaries:
En-Fr & Fr En
Ger-En & En-Ger
En-Es & Es-En
En-It & It-En
En-Dutch & Dutch-En

So that is 12 dictionaries in total.

All dictionaries are of very good quality, being Oxford, Collins and Van Dale dictionaries.

I do indeed miss the dedicated dictionaries for other languages, like French-French, Dutch-Dutch and German-German, but all in all Sony is the king of high quality retail dictionaries.
I know of no other ereader brand that is so well equipped in this regard, out of the box.

I know Pocketbook does quite well too, but that brand had too many software problems at the time I was buying a reader.

At the moment it is the dictionaries that make it difficult for me to switch to another brand.

I believe most ereader designers underestimate the incredible convenience and fun of good dictionaries. For me having dictionaries build into my books is like heaven. Just tapping on a word, anytime I like, to get an answer is soooo cool.

[sombreastre]

Thanks for clarifying Iskariot.

Originally Posted by Iskariot

To me that sounded like it was about the interface languages.

Sure, it is talking about interface languages. Although, I suppose that if the interface is available in one language, it has to have a dictionary of that language. Otherwise
it's gonna look like there's a basic feature missing, for speakers of that language.

"Instant dictionary lookup" is the feature they advertise(at least in the vids), not "English dictionary lookup".
Therefore, my understanding of it is that looking up a word in the language where the device is being sold, is a feature.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by Iskariot

The Sony PRS 950 features the New Oxford American Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary of English.

Other languages are sadly only available in translation dictionaries:
En-Fr & Fr En
Ger-En & En-Ger
En-Es & Es-En
En-It & It-En
En-Dutch & Dutch-En

So that is 12 dictionaries in total.

All dictionaries are of very good quality, being Oxford, Collins and Van Dale dictionaries.

I didn't even realize my Sony had all of that. I just checked it out and am quite impressed!

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by sombreastre

It's not a full answer regarding the translation dictionaries, but if we're to believe the kobo glo FAQ, I think it will at least have single-language dictionaries of these:

Which languages does Kobo Glo support?
Kobo Glo is a truly international eReader. At first launch, the Kobo Glo will be available in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, and Portuguese. We’re going to be launching more language support shortly, so stay tuned!

from: http://www.kobo.com/koboglo/support/

Originally Posted by taming

I know they have dictionaries and translation shtuff for all of those languages. I do not know if devices activated in every country get all of them or not.

All those languages include dictionaries that translate to English or from English back to the selected language. The few that I've checked have Language X >Language X as well.