My Kobo eReader Arrived

pholy · 04-30-2010, 03:10 PM

edit - see also my post below... the problem was a badly structured file...

My Kobo arrived just before noon today and I have been playing with it since then. After noticing that it did indeed have 100 books already on it, I decided to add some of my own. So I plugged it in to my Ubunto box, and on the second try, it showed up. So I dragged a couple of my epub books on to it and unmounted it and then unplugged it. Got "Processing ... please wait..." so I did, for five minutes, then found a paper clip and reset it. No new books... Try it on Windows, the books are in the directory, but it still hangs when I disconnect. Try an already loaded card... takes a long time, but it finally finds and processes all the epub on the card and displays them.

Long story short, once I deleted my epub files from the Kobo main directory, everything is fine. Apparently you can drop pdf files into the main directory, but not epub files.

I installed the Windows app from the Installers folder. The Kobo app connected to my account and downloaded the three books I've bought, adding them to the five free books it came with. Then I sync'ed with the reader and waited til it finished. These books shows up in my "I'm reading" panel.

Oh, yeah - the serif text, at medium size for me, looks very good, although it looks double spaced - way too much leading between lines for my taste.

Anyway, still early times yet.

ficbot · 04-30-2010, 03:24 PM

I had no trouble dragging and dropping. Just make sure your files are unencrypted if you drag and drop---protected files need to be loaded via an authorizing software.

JCKobo · 04-30-2010, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

I had no trouble dragging and dropping. Just make sure your files are unencrypted if you drag and drop---protected files need to be loaded via an authorizing software.

I've been hearing mixed stories on dragging and dropping - it worked for me as well, but another customer had trouble too. Something we're looking into.

pholy · 04-30-2010, 04:00 PM

Ahhh, OK, found the trouble. One of the two books - which shall remain nameless - has a css file which is 112 kBytes! There are over 7700 lines which all look like this:
#cfs_2121 {
font-size: 83.333333%
}
Only the label changes! Somebody's conversion software sucks, big time!

And the Kobo scans the files to insert them into its database... No wonder it was taking so long!

Got rid of that file, and all is well

JCKobo · 04-30-2010, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

Ahhh, OK, found the trouble. One of the two books - which shall remain nameless - has a css file which is 112 kBytes! There are over 7700 lines which all look like this:
#cfs_2121 {
font-size: 83.333333%
}
Only the label changes! Somebody's conversion software sucks, big time!

And the Kobo scans the files to insert them into its database... No wonder it was taking so long!

Got rid of that file, and all is well

That's great news - I'll let our customer service know about this problem. Could you DM me the title/publisher? I don't want to drag any names through the mud but it would be good to know.

Snapply · 04-30-2010, 09:42 PM

so it's slow, the text is wonky, and it's not consumer friendly.

riemann42 · 04-30-2010, 10:41 PM

It's important to be a little understanding of problems right out of the door. It always happens, simply because the real world is much bigger than any Lab!

What I want to know is how the epub is rendered? For example, if it appears to have too much leading, is this a property of the epub file, or the default style used by Kobo.

If the epub renders well, and the page turns are fast, than I am happy. I just took a Sony PRS-600 back because it only managed one of those two (If my CSS says justified, you better justify that block!). I love the nook, which does a decent job of rendering and (now with 1.3) a decent job at page turns.

Also, how are the buttons? Do they feel stiff? How easy is the page turning? I have an eslick with a similar layout, and although the buttons are stiff, I like the position of the controls.

pholy · 04-30-2010, 10:44 PM

re: Snapply -

Au contraire - it is actually quite consumer friendly, and it's only slow on restarting after giving it a lot of new books to digest.

The page turns are quite quick, and I like the choice of font sizes. I don't consider extra leading to be 'wonky' - it is very readable. Once I got into a story this afternoon, I stopped noticing any problems.

RussMeyer · 04-30-2010, 11:03 PM

I got mine today. I am still playing with it but so far it looks pretty good. I do have a problem with a book I am currently reading. It is a file I converted from a lrf file and it works ok on the Kobo but for some reason I can't change the font size.

ficbot · 04-30-2010, 11:14 PM

Russ, I had this problem with some files in the test unit I had---some of the files were even from their own store, and it was totally random which ones they were as other ones looked just fine and worked properly. My contact at Kobo told me this was a bug in the ADE firmware and they are working on a fix, but no timeline as to when it will be available.

terifili · 05-01-2010, 07:15 AM

I was able to drag and drop right to the main directory. I was also able to save right from Calibre by using the save to disc option right at the top, that was very useful!

I can't change font size on the ereader itself thought with converted files... anybody?

RussMeyer · 05-01-2010, 01:19 PM

I solved my font size problem by reconverting the file with Calibre and changing the size of the output font.

terifili · 05-01-2010, 01:41 PM

Russ, can you change it on your reader or is it still only one size?

RussMeyer · 05-01-2010, 01:51 PM

No, it's still only one size. I just kept playing with Calibre until I found a size that was comfortable for me. Not the best solution but I'm sure they will come up with a fix. My only other beef is I'm left handed and the device is definitely made for rightys.

JCSullivan · 05-01-2010, 02:19 PM

Hey guyz,
Got mine yesterday too - ooops Thursday 31st. It's slick and I too find it slow BUT for now, I like it.
Quick Start Guide sucks and had to spend some time on their website to find out about where to place the pdf docs.
Hope I'm not hijackin gthis thread - apologies if yes.

04-30-2010, 03:10 PM	#1
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	My Kobo eReader Arrived edit - see also my post below... the problem was a badly structured file... My Kobo arrived just before noon today and I have been playing with it since then. After noticing that it did indeed have 100 books already on it, I decided to add some of my own. So I plugged it in to my Ubunto box, and on the second try, it showed up. So I dragged a couple of my epub books on to it and unmounted it and then unplugged it. Got "Processing ... please wait..." so I did, for five minutes, then found a paper clip and reset it. No new books... Try it on Windows, the books are in the directory, but it still hangs when I disconnect. Try an already loaded card... takes a long time, but it finally finds and processes all the epub on the card and displays them. Long story short, once I deleted my epub files from the Kobo main directory, everything is fine. Apparently you can drop pdf files into the main directory, but not epub files. I installed the Windows app from the Installers folder. The Kobo app connected to my account and downloaded the three books I've bought, adding them to the five free books it came with. Then I sync'ed with the reader and waited til it finished. These books shows up in my "I'm reading" panel. Oh, yeah - the serif text, at medium size for me, looks very good, although it looks double spaced - way too much leading between lines for my taste. Anyway, still early times yet. Last edited by pholy; 04-30-2010 at 04:03 PM. Reason: More investigation found the trouble...

04-30-2010, 10:44 PM	#8
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	re: Snapply - Au contraire - it is actually quite consumer friendly, and it's only slow on restarting after giving it a lot of new books to digest. The page turns are quite quick, and I like the choice of font sizes. I don't consider extra leading to be 'wonky' - it is very readable. Once I got into a story this afternoon, I stopped noticing any problems. Last edited by pholy; 04-30-2010 at 10:45 PM. Reason: slow typing...

04-30-2010, 11:03 PM	#9
RussMeyer Member Posts: 23 Karma: 12 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	I got mine today. I am still playing with it but so far it looks pretty good. I do have a problem with a book I am currently reading. It is a file I converted from a lrf file and it works ok on the Kobo but for some reason I can't change the font size. Last edited by RussMeyer; 04-30-2010 at 11:09 PM. Reason: mistake lrf not lit

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04-30-2010, 03:24 PM	#2
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I had no trouble dragging and dropping. Just make sure your files are unencrypted if you drag and drop---protected files need to be loaded via an authorizing software.

04-30-2010, 04:00 PM	#4
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Ahhh, OK, found the trouble. One of the two books - which shall remain nameless - has a css file which is 112 kBytes! There are over 7700 lines which all look like this: #cfs_2121 { font-size: 83.333333% } Only the label changes! Somebody's conversion software sucks, big time! And the Kobo scans the files to insert them into its database... No wonder it was taking so long! Got rid of that file, and all is well

04-30-2010, 09:42 PM	#6
Snapply Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 34 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Amazozn Kindlezz	so it's slow, the text is wonky, and it's not consumer friendly.

04-30-2010, 10:41 PM	#7
riemann42 Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 506 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Device: eSlick,nook	It's important to be a little understanding of problems right out of the door. It always happens, simply because the real world is much bigger than any Lab! What I want to know is how the epub is rendered? For example, if it appears to have too much leading, is this a property of the epub file, or the default style used by Kobo. If the epub renders well, and the page turns are fast, than I am happy. I just took a Sony PRS-600 back because it only managed one of those two (If my CSS says justified, you better justify that block!). I love the nook, which does a decent job of rendering and (now with 1.3) a decent job at page turns. Also, how are the buttons? Do they feel stiff? How easy is the page turning? I have an eslick with a similar layout, and although the buttons are stiff, I like the position of the controls.

04-30-2010, 11:14 PM	#10
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Russ, I had this problem with some files in the test unit I had---some of the files were even from their own store, and it was totally random which ones they were as other ones looked just fine and worked properly. My contact at Kobo told me this was a bug in the ADE firmware and they are working on a fix, but no timeline as to when it will be available.

05-01-2010, 07:15 AM	#11
terifili Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 106 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I was able to drag and drop right to the main directory. I was also able to save right from Calibre by using the save to disc option right at the top, that was very useful! I can't change font size on the ereader itself thought with converted files... anybody?

05-01-2010, 01:19 PM	#12
RussMeyer Member Posts: 23 Karma: 12 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	I solved my font size problem by reconverting the file with Calibre and changing the size of the output font.

05-01-2010, 01:41 PM	#13
terifili Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 106 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	Russ, can you change it on your reader or is it still only one size?

05-01-2010, 01:51 PM	#14
RussMeyer Member Posts: 23 Karma: 12 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	No, it's still only one size. I just kept playing with Calibre until I found a size that was comfortable for me. Not the best solution but I'm sure they will come up with a fix. My only other beef is I'm left handed and the device is definitely made for rightys.

05-01-2010, 02:19 PM	#15
JCSullivan Chief Inspector Gamache Posts: 123 Karma: 12 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada eh! Device: Viewsonic	Hey guyz, Got mine yesterday too - ooops Thursday 31st. It's slick and I too find it slow BUT for now, I like it. Quick Start Guide sucks and had to spend some time on their website to find out about where to place the pdf docs. Hope I'm not hijackin gthis thread - apologies if yes.