First impressions of Kobo's newest ereader

[hermes]

Comparing with Sony Pocket Edition, nothing else

Positives

P1. Almost as good as Sony pocket edition small size and weight wise
P2. Wifi that Sony doesn't have
P3. Bigger screen than SONY
P4. Lower price
P5. Chapters sells simple sleeve covers

Negatives

N1. Cumbersome highlighting method that doesn't always take (maybe mine is a reject or highlight shows up only in text size put on originally?)
N2. I prefer combination of mechanical buttons and touch screen of Sony
N3. Strong flashing/ghosting when change pages. Sony has none of this distracting ugly image wierdness.
N4. No scribbling feature (not a big deal for me)
N5. If it has a bookmark feature it isn't obvious to me
N6. Instructions how to delete highlights not obvious (and not even in user guide).
N7. No customer service by phone in Canada (email/web only). USA?
N8. Poorer book selection
N9. Sleeve covers are pig leather, so will offend vegetarians, Hindus and especially Muslims. And they are overpriced, at about 25% price of ereader!

A difference (neither good nor bad really) is that Sony looks like a work of art. The Kobo ereader looks functional.

I see that local Sony Store has brought down price by 10% to compete with release of Kobo's new model. When it comes down another 10-15% I will probably buy a Sony again.

[PeterT]

From the Kobo Reader website:

QUICK HELP Call 1-866-204-4714 (8am-12am EST) Email: help@kobobooks.com (24 hours) or use our online Help

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by hermes

Comparing with Sony Pocket Edition, nothing else

Positives

P1. Almost as good as Sony pocket edition small size and weight wise
P2. Wifi that Sony doesn't have
P3. Bigger screen than SONY
P4. Lower price
P5. Chapters sells simple sleeve covers

Negatives

N1. Cumbersome highlighting method that doesn't always take (maybe mine is a reject or highlight shows up only in text size put on originally?)
N2. I prefer combination of mechanical buttons and touch screen of Sony
N3. Strong flashing/ghosting when change pages. Sony has none of this distracting ugly image wierdness.
N4. No scribbling feature (not a big deal for me)
N5. If it has a bookmark feature it isn't obvious to me
N6. Instructions how to delete highlights not obvious (and not even in user guide).
N7. No customer service by phone in Canada (email/web only). USA?
N8. Poorer book selection
N9. Sleeve covers are pig leather, so will offend vegetarians, Hindus and especially Muslims. And they are overpriced, at about 25% price of ereader!

A difference (neither good nor bad really) is that Sony looks like a work of art. The Kobo ereader looks functional.

I see that local Sony Store has brought down price by 10% to compete with release of Kobo's new model. When it comes down another 10-15% I will probably buy a Sony again.

I do have to ask; with all the negatives against the kobo vs the sony; why did you return the sony? not meant to be a snotty question by any means, but it seems like you really do prefer the sony over the kobo...

[taming]

Every time you close the book, move to your home page, etc. bookmarking is automatic. I don't have my Touch in front of me, but I believe you can add bookmarks in other ways. You will see a dogmark fold in the upper right when you bookmark. In Canada, the six inch Sony is almost never available and cost over $100 more. The non-touch Kobo WiFi had no ghosting either. You are comparing oranges and bananas. And Hermes, if you are planning on developing a big library, you may want a reader that takes an SD card--the Sony 350 does not.

Kobo Help Line, United States and Canada: 1-866-204-4714 (8am - 12am EST)

Maybe you should take another look.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by taming

Every time you close the book, move to your home page, etc. bookmarking is automatic. I don't have my Touch in front of me, but I believe you can add bookmarks in other ways. In Canada, the six inch Sony is almost never available and cost over $100 more.

Kobo Help Line, United States and Canada: 1-866-204-4714 (8am - 12am EST)

Maybe you should take another look.

Highlights are the only way that I could see as a way to add extra book marks, and of course, only on KEPUB books; there's an update bookmark option, again only for KEPUB, which updates your current bookmark to your online profile, but I don't believe it updates highlights; will check this when I get home. Interesting though, because the chapters site does tout multiple bookmarks on the touch compared to kobo wifi, which is separate from their mentioning highlights.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by hermes

N1. Cumbersome highlighting method that doesn't always take (maybe mine is a reject or highlight shows up only in text size put on originally?)
N6. Instructions how to delete highlights not obvious (and not even in user guide).

How is it cumbersome? you hold down on the place you want to highlight, and you drag the perimeter balls the length you want to highlight, and then hit save. as for not always taking; that is an odd one. I've tried a number of different things (re-sized fonts, finished the book, etc) and the highlights were always there. until I deleted them. the only thing I've found is that the highlights you do on the e-reader will not reflect the highlights you have in the desktop software once you sync them.

As for deleting, again I'm not sure how it wasn't obvious, but the help option on the kobo itself did indeed have instructions on page 9:

to delete a highlight:
1. tap the middle of your page to see your reading options.
2. tap the menu icon (sorry, I don't have an icon to represent that, but there is one there)
3. select the highlights from the menu.
your ereader will show a list of all the highlighs
you've made in your book.
4. tap the check box next to the highlights you wish to delete
5. tap delete

it really can't be more plan than that.

Originally Posted by hermes

N4. No scribbling feature (not a big deal for me)

If this isn't a big deal for you, it shouldn't be considered a negative

[taming]

If you buy the Sony, will you post there and not here? Buy it!

I know this is rude, but when a person tries something in the store for a few minutes--and if it is like most store models, not necessarily one that has the update applied--misses some of the features (ummm no bookmarking), misstates other things (ummm phone support) and pays very little attention to the differences that have to do with the technolgy behind touch screen/no touch screen or notice the sd card/no sd card, then in my not so humble opinion, he should get more familiar with what he held in his hand before writing a review.

[G0AT]

Originally Posted by Psyke

If this isn't a big deal for you, it shouldn't be considered a negative

While the review is obviously just his personal opinion, I think the negatives and positives in a review should include anything that the reviewer thinks will be important to some of his/her readers, not just the things that the reviewer considers important to his or herself.

I haven't picked up a touch yet, and am using each of these user reviews and discussions to decide if its worth the upgrade at this time. I have a large amount of books that I would be sideloading through Calibre, so the lack of highlighting and dictionary on sideloaded books is a significant disappointment.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by G0AT

While the review is obviously just his personal opinion, I think the negatives and positives in a review should include anything that the reviewer thinks will be important to some of his/her readers, not just the things that the reviewer considers important to his or herself.

I haven't picked up a touch yet, and am using each of these user reviews and discussions to decide if its worth the upgrade at this time. I have a large amount of books that I would be sideloading through Calibre, so the lack of highlighting and dictionary on sideloaded books is a significant disappointment.

I don't disagree you, in general; While I think some of his negatives are definitely valid, anything that he found different/lacking compared to the sony should probably be put in a separate "nice to haves" type of section, because he really didn't find it negative. I know I'm just splitting hairs, but I'm having a slow day

[witeowl]

Originally Posted by Psyke

I do have to ask; with all the negatives against the kobo vs the sony; why did you return the sony? not meant to be a snotty question by any means, but it seems like you really do prefer the sony over the kobo...

Can't speak for Hermes, but: 1) His broke (announced elsewhere) and 2) It's common to think that something else might be better and not know until you actually give it a shot.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by witeowl

Can't speak for Hermes, but: 1) His broke (announced elsewhere) and 2) It's common to think that something else might be better and not know until you actually give it a shot.

Sorry, I don't follow all of Hermes' Posts, so I didn't know.

As for the second point you made, without knowing the first, one would assume that you'd purchase a second device to try it out, then return/get rid of the one you didn't like. Obviously if it broke, he returned and decided to try the kobo instead for shits and giggles, it makes sense, but in this particular posting, the one I read, he didn't mention his sony breaking. but thank you for informing me.

[witeowl]

Originally Posted by Psyke

Sorry, I don't follow all of Hermes' Posts, so I didn't know.

As for the second point you made, without knowing the first, one would assume that you'd purchase a second device to try it out, then return/get rid of the one you didn't like. Obviously if it broke, he returned and decided to try the kobo instead for shits and giggles, it makes sense, but in this particular posting, the one I read, he didn't mention his sony breaking. but thank you for informing me.

No need to apologize. You do follow all of my posts, though, right?

And you're right about the normal method; it's exactly what I'm doing right now with the Nook Color*... if it ever arrives, that is (grumble, mumble, why send tracking information if it's never updated...). So, yeah, I get how that would look weird.


* Wow, a completely different direction from my previous consideration to switch to the Kobo Touch. Go figure.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by witeowl

And you're right about the normal method; it's exactly what I'm doing right now with the Nook Color*...

* Wow, a completely different direction from my previous consideration to switch to the Kobo Touch. Go figure.

lol sorry, don't follow your posts closely either, but I guess it really depends on what swayed you to the nook

Myself, I couldn't go for an LCD ereader only; if I'm going to do that, I'll go full blown and buy a full featured tablet, because as an ereader only, LCD just doesn't cut it outside in full sunlight (although great for night reading).

[baronrus]

N9. Sleeve covers are pig leather, so will offend vegetarians, Hindus and especially Muslims. And they are overpriced, at about 25% price of ereader!

Really, Really? What does that have to do with the kobo ereader? If it was made out of cow leather would it be a problem for someone, or if it is synthetic doesnt that tick off the environmentalists?

Sorry this is a bogus post Herme's is trolling

[siraks]

Originally Posted by baronrus

N9. Sleeve covers are pig leather, so will offend vegetarians, Hindus and especially Muslims. And they are overpriced, at about 25% price of ereader!

Really, Really? What does that have to do with the kobo ereader? If it was made out of cow leather would it be a problem for someone, or if it is synthetic doesnt that tick off the environmentalists?

i briefly looked at the OP and then browsed through the replies, wish i would have seen this earlier to get a good chuckle earlier than now.

i don't see how that can be a negative against the reader itself, there are plenty of options for the kobo with regards to sleeves and cases.