iOS App Kobo iOS apps future version request thread

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by spersephone

This is on the home screen of the iPad app. It's got books which aren't currently downloaded to the app, but are in the cloud. I would like them to go away from the home screen, but it doesn't seem to let me.

I didn't try removing a book that hadn't been downloaded. My test was with books already downloaded. I tired a book that hadn't been download and I saw the option you saw. Plus, it did really remove it from my library.

Even in the library, I can't seem to make it show me the books that are downloaded, more clearly than the books which are still in the cloud.

If you go to the library part of the Kobo web site, you can do something there. Find the book in the "I'm Reading" list, select it and delete it. The books are put into the "Trash". The next time you sync the app or a device, the book will be removed. Unfortunately, this will remove them from everywhere. Deleting once downloaded to the app or device seems to work on the app/device only.

[spersephone]

No, I don't want to remove them from my library, just from being visible on the home screen of the device in particular. I have an iOS app on 4 different devices, as well as the Kobo Glo, and I want different books to appear on these devices depending on the purpose I use that device for.

I'm fairly certain it used to be simpler to decide which books were shown on which devices, but it seems to have changed somewhat.

I also have a Kindle, so maybe I've gotten more used to the way their app works, which seems to suit me better. I still buy books from Kobo as well though.

[Sharkus]

If you use the remove "from device" option it basically archives the book (deletes the kepub file from the file system on the device) but it keeps a reference in the app, which visibly appears as the book cover image. It puts the book into a non-downloaded state too, so in the bottom right hand corner of the cover image there should be a circular download icon.

This option only removes it from that single device. The "from library" option deletes the book from the device and the library, which equates to the web site's "I'm Reading" list, and that is what all the apps / devices use as the master list of books that will be displayed on a device or in the apps.

I'm trying to remember the logic surrounding what the home screen displays, as in downloaded vs non-downloaded items. I can say for certain that at present you cannot remove a home page tile on iOS.

[spersephone]

I'd like to be able to toggle between showing all items and showing items actually present on the device. I've got lots of purchases in the cloud, but for this device I'd like just a small portion of those to be visible instead of wading through to find them.

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by spersephone

I'd like to be able to toggle between showing all items and showing items actually present on the device. I've got lots of purchases in the cloud, but for this device I'd like just a small portion of those to be visible instead of wading through to find them.

That does sound like a good idea. Not too sure wether we'd have it as a toggle, or perhaps add two default shelves / collections, one to display all downloaded items, the other to show all non-downloaded items.

[Sharkus]

Kobo v7.3 for iOS is now available in the App Store

What's New
1. Performance and content rendering improvements, and several bug fixes.

2. Enhanced footnotes are now displayed in convenient pop-ups.

3. A redesigned text selection menu, with four different colours to choose from for your annotations.

4. Improved support for multiple dictionaries.

[Wayne Borean]

The shelfs system is useless. Let's say I finish reading the Harry Potter series, and want to move them to my Harry Potter shelf. This takes 2 seconds, but they are still visible in the main area of the library.

I have a ton of books on my iPad, in four different book readers. I like keeping my books cataloged. Andre Norton has her own file. David Weber has his own file. H. Beam Piper has his own file.

That keeps their books out of the way. Otherwise the main screen is an unholy mess, and I waste more time trying to find what I want. I may or may not know the title. All too often I'm interested in a specific style of read, rather than a specific book, and being able to keep the various authors each in their own catalog (shelf) would make the app a lot easier to use.

Wayne
iPad 3

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by Wayne Borean

The shelfs system is useless. Let's say I finish reading the Harry Potter series, and want ot move them to my Harry Potter shelf. This takes 2 seconds, but they are still visible in the main area of the library.

I have a tone of books on my iPad, in four different book readers. I like keeping my books cataloged. Andre Norton has her one file. David Weber has his own file. H. Beam Piper has his own file.

That keeps their books out of the way. Otherwise the main screen is an unholy mess, and I waste more time trying to find what I want. I may or may not know the title. All too often I'm interested in a specific style of read, rather than a specific book, and being able to keep the various authors each in their own catalog (shelf) would make the app a lot easier to use.

Wayne
iPad 3

Thanks for the feedback.
Shelves, or Collections as they are now known, are really just filters based on your selection from the "All" list / shelf / collection, which is the master list of all the content you have in the app. Therefore, adding an item to a custom shelf doesn't remove it from the All list.

[Wayne Borean]

Originally Posted by Sharkus

Thanks for the feedback.
Shelves, or Collections as they are now known, are really just filters based on your selection from the "All" list / shelf / collection, which is the master list of all the content you have in the app. Therefore, adding an item to a custom shelf doesn't remove it from the All list.

And that is a problem. That's why whenever possible I use iBook, which has that option, and try to avoid buying DRMed eBooks.

Wayne

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by spersephone

I'd like to be able to toggle between showing all items and showing items actually present on the device. I've got lots of purchases in the cloud, but for this device I'd like just a small portion of those to be visible instead of wading through to find them.

The eReaders do have this option in the Library settings, I think it's named "Only show downloaded items". Let me bring this up with the team again, as I do remember a discussion about it, and there is quite a bit of sense in having the option.

[JQW]

The current version of the app seems to have problems opening some books under iOS 8. The problem books appear to contain embedded fonts, although the issue could be due to something else.

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by JQW

The current version of the app seems to have problems opening some books under iOS 8. The problem books appear to contain embedded fonts, although the issue could be due to something else.

Hi,
We have an update pending with Apple (currently "In Review") which should address the issue when it is released.

[JQW]

Thanks.

[Sharkus]

Kobo v7.4 for iOS is now available in the App Store

What's New
1. iOS 8 compatibility.

2. New Picture Quote feature: share quotes with style!

3. In the Notification Centre, use our new Today widget to keep track of your current read.

4. Bug fixes and performance improvements.

Please Note: v7.4 of the Kobo iOS application require iOS 8 or later

[RobertJSawyer]

Sigh. My iPad Air 3G 128GB Successfuly updated to iOS8, but Kobo app 7.4 won't install properly -- alone out of the dozens of apps that I've updated. It stays dim on. The home screen, and touching it causes the installation spinner to cycle around and then stop with the app still uninstalled. app version 7.4 did install just fine on my iPhone 5s. Anybody else seeing this on an iPad?