Google Play Now Available on Kobo Vox

[49Kat]

I like the update so far, with some of the new google stuff. I've used the news and weather app and custom set the weather to our area, so that's pretty neat. I haven't tried the movie thing and I probably won't because we're on satellite internet and big downloads tend to get slowed down after a while. It'll be nice to get other apps more easily from Google Play.

The sleep of death thing...well, I've adapted to that so I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, it's really not a hardship.

[Cdesja5]

Originally Posted by Alans

Has anyone tried to download a movie yet on google play? I don't know if the battery
life is long enough to watch an entire movie.

Yes battery lasts plenty long enough to watch 2 as long as they aren't 3 hr movies

[Cdesja5]

Originally Posted by markT4

It's just a normal firmware update? When I click "update now" in Firmware update it just says "Current firmware v18 is up to date. No update is needed".

Go to settings, about Kobo Reader, system update

[Reader Paradice]

Nobody has yet mentioned at least what I have found post-update...that the system in general seems to have been speeded up 75 to 100 percent in software loading times, finger and hand movements upon the screen, etc.

It appears to me, that they tweaked as well as added software. Google Play is fantastic. I find what I want, download...and it installs without a hitch. I finally got NETFLIX to run perfectly.

KOBO, thank you! The Vox is finally and truly a most usable 7 inch eReader and tablet. The only thing found that can't really be used upon the Vox...is the Google Maps. The 800 Mhz chip can't handle it. The system slows down, or locks when using this one item. Other than that....very pleased.

R.P.

[Kboland]

Originally Posted by Reader Paradice

...that the system in general seems to have been speeded up 75 to 100 percent in software loading times, finger and hand movements upon the screen, etc.

The only thing found that can't really be used upon the Vox...is the Google Maps. The 800 Mhz chip can't handle it.
R.P.

I'd have to agree, that the system over all seems much more responsive after this latest update, with everything from load times to touch responsiveness seemingly improved.

I do howver find that Maps works ok on my unit. I've been using it on my rooted Vox prior to this update, and find it even more useful now, as the location data over wifi now works. Even scrolling around downtown Toronto with the 3D buildings loading, everything scolls and loads without problem.

[Reader Paradice]

Originally Posted by Kboland

I'd have to agree, that the system over all seems much more responsive after this latest update, with everything from load times to touch responsiveness seemingly improved.

I do howver find that Maps works ok on my unit. I've been using it on my rooted Vox prior to this update, and find it even more useful now, as the location data over wifi now works. Even scrolling around downtown Toronto with the 3D buildings loading, everything scolls and loads without problem.

--------------------------------

Really? Interesting. My Google Maps slows to a crawl as the map populates itself, and then I can barely get scroll and movement out of it. Consider yourself a lucky one then!!! Don't even sneeze around it....lol!

[Kboland]

Originally Posted by Reader Paradice

--------------------------------
Don't even sneeze around it....lol!

Achoo! lol

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Kboland

I do howver find that Maps works ok on my unit. I've been using it on my rooted Vox prior to this update, and find it even more useful now, as the location data over wifi now works. Even scrolling around downtown Toronto with the 3D buildings loading, everything scolls and loads without problem.

Sounds like you're using the rather lightweight drawn maps rather than the satellite photo maps and Street View...

Originally Posted by Reader Paradice

Really? Interesting. My Google Maps slows to a crawl as the map populates itself, and then I can barely get scroll and movement out of it. Consider yourself a lucky one then!!! Don't even sneeze around it....lol!

...and that you're using the satellite view. If not, then OUCH.

[Kboland]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Sounds like you're using the rather lightweight drawn maps rather than the satellite photo maps and Street View...

Nope, been using sat maps and street view on my rooted Vox for months now without issue, and just tested both and they work flawlessly after the update. The only setting on which my unit seems to struggle with is the terrain maps, which is not surprising as hill shaded topographic images can carry more data than even the higher resolution sat photos. Just for fun I played with the terrain maps on my computer for comparison, and even with 8 gigs of ram it was struggling a bit compared to the ease at which it handles higher res sat imagery, so it's not surprising the Vox seems to have trouble with them .

Just a guess, but issues that might be arising for some users in the Google Maps app may stem from slower wifi connections.

[oldyellr]

Originally Posted by Kboland

Just a guess, but issues that might be arising for some users in the Google Maps app may stem from slower wifi connections.

That would be my guess. Mine froze updating the map when I was where I wasn't getting a good signal from my router. When I tried it near my router, it worked okay.

[renee0986]

My update took about an hour from start to reset but it was well worth the wait. I have just finished updating all my previously side loaded apps through the play store. This will be so convenient now that I do not have to go on the internet to find files, side load them, and reinstall to just to do a version update on an app. There still seems to be a couple of the apps that I use on my Andriod phone that I can't find in Kobo's Play store but nothing major.

Recently I started hating on my Kobo to the point where I seriously considered getting rid of it because it seemed like it was super slow and never working. It often took more than 30 minutes to get the system loaded up and the Kobo app opened. It took a factory reset and only installing those apps which could be found in the previous getjar app store (which was very limited) in order to get it to working decently. Sideloading anything seemed to cause great troubles and couldn't be done under any circumstance. Even when avoiding side loaded items on times my Kobo would frequently freeze or act weird. In the 20 mins or so of using my Kobo since the update I don't seem to be experiencing any of these adverse affects - lets hope this update doesn't bring about any issues in the long term like the last update.

With this update I too have also noticed a drastic change in the responsiveness of my kobo. It is now much less frustrating to type on and responds almost instantly when typing or opening apps - it's now almost as fast as my smartphone. Also, the further integration with Google is a lifesaver for me. I'm so glad that I can now link to my Google calendar and use my favour calendar app to do so. Way to go Kobo - I would say this has been the most successful update for me yet! My Kobo is once again getting the use and love it deserves!

[larrymohr]

No one has mentioned this but since the update I do not seem to be having the Wake From Sleep issue any more. I had it beside me last nite while I watched a movie and usually I see it wake about every 20 minutes or so. This time nothing. Also, the battery seemed to be lasting longer since the update, probably because it is not waking up 3 times an hour when I am not using it at work.

I'm pretty happy with the update so far.

Larry Mohr

[oldyellr]

I haven't seen mine wake from sleep either and the battery seems to be lasting longer in sleep mode. Previously, the battery ran down in sleep mode just as fast as when I was using the Vox. I'm guessing the previous version had a lot going on during sleep to try and avoid the SOD some folks experienced.

[Graycee]

I updated this evening. Took about 1/2 hour. After the update I had to delete and re-install my lookout security app because it would not run. I've played with most of the other apps I had installed prior to this update, all seem to be working correctly.

One issue I had before, seems to have been resolved by the update. Prior to the update I could not play you-tube videos using the Dolphin browser. I always had to switch to the browser that came installed on the Vox to watch videos. Tonight I was able to watch you-tube videos on the Dolphin browser without any problems.

I'm still playing around with the different Google+ features, so far I like what I see.

[SensualPoet]

Hey, just tried the Maps feature. Very cool. I use Google Maps on a desktop frequently. Speed, with any layer on, is good. When I flipped on wikipedia layer, it showed me the exactly correct location of a church which was torn down about 60 years ago one street south of me. The Street view came up in a jiffy and rotates, etc, with good speed.

I run SpeedTest.net app from time-to-time to check the wifi. I am getting about 10 mbps download and close to 1 mbps upload with 30 ms ping time. I do better on the hardwired desktop, and better on a Samsung Tab 10.1 (about three times the cost of the Kobo Vox). But this is also a very consistent result for the Vox and may explain why the Maps app runs in a snappy fashion.