Touch Kobo Touch Review

[SensualPoet]

I'm also wondering if the ghosting is something that "wears off" after it breaks in?

And I hope I am getting what is meant: seeing a faint impression of the previous page text on the fresh page -- overprinting as it were.

I do see some "grey artifacts" between the lines -- not over top - but that, of course, is an optical illusion you can experience on paper as well.

[Joe563]

People in the Nook forum are reporting the same problem with the new Nook Touch so the problem is probably related to the new type of page turn implemented by both the new Nook Touch and the new Kobo Touch where a full page refresh is done only every six pages or so. In my limited experience so far, the severity of the problem is related to what has been on previous pages - graphic images and any images that span multiple lines are more noticeable. Also, a lot of white space on the current page makes the impression of prior pages more noticeable.

[remcdonald]

yep that is probably the source Joe and as well a Kobo rep on here told us earlier that they are planning on implementing a way to choose either the multipage or every page refresh based on what you like in a software patch that will come out soon.

[Joe563]

Originally Posted by remcdonald

yep that is probably the source Joe and as well a Kobo rep on here told us earlier that they are planning on implementing a way to choose either the multipage or every page refresh based on what you like in a software patch that will come out soon.

I find the ghosting problem so distracting that I will be returning my new Kobo Touch tomorrow. If the option to choose an 'every page refresh' is made available through some sort of firmware or software update, then, I will repurchase it because there is much to like about the Kobo Touch.

[remcdonald]

Hmmm if the ghosting is that bad on your device I think you might have a wonky screen. I can't even see the ghosting on mine really unless I cross my eyes and stare really really hard where there are no words. Contact Kobo customer support they may be able to either diagnose and fix the reader or replace it. I would definitely considering that before trying to return it.

[doodlydood]

I own a Kindle 3, Kobo Touch, and Nook Touch. I like the reader tech as much as the books themselves, I guess.

I am returning both the KT and the New Nook. Why? The ghosting *is* an issue - and the fonts are just much 'crisper' on the K3 than they are on the other devices. They are grey, and fuzzier on the KT in particular.

And I agree with the previous poster. For the love of all reading, *why* create a reader than can store thousands of books and NOT have collections. Inexplicable.

These (and lack of searching, and lack of dictionary lookups on my own content) can ALL be fixed by software updates. In time. And then I would gladly turf the K3 in favour of the KT. Of course, by then, there will be a new Kindle.

[jiminrussell]

Originally Posted by taming

Yes, this is what it looks like, but I have had that banding/ghosting extend further across the screen and in two or more "blocks".

Yes it tends to be the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the screen and the middle doesn't do it at all that I have seen so far. Now this evening I have been reading for about 30 minutes and have not seen the problem at all, very strange. Earlier in the day it was really bad to the point where it became more than just a distraction, it was making it difficult to read, and it was extending further to the right of the screen. If it happens again I will take another picture, this time of the full screen.

[Joe563]

Originally Posted by remcdonald

Hmmm if the ghosting is that bad on your device I think you might have a wonky screen. I can't even see the ghosting on mine really unless I cross my eyes and stare really really hard where there are no words. Contact Kobo customer support they may be able to either diagnose and fix the reader or replace it. I would definitely considering that before trying to return it.

I did contact Kobo customer support and their only suggestion was to do a pin reset which I had already done before contacting them.

I do not have a severe ghosting problem. Indeed, there are times where I can go many pages (more than six) without encountering the problem. However, it is distracting to have the problem recur. If I were a more patient person I might be able to get used to the fact that any ghosting that does occur would be remedied once the full page refresh is done.

[ficbot]

Originally Posted by doodlydood

These (and lack of searching, and lack of dictionary lookups on my own content) can ALL be fixed by software updates. In time. And then I would gladly turf the K3 in favour of the KT. Of course, by then, there will be a new Kindle.

Yes, and that should worry them more than perhaps it is If the new Kindle is tiny and cute and keyboard-less but still behaves like the Kindle I have now (collection support, multi-language dictionaries, 100% computer-free operation) it would be a killer.

Just think about the steps involved in re-loading a deleted book, for instance. On the Kindle: scroll down to your archived items row, click on it, choose the book and click once to install it again. On the Kobo: put down the Kobo, go to the computer, log into the website or desktop app, navigate to your 'purchased items' area, choose the book to re-add it to your library, leave the computer and go get the Kobo, plug it in, run the sync, unplug it and wait for the device to 'refresh.' WAY too many steps. Kobo is still over-complicating things because they refuse to turf their proprietary and useless desktop app. Advertising the reader as an all in one device and then turfing your users to the computer to perform basic tasks is an epic fail to me. I don't see how they thought this set-up was user friendly. I think UI designers should focus their thought process on 'how easy would this be to explain to my grandmother or to my small child?' Stop making things harder than they have to be.

[Donnageddon]

Sorry to read that kobo went with the "refresh every 6 pages" gimmick. I won't consider the new kobo until this becomes optional.

Originally Posted by doodlydood

And I agree with the previous poster. For the love of all reading, *why* create a reader than can store thousands of books and NOT have collections. Inexplicable.

if you really want that answered, ask Amazon, because that is exactly what the original Kindle was.

[bookrat]

Originally Posted by taming

You can "clear" the ghosting, as you are reading, by going back a page, and then forward again. When you do that, if you pay attention, you'll notice that the first 3 pages are fine, then you will start to see the ghosting. It clears out when a full refresh happens after six pages.

I'm guessing that the Kobo (and Nook) developers had to choose between ghosting/partial refreshes/speed and no ghosting/full page refreshes/slower speed. The decision to go for speed was made. I hate the ghosting, and would have made a different choice, but had Kobo done that, we would have complaints about the speed here in place of the complaints about the ghosting.

I wonder if it could be made into user's choice, as well. Or, since the fist three pages seem fine, if a compromise might be to do the full refresh after three, rather than after six.

I have the same problem with ghosting, it can get quite bad. Took it back and got another touch, assuming it was a defective screen, but the next one did the same thing. The manager quite rudely told me I was the only one with this issue! Ha! I have asked this a a question for the new kobo touch tech department and have been waiting two days for a reply. I'm going to wait until this issue is resolved and stick with my old Kobo.

[mdclements]

We will be adding an option to choose how many pages force a full refresh a screen.

[Ninjalawyer]

I've tried mine out with a number of books and haven't noticed any ghosting issue. I am, however, having an issue with the onscreen keyboard. For some reason, the "G" key doesn't work; all the letters around it work, just not that particular spot.

Did a factory reset earlier to fix another problem (two copies of a book in my library, neither of which I could open or delete). The software on this reader seems a little flakey.

Edit

Actually, the "G", "V", "F" and "T" keys don't work for me on the onscreen keyboard.

[Joe563]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

I've tried mine out with a number of books and haven't noticed any ghosting issue. I am, however, having an issue with the onscreen keyboard. For some reason, the "G" key doesn't work; all the letters around it work, just not that particular spot.

Did a factory reset earlier to fix another problem (two copies of a book in my library, neither of which I could open or delete). The software on this reader seems a little flakey.

Edit

Actually, the "G", "V", "F" and "T" keys don't work for me on the onscreen keyboard.

The touch technology used in the Kobo Touch generates a grid of infrared light beams which emanate from the sides of the screen. i.e. from the slight gap between the screen and the bezel. Check to see whether any dirt is lodged in the gap and, if found, clear it. If this does not solve the problem then you may have a unit with a manufacturing defect.

[remcdonald]

Originally Posted by ficbot

Yes, and that should worry them more than perhaps it is If the new Kindle is tiny and cute and keyboard-less but still behaves like the Kindle I have now (collection support, multi-language dictionaries, 100% computer-free operation) it would be a killer.

Not quite a killer....I still have a problem with any device that tries to decide what content I can use on it and won't let me visit my local library because they want me buying books not borrowing them. That is the main reason I have always refused to buy a Kindle over the years. As well everything I have seen online suggest that Kindle will try to go Ipad in their next iteration and frankly such a device doesn't interest me I want a book reader not a web surfing, music listening, game playing tablet if I wanted one of those I would buy one.