UPDATE:
I received a new Kobo Aura HD yesterday, from Kobo Customer Care. I still have the old one, which I will send back in the return packaging.
Great! Reloaded all my books, connected to WiFi, re-synced my Pocket articles. AND... it's frozen. Frozen on some menus. Unresponsive. No on-screen buttons work, can't choose "home" or "menu" or any book or article. Power button does nothing. Backlight button not responding.
WTF. So dissappointing. So do I go another round of "try this", "now try this", etc. Reboot, factory reset, rinse, lather, repeat? No, I don't think so. I think it's reasonable for me to send both units back now and just ask for a
refund and cut my losses with Kobo.
I'm sad about this. The screen is awesome. The form factor is awesome. The ease of sideloading is awesome. But if this thing can't be a no-hassle reading *appliance* that reliably works then it has failed in its primary mission for me.
Anyways, I have shared my brief Kobo experience here in case it resonates with someone else. I wish I could post more Kobo "good news" but I just don't have any. In case I don't return, I wish you all well with your Kobos.