Touch Firmware features?

ShellShock · 10-22-2011, 10:02 AM

I'm considering buying a Kobo Touch, and I am aware that the firmware is being actively developed, which is good compared to some other devices. But is there somewhere that lists all the features of the latest firmware (including features present in earlier firmwares?). For example, I want to know what sort of adjustments I can make to the styling of epubs (decreased margins, line spacing etc).

Canorka · 10-22-2011, 11:17 AM

As far as styling is concerned, you can decrease/increase margins and line spacing, change the text justification, and install your own fonts. These are features that have been rolled out since release in June. The other major firmware updates have added dictionary, search, annotation (kepub only for a little while longer) and translation functions.

So basically, on June 10 it was a solid ereader. Now it's an awesome one.

rashkae · 10-22-2011, 11:33 AM

You should be aware, however, to avoid disappointment, that these settigns (other than font scaling) do not override the book's formatting, when they are specified. Line height, margins and text justification and font only changes the defaults for books that do not set their own.

The Terminator · 10-22-2011, 12:44 PM

Highlighting and annotations for all books is coming very soon. If you are planning on borrowing a lot of books from the library you should know that most library books can not have the font style, line spacing, or margins changed.

The Dictionary and translation works for ALL books no matter where they came from.

ShellShock · 10-23-2011, 03:55 AM

So there is no official kobo site that lists ALL the features? I think they are missing a trick there. Re the firmware not overridding explicit formatting - I assume if I edit the css on my PC to take out these settings I can then do formatting on the fly on the kobo?

taming · 10-23-2011, 06:12 AM

As features are added, they are then explained in the Kobo blog. This link is to the latest update.

The Kobo Touch will override the books formatting if the book is an ePUB (without DRM or with ADE) or kepub--but not if the formatting has been changed by using and applying the Calibre stylesheet. I use Calibre for library management, but I do not do anything stylistically with it. They do somehow

lose their DRM along the way. All of the Touch features available for the format (ePUB in my case) work on my books sideloaded from Calibre without any problems.

Tim Legge has made a change fairly recently that lets people change covers without having to invoke the Calibre stylesheet.

Canorka · 10-23-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

As features are added, they are then explained in the Kobo blog. This link is to the latest update.

The Kobo Touch will override the books formatting if the book is an ePUB (without DRM or with ADE) or kepub--but not if the formatting has been changed by using and applying the Calibre stylesheet. I use Calibre for library management, but I do not do anything stylistically with it. They do somehow

lose their DRM along the way. All of the Touch features available for the format (ePUB in my case) work on my books sideloaded from Calibre without any problems.

Tim Legge has made a change fairly recently that lets people change covers without having to invoke the Calibre stylesheet.

Hmm. I use Calibre, and have added a lot of books (sans DRM) to my Touch without editing anything in the file, yet the publisher formatting has been still locked in.

taming · 10-23-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShellShock

So there is no official kobo site that lists ALL the features? I think they are missing a trick there.

New features have been added into the promotional materials here: http://www.kobobooks.com/touch_experience

rashkae · 10-23-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canorka

Hmm. I use Calibre, and have added a lot of books (sans DRM) to my Touch without editing anything in the file, yet the publisher formatting has been still locked in.

There's nothing special about a calibre generated stylesheet. It's entirely dependant on whether or not those elements have been defined in the stylesheet or left undefined (as default).

I haven't tested it yet, but it's also possible that these style choices also work like embeded fonts, in which case, the Kobo overwrites the properties of the <body>. When Calibre converts an epub, the body properties get defined into a class, and that prevents Kobo from overwriting it.

The non-technical takeaway, however, is that styling option in Kobo will not work as expected with every book, so your milleage will vary.

taming · 10-23-2011, 03:48 PM

Recognition of embedded fonts is being tested in the latest iteration of beta builds. Line spacing etc works on all of my sideloaded ePUB books--including about 20 sideloaded through Calibre but without a calibre stylesheet. Now, I do not have any darknet files or conversions from PDF among these.

PS: I also do not have any author-created indie ePUBs--which I assume may occasionally be formatted in less standard ways.

yoshid · 11-14-2011, 07:25 AM

is there a way to quickly strip book styling in calibre so you can use kobo reader's new function to increase line spacing and change margins?
also, for me annotations and notes do not seem to work on side loaded books. I'm assuming those functions are only available for the books bought at the kobo store?

Shankill · 11-14-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoshid

also, for me annotations and notes do not seem to work on side loaded books. I'm assuming those functions are only available for the books bought at the kobo store?

Right now, yep. Because kePubs and ePubs use different rendering systems on the Touch, highlighting/notes aren't available yet for side-loaded ePubs. Apparently, it is in the next firmware update, which a few of the forumers in these parts have been in testing over the past few weeks.

taming · 11-15-2011, 11:39 AM

Yes, annotations seem to work well on sideloaded books in the beta we are testing. BTW, annotations include highlights and/or notes. Sharing on Facebook for annotations also works for sideloaded books in our beta.

yoshid · 11-16-2011, 01:05 PM

so when do you think this new update will be released?

robko · 11-16-2011, 01:30 PM

Soon (tm)!?!
Seriously though, they are working on it. Don't know what their timelines are. Typically they give us a near final beta and it gets released within a week of that, but they are still adding/tweaking the current one so I don't have a firm answer.

10-22-2011, 10:02 AM	#1
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,178 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	Firmware features? I'm considering buying a Kobo Touch, and I am aware that the firmware is being actively developed, which is good compared to some other devices. But is there somewhere that lists all the features of the latest firmware (including features present in earlier firmwares?). For example, I want to know what sort of adjustments I can make to the styling of epubs (decreased margins, line spacing etc).

10-23-2011, 06:12 AM	#6
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	As features are added, they are then explained in the Kobo blog. This link is to the latest update. The Kobo Touch will override the books formatting if the book is an ePUB (without DRM or with ADE) or kepub--but not if the formatting has been changed by using and applying the Calibre stylesheet. I use Calibre for library management, but I do not do anything stylistically with it. They do somehow lose their DRM along the way. All of the Touch features available for the format (ePUB in my case) work on my books sideloaded from Calibre without any problems. Tim Legge has made a change fairly recently that lets people change covers without having to invoke the Calibre stylesheet. Last edited by taming; 10-23-2011 at 06:17 AM. Reason: more info

10-23-2011, 03:48 PM	#10
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Recognition of embedded fonts is being tested in the latest iteration of beta builds. Line spacing etc works on all of my sideloaded ePUB books--including about 20 sideloaded through Calibre but without a calibre stylesheet. Now, I do not have any darknet files or conversions from PDF among these. PS: I also do not have any author-created indie ePUBs--which I assume may occasionally be formatted in less standard ways. Last edited by taming; 10-23-2011 at 06:22 PM. Reason: added the PS

11-14-2011, 07:25 AM	#11
yoshid Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kobo Vox	is there a way to quickly strip book styling in calibre so you can use kobo reader's new function to increase line spacing and change margins? also, for me annotations and notes do not seem to work on side loaded books. I'm assuming those functions are only available for the books bought at the kobo store? Last edited by yoshid; 11-14-2011 at 10:09 AM.

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10-22-2011, 11:17 AM	#2
Canorka Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 4254 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kobo Touch	As far as styling is concerned, you can decrease/increase margins and line spacing, change the text justification, and install your own fonts. These are features that have been rolled out since release in June. The other major firmware updates have added dictionary, search, annotation (kepub only for a little while longer) and translation functions. So basically, on June 10 it was a solid ereader. Now it's an awesome one.

10-22-2011, 11:33 AM	#3
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,274 Karma: 5935030 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	You should be aware, however, to avoid disappointment, that these settigns (other than font scaling) do not override the book's formatting, when they are specified. Line height, margins and text justification and font only changes the defaults for books that do not set their own.

10-22-2011, 12:44 PM	#4
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Highlighting and annotations for all books is coming very soon. If you are planning on borrowing a lot of books from the library you should know that most library books can not have the font style, line spacing, or margins changed. The Dictionary and translation works for ALL books no matter where they came from.

10-23-2011, 03:55 AM	#5
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,178 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	So there is no official kobo site that lists ALL the features? I think they are missing a trick there. Re the firmware not overridding explicit formatting - I assume if I edit the css on my PC to take out these settings I can then do formatting on the fly on the kobo?

11-15-2011, 11:39 AM	#13
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Yes, annotations seem to work well on sideloaded books in the beta we are testing. BTW, annotations include highlights and/or notes. Sharing on Facebook for annotations also works for sideloaded books in our beta.

11-16-2011, 01:05 PM	#14
yoshid Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kobo Vox	so when do you think this new update will be released?

11-16-2011, 01:30 PM	#15
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	Soon (tm)!?! Seriously though, they are working on it. Don't know what their timelines are. Typically they give us a near final beta and it gets released within a week of that, but they are still adding/tweaking the current one so I don't have a firm answer.

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