having a hard time with the kobo touch power button

walid14 · 12-26-2011, 10:35 PM

Well I just bought the kobo touch today and it is fantastic. The only one problem I have with it is that the power button seems unresponsive. Like I quickly swipe the power button but nothing happens. I keep doing it and then eventually it finally goes into sleep mode. Same thing when I try and get out of sleep mode. Turning this thing off is the same thing too. I push the power button to the right and hold it and nothing happens. I got to keep repeating the process a few times and then it finally turns off. Sometimes it turns off/goes to sleep in just one swipe but yea I was wondering if i got a defective one? or is this normal with all of them?

Is there a specific way to use the power button lol?

Suzanna · 12-26-2011, 10:58 PM

No, that doesn't sound normal. I've never had that issue with my Touch's power button. Neither has my husband or sister, who both also have Kobo Touches. I'd return it for a new one. If it's having problems right out of the box, it will only get worse over time.

PeterT · 12-26-2011, 11:20 PM

Powering on, waking up, or putting to sleep, I slide the power switch over to the right and then release it; nothing else.

To power the unit off, I slide the power switch over to the right and hold it for a bit.

winsomnia · 12-27-2011, 02:36 AM

Powering on, I've had few problems. Like you, it hasn't always engaged, so I needed to repeat slide. Unfortunately, going in and out of sleep, I've had significant problems with the power switch if I slide it all the way to the right. Often, when I slide it all the way right, I get two consecutive actions (comparable to flicking a light switch twice) which results in sleep-wake-sleep, or wake-sleep-wake.

I've solved that issue by making sure I don't go all the way to the right, leaving myself approximately two to three millimeters. Whenever I've needed to power on/off or engage sleep, it works perfectly with that two mm gap. I tried putting a piece of foam (2mm x 2mm x 4mm) against the far right inside the power slide slot, and this worked perfectly. Unfortunately, after a few days, that piece of foam falls out. I cut pieces off of foam sheets that come with adhesive backs (used for crafts).

I'm temporarily back to not using a foam insert, and until I can find the proper adhesive, I've been making do with being quite deliberate with my slider. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to maneuver the power slider with the case (canvas book cover) I bought, so I ended up buying another book cover case.

I found this problem/solution by carefully sliding the switch and seeing exactly where it was engaging. My kobo Touch engages short of the right hand wall, I wonder if there are other units out there like mine.

Frustrating, to be sure, but I can deal with it.

Koboyashi · 12-27-2011, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winsomnia

Often, when I slide it all the way right, I get two consecutive actions (comparable to flicking a light switch twice) which results in sleep-wake-sleep, or wake-sleep-wake.

I have the same behavior and assume, that the slider suffers from a switch bounce. Maybe one could implement a software buffer to override this.

frankieGom · 12-27-2011, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koboyashi

I have the same behavior and assume, that the slider suffers from a switch bounce. Maybe one could implement a software buffer to override this.

From what I could see in my nephew's "broken" KT (bad screen out of the box made it "inspection" fodder), there is no physical switch attached to the button. It seems to be no more than a piece of metal moving in front of a sensor so mechanical tolerance could play a role in how the button behaves...

ltr · 12-27-2011, 01:02 PM

Whe I first got my Touch, I admit to being frustrated with the power switch because I was looking for a reaction every time to determine when I let the button release.

I discovered that if I just push it all the way and hold for 3 seconds and then release, that's all it takes. It never fails.

winsomnia · 12-28-2011, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltr

Whe I first got my Touch, I admit to being frustrated with the power switch because I was looking for a reaction every time to determine when I let the button release.

I discovered that if I just push it all the way and hold for 3 seconds and then release, that's all it takes. It never fails.

That works for powering on/off. My problems had been trying to go from sleep to reading (or vice versa). I had problems only when trying to do the quick slide for sleeping/reading.

pdops · 12-28-2011, 12:33 PM

I'm having much the same problems as others have mentioned. A tip when powering on - there's a LED just to the left of the power switch that will flash blue/green when it powers on so I fiddle with the switch until I see the LED.

p55 · 01-24-2012, 02:33 PM

Just signed up to post to this thread.

Received our Kobo Touch and the slide power 'button' was a joke. It worked once, and went to sleep once, but after that, would never power off no matter how long holding it (only way to power off was to set the timer in settings), and once off, would never turn on (only way to turn on was to plub it into a computer).

Disappointed, and hope our exchanged one will be better.

DrNefario · 01-24-2012, 05:18 PM

I hate those slidey power switches - they seem to be designed to break - and both my Kindle and my Kobo have them (and my two PSPs, but they're not relevant here

). It's always felt like the weakest link on the Kindle, occasionally sticking or not working, but the Kobo has been okay so far. It doesn't seem to need a lot of movement, and I can operate it even through the badly-placed elastic corner on my case. It is a year younger than the Kindle, though.

robko · 01-24-2012, 07:31 PM

Not sure what the better alternative is. I didn't like it a lot way back when I first got my Touch, but it doesn't bother me at all now. The button on the Original and the Wifi had a tendency to get accidentally pressed, turning it on and draining battery even when in a hard case.

Brisen · 01-25-2012, 03:24 PM

I also signed up just to post on this thread. I received my kobo touch yesterday (it's my first ebook reading device) and the power switch has been giving me problems. It has always eventually powered up or down, but sometimes I would have to try 6 or 7 times. To power off, I could slide & hold it for 30 seconds, and nothing would happen. It just seemed to work randomly. Winsomnia's advice about not sliding it all the way seems to have helped -- if I don't slide it all the way, it responds as it should. The trick is getting it the right distance.

I'm still considering sending it back for a replacement, but everything else seems to be working as it should, and it doesn't really bother me. I would just be worried that this might be an early sign of a doomed power button.

PeterT · 01-25-2012, 03:48 PM

I just flick the switch over and let go; no hold; no nothing

DrNefario · 01-26-2012, 08:42 AM

Yes, it only seems to need a bit of a nudge to switch between asleep and awake. I can't say I have ever fully powered it off, which needs the longer hold, I believe.

@robko: None of my cellphones have ever had a slider switch. It's the spring that annoys me, I think. I'd be happy with a side-to-side switch if it stayed switched. It's the vagueness of it that bugs me.

12-26-2011, 10:35 PM	#1
walid14 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kobo touch	having a hard time with the kobo touch power button Well I just bought the kobo touch today and it is fantastic. The only one problem I have with it is that the power button seems unresponsive. Like I quickly swipe the power button but nothing happens. I keep doing it and then eventually it finally goes into sleep mode. Same thing when I try and get out of sleep mode. Turning this thing off is the same thing too. I push the power button to the right and hold it and nothing happens. I got to keep repeating the process a few times and then it finally turns off. Sometimes it turns off/goes to sleep in just one swipe but yea I was wondering if i got a defective one? or is this normal with all of them? Is there a specific way to use the power button lol? Last edited by walid14; 12-26-2011 at 10:38 PM.

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12-26-2011, 10:58 PM	#2
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	No, that doesn't sound normal. I've never had that issue with my Touch's power button. Neither has my husband or sister, who both also have Kobo Touches. I'd return it for a new one. If it's having problems right out of the box, it will only get worse over time.

12-26-2011, 11:20 PM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,291 Karma: 78876004 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Powering on, waking up, or putting to sleep, I slide the power switch over to the right and then release it; nothing else. To power the unit off, I slide the power switch over to the right and hold it for a bit.

12-27-2011, 02:36 AM	#4
winsomnia Groupie Posts: 164 Karma: 190082 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: BC, Canada Device: kobo Touch, kobo Aura	Powering on, I've had few problems. Like you, it hasn't always engaged, so I needed to repeat slide. Unfortunately, going in and out of sleep, I've had significant problems with the power switch if I slide it all the way to the right. Often, when I slide it all the way right, I get two consecutive actions (comparable to flicking a light switch twice) which results in sleep-wake-sleep, or wake-sleep-wake. I've solved that issue by making sure I don't go all the way to the right, leaving myself approximately two to three millimeters. Whenever I've needed to power on/off or engage sleep, it works perfectly with that two mm gap. I tried putting a piece of foam (2mm x 2mm x 4mm) against the far right inside the power slide slot, and this worked perfectly. Unfortunately, after a few days, that piece of foam falls out. I cut pieces off of foam sheets that come with adhesive backs (used for crafts). I'm temporarily back to not using a foam insert, and until I can find the proper adhesive, I've been making do with being quite deliberate with my slider. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to maneuver the power slider with the case (canvas book cover) I bought, so I ended up buying another book cover case. I found this problem/solution by carefully sliding the switch and seeing exactly where it was engaging. My kobo Touch engages short of the right hand wall, I wonder if there are other units out there like mine. Frustrating, to be sure, but I can deal with it.

12-27-2011, 01:02 PM	#7
ltr Addict Posts: 399 Karma: 104628 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kindle PW-2	Whe I first got my Touch, I admit to being frustrated with the power switch because I was looking for a reaction every time to determine when I let the button release. I discovered that if I just push it all the way and hold for 3 seconds and then release, that's all it takes. It never fails.

12-28-2011, 12:33 PM	#9
pdops Zealot Posts: 128 Karma: 88204 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Alberta Canada Device: Kobo Touch	I'm having much the same problems as others have mentioned. A tip when powering on - there's a LED just to the left of the power switch that will flash blue/green when it powers on so I fiddle with the switch until I see the LED.

01-24-2012, 02:33 PM	#10
p55 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	Just signed up to post to this thread. Received our Kobo Touch and the slide power 'button' was a joke. It worked once, and went to sleep once, but after that, would never power off no matter how long holding it (only way to power off was to set the timer in settings), and once off, would never turn on (only way to turn on was to plub it into a computer). Disappointed, and hope our exchanged one will be better.

01-24-2012, 05:18 PM	#11
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,187 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I hate those slidey power switches - they seem to be designed to break - and both my Kindle and my Kobo have them (and my two PSPs, but they're not relevant here ). It's always felt like the weakest link on the Kindle, occasionally sticking or not working, but the Kobo has been okay so far. It doesn't seem to need a lot of movement, and I can operate it even through the badly-placed elastic corner on my case. It is a year younger than the Kindle, though.

01-24-2012, 07:31 PM	#12
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	Not sure what the better alternative is. I didn't like it a lot way back when I first got my Touch, but it doesn't bother me at all now. The button on the Original and the Wifi had a tendency to get accidentally pressed, turning it on and draining battery even when in a hard case.

01-25-2012, 03:24 PM	#13
Brisen Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: kobo touch, arc, mini	I also signed up just to post on this thread. I received my kobo touch yesterday (it's my first ebook reading device) and the power switch has been giving me problems. It has always eventually powered up or down, but sometimes I would have to try 6 or 7 times. To power off, I could slide & hold it for 30 seconds, and nothing would happen. It just seemed to work randomly. Winsomnia's advice about not sliding it all the way seems to have helped -- if I don't slide it all the way, it responds as it should. The trick is getting it the right distance. I'm still considering sending it back for a replacement, but everything else seems to be working as it should, and it doesn't really bother me. I would just be worried that this might be an early sign of a doomed power button.

01-25-2012, 03:48 PM	#14
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,291 Karma: 78876004 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I just flick the switch over and let go; no hold; no nothing

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01-26-2012, 08:42 AM	#15
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,187 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	Yes, it only seems to need a bit of a nudge to switch between asleep and awake. I can't say I have ever fully powered it off, which needs the longer hold, I believe. @robko: None of my cellphones have ever had a slider switch. It's the spring that annoys me, I think. I'd be happy with a side-to-side switch if it stayed switched. It's the vagueness of it that bugs me.