Aura Charging the kobo

[christopher22]

Two questions

When I connect the kobo to the computer and instead of clicking on connect on the kobo screen I click cancel, does it charge the battery? (Also in this case I wouldn't have to eject the usb then)

Can we use the plug from the phone charger to charge the Kobo instead of pluggin it into the computer?

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by christopher22

When I connect the kobo to the computer and instead of clicking on connect on the kobo screen I click cancel, does it charge the battery? (Also in this case I wouldn't have to eject the usb then)

Yes to first part. Correct to second.

Originally Posted by christopher22

Can we use the plug from the phone charger to charge the Kobo instead of pluggin it into the computer?

My Samsung wall charger works. I don't know whether all brands do, though.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by christopher22

Can we use the plug from the phone charger to charge the Kobo instead of plugging it into the computer?

You can use almost any USB charger with a microB connector to charge your Kobo as long as it has a minimum 500mA output -- my headset charger as an example is rated at 135mA so can't be used. If the output current rating is higher than the Kobo's rated input, the charging circuit will just disregard the excess capability.

I would avoid no-name chargers. I've checked the output voltages on several that were either too low ~4V or too high >6V.

[dordale]

Yup...I use most of my micro-USB chargers interchangeably--my old Droid and nook chargers as well as a couple of other chargers I have. I keep them in different locations and just plug in to the one that's convenient.

[JSWolf]

You can even use an Apple charger for an iPhone or iPad. But the Kobo wil think it's connected to a computer and just hit cancel and it will charge.

Just goes to show the nonstandardness of Apple.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can even use an Apple charger for an iPhone or iPad. But the Kobo wil think it's connected to a computer and just hit cancel and it will charge.

Just goes to show the nonstandardness of Apple.

I've seen that behaviour with several chargers so it is not just an Apple issue. We have to remember that before the USB charging specification came out in 2007 and later revised in 2010, there was no standard so Apple (and others) used their own implementations. Even now, many chargers follow the Chinese standard by using a dead short between the D+ and D- pins to indicate a charging port.

For more insomnia curing reading, see USB Battery Charging Specification v1.2.

[Thane1]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I would avoid no-name chargers. I've checked the output voltages on several that were either too low ~4V or too high >6V.

That is sound advice, many of these little knock-off chargers are so poorly designed, cheaply put together or both that they are a significant shock hazard to the user and the device. They can short out sending line voltage into you or your device, melt down or ignite and of course basic safety features such as fuses and proper isolation are also skipped for the sake of making the device cheap as possible. More often the output voltage as you have pointed out is out of spec or crawling with electrical noise.

[burnafterreading]

i use eBay-bought USB chargers 90% of the time, and they charge my phones, tablets, and ereader just fine**. the "Chinese specs" especially for output current are as believable as Santa Claus, but they're cheap and they work. there's only so many factories that actually make the raw parts to put these things together, anyways

** the only exception was my Apple iPad, which insisted i use an Apple-branded cord plugged into an Apple-branded charging cube... plugged into an Apple-branded outlet? and i had to pay my electric bill with a Apple-branded currency? and only while using an Apple-branded computer? if i didn't eat Apple-branded food that day, my electricity payment was declined until i rectified the situation. Dear Apple: take a long lick up my hairy crack.

[JSWolf]

When you plug a Kobo Reader into an Apple compatible charger, the Kobo thinks it's plugged into a computer.

[burnafterreading]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When you plug a Kobo Reader into an Apple compatible charger, the Kobo thinks it's plugged into a computer.

it pops up the "Connect / Cancel" message when i plug into one of my cheapie eBay chargers (link below for those who care) as well as an IKEA USB-power cube that came with an LED desk lamp

it doesn't pop up the message and just charges quietly using the USB-power adapters from my Chromecast, LG Nexus 4 phone, or the large 2A chargers from my Kobo Arc tablets

it seems to charge just fine with all of them but i have 3 of the eBay ones so the other types stay in a drawer

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2A-1A-3A-Dua...r=560261842185

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by burnafterreading

i use eBay-bought USB chargers 90% of the time, and they charge my phones, tablets, and ereader just fine**. the "Chinese specs" especially for output current are as believable as Santa Claus, but they're cheap and they work. there's only so many factories that actually make the raw parts to put these things together, anyways.

One co-worker purchased a charger for his iPad at the Richmond Night Market. It worked for his phone but not for his iPad. The specs on the casing was "5.1V, 2.2A" which would meet the iPad's 5.1V/2.1A rating. The case was held together by two screws so we opened it up. The circuit board inside was marked "5V, 1A". Quick testing under load showed the output voltage dropped to 4.8V when drawing 1A which is within spec but trying to get 2A dropped the output voltage to 3V which is very out of spec. A waste of $8 for his original use but it works for his other devices. As the old saw goes, there's one born every minute.

[burnafterreading]

oh, i'm not surprised. it's incredibly difficult to translate numbers from Chinese to English.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by burnafterreading

it pops up the "Connect / Cancel" message when i plug into one of my cheapie eBay chargers (link below for those who care) as well as an IKEA USB-power cube that came with an LED desk lamp

it doesn't pop up the message and just charges quietly using the USB-power adapters from my Chromecast, LG Nexus 4 phone, or the large 2A chargers from my Kobo Arc tablets

it seems to charge just fine with all of them but i have 3 of the eBay ones so the other types stay in a drawer

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2A-1A-3A-Dua...r=560261842185

While those chargers looks nice, I would not want to risk my devices to them. They are an unknown and for a few dollars, it's not worth the risk. You can take the risk, but I prefer not to.

[burnafterreading]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

While those chargers looks nice, I would not want to risk my devices to them. They are an unknown and for a few dollars, it's not worth the risk. You can take the risk, but I prefer not to.

i may crack one of the eBay ones open to see how properly it's put together, and hook it up to a DMM and a scope to see if it's actually giving a decent 5V output.

they've been running 24/7 for a bit more than a week now, keeping tablets and phones charged up, and so far nothing has felt warm or smelled funny (other than my neighbours smokin' ganja). maybe not everything MIC is garbage

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by burnafterreading

i may crack one of the eBay ones open to see how properly it's put together, and hook it up to a DMM and a scope to see if it's actually giving a decent 5V output.

they've been running 24/7 for a bit more than a week now, keeping tablets and phones charged up, and so far nothing has felt warm or smelled funny (other than my neighbours smokin' ganja). maybe not everything MIC is garbage

I'm not saying everything MIC is garbage. But do you really want to risk your electronics on something that could be garbage?