Have you Androided your Kobo Glo? Talk to me!

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 05:11 PM

I'm in the process of learning how feasible it is to install an Android system on a Kobo Glo. (I really miss not having Cool Reader on the Kobo, as on my hacked Sony T2). There are a few things I would really like to know:

1. Does the "Glo" still work on the hacked Android-ed Kobo Glo, including brightness adjustment? Or do you have to boot into the stock (non-Android) half of a dual-boot system to access the Glo-light?

2. Does the Kobo sleep cover still work on a hacked Android-ed Glo?

3. Are there reliability issues (lots of crashing) on the Android-ed Kobo Glo?

PeterT · 01-10-2015, 05:16 PM

Why not install the Kobo version of Cool Reader?

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Why not install the Kobo version of Cool Reader?

I'z can do that on a non-hacked/rooted Kobo Glo? How so?! I just got my first Kobo yesterday night... talk to me like I'm a six year old!

PeterT · 01-10-2015, 05:40 PM

See Cool Reader for Kobo.

There is also Koreader running on Kobos (all of them, hopefully!).

I don't have any personal experience with either one though.

PeterT · 01-10-2015, 05:42 PM

Additionally there is no real concept of Rooted Kobo's. All that is required to install new s/w is to place a properly formatted KoboRoot.tgz file in the .kobo directory that you have access to when the device is connected via USB. This will automatically be uncompressed and copied to the hidden partition on the device when it is disconnected.

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 06:43 PM

......

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 07:33 PM

Wow, I'm already using CoolReader on my Kobo Glo! (Though it appears to be a slimmed down version than the one on my Sony T2, so long as I can install my own fonts, it'll be perfect!). I've never hacked a device in such record time! Kobos to the developer!

(KOBO USERS: See note below on finding the file!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinjob

Thanks for the showing the way! I will read up on this Coolreader hack and see what that's about. As well, the thing about just installing a file to "crack" the Kobo and change its firmware. I'm curious to know right off the bat... do you know if this hacking of the Kobo's firmware still allows access to the Glo function under the hacked system?

n.b. FOR INTERESTED PARTIES: The link to the CoolReader hack in the above post is dead! After a byzantine cruise across the interwebs, I somehow stumbled across a working link that I (think) is the same or similar to the official CoolReader Kobo link above!:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9xqopxa4y...pS/builds/kobo

tshering · 01-10-2015, 07:36 PM

You can find the link to the currently most recent version (1.2.6.42) of Kobo CR in this post.

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tshering

You can find the link to the currently most recent version (1.2.6.42) of Kobo CR in this post.

Thanks! And after playing around with it, I want to correct myself above, by saying this version of CoolReader, that has been specifically tweaked for the Kobo readers, is actually superior to the stock-Android version (I have on my hacked Sony T2!). Plus, it even has a setting to control the Glo light, so that means I can still use the light under the hacked system.

It's so well done, that I don't see any reason to hack the Kobo any further, to put Android on it! (The only thing I use on my Android-hacked Sony T2 is Cool Reader!).

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 08:39 PM

p.s. I assume I have to uninstall the previous version before installing the latest. But I'm not sure how to completely uninstall the CoolReader launcher. It has created files and/or directories under the ".kobo" directory, after unarchiving the tgz file, and I don't know what they are. There is no "KoboLauncher" folder to remove (as mentioned in the only uninstall info I can find on the net), and I have hidden files turned on. Might take me a while to figure this one out!...

robko · 01-10-2015, 08:52 PM

I'm assuming you weren't putting Coolreader on there primarily for this reason, but as an FYI (and for others that may land in this thread in future), no rooting or alternative programs are required for adding your own fonts on the Kobo's. Simply adding the font to an appropriate fonts directory with proper file names is all that's required. Described in detail in other posts.

Skinjob · 01-10-2015, 09:01 PM

Ok, I think I figured it out!

FOR POSTERITY: I uninstalled CoolReader Launcher for Kobo by deleting these two folders in the (hidden) .kobo directory: "fmon", "vlasovsoft".

Oddly, I did not find the original "launcher.png" image file in the root directory that I had initially placed there, but on reboot, it was indeed no longer on the home page. As I am winging it (could not locate any info on the net on uninstalling any of these Kobo hacks!), I can't say if there were other stray files from the hack that were not deleted.

Now instead of upgrading the Coolreader hack, I'm going to try installing the "Start Menu" hack I just read about that incorporates Coolreader!

Quote:

1. Do you know if I need to uninstall the previous ver. of the Coolreader launcher, before installing the new one you linked me to? If so, do you know how to completely uninstall its files, so I can go ahead and install the new version?

2. I wanted to hack the Kobo solely to install Coolreader on it, and for two reasons: one, I want to install my own fonts that I really like. And two, the style fine-tuning options of Coolreader are also essential to me (font kerning, hinting, aliasing, bolding, etc).

I am indeed trying to learn how to install my own fonts (for use with Coolreader and the stock Kobo reader), but I have to first uninstall Coolreader as I need to install the latest version before I try to install fonts!

Quote:

Originally Posted by robko

I'm assuming you weren't putting Coolreader on there primarily for this reason, but as an FYI (and for others that may land in this thread in future), no rooting or alternative programs are required for adding your own fonts on the Kobo's. Simply adding the font to an appropriate fonts directory with proper file names is all that's required. Described in detail in other posts.

01-10-2015, 05:11 PM	#1
Skinjob Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: Sony PRS-T2	Have you Androided your Kobo Glo? Talk to me! I'm in the process of learning how feasible it is to install an Android system on a Kobo Glo. (I really miss not having Cool Reader on the Kobo, as on my hacked Sony T2). There are a few things I would really like to know: 1. Does the "Glo" still work on the hacked Android-ed Kobo Glo, including brightness adjustment? Or do you have to boot into the stock (non-Android) half of a dual-boot system to access the Glo-light? 2. Does the Kobo sleep cover still work on a hacked Android-ed Glo? 3. Are there reliability issues (lots of crashing) on the Android-ed Kobo Glo?

01-10-2015, 06:43 PM	#6
Skinjob Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: Sony PRS-T2	...... Last edited by Skinjob; 01-10-2015 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Fixed borked link!

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01-10-2015, 05:16 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,509 Karma: 78910112 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Why not install the Kobo version of Cool Reader?

01-10-2015, 05:40 PM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,509 Karma: 78910112 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	See Cool Reader for Kobo. There is also Koreader running on Kobos (all of them, hopefully!). I don't have any personal experience with either one though.

01-10-2015, 05:42 PM	#5
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,509 Karma: 78910112 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Additionally there is no real concept of Rooted Kobo's. All that is required to install new s/w is to place a properly formatted KoboRoot.tgz file in the .kobo directory that you have access to when the device is connected via USB. This will automatically be uncompressed and copied to the hidden partition on the device when it is disconnected.

01-10-2015, 07:36 PM	#8
tshering Wizard Posts: 3,489 Karma: 2914715 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: kobo touch	You can find the link to the currently most recent version (1.2.6.42) of Kobo CR in this post.

01-10-2015, 08:39 PM	#10
Skinjob Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: Sony PRS-T2	p.s. I assume I have to uninstall the previous version before installing the latest. But I'm not sure how to completely uninstall the CoolReader launcher. It has created files and/or directories under the ".kobo" directory, after unarchiving the tgz file, and I don't know what they are. There is no "KoboLauncher" folder to remove (as mentioned in the only uninstall info I can find on the net), and I have hidden files turned on. Might take me a while to figure this one out!...

01-10-2015, 08:52 PM	#11
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	I'm assuming you weren't putting Coolreader on there primarily for this reason, but as an FYI (and for others that may land in this thread in future), no rooting or alternative programs are required for adding your own fonts on the Kobo's. Simply adding the font to an appropriate fonts directory with proper file names is all that's required. Described in detail in other posts.

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