Clara HD Clara-fication

[Calenorn]

Spent a few hours with my brand new Clara HD, and it seems to solve all my problems. I’m trying to wrangle a rather large collection of epubs onto a device with a nice, warm evening-reading lighted screen. Started with the NOOK Glowlight 3 when it was released. Very nice hardware and screen light, but side-loading the books was extremely inconvenient. Rather than complain, I’ll just tell why the Clara is better.

After side-loading and ejecting, the Kobo software displays a friendly “importing content” message with a progress bar and percent completion number. The NOOK doesn’t, forcing you to guess when it’s safe to use the device after side-loading. Act too soon and you end up with corrupted files. (I had to smile at the thought of ‘importing content’ as I loaded my American ebooks onto a Japanese device purchased from a Canadian company.)

The Clara had no problem making thumbnail images of the book covers. It did not lose the collections I had manually created when I added new content. And it made the creation of those collections via the device much easier. (I know, I know. Calibre.) The Kobo software offers a nice “go to page x of xx” option when adding books to a collection. On the NOOK its scroll, scroll, scroll, all the way home. And when you’re socking away over a thousand books, well, that becomes a giant PITA in short order.

I applauded NOOK’s decision to remove the memory partition on the Glowlight 3, but its software really cripples it as a device for holding an extensive side-loaded library. The Clara is going to hold all my books without the headaches and with plenty of memory to spare.

I’m also surprised with how much I like the smaller footprint of the Clara. The skinny bezel allows a six-inch screen in a slightly smaller shape, but it’s noticeable. (Of course, the NOOK has page turn buttons; some folks will want them.) The Clara is not a Mini, but it is the Mini’s big sister.

Speaking of the Mini, a five-inch Clarissa would be the bee’s knees. Just sayin’. Oh, and I would use the Sudoku game, if they put it back into the beta features. Future update, anyone?

[Derf]

I wish you could just flash override the whole OS to Android on the Nook Glo Light 3. But, even that might have issues.

I really like my Clara HD.

[Calenorn]

In fairness, the Glowlight 3 works like a charm, once you have the content settled.

Barnes & Noble doesn't make any money from our side-loading, so I understand why they don't invest in improving the software.

[ZodWallop]

Glad you like your Clara. It does seem like a nice reader and Kobo's software is better than Nook's by a country mile.

Does your Clara show any of the light bleed issues others have reported? I'd like to get the device, but this issue reminds me of the issues on the Aura One. It just feels like Kobo isn't quite there when it comes to quality control.

Having them for sale at US Walmarts will make me more comfortable, as I can easily return one with a 'bad' screen.

Originally Posted by Calenorn

After side-loading and ejecting, the Kobo software displays a friendly “importing content” message with a progress bar and percent completion number.

I have a problem on my Kobo Aura where that progress bar just hangs at some random percent. It does this every time I sideload books, whether I load one or many. Waking the device up tends to show that though the screen didn't show it, the device did finish importing the books.

I haven't bothered investigating, because it's a pretty minor quirk. Small enough that I don't feel like updating/patching the O/S to resolve it.

I applauded NOOK’s decision to remove the memory partition on the Glowlight 3, but its software really cripples it as a device for holding an extensive side-loaded library. The Clara is going to hold all my books without the headaches and with plenty of memory to spare.

Yeah, it's a real shame how buggy this iteration of the Nook software is. Especially when, all things considered, it could well be the last official release of any Nook software.

[Calenorn]

Hello Zod. There is a very slight increased brightness at the right and left sides of the screen, adjacent to the bevel. I do not find it distracting, but can notice it if I look for it.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

Oh, and I would use the Sudoku game, if they put it back into the beta features. Future update, anyone?

It's still there, it's just hidden! You can unhide it with a patch: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=302190

P.S. I like your thread title!

[Calenorn]

Thanks Mrs. O. Don't know if I'm brave enough to start patching the device.

Why would the company include software that the user can't access?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

In fairness, the Glowlight 3 works like a charm, once you have the content settled.

Barnes & Noble doesn't make any money from our side-loading, so I understand why they don't invest in improving the software.

I've got a feeling their Nook software staff now is just one or two people.

[Calenorn]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I've got a feeling their Nook software staff now is just one or two people.

Subcontracted, I'm sure. Their customer service email support was worse than useless.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

Thanks Mrs. O. Don't know if I'm brave enough to start patching the device.

Patching is worth it. Once you've had your Kobo for a bit, I'd recommend looking into it.

Why would the company include software that the user can't access?

Forget it, Jake. It's Kobo.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

Thanks Mrs. O. Don't know if I'm brave enough to start patching the device.

Why would the company include software that the user can't access?

Part of it is that the games are not developed or maintained by Kobo. I found that several of them could be run on my KA1 but the screen resolution was not allowed for which made the display and game play "interesting".