Android App update

[PeterT]

I see that the Android App has has an update, and a new feature it seems to have is

With version 4.8, now you can:
• Select from a list of shelves in your Library, including a 'Finished' shelf that automatically tracks the books you've completed

Any idea if this feature will make it into other devices and it it sync's to the cloud?

[Solicitous]

No idea, downloading the update now. I'm still waiting for the option for full text justification (like the iOS version of a couple of years ago).

I assume it will sync to other devices if they have the Finished shelves etc by default. Kind of looks ok, but shelves aren't something I have used.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I assume it will sync to other devices if they have the Finished shelves etc by default. Kind of looks ok, but shelves aren't something I have used.

That depends on how they implement the "Finished" shelf. If it is just another shelf, it might sync to the server and then sync to the other devices. That should also take the kepubs that are on it. But, it might be a virtual shelf that is built each time by collecting all the books marked as finished. Either way, it would be a nice thing to have on the devices. Though I would actually prefer an "Unfinished" shelf.

Hmm, that does make me think. I suppose the calibre driver could generate some special shelves based on the reading status. I might have a play over the weekend.

[paulsalter]

Nice to see this appear

Unless I am missing it, why not a shelf for unread, I would find this much more useful (I know it has similar on home page, but it doesn't list all unread)

[taming]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Any idea if this feature will make it into other devices and it it sync's to the cloud?

I have mixed feelings about syncing reading status shelves to the cloud (same with archive listing). On the one hand, I'd like it to sync for the various reading devices I use (Glo, Nexus 7, phone), but I could definitely see whey households with more than one user would like to be able to have this feature device specific.

[mr_nihilism]

I like the idea of shelves. To all the fine industrious folks working behind a computer at Kobo, good work.

First the Jellybean update and now this. Cool.

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Any idea if this feature will make it into other devices and it it sync's to the cloud?

Cannot comment on actual devices, but it's certainly been in the iOS application for quite a few releases, and it does sync. I believe the Android implementation is the same as for iOS.

As for what would appear on the Finished shelf, and this is based on iOS, I suspect it's the same for Android. I believe if a books progress is ≥ 90% and you use the "mark as closed" option then we fire a reading life event to say the book is finished, and we use this to determine if a book is finished, and that is how a book appears on the finished shelf.

[paulsalter]

Originally Posted by Sharkus

Cannot comment on actual devices, but it's certainly been in the iOS application for quite a few releases, and it does sync. I believe the Android implementation is the same as for iOS.

As for what would appear on the Finished shelf, and this is based on iOS, I suspect it's the same for Android. I believe if a books progress is ≥ 90% and you use the "mark as closed" option then we fire a reading life event to say the book is finished, and we use this to determine if a book is finished, and that is how a book appears on the finished shelf.

Does this information get stored on the Kobo servers ?

ie, If I reset my device and had to install Kobo app again, would it know which books I had read (last time I did this it just marked everything as unread, but that was a while back)

Thanks

This is with Kobo bought books, not sideloaded

[Sharkus]

Hello,
As mentioned, it does sync and thus it is stored on the server, so yes, if you sign out / delete the app, then add it back and sign in, the information will be synced back. It is possible the book overview information may not display the book as finished and possibly as unread, but the books should still appear on the finished shelf.

To clarify further, this sync, along with pretty much everything else we sync (notes, highlights, custom shelves, bookmark (position in the book)) works ONLY for files that are purchased from Kobo and download via a sync / library refresh on the device / app.

If you have side-loaded a book, even if it is the Adobe epub / pdf DRM version of a Kobo purchased book, then nothing will by synced.

[paulsalter]

Thanks for this info

Nice to see the iOS/Android apps getting closer together in features