Glo First time hands-on with a Kobo Glo: Firmware Queries

Agama · 11-23-2013, 08:28 AM

I've had my first hands-on with a Kobo Glo, (about 5 minutes in a shop), and was impressed with the screen and light but have a few concerns about the firmware.

Whilst the options for font face, size and spacing seemed very good there was quite a lag between changing any of these options and seeing its effect on screen - somewhere between 5 and 10 seconds! Is this normal?

There was a black information bar across the bottom of the screen. Can this be siwtched off?

One other thing that I wanted to test but couldn't: can the Glo handle multi-level toc.ncx files or do they have to be flattened?

davidfor · 11-23-2013, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agama

I've had my first hands-on with a Kobo Glo, (about 5 minutes in a shop), and was impressed with the screen and light but have a few concerns about the firmware.

Whilst the options for font face, size and spacing seemed very good there was quite a lag between changing any of these options and seeing its effect on screen - somewhere between 5 and 10 seconds! Is this normal?

How long this takes really depends on the size of the book. I think newer firmware is faster. But, I have to say it doesn't worry me. As a percent of the time I actually spend reading a book, it is nothing.

Quote:

There was a black information bar across the bottom of the screen. Can this be siwtched off?

Yes you can. From memory, the option is on the "Sleep, Power and Light" page of the settings. But, it has been completely removed in later firmware. Quite a few people want it back.

Quote:

One other thing that I wanted to test but couldn't: can the Glo handle multi-level toc.ncx files or do they have to be flattened?

Yes and no. It has no problem with them, but they are flattened when displayed.

Agama · 11-23-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

How long this takes really depends on the size of the book. I think newer firmware is faster. But, I have to say it doesn't worry me. As a percent of the time I actually spend reading a book, it is nothing.

Yes, I can see that would be true but my wife's Kindle PW1 somehow manages to make these adjustments almost instantly. However, the range of adjustments available on the Kobo is much wider than on the Kindle. I was going to buy a PW2 but the latest firmware update, (at least the cloud collections part), sounds awful! (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=227418)

It's a shame that the toc has to be flattened, this is something that my aging PRS-300 handles so well. I would've stuck with Sony but I was underwhelmed with the new T3 and have recently found that I now would like a built-in light.

meeera · 11-23-2013, 09:29 AM

If there's a black bar at the bottom of the display, that's on quite an old firmware version now. I find the newer firmware a fair bit snappier most of the time.

Agama · 11-23-2013, 01:02 PM

It was the store's demo model so I guess it's been around a while without getting any firmware updates. Thanks for the info.

Lyn2012 · 11-23-2013, 04:20 PM

I've recently changed from using a PW1 to an Aura and I can't say I've noticed a difference in time taken to adjust fonts. There may be a slight difference but nothing that has grabbed my attention. I would assume that a Glo on recent firmware would be similar to my Aura.

booklover6 · 11-23-2013, 04:49 PM

I changed something just now to test and it took 4 seconds. Line spacing is what I changed.

The thing is, once you have your settings arranged, you never have to change them (unless there is something in a document that isn't right...I format all mine before I put them on the device).

Also I have 3700 documents on mine. I think the more you have, the slower it might get. but not a lot. anyway yeah that firmware was quite a few steps back.

11-23-2013, 08:28 AM	#1
Agama Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2751519 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Device: PW2, Nexus7	First time hands-on with a Kobo Glo: Firmware Queries I've had my first hands-on with a Kobo Glo, (about 5 minutes in a shop), and was impressed with the screen and light but have a few concerns about the firmware. Whilst the options for font face, size and spacing seemed very good there was quite a lag between changing any of these options and seeing its effect on screen - somewhere between 5 and 10 seconds! Is this normal? There was a black information bar across the bottom of the screen. Can this be siwtched off? One other thing that I wanted to test but couldn't: can the Glo handle multi-level toc.ncx files or do they have to be flattened?

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11-23-2013, 09:29 AM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,812 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	If there's a black bar at the bottom of the display, that's on quite an old firmware version now. I find the newer firmware a fair bit snappier most of the time.

11-23-2013, 01:02 PM	#5
Agama Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2751519 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Device: PW2, Nexus7	It was the store's demo model so I guess it's been around a while without getting any firmware updates. Thanks for the info.

11-23-2013, 04:20 PM	#6
Lyn2012 Addict Posts: 382 Karma: 1118562 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Middlesex, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, iPhone 8, iPad Pro	I've recently changed from using a PW1 to an Aura and I can't say I've noticed a difference in time taken to adjust fonts. There may be a slight difference but nothing that has grabbed my attention. I would assume that a Glo on recent firmware would be similar to my Aura.

11-23-2013, 04:49 PM	#7
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,545 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre 1, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle, Kobo Libre Colour	I changed something just now to test and it took 4 seconds. Line spacing is what I changed. The thing is, once you have your settings arranged, you never have to change them (unless there is something in a document that isn't right...I format all mine before I put them on the device). Also I have 3700 documents on mine. I think the more you have, the slower it might get. but not a lot. anyway yeah that firmware was quite a few steps back.

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