Kobo App on iOS

[Fbone]

I'm using the Kobo app for the first time and I must say it's lacking in features.

Unless I'm missing a settings menu somewhere, there are no line spacing or margin choices? No two column landscape mode? Is there a dictionary?

Kobo seems to put more emphasis on their readers and its software than the iOS app.

[davidfor]

I don't use the iOS app much, but, I don't see any of those formatting options either. I won't deny that I haven't missed them either.

There is a dictionary. Just select the word and it will be looked up. I don't know if this is a built-in dictionary, using a iOS dictionary, or doing a web lookup.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I don't use the iOS app much, but, I don't see any of those formatting options either. I won't deny that I haven't missed them either.

There is a dictionary. Just select the word and it will be looked up. I don't know if this is a built-in dictionary, using a iOS dictionary, or doing a web lookup.

No dictionary look up on my device. No page count.

I'll never use this app again.

[teija]

Funny enough I just downloaded the iOS app about 2 days ago, logged in and immediately stopped using it. It is NOT simple to use, couldn't see pricing (tells me to go to the website!), etc, etc. Bad Kobo!!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by teija

couldn't see pricing (tells me to go to the website!)

From memory, this is because of Apple. They only allow apps to use their billing services, and charge a high commission. If you look at it, the Kindle iOS app doesn't sell books either.

[Fbone]

And the Kobo app does always sync between devices.

[Cedros]

I just read this thread today, so sorry for this late response. I've used the iOS Kobo App for reading Kobo books, although not very often. Touching the center of the screen brings up a menu on the lower right-hand side. This allows you to change alignment, appearance, brightness, font,and to display page numbers. Touching three parallel lines in the upper margin will show chapters and headings. Another touch to the center of the page and the menus disappear. It works pretty much like the settings on a Kobo e-reader, as far as I can tell. The App does seem to synch with my Kobo reader.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by teija

Funny enough I just downloaded the iOS app about 2 days ago, logged in and immediately stopped using it. It is NOT simple to use, couldn't see pricing (tells me to go to the website!), etc, etc. Bad Kobo!!

This is going to be an iOS thing in general and not a Kobo only thing. You won't see options for buying in most/any book, movie or music apps on iOS. Apple's cut of each sale would often eat most if not all of the percentage a seller makes on each item.

[teija]

Originally Posted by davidfor

From memory, this is because of Apple. They only allow apps to use their billing services, and charge a high commission. If you look at it, the Kindle iOS app doesn't sell books either.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

This is going to be an iOS thing in general and not a Kobo only thing. You won't see options for buying in most/any book, movie or music apps on iOS. Apple's cut of each sale would often eat most if not all of the percentage a seller makes on each item.

Ah ok, thank you both for the clarification! I must be living in the dark ages not to have realized it was an Apple issue! Now that I think about it, I had also noticed the Amazon app and website via Safari browser doing the same thing but hadn't thought of the "monetary" connection... I mentioned this to my hubby and he recalled that Netflix used to allow you to subscribe via a button on their app, but that is also gone.

Argh! Guess there WAS a benefit to using an Android phone these past few years...

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by Cedros

I just read this thread today, so sorry for this late response. I've used the iOS Kobo App for reading Kobo books, although not very often. Touching the center of the screen brings up a menu on the lower right-hand side. This allows you to change alignment, appearance, brightness, font,and to display page numbers. Touching three parallel lines in the upper margin will show chapters and headings. Another touch to the center of the page and the menus disappear. It works pretty much like the settings on a Kobo e-reader, as far as I can tell. The App does seem to synch with my Kobo reader.

I, too, discovered this thread late. I agree with all your points. I use the Kobo app on my iPad (It's a gorgeous reader) and my iPhone (when stuck in line and bored of reading news or social media posts).

Every time you open the app, the menu items are shown before fading away. Touching the center of the screen bring the menu items back, just like on a Kobo eReader. On the iPad, there is a gray menu circle on the bottom right corner you can also tap to activate the menu items.

As for the dictionary, you just press and hold on a word as you do with a Kobo eReader. The definition appears at the bottom with links to Wikipedia, Google, and a full view of the dictionary entry. Selecting "Manage" allows you to select which dictionaries you wish to have access to. Fbone, perhaps your iPhone/iPad has no dictionaries installed. The Kobo app uses the system dictionaries.

You can also tap on the ? symbol in the menu items to select "Getting Around", which takes your through the brief tutorial again.

Fbone, you should give the app another go. It's one of the better eReader apps out there. It syncs page location and amount read between Kobo apps and eReaders. You might have to exit out of the book to force a sync. My only complaint is that annotations and bookmarks made in the iOS apps only sync to other iOS apps, not to my Kobo eReader. Making annotations is so much easier in the Kobo app. I truly wish Kobo would match Kindle's Whispersync in functionality.

Does that help?

[s4nder]

Honestly, Kobo doesn't put much effort into their readers' software either. Bugs have persisted or reappeared for years. I'll be moving to a Kindle soon because I'm tired of all the quirks.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by s4nder

Honestly, Kobo doesn't put much effort into their readers' software either. Bugs have persisted or reappeared for years. I'll be moving to a Kindle soon because I'm tired of all the quirks.

It’s true that Amazon has done a better job of ironing out the bugs with their platform, but their reader software is terrible. I much prefer the kobo interface.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[teija]

Originally Posted by s4nder

Honestly, Kobo doesn't put much effort into their readers' software either. Bugs have persisted or reappeared for years. I'll be moving to a Kindle soon because I'm tired of all the quirks.

After being a longer-term Kobo user, I finally bought my first Kindle this past year. I agree, their software seems to have a lot less "quirks" but it also has a much more basic feeling, and is far less customizable. Having said that, there is a lot to be said for the convenience of "basic" - it does exactly what you need it to!

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Cootey

As for the dictionary, you just press and hold on a word as you do with a Kobo eReader. The definition appears at the bottom with links to Wikipedia, Google, and a full view of the dictionary entry. Selecting "Manage" allows you to select which dictionaries you wish to have access to. Fbone, perhaps your iPhone/iPad has no dictionaries installed. The Kobo app uses the system dictionaries.

You can also tap on the ? symbol in the menu items to select "Getting Around", which takes your through the brief tutorial again.

Fbone, you should give the app another go. It's one of the better eReader apps out there. It syncs page location and amount read between Kobo apps and eReaders. You might have to exit out of the book to force a sync. My only complaint is that annotations and bookmarks made in the iOS apps only sync to other iOS apps, not to my Kobo eReader. Making annotations is so much easier in the Kobo app. I truly wish Kobo would match Kindle's Whispersync in functionality.

Does that help?

Thanks, Cootey. That does help. I tried again for the dictionary entry but nothing appears just the options to highlight, add note and search. I have three dictionaries installed that Google Play and Apple Books can access.
I find the syncing inconsistent or slow at times. I did not try exiting out of the book, though. Something to try in future.
I do wish Kobo had the option of 2-column landscape reading and margin adjustment. Full book page numbering would be helpful as an option. I do realize some prefer chapter paging instead.

I have been using Play Books most often but have no brand loyalty.

Thanks for your post.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Thanks, Cootey. That does help. I tried again for the dictionary entry but nothing appears just the options to highlight, add note and search. I have three dictionaries installed that Google Play and Apple Books can access.
I find the syncing inconsistent or slow at times. I did not try exiting out of the book, though. Something to try in future.
I do wish Kobo had the option of 2-column landscape reading and margin adjustment. Full book page numbering would be helpful as an option. I do realize some prefer chapter paging instead.

I have been using Play Books most often but have no brand loyalty.

Thanks for your post.

That's so odd. If I were in your position, I would delete the kobo app, reboot my iDevice, then reinstall the kobo app. It sounds like a wonky install if the app can't access system dictionaries. Who knows what else it can't access.

As for the margins issue, it's true that the app doesn't offer extensive margins adjustment. However, I'm wondering if you have "Kobo Styling" selected. Once you have the app in front of you again, open a book, tap in the middle, then tap on the wrench icon. If your margins are too wide, you might have "Kobo Styling" selected. Turning that off pushes the margins to within 5-7mm of the display edge. At least that's what I experience over here.