Touch New Zealand - problems with setup

kiwipippa · 10-04-2011, 04:25 PM

A heads up for those who are buying or thinking of buying a kobo touch from Whitcoulls in New Zealand - they went on sale over the weekend.

There is a known issue with setting your kobo up and you will not be able to connect it to the kobo desktop or sync it with your kobo account.

Read more about it here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=151816

And here: https://www.facebook.com/kobo?sk=app_227698805184

Kobo have not given an estimate on when it will be fixed, but Whitcoulls told me "a few days". I'm not sure if they are still selling the devices, but it sounds like they are warning people of the problem.

You can still use your reader however.

Skip the reader setup and use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) or calibre to side-load books to your device. If you are new to ereading, you will have to download ADE (free) to your PC, set up an account with Adobe (the setup wizard guides you through this). When you plug your kobo into the PC with ADE open for the first time you will be asked to authorise your device. Once you do this, you will be able to read DRM'd ebooks from major retailers or public libraries. Download the epub from the retailer or library into ADE and with your authorised kobo plugged in, drag the book onto the device.

Enjoy your new kobo - shame about the stuff up with the setup, not a good start but I'm sure it will be fixed soon.

Bookpossum · 10-04-2011, 08:07 PM

Good luck to you all - I do hope it works out for you soon.

kiwipippa · 10-06-2011, 09:49 PM

Kobo - any update on this? I have logged calls via kobo and getsatisfaction and provided the debug info asked for.

Has anyone in New Zealand managed to get their reader set up yet?

kiwipippa · 10-07-2011, 09:05 PM

Now resolved, thanks kobo. And I have to say that there aren't many companies where you can communicate directly with developers to sort an issue out. Appreciate the efforts guys.

moffattm · 10-09-2011, 06:41 PM

That's great news!

I wonder if Whitcoulls knows that everything is working now?

kiwipippa · 10-10-2011, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moffattm

That's great news!

I wonder if Whitcoulls knows that everything is working now?

I sent them an email on Saturday and the message has gone from their website so hopefully they're onto it. They do need to explain to customers that although they are using the kobo desktop it links to their Whitcoulls account. No where in the documentation or screens does it say that. I hope they put a flyer or something in the boxes or customers will get confused.

moffattm · 10-11-2011, 07:57 PM

Just popped into Whitcoulls Glenfield and they've reduced the price of the Touch to NZ$249.

HarleyB · 10-11-2011, 09:13 PM

By my calculations that is about US$190 - which is an improvement but it's still very expensive!
Are there other ereaders available in NZ? What are their prices?

moffattm · 10-11-2011, 11:40 PM

The Kindle Keyboard 3G sells for NZ$289, the Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi sells for NZ$209, the Kindle Wi-Fi for NZ$189. This is from Dick Smith Electronics.

Whitcoulls also sell the Sony's but I'm not sure which models or prices (they don't appear to have them on their website, but I've seen at least two models in their stores). Sony's NZ website lists the PRST1BC with a RRP of NZ$229 but it's probably cheaper in the shops.

There are also less well-known brands such as the MiGear for NZ$159.

HarleyB · 10-11-2011, 11:57 PM

Thanks for the info - you are very thorough!
It's hard to know where it should be priced compared to the Kindles as none of them have touch screens.
Prior to the PRS T1 Sony had the reputation for expensive but good quality ereaders - the PRS T1 has similar specs to the Kobo Touch so Kobo should at least match that price if they want to be competitive.

rjcroy · 10-13-2011, 03:17 AM

I visited the Sony store at Sylvia Park in the weekend and they had a demo PRS-T1 on display with a pre-order price of $239. I thought that is going to very interesting competition for the Kobo Touch in New Zealand.

redweka · 10-14-2011, 06:35 AM

Any other muggins pay $280 for their kobo touch? Methinks I'll return and ask for the difference, after all put up with the initial problems and acted as crash test dummies for the release of the new product.

redweka · 10-14-2011, 06:47 AM

On an optimistic note I can confirm my kobo touch is working and I am enjoying reading so thanks Kobo for attending to the glitches.

This is new technology for the great unwashed. I'm progressing with the caution of dog sniffing a hedgehog. Pricing and availability of titles generally do concern me. But this is better raised in a separate thread and perhaps users can give the good oil on their own sources.

James Lee Burke? latest?

HarleyB · 10-14-2011, 06:50 AM

If you buy an electronic device as soon as it is released you always pay top dollar - but I agree the Kobo enthusiasts who purchased a Touch on release got all the setup problems AND then saw the price reduced by $30 within a week?
It would be a nice gesture if they issued some Kobo gift cards so that you could use that money to buy ebooks. Good luck!

moffattm · 10-16-2011, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redweka

Any other muggins pay $280 for their kobo touch? Methinks I'll return and ask for the difference, after all put up with the initial problems and acted as crash test dummies for the release of the new product.

It's worth a try, they may give you some gift vouchers or something, especially if you mention the setup problems that all users encountered in the first few days they were on sale.

The Whitcoulls lady that demoed the Touch to me actually told me to wait a week before buying as they would be cheaper then, and she was right. So they must have planned on dropping the price if their floor-staff were aware the price was going to go down.

10-04-2011, 04:25 PM	#1
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	New Zealand - problems with setup A heads up for those who are buying or thinking of buying a kobo touch from Whitcoulls in New Zealand - they went on sale over the weekend. There is a known issue with setting your kobo up and you will not be able to connect it to the kobo desktop or sync it with your kobo account. Read more about it here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=151816 And here: https://www.facebook.com/kobo?sk=app_227698805184 Kobo have not given an estimate on when it will be fixed, but Whitcoulls told me "a few days". I'm not sure if they are still selling the devices, but it sounds like they are warning people of the problem. You can still use your reader however. Skip the reader setup and use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) or calibre to side-load books to your device. If you are new to ereading, you will have to download ADE (free) to your PC, set up an account with Adobe (the setup wizard guides you through this). When you plug your kobo into the PC with ADE open for the first time you will be asked to authorise your device. Once you do this, you will be able to read DRM'd ebooks from major retailers or public libraries. Download the epub from the retailer or library into ADE and with your authorised kobo plugged in, drag the book onto the device. Enjoy your new kobo - shame about the stuff up with the setup, not a good start but I'm sure it will be fixed soon.

10-11-2011, 09:13 PM	#8
HarleyB Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 1113286 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast Australia Device: Kobo (RIP), iPad, iPhone 4, Kobo Touch x2, Kobo Glo	By my calculations that is about US$190 - which is an improvement but it's still very expensive! Are there other ereaders available in NZ? What are their prices? Last edited by HarleyB; 10-11-2011 at 11:50 PM. Reason: Can't spell

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10-04-2011, 08:07 PM	#2
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,146 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Good luck to you all - I do hope it works out for you soon.

10-06-2011, 09:49 PM	#3
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	Kobo - any update on this? I have logged calls via kobo and getsatisfaction and provided the debug info asked for. Has anyone in New Zealand managed to get their reader set up yet?

10-07-2011, 09:05 PM	#4
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	Now resolved, thanks kobo. And I have to say that there aren't many companies where you can communicate directly with developers to sort an issue out. Appreciate the efforts guys.

10-09-2011, 06:41 PM	#5
moffattm Addict Posts: 333 Karma: 1440670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Device: Kobo Original, Kobo Glo	That's great news! I wonder if Whitcoulls knows that everything is working now?

10-11-2011, 07:57 PM	#7
moffattm Addict Posts: 333 Karma: 1440670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Device: Kobo Original, Kobo Glo	Just popped into Whitcoulls Glenfield and they've reduced the price of the Touch to NZ$249.

10-11-2011, 11:40 PM	#9
moffattm Addict Posts: 333 Karma: 1440670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Device: Kobo Original, Kobo Glo	The Kindle Keyboard 3G sells for NZ$289, the Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi sells for NZ$209, the Kindle Wi-Fi for NZ$189. This is from Dick Smith Electronics. Whitcoulls also sell the Sony's but I'm not sure which models or prices (they don't appear to have them on their website, but I've seen at least two models in their stores). Sony's NZ website lists the PRST1BC with a RRP of NZ$229 but it's probably cheaper in the shops. There are also less well-known brands such as the MiGear for NZ$159.

10-11-2011, 11:57 PM	#10
HarleyB Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 1113286 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast Australia Device: Kobo (RIP), iPad, iPhone 4, Kobo Touch x2, Kobo Glo	Thanks for the info - you are very thorough! It's hard to know where it should be priced compared to the Kindles as none of them have touch screens. Prior to the PRS T1 Sony had the reputation for expensive but good quality ereaders - the PRS T1 has similar specs to the Kobo Touch so Kobo should at least match that price if they want to be competitive.

10-13-2011, 03:17 AM	#11
rjcroy Bibliophile Posts: 167 Karma: 1147338 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kobo Touch	I visited the Sony store at Sylvia Park in the weekend and they had a demo PRS-T1 on display with a pre-order price of $239. I thought that is going to very interesting competition for the Kobo Touch in New Zealand.

10-14-2011, 06:35 AM	#12
redweka Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: kobo touch	Any other muggins pay $280 for their kobo touch? Methinks I'll return and ask for the difference, after all put up with the initial problems and acted as crash test dummies for the release of the new product.

10-14-2011, 06:47 AM	#13
redweka Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: kobo touch	On an optimistic note I can confirm my kobo touch is working and I am enjoying reading so thanks Kobo for attending to the glitches. This is new technology for the great unwashed. I'm progressing with the caution of dog sniffing a hedgehog. Pricing and availability of titles generally do concern me. But this is better raised in a separate thread and perhaps users can give the good oil on their own sources. James Lee Burke? latest?

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10-14-2011, 06:50 AM	#14
HarleyB Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 1113286 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast Australia Device: Kobo (RIP), iPad, iPhone 4, Kobo Touch x2, Kobo Glo	If you buy an electronic device as soon as it is released you always pay top dollar - but I agree the Kobo enthusiasts who purchased a Touch on release got all the setup problems AND then saw the price reduced by $30 within a week? It would be a nice gesture if they issued some Kobo gift cards so that you could use that money to buy ebooks. Good luck!