Forma New Kobo reader: The Forma/Shape

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by bookyboy

@lkmiller

Thanks for your input..

I went to Best Buy today and tried out the Oasis 3 and - that's out.

I didn't care for the metal - at all - and found it very slippery. The size/shape of it was great, but they should have made it with a rubber touch grippy finish (IMO anyhow).

Slippery or rubbery doesn't matter one bit because it should be in a cover and that will make a Reader easier to hold. Plus, you won't be feeling how the back is. It's annoying to have to keep taking the Reader in and out of the case. You do get used to the case and you get used to the fact that it's easier to hold. So really, get a case and forget cold/slippery/rubbery/etc.

I guess I'm back to "see how my Forma will be when a new unit arrives next week from Kobo" and hope it's tolerable. I'd honestly go back to a Clara HD or other "normal shape" Kobo if *any* of them had buttons. Man oh man. When you get used to page turn buttons, they are something I don't ever want to not have again.[/quote]

Once you get your Forma, get a case and any issues with the Forma's design will not be an issue. Also, if you do keep the Forma, I think your Oasis will end up in a drawer unused.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

You can either patch this in, which is arguably better or test it by searching on the Kobo for “dev mode on” without the quotes then going to settings device information developer settings and enabling invert screen. Patching replaces the ade page Numbers option in reading settings.

There is a problem with dev mode. You get logs. So you either have to remember to keep deleting the logs or you'll end up eventually filling the free space.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is a problem with dev mode. You get logs. So you either have to remember to keep deleting the logs or you'll end up eventually filling the free space.

Yes, those logs only happen when you plug the kobo in to a computer I believe though it might be whenever it’s plugged in.

Of course they’re around 150kb so it’s going to take quite awhile before they become an issue for most people even with the 8gb Forma which has 6.7gb free.

[bookyboy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Slippery or rubbery doesn't matter one bit because it should be in a cover

That is a subjective opinion that I don’t happen to share.
I don’t use cases as I don’t enjoy them.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Also, if you do keep the Forma, I think your Oasis will end up in a drawer unused.

I don’t own an Oasis

[tdonline]

I've given Amazon a couple of years to offer an 8 inch reader and I think I'm going to give up. The Oasis at 7 isn't quite big enough to justify the price. If it was an 8, I would be sticking with Amazon, alas, no dice.

Due to a couple of requirements, I can't go with BN so that leads to the Forma. I've skimmed through the thread--before taking the plunge and leaving the Amazon cocoon, I would like to confirm the following:

1) 95% of what I read is from Overdrive and I have three active library accounts. How easy does the Forma handle multiple accounts? I can't go with BN because I'm completely spoiled by the Amazon system of sending books to my reader wirelessly.

2) I love that my Paperwhite has very little header and footer space. I understand Kobo now allows users to remove headers and footers very easily. How do you quickly check page/location data?

3) I love Send to Kindle, I understand Pocket is the equivalent for Kobo? How well does it work? Everything shows up quickly and reliably? I assume it's wireless...

4) I use a cover for transport, but for any reading beyond a few minutes, I prefer my reader to be cover-less. Are there Forma covers that go on and off quickly?

5) Any chance of the Forma going on sale for Black Friday?

6) In the US, would you recommend buying from Kobo direct? Walmart? A local bookstore may still offer Kobos. They usually do not have them in the store, but will take orders.

Thanks! A little apprehensive as I've read so many posts about Kobo's quality control on screens and lighting but my eyesight isn't getting any better and 6 inch screens aren't optimal for me anymore.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by bookyboy

Spoiler:

@lkmiller

Thanks for your input..

I went to Best Buy today and tried out the Oasis 3 and - that's out.

I didn't care for the metal - at all - and found it very slippery. The size/shape of it was great, but they should have made it with a rubber touch grippy finish (IMO anyhow).

Afterwards, I went and enjoyed the Nook Glowlight Plus for a bit at B&N. I still think that is the cream of the crop hardware wise right now. That said, the software certainly is limited. You really can't customize much of anything - even just stuff like headers/footers. It's kind of bummer on that front, particularly since we all have varying tastes on layout/look/information density. Highly curious how B&N has done so little with the software.

One further dealbreaker overall for me on Nook is that I have really no way to get Pocket/Instapaper/Read-it-later articles on to it. I'm not wedded to any service in particular, but from all I can tell - there is NO way to do any kind of read-it-later stuff with a Nook. That's highly unfortunate as I love to save long form web stuff for reading on my Kobo/iPad/Pocket on various platforms.

I guess I'm back to "see how my Forma will be when a new unit arrives next week from Kobo" and hope it's tolerable. I'd honestly go back to a Clara HD or other "normal shape" Kobo if *any* of them had buttons. Man oh man. When you get used to page turn buttons, they are something I don't ever want to not have again.

Screen stuff aside, I didn't enjoy the PopSocket thing on my Forma. I need to find some type of rubber "grip thing" that I can tape/glue to the back to give my hand/fingers something to really hold on to that has some shape/thickness to it.

Love to hear any suggestions on that if someone has any.

I put TalonGrip sheet pieces on my Oasis. Very nice, resilient and grippy. (talongungrips.com -> other grips -> diy material. Rubbery texture, not granulate). Many people use skins.

[bookyboy]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I put TalonGrip sheet pieces on my Oasis. Very nice, resilient and grippy. (talongungrips.com -> other grips -> diy material. Rubbery texture, not granulate). Many people use skins.

Interesting. Thx for sharing.

[bookyboy]

@tdonline

Pocket on Kobo is as good as it gets.
It’s fully integrated. You can completely manage your pocket articles right on the Kobo

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by tdonline

1) 95% of what I read is from Overdrive and I have three active library accounts. How easy does the Forma handle multiple accounts? I can't go with BN because I'm completely spoiled by the Amazon system of sending books to my reader wirelessly.

If you have overdrive and Libby set up with your multiple cards it’s as simple as logging in to your *overdrive* account on the Forma just don’t use a library card to login. You select a library then select to login with an overdrive account.

It’s all wireless. Use a phone or tablet to borrow books from whichever libraries you did not pick when logging on to overdrive on the Forma. And then sync your Forma. Do not log out of the overdrive account to switch libraries.

2) I love that my Paperwhite has very little header and footer space. I understand Kobo now allows users to remove headers and footers very easily. How do you quickly check page/location data?

You can disable them both and use the progress bar, though it’s not as detailed as Amazon’s. Or show the footer unmodified. Or show the footer and use patches to adjust the space it takes up. The same applies to the header though it displays chapter info the footer displays book info. You can show page number, percentage, or time remaining for either header or footer info.

3) I love Send to Kindle, I understand Pocket is the equivalent for Kobo? How well does it work? Everything shows up quickly and reliably? I assume it's wireless...

It works nicely. Sign up for an account, it’s free though I think there’s a premium option. I’ve never been harassed to get one beyond maybe them asking at account creation. Send the page to pocket then sync your kobo and you’re set.

4) I use a cover for transport, but for any reading beyond a few minutes, I prefer my reader to be cover-less. Are there Forma covers that go on and off quickly?

The official one is pretty easy to pop off, I think all the knockoffs use the same design so they should also be easy.

5) Any chance of the Forma going on sale for Black Friday?

I’d be surprised. But stranger things have happened.

6) In the US, would you recommend buying from Kobo direct? Walmart? A local bookstore may still offer Kobos. They usually do not have them in the store, but will take orders.

If you want a quick means of return or you’re very impatient with shipping go with Walmart. If you want to save some money and are patient with shipping use chapters indigo. If you just want to buy direct and are patient with shipping buy from kobo. I’d be shocked if any local stores had Kobo in stock in the US. Most indie stores have a vague partnership with them at best.

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Slippery or rubbery doesn't matter one bit because it should be in a cover.

Dude, stop pushing your opinion on other people like this. My e-readers are NEVER in a cover. I make my own sleeves so they're protected when I don't use them but read without a cover. I really hate covers.

And it's okay that other people do like covers. Everyone is different. But I feel like you're forcing your opinion on people and that's not cool.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Once you get your Forma, get a case and any issues with the Forma's design will not be an issue. Also, if you do keep the Forma, I think your Oasis will end up in a drawer unused.

Opinions are different for everyone and that's okay. But to tell people that their new Oasis will end up in a drawer? Why would you even say that? I doubt people buy a new Oasis so it can sit in a drawer.

[bookyboy]

Thank you @SusanReads - I fully agree with you.
Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I really prefer no cases or covers.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by bookyboy

Thank you @SusanReads - I fully agree with you.
Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I really prefer no cases or covers.

Same and none of my ereader screens have ever broken which is really the only draw for a case.

[mathil]

Yeah, if you've been here a while you'll realize that Jon feels very strongly about ereaders being kept in covers at all times. Personally, I believe that covers help if you're taking the reader out of the house a lot and throwing it in bags etc., but they're not so fragile that one look at them out of a cover and they'll break - just treat them like you would your smartphone, paying a bit more attention to make sure they're not subject to torsion. I keep mine in a felt sleeve and make sure that it doesn't move around in my backpack (i.e. keep it between two books, or in a tablet pocket), and so far so good. But all devices that fall have a high likelihood of breaking, it's not like ereaders are outliers in that.
Either way, my money, my rules.

[lkmiller]

@tdonline

Looks like your questions are mostly answered, but here's a couple more points:

Checking page/location without headers and footers:
There's a very thin progress bar at the bottom you can leave enabled. Or tap in the middle of the screen (or wherever you have it set) to bring up navigation and page/total pages is there. Finally percentage read of current book is on screen when the Kobo is sleeping.

Pocket:
You basically have a Pocket app on your Kobo. There's a seperate list of "My Articles" which is very similar to the "My Books" list. Very rarely some formatting on a website won't work with Pocket, and it won't show up on the Kobo. This has happened maybe a handful of times for me, and I've used Pocket everyday for years. Sometimes Pocket will grab the wrong thing as the title, but it also shows the website. I wish you could edit that like with Send to Kindle, but not a big deal.

Where to buy:
I'm in the US, and I've ordered online from Kobo, Indigo Chapters (Canadian bookstore chain), and Walmart. I wouldn't recommend Kobo direct because it was slow and there was a lack of communication. With Indigo Chapters, you get a bit of a discount because of exchange rate. They were quicker than expected and let you know what's happening. I'd probably stick with Walmart if I got another for ease of return. I've never returned one though.

[bookyboy]

If you’re even remotely on the fence definitely keep in mind the return process.

I was really happy I had gotten the libra at Walmart since I could literally walk into one and return it very simply