A new Kobo reader

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by DStyle

Just purchased the Aura HD from Kobo website but didn't receive any notification through email. Is that normal?

Yes totally normal.

Originally Posted by Gilmartin

Somebody needs to tell W H Smith that the Aura and the Aura HD are different devices: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/ko...oduct/36495993

Yeah, you'd think that a store would use the full product name. Yet it does illustrate an issue with Kobo's naming scheme: there is going to be some confusion among consumers. I mean, just look at MR: even though we're a fairly technology literate crowd, we have been calling the Aura HD as the Aura for months. I assume that we're going to keep things straight in the future, but we're going to have to do a mental translation for older threads.

[DStyle]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Yes totally normal.

How long do you have to wait till you receive an email from Kobo?

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by Gilmartin

Somebody needs to tell W H Smith that the Aura and the Aura HD are different devices: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/ko...oduct/36495993

The people who work in their online store must be as thick as the YTS brain donors who work in their high street shops

The people in the stores know nothing about the devices. I went to my local store and asked if they had the mini in stock, the assistant didn't have a clue what I was talking about and said he didn't think they sold it as he hadn't heard about it. I went to another store this time when I asked the assistant if they had it in stock he said they did but that he didn't know anything about it. Utterly useless.

[Gilmartin]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

The people in the stores know nothing about the devices. I went to my local store and asked if they had the mini in stock, the assistant didn't have a clue what I was talking about and said he didn't think they sold it as he hadn't heard about it. I went to another store this time when I asked the assistant if they had it in stock he said they did but that he didn't know anything about it. Utterly useless.

That's similar to my experience. A couple of weeks after the Aura HD was released I went in to my local WHS to have a look at it. All they had on display were the mini and the glo. So I asked an assistant if they had any Aura HD's. She said "yes here it is" and pointed to a glo

[tlaine]

I placed an order with Kobo at 12:20 and had an email receipt at 12:21. I dunno why this is so hit and miss with them. I'm using the Canadian site.

[Lyn2012]

I really think Kobo should have used a different name for the new Aura. I mean, different size screen, different resolution, capacitive rather than I/R touch, etc etc. It doesn't sound like the same device to me and is bound to lead to much confusion.

As has already been noted, the WH Smith website lists the Aura HD as simply Aura. I emailed them yesterday asking when the black and pink versions of the 6" Aura will be available for pre-order - no reply so far though. The pink version isn't even an option for pre-order on the UK Kobo website. Not that I'm going to pre-order though as I do prefer to see devices in person first.

[dmapr]

Originally Posted by DStyle

How long do you have to wait till you receive an email from Kobo?

Here's my tale from when I ordered mine. Note that nothing would happen unless I contacted CS:

5/28: Ordered, nothing happened
5/29: Contacted CS, order not found, got escalated
5/29: Heard back from Tier 2 CS that order has been found, got order link. Status "On Hold"
5/30: Status "Processing"
6/4: Status still "Processing". Contacted CS, escalated again.
6/5: Shipped.

[Anak]

Originally Posted by Lyn2012

I really think Kobo should have used a different name for the new Aura. I mean, different size screen, different resolution, capacitive rather than I/R touch, etc etc. It doesn't sound like the same device to me and is bound to lead to much confusion.

As has already been noted, the WH Smith website lists the Aura HD as simply Aura. I emailed them yesterday asking when the black and pink versions of the 6" Aura will be available for pre-order - no reply so far though. The pink version isn't even an option for pre-order on the UK Kobo website. Not that I'm going to pre-order though as I do prefer to see devices in person first.

I disagree (at least partly), using a uniform name for a product range is less confusing. It is quite clear that Aura and Aura HD are different devices. Like Bookeens Cybook Odyssey and Odyssey HD.
But you can make the case that naming an actual product identical to the name of a product range isn't the most elegant solution.
Samsung seems to understand it better. Samsung Galaxy SII and Galaxy SIII are different phones but both are part of the Galaxy range of products.

Kobo should have named the Aura e-reader "Aura 6" or any other name that distincts itself from the name of the product range.

But in general: don't blame the manufacturer but the reseller (WH Smith). Most resellers are not interested in the products they are selling. Getting correct info or advice becomes more and more difficult.

[moffattm]

Originally Posted by Gilmartin

Somebody needs to tell W H Smith that the Aura and the Aura HD are different devices: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/ko...oduct/36495993

The people who work in their online store must be as thick as the YTS brain donors who work in their high street shops

I must admit that when I first heard that Kobo were bringing out a new e-reader, the "Aura", I thought "But they already have an Aura! Maybe the media have got mixed up." From what I've seen everyone has called the Aura HD simply "Aura", which was ok when there wasn't an "Aura", but now that there is we're going to have to be careful what we call these two devices (although I can see every reply for request for Aura help starting off with "Now which Aura do you have? The normal one or the HD one?")

[shanghaichica]

Review video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RnC...e_gdata_player

[buffaloseven]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Review video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RnC...e_gdata_player

Really like some of the UI changes coming in the new firmware; looks like the "Back" button is coming back and the reading stats are being moved off to their own button on the right side of the footer (good move). Overall the Aura looks like a really slick product with some pretty substantial improvements.

More and more, especially with some of the new features coming, as long as Kobo can iron out the bugs in the firmware, I think that they're offering by far the best product out on the market.

[mr_nihilism]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Review video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RnC...e_gdata_player

That two finger slide to adjust the frontlight is really slick. I wonder if a firmare update would allow a similar technique on the HD & Glo.

[robko]

Originally Posted by moffattm

I must admit that when I first heard that Kobo were bringing out a new e-reader, the "Aura", I thought "But they already have an Aura! Maybe the media have got mixed up." From what I've seen everyone has called the Aura HD simply "Aura", which was ok when there wasn't an "Aura", but now that there is we're going to have to be careful what we call these two devices (although I can see every reply for request for Aura help starting off with "Now which Aura do you have? The normal one or the HD one?")

THIS! To me, if the original was the Aura and the new one was the Aura HD it would be less confusing. As it is, everyone is used to the HD just being called the Aura and I can see confusion coming. I like the idea someone had of at least calling the new one the "Aura 6" or something. Like it or not, the name "Aura" is now already taken (by the Aura HD).

[93terp]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Review video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RnC...e_gdata_player

Thanks for posting, good & thorough review. One interesting change I noticed in the UI is that "Shelves" have been renamed "Kobo Collections".