Right clicker dying?

[terifili]

Anybody else think that the right page turner is slowly dying? I got my Kobo when they first came out. It no longer makes the click sound and I feel like I have to push just a bit harder for it to turn.

I wonder if it no longer works prior to the end of my 1 year warranty, if I can replace it.

Poor Kobo, so many hiccups

[taming]

I know Kobo has replaced readers with defective clickers. That's the kind of manufacturer's defect covered under warranty.

[terifili]

Just wondering if this will happen to all Kobos in a short period of time, just seems like it is inevitable with the design of the button.

[kiwipippa]

I've had mine since early July - the right side of the blue button is starting to come away from the case but is still works. If it gets worse I may look at logging a support call about it.

[taming]

I know that I have seen this complaint a handful of times on the various places I check, but not all that often. I'm not particularly worried about the button wearing out, but if you have a bit of a problem with it while it is still under warranty, you'd be smart to deal with it.

[Dorian_Gray]

The RHS of my navigation button came away from the housing about two weeks ago (I've had the Kobo since the original release, mid May? ~30+ books). Nothing a wee bit of krazy glue didn't fix. Meh. I'm waiting for my wifi to arrive.

If the same happens to the wifi in such a short period, I guess I'll need to look @ a more rugged device.

I think this will definitely be an issue as time progresses for the Kobo.

[Bittybye]

The one I had and gave to my mom, on the right side the rubber has disconnected from the Kobo, so when she presses the button there's a small gap.

But it will last her to Christmas, she's asked for the Kindle, since she's envies mine. I think I'll sell it for $50 (maybe.)

[mamasue]

I've found that the lack of audible 'click' when page turning can be an indication of low battery with my reader ...

However, I too have seen people complaining about short life wear with the blue button.

[corona]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

I've had mine since early July - the right side of the blue button is starting to come away from the case but is still works. If it gets worse I may look at logging a support call about it.

I had that problem too and I just took it to Chapters. They gave me a new one instantly.

[dos]

I've had mine for a few weeks and it's already feeling kind of off. Also it looks kind of stained already, probably from oils from my skin. Yes, I wash my hands =P

Kobo should have researched a material that would have held up a bit better...

[sabredog]

Give the dpad a clean with a lint free cloth (glasses lens cleaner cloth) moistened (not wet) in a little water and dish washing liquid, should come up tickety-boo.

I have a black Kobo with the grey coloured dpad button. Looks fine.

[dos]

Originally Posted by sabredog

Give the dpad a clean with a lint free cloth (glasses lens cleaner cloth) moistened (not wet) in a little water and dish washing liquid, should come up tickety-boo.

I have a black Kobo with the grey coloured dpad button. Looks fine.

Yeah, I do this. But I also own tons of hand held electronics that I've had for years that don't change their appearance after a few weeks of moderate use.

I've had an Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii since their respective release dates and their materials look fine. My Logitech MX510 mouse has been in use for at least five years and looks fine. My ancient Sony keyboard looks fine. My DS and PSP look fine etc etc etc

Companies put a lot of time testing materials to see which ones hold up under stress and what chemicals and coatings and paints are resistant to the natural oils the human body secretes.

[sabredog]

So yet again you are singling out the Kobo?

Our family room HTPC is controlled by a Microsoft remote control. All the silver has come of the plastic around the edges. Still works fine. It is only a year old.

Should I blame Microsoft for shoddy worksmanship and design or accept that use of the device results in wear and tear?

How many times do you hit the reset/eject and power buttons of your gaming consoles per minute?

If you want a device that lasts longer then Sony are about the best in the ereader world for construction. Aluminium shell and all that.

[dos]

Originally Posted by sabredog

So yet again you are singling out the Kobo?

This is the Kobo forum, where we come to discuss the Kobo. I call em as I see em, I don't own any other e-readers so I can't really comment on their pros and cons. I do however own other, similar electronic devices

Should I blame Microsoft for shoddy worksmanship and design

Yes. Also, keep in mind this isn't after a few years of intense use, this is after two weeks.

How many times do you hit the reset/eject and power buttons of your gaming consoles per minute?

I was referring to the controllers of the game consoles, which get just as much abuse as the Kobo's dpad, if not more.

I've had a Super Nintendo since 1991, and while the console itself is yellowed due to a flaw in the design of the plastics (The chemical used changed color when the console got warm- Nintendo noticed the problem and fixed it in the next revision of the same console), the controller is still perfect. The SNES is my favorite game system and I play it more than the three current gen consoles combined.

EDIT: Here is my collection of SNES controllers. These are over 15-20 years old and I use them a lot:



The controller in the upper right is a Japanese version and they used a darker shade of gray than the US version, that isn't yellowed or anything.

If you want a device that lasts longer then Sony are about the best in the ereader world for construction. Aluminium shell and all that.

Oddly enough Sony readers I see in stores always look beat to hell, I don't think they age very well at all. The construction is solid though, as is Kobo's.

This is an aesthetic problem, not a build quality issue- I think Kobo's build quality is wonderful and is in my opinion the most "high quality" feeling ereader next to the Sonys, which are built like tanks but I find them uncomfortable to hold. Kobo's quilted back and smooth plastic front are great, and much nicer than cold metal!

I just wish the d-pad could be made to a higher standard.

EDIT: This really isn't a HUGE issue. It's understandable, it's their first device. I'm not trying to stir up animosity or bash Kobo, I just like bringing up problems I notice and providing feedback so the next generation of devices are even better. Companies value this sort of detailed user feedback, individual experiences vary greatly and can be much more enlightening for designers than lab tests.

[Achan]

It's true about the material. Only thing is that all of those controllers that you mentioned (to the best of my knowledge) have a hard plastic piece whereas the kobo is a five directional soft plastic and it seems like the soft plastic part is the part that is dislodging/discoloring for some people...not sure if there are too many reasonably priced options for soft plastics...but imagine the kobo having a directional pad like the NES controllers! lol

PS I'm glad you're still around dos...i recalled you having pretty 'heated discussions' with some other forum members previously.