Sage Kobo Sage PowerCover charge status recognition issue

xyzzy_foo · 08-06-2025, 06:41 AM

I'm having trouble charging my Kobo Sage PowerCover. When I plug in the USB cable, it often only powers the device itself.
I have to repeatedly attach and detach the case to finally get it to charge the PowerCover.

Is this a problem with the product design, or is my PowerCover defective? I just bought it recently, so I think I can request a replacement if it's faulty.

Sirtel · 08-06-2025, 06:59 AM

Most PowerCovers are defective and don't behave like they should. I bought mine years ago and could never get it to charge properly, so I stopped using it. There have been several reports about it over the years.

Quoth · 08-06-2025, 11:55 AM

A powerbank is more useful.

The design is a problem on many levels.

xyzzy_foo · Yesterday, 06:18 AM

In my opinion, this seems like a software issue rather than a hardware one, but either there's no way to update the PowerCover's firmware, or they're simply ignoring it.
Rakuten Group in Japan says the PowerCover is compatible with the Kobo Stylus 2, but Rakuten Kobo itself says it isn't. And while it does physically fit, the tip pops out easily (I don't have a Kobo Stylus 1, so I don't know if this happens with that one too).

The Kobo Sage is readily available in Japan, but it's already unavailable in the US, suggesting it might have been discontinued. I wish they were working on a Kobo Sage 2, but they seem to be clearly focused on color eReaders.
It's a shame they appear to be abandoning BW, especially since E Ink Kaleido 3 is far from a mature technology. I'm still holding out hope for E Ink Gallery, but for now, color E Ink remains the holy grail.

Quoth · Yesterday, 09:06 AM

The powercover maybe can't be updated. The pogo style 4 connections are power and charge info, not USB.

Quote:

E Ink Kaleido 3 is far from a mature technology.

It's quite old tech now. It's simply inherently very limited as it's a 2 x 2 repeated array on a regular eink panel. It's never going to be much better though would be most improved by a 600 dpi mono eink instead of the current 300 dpi mono eink.

Quoth · Yesterday, 09:09 AM

The Gallery system using C Y M in each cell, now revised, is also quite old and is inherently very slow. About x10 slower than regular eink, which is only just fast enough. It's for posters outdoors. Not competing well with indoor shop adverts on video screens.

08-06-2025, 06:41 AM	#1
xyzzy_foo Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 637454 Join Date: Apr 2025 Location: Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan Device: Kindle Oasis (10th Generation), Kobo Sage	Kobo Sage PowerCover charge status recognition issue I'm having trouble charging my Kobo Sage PowerCover. When I plug in the USB cable, it often only powers the device itself. I have to repeatedly attach and detach the case to finally get it to charge the PowerCover. Is this a problem with the product design, or is my PowerCover defective? I just bought it recently, so I think I can request a replacement if it's faulty.

Yesterday, 06:18 AM	#4
xyzzy_foo Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 637454 Join Date: Apr 2025 Location: Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan Device: Kindle Oasis (10th Generation), Kobo Sage	In my opinion, this seems like a software issue rather than a hardware one, but either there's no way to update the PowerCover's firmware, or they're simply ignoring it. Rakuten Group in Japan says the PowerCover is compatible with the Kobo Stylus 2, but Rakuten Kobo itself says it isn't. And while it does physically fit, the tip pops out easily (I don't have a Kobo Stylus 1, so I don't know if this happens with that one too). The Kobo Sage is readily available in Japan, but it's already unavailable in the US, suggesting it might have been discontinued. I wish they were working on a Kobo Sage 2, but they seem to be clearly focused on color eReaders. It's a shame they appear to be abandoning BW, especially since E Ink Kaleido 3 is far from a mature technology. I'm still holding out hope for E Ink Gallery, but for now, color E Ink remains the holy grail. Last edited by xyzzy_foo; Yesterday at 06:19 AM. Reason: Minor changes

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08-06-2025, 06:59 AM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,560 Karma: 240526511 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Most PowerCovers are defective and don't behave like they should. I bought mine years ago and could never get it to charge properly, so I stopped using it. There have been several reports about it over the years.

08-06-2025, 11:55 AM	#3
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,235 Karma: 105299897 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	A powerbank is more useful. The design is a problem on many levels.

Yesterday, 09:09 AM	#6
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,235 Karma: 105299897 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	The Gallery system using C Y M in each cell, now revised, is also quite old and is inherently very slow. About x10 slower than regular eink, which is only just fast enough. It's for posters outdoors. Not competing well with indoor shop adverts on video screens.

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