Any interest in Kobo Desktop for Linux?

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by Geeky

The last(?) 2.0.3 build could activate a while back, but now it seems Kobo decided to label it outdated, so no more syncing or activating with that client.



Indeed.

Thanks for that. Kind of makes it hard to consider. I guess I could take a risk and try the desktop app through wine to get it configured through wine if I chose to get one.

Id be happy with a kobo linux app that would let you just configure it, and not even bother with syncing especially given the wifi.

[viduliya]

With just a wifi connection we can sync, update, and get books from the Kobo store, all without a computer on an activated Kobo Touch device. Why do we need a computer to activate the device?

If I must use Kobo desktop application for device activation, then I am all for having a Linux version of Kobo desktop. Make that application distribution independent and provide a simple tar.gz file. Let each distribution setup their own packages if needed.

Even a basic utility which just offered a simple terminal interface only to perform device activation will be great. Just so I don't have to go looking for a functional Windows (virtual) machine after a reset or when a new device is bought. I have two Kobo Touch devices at home and no maintained Windows or Mac machines.

It is a sad fact that a Linux based device denied activation with a Linux computer. I would love to figure out where the activation state is stored in the device. That would allow me to backup and restore activation state manually after a factory reset.

[Geeky]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Thanks for that. Kind of makes it hard to consider. I guess I could take a risk and try the desktop app through wine to get it configured through wine if I chose to get one.

Last time I checked using wine didn't work, because the Windows application couldn't use the USB interface properly (afaik a wine limitation). Supposedly there should/could be a workaround, but I never tried as I hunted down the 2.0.3 binary beforehand.

[robko]

Originally Posted by viduliya

With just a wifi connection we can sync, update, and get books from the Kobo store, all without a computer on an activated Kobo Touch device. Why do we need a computer to activate the device?

The explanation from Kobo way back when was that the WIFI part of the firmware was not ready at the time they were factory loading it onto the first run of KT's. Therefore it had no ability to use WIFI until you updated the firmware straight out of the box. My understanding was the later shipments would be preloaded with whatever the current firmware was (which logically should have WIFI functionality in the firmware), so you shouldn't need to hardwire connect, but I can't confirm that.

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by robko

The explanation from Kobo way back when was that the WIFI part of the firmware was not ready at the time they were factory loading it onto the first run of KT's. Therefore it had no ability to use WIFI until you updated the firmware straight out of the box. My understanding was the later shipments would be preloaded with whatever the current firmware was (which logically should have WIFI functionality in the firmware), so you shouldn't need to hardwire connect, but I can't confirm that.

I believe the firmware issue was that early release did need the desktop software to update the firmware, but has been resolved since and can now do and firmware update ota. The initial setup of the device still requires regardless the use of the desktop software, as is my understanding and the underlying issue for linux users.

[viduliya]

Originally Posted by robko

The explanation from Kobo way back when was that the WIFI part of the firmware was not ready at the time they were factory loading it onto the first run of KT's. Therefore it had no ability to use WIFI until you updated the firmware straight out of the box. My understanding was the later shipments would be preloaded with whatever the current firmware was (which logically should have WIFI functionality in the firmware), so you shouldn't need to hardwire connect, but I can't confirm that.

I don't think this is the reason. I can factory reset my KT and manually update the firmware to the current by downloading and uncompressing it into the .kobo directory. Even with the current firmware (manually updated), the device will not allow connection to any wifi network until I connect it to the Kobo desktop and go through a account setup/login process. This is what makes it impossible to make full use of the KT after a factory reset unless we find a windows/mac machine with the Kobo Desktop software.

[stef70]

I found how to create a fake user on a new machine (or after a factory reset). This is enough to enable the WiFi and to avoid the registration screen at startup. Of course, accessing the Kobo bookstore via wifi is not possible. The original 1.9 firmware does not do automatic upgrade via WiFi so a manual upgrade is still needed (download the latest firmware at http://download.kobobooks.com/firmwa...ade-1.9.12.zip and unzip it inside the .kobo directory)

The user is registered in the table "user" of the database .kobo/KoboReader.sqlite
The database can be manipulated with the program sqlite3

Use that trick at your own risk. I recommend that you backup the database file (or the whole kobo device)

Execute the command

sqlite3 .kobo/KoboReader.sqlite

then add a fake user with

INSERT INTO "user" VALUES('aaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa','aaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa','xxxx@xxxx.xx','xxxx@xxxx.xx','2aaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaa==');

The whole database can be dumped with

echo .dump | sqlite3 .kobo/KoboReader.sqlite

[jamesd]

For Linux, I have had success using WINE with the latest Kobo desktop app. I found the instructions in the post Kobo eReader - unboxed & Linuxified worked for both an original Kobo and Kobo Touch.

[Caysho]

@stef70 - thanks for posting the sqlite user hack.
I used Sqliteman under Ubuntu 11.10 to add the record in the user table.
Then used the sync process as per the User Guide.

My Kobo Touch came with firmware 1.9.11 and after the wifi network connection was established, it automatically downloaded firmware 1.9.12 and asked if I want to apply it.
The upgrade worked fine.

[iateadonut]

By the way, Kobo is a usb device, so you don't really need the software for it for linux.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by iateadonut

By the way, Kobo is a usb device, so you don't really need the software for it for linux.

Not true; while certainly, the Kobo will appear like a storage device to Linux (and luckliy not an MTP class device), the initial setup / registration of the device with Kobo DOES require use of the desktop.

[GoingDown]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Not true; while certainly, the Kobo will appear like a storage device to Linux (and luckliy not an MTP class device), the initial setup / registration of the device with Kobo DOES require use of the desktop.

With some tinkering, I got my Kobo touch detected by Kobo Desktop software under wine. I wonder if that can be used for registration then?

I really don't use desktop software so much anything. I transfer books using Calibre.

[luqmaninbmore]

What was the point of even releasing a Linux version if it was going to be made inoperable a few months later? I can understand not updating it, but disabling it entirely? That's just stooopid. And the sad thing is that Linux support was one of the things that made me excited about Kobo (the other two being Android support when no one else was doing so [back when they were Shortcovers] and the coupon codes that most other retailers have abandoned).

[FelixO]

Hi,

I just registered to say thanks to Geoge.Talusan and portablejim!

I got the Kobe Desktop working on 64bit Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot under Gnome 3, using portablejim's instructions in post 206.

It didn't seem to work at first but I persevered, tried stuff in Synaptic (which didn't seem to help) and repeated Jim's instruction and eventually got there.

And what's more I was able to register from within the application! Well done George!

This may be enough to get me to buy 2 Kobo Touch rather than Kindle. Yes, two!!!
Are you listening Kobo??!!! Linux users aren't just greasy slackers who want stuff for free! :-)
Please release the Kobo Desktop software officially and you will get plenty of good press in the Linux world and on Slahdot etc and gain lots of customers.

[FelixO]

Actually I do still have a probelm.
Although the application is installed and working Synaptic thinks it is broken:

olly@molly:/usr/lib/calibre$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run ‘apt-get -f install’ to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies.
kobo-desktop:i386 : Depends: libusb-0.1-4:i386 but it is not installed
Depends: libpng3:i386 but it is not installed
Depends: libxml2:i386 but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

I fear the system will be unusable in this state since I won't be able to install new packages or updates.
I tried to fix it by using
sudo dpkg --force-depends -i kobo-desktop.deb
but it made no difference :-(