Arc Discover - Useless

JD Gumby · 12-04-2012, 10:46 PM

Discover, I see, is not only intrusive, but it's utterly useless. For most items, you can't tell what they are or where they'll lead to (except for books, due to them having the Preview & price buttons to try and convince you to buy).

I know that I personally will NEVER click on "View Page" or "Listen" (or click through the book advertisements) because there is no way to tell where I'd actually end up and what would happen there (other than for books, of course, because I'm fairly certain Kobo wouldn't send me to Amazon to buy them...). The info panels really need to show full URLs and reveal what apps, if any, they will open.

EDIT: Oh, and nitpick - when the Discover item is related to something in my library and which hasn't been pinned to a Tapestry (and gods only know why I'd do that with a book or suchlike, anyways), it really shouldn't be saying "This item is related to something you've pinned."

Kobo-Robin · 12-05-2012, 11:51 AM

Hey JD,

I'm getting the feeling that you don't approve of "Discovery".

I just wanted to reach out and let you know what we have been working on. Discovery is the one item I fully expected to see complaints about as it isn't a fleshed out as we (UX team) want it to be.

I like the way you think because honestly most of what you said has been talked about here and is being worked on.

While (for reasons I can't talk about) we can't put the specific app icons on discovery items we are looking at ways to show content type at the very least so you will know what is a video, book, music, webpage etc.

The "This item is related..." issue is a bug and is being working on as well as reoccurring items when removed and showing you items that you already have or have said you read.

Please reply with your wish lists (you and anyone else reading this).

Robin

JD Gumby · 12-05-2012, 01:39 PM

Other than a way to just turn it off and reclaim the space (enough there for another pair of Tapestries - less need to horizontally scroll is always better), marking them so we have a clue where they're going to go (especially for Web pages - if I even suspect it's going to the Web, it's never being opened without the URL being fully disclosed beforehand) is about all, really.

cyndersk · 12-05-2012, 05:33 PM

I totally agree with JD Gumby - all I want is a way to turn it off. Until that happens I have been using a different launcher altogether. I find it totally useless, intrusive and basically ends up being an ad supported feature. And since I purchase so few books from Kobo itself, even the books in the discovery bar are useless. Of course that is assuming that at some point they will fix it so that when I say I've read a book or am not interested in a book it will disappear from the bar.

So...just give me one thing...the ability to turn it off - then I will go back to tapestries.

ppowell002 · 12-05-2012, 07:50 PM

After my first few days, I too am not impressed. I've spent a lots f time telling it what I'm not interested in and clicking on the icons when in different tapestries but it gives me the same thing in every tapestry, most of which are books to buy at kobo that I've already told not interested.....or photos and articles that are completely unrelated to anything I have pinned. Plus the icons are so small you have to open each one to read it.
Better get busy with those improvements Robin:-)

JD Gumby · 12-05-2012, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyndersk

I totally agree with JD Gumby - all I want is a way to turn it off. Until that happens I have been using a different launcher altogether.

Which one?

Hmm. Just noticed a "KoboTracking" process running and in the all-apps list. Not cool. Not cool at ALL. :/

EDIT: Oh, and some app with a Chinese (or maybe it's Japanese kanj?) name and a blue circle icon with a Chinese character in it and a yellow circle - which has permission to access my personal information and the network. If that was there from the very beginning and not something that hitched a ride with an app (all reputable and with some basic research done first - nothing installed sight-unseen from devs I've never heard of), then I will be VERY disappointed in Kobo. No, not disappointed - VERY pissed. [shown as version 4.0.4-424 and a size of 144KB]

cyndersk · 12-06-2012, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Which one?

Hmm. Just noticed a "KoboTracking" process running and in the all-apps list. Not cool. Not cool at ALL. :/

EDIT: Oh, and some app with a Chinese (or maybe it's Japanese kanj?) name and a blue circle icon with a Chinese character in it and a yellow circle - which has permission to access my personal information and the network. If that was there from the very beginning and not something that hitched a ride with an app (all reputable and with some basic research done first - nothing installed sight-unseen from devs I've never heard of), then I will be VERY disappointed in Kobo. No, not disappointed - VERY pissed. [shown as version 4.0.4-424 and a size of 144KB]

I've been using Apex Launcher. It's working very well for me.

I have the Kobo tracking in the all apps list, but not as a running process. I also have that other weird app showing in the all apps list. I have disabled it for now. If everything seems fine I will leave it disabled. :-)

JD Gumby · 12-06-2012, 10:26 AM

Well, I spotted "Discovery Service" (why it took me so long to do so...) and it's now disabled. Such a shame, though, that you can't do anything with the space Discover's bar takes up even when the service is running.

Installed Apex last night. Rather laggy. Pity there's no way to go with the stock ICS launcher.

FaisalAbid · 12-06-2012, 03:23 PM

Hi JD, I am a developer on the Kobo Arc.

Regarding he Chinese character icon, that actually is the Google Asian Keyboard IME. It comes built in with Android.

I don't know the reason why it needs access to your personal information and network, however I can assure you that unless you use the keyboard, this app will not be accessing either of them. Also this is available on pretty much all Android devices or downloadable from the Play store under the publisher "Google Inc.".

Feel free to ask me any other technical questions you have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Which one?

Hmm. Just noticed a "KoboTracking" process running and in the all-apps list. Not cool. Not cool at ALL. :/

EDIT: Oh, and some app with a Chinese (or maybe it's Japanese kanj?) name and a blue circle icon with a Chinese character in it and a yellow circle - which has permission to access my personal information and the network. If that was there from the very beginning and not something that hitched a ride with an app (all reputable and with some basic research done first - nothing installed sight-unseen from devs I've never heard of), then I will be VERY disappointed in Kobo. No, not disappointed - VERY pissed. [shown as version 4.0.4-424 and a size of 144KB]

JD Gumby · 12-06-2012, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaisalAbid

Hi JD, I am a developer on the Kobo Arc.

Regarding he Chinese character icon, that actually is the Google Asian Keyboard IME. It comes built in with Android.

I don't know the reason why it needs access to your personal information and network, however I can assure you that unless you use the keyboard, this app will not be accessing either of them. Also this is available on pretty much all Android devices or downloadable from the Play store under the publisher "Google Inc.".

Okay, that's a bit of a relief to know. Thanks. (I'm still keeping it disabled, however - because it was running at the time I stopped and disabled it, despite never accessing the IME)

FaisalAbid · 12-06-2012, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Okay, that's a bit of a relief to know. Thanks. (I'm still keeping it disabled, however - because it was running at the time I stopped and disabled it, despite never accessing the IME)

No problem. Yea it's fine if you keep it disabled. Im glad to see your very aware of Android security!

EricG · 12-07-2012, 11:51 PM

Holo Launcher HD is closest to Jelly Bean and ICS launchers. It is small and very fast. Nice to have a 6x7 grid, re-sizable widgets, folders, and context menus. Hopefully the Jelly Bean upgrade includes the standard launcher as an option.

cyndersk · 12-08-2012, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricG

Holo Launcher HD is closest to Jelly Bean and ICS launchers. It is small and very fast. Nice to have a 6x7 grid, re-sizable widgets, folders, and context menus. Hopefully the Jelly Bean upgrade includes the standard launcher as an option.

I will try this one out.... thanks! :-)

12-04-2012, 10:46 PM	#1
JD Gumby Cynical Old Curmudgeon Posts: 1,085 Karma: 8495696 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Kobo Arc, HTC Desire C	Discover - Useless Discover, I see, is not only intrusive, but it's utterly useless. For most items, you can't tell what they are or where they'll lead to (except for books, due to them having the Preview & price buttons to try and convince you to buy). I know that I personally will NEVER click on "View Page" or "Listen" (or click through the book advertisements) because there is no way to tell where I'd actually end up and what would happen there (other than for books, of course, because I'm fairly certain Kobo wouldn't send me to Amazon to buy them...). The info panels really need to show full URLs and reveal what apps, if any, they will open. EDIT: Oh, and nitpick - when the Discover item is related to something in my library and which hasn't been pinned to a Tapestry (and gods only know why I'd do that with a book or suchlike, anyways), it really shouldn't be saying "This item is related to something you've pinned." Last edited by JD Gumby; 12-04-2012 at 10:49 PM.

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12-05-2012, 11:51 AM	#2
Kobo-Robin Kobo Arc - Ux Lead Posts: 118 Karma: 167554 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kobo Arc	Hey JD, I'm getting the feeling that you don't approve of "Discovery". I just wanted to reach out and let you know what we have been working on. Discovery is the one item I fully expected to see complaints about as it isn't a fleshed out as we (UX team) want it to be. I like the way you think because honestly most of what you said has been talked about here and is being worked on. While (for reasons I can't talk about) we can't put the specific app icons on discovery items we are looking at ways to show content type at the very least so you will know what is a video, book, music, webpage etc. The "This item is related..." issue is a bug and is being working on as well as reoccurring items when removed and showing you items that you already have or have said you read. Please reply with your wish lists (you and anyone else reading this). Robin

12-05-2012, 01:39 PM	#3
JD Gumby Cynical Old Curmudgeon Posts: 1,085 Karma: 8495696 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Kobo Arc, HTC Desire C	Other than a way to just turn it off and reclaim the space (enough there for another pair of Tapestries - less need to horizontally scroll is always better), marking them so we have a clue where they're going to go (especially for Web pages - if I even suspect it's going to the Web, it's never being opened without the URL being fully disclosed beforehand) is about all, really.

12-05-2012, 05:33 PM	#4
cyndersk Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10890 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Burlington, ON Device: Kobo Touch & Kobo Arc	I totally agree with JD Gumby - all I want is a way to turn it off. Until that happens I have been using a different launcher altogether. I find it totally useless, intrusive and basically ends up being an ad supported feature. And since I purchase so few books from Kobo itself, even the books in the discovery bar are useless. Of course that is assuming that at some point they will fix it so that when I say I've read a book or am not interested in a book it will disappear from the bar. So...just give me one thing...the ability to turn it off - then I will go back to tapestries.

12-05-2012, 07:50 PM	#5
ppowell002 Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 1422 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Toronto Device: kobo glo hd	After my first few days, I too am not impressed. I've spent a lots f time telling it what I'm not interested in and clicking on the icons when in different tapestries but it gives me the same thing in every tapestry, most of which are books to buy at kobo that I've already told not interested.....or photos and articles that are completely unrelated to anything I have pinned. Plus the icons are so small you have to open each one to read it. Better get busy with those improvements Robin:-)

12-06-2012, 10:26 AM	#8
JD Gumby Cynical Old Curmudgeon Posts: 1,085 Karma: 8495696 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Kobo Arc, HTC Desire C	Well, I spotted "Discovery Service" (why it took me so long to do so...) and it's now disabled. Such a shame, though, that you can't do anything with the space Discover's bar takes up even when the service is running. Installed Apex last night. Rather laggy. Pity there's no way to go with the stock ICS launcher.

12-07-2012, 11:51 PM	#12
EricG Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: British Columbia, CA Device: Kobo Arc	Holo Launcher HD is closest to Jelly Bean and ICS launchers. It is small and very fast. Nice to have a 6x7 grid, re-sizable widgets, folders, and context menus. Hopefully the Jelly Bean upgrade includes the standard launcher as an option.