Arc Ask Me Anything: Developer on Kobo Arc

[FaisalAbid]

Hmm.

Has your wife side-loaded books on the arc? By going into the Kobo app and hitting import books?

I havent worked on the reading app myself, but I have forwarded this question to the right team.

Let me know if your wife did sideload the books.

Originally Posted by Carpman

Perhaps you are able to answer this for me? I posted this earlier today

"I have been getting to know my Arc over the past few days along with using Android File Transfer, so that I can try and understand the device a little better!

I have been looking at the folder structures on my Arc and decided to compare them with the same structures on my wife's Arc.

My wife's Arc in the Kobo folder has sub folders:
epubs
images
updates

These do not show in the Kobo file structure on my own Arc.

Not sure why these would be different, apart from when I went to Google Play it offered a Kobo update for my Arc, which I took, yet my wife's Arc was not offered this update. Both devices where purchased within a week of each other so I assume they are from the same production batch?

Are my missing folders important, if they are how do I mount them on my Arc.

I have had a brief trawl around the web but cannot see an answer. I have tried creating a new folder, however AFT will not let me rename it nor will it allow me to drag/drop it into the Kobo folder.

So I am here for some expert advice, or do I leave well alone?

If someone has an answer, please make it really simple as I know nothing much about Android, this being my first venture into it".

Thanks

Carpman (Peter)

[FaisalAbid]

Unfortunately the Arc does not support external keyboards.

However you could look for "Wifi" keyboards on the android market. You can use your laptops keyboard or some other device as an input.

Originally Posted by dioioib

Thanks this worked after a powercycle of the unit. Now I am 100% happy.

Does anyone know if you can use an external keyboard with the arc? I didn't notice any bluetooth options. I know when I was working with OMAP we could use an A - B cable to connect other equipment. Can something similar be done with the arc for using HICs?

[FaisalAbid]

We are using the stock keyboard that comes with Android Ice Cream Sandwich. I do find it weird that Google has left this option out in the keyboard.

Downloading a few other stock keyboards from Google Play seems like Google disables this option for tablets.

Im not sure if there is much I can do, but you can look on Google Play for lots of alternative keyboards.

Originally Posted by kindle88

A question regarding the default Android keyboard on the Kobo Arc.

Is there a way to enable Popup on Keypress? This is a very useful feature to confirm what key you have pressed. But I didn't see this in the settings.

Thanks.

[Carpman]

Hmm.

Has your wife side-loaded books on the arc? By going into the Kobo app and hitting import books?

I havent worked on the reading app myself, but I have forwarded this question to the right team.

Let me know if your wife did sideload the books.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi and thanks for your reply, no my wife has not sideloaded any books, she is not that smart yet with using the Arc. The only books so far have come from the Kobo store. We are both very new users so are still finding our way around the device and the operating system, so purchases todate are few.

To side load with the Arc would mean using Android File Transfer methinks!

[horatio5000]

Hi Faisal,

I'm having trouble connecting my Kobo Arc to my PC. It shows up in My Computer, but there is usually no drive structure. Once or twice, after fiddling with disconnecting it and switching between MTP & PTP, have I been able to see a drive structure. When I tried to transfer over an mp3, I received a warning 'Cannot copy item Device disconnected or not responding, etc.'

It's funny though, I have been able to use Airdroid to see my device's drive structure and transfer files. Is this a driver issue? Has anyone else been experiencing this??

[kindle88]

Originally Posted by horatio5000

Hi Faisal,

I'm having trouble connecting my Kobo Arc to my PC. It shows up in My Computer, but there is usually no drive structure. Once or twice, after fiddling with disconnecting it and switching between MTP & PTP, have I been able to see a drive structure. When I tried to transfer over an mp3, I received a warning 'Cannot copy item Device disconnected or not responding, etc.'

It's funny though, I have been able to use Airdroid to see my device's drive structure and transfer files. Is this a driver issue? Has anyone else been experiencing this??

I have encountered the issue of disconnected device a couple times too with the Windows 7 PC. Initially, it was connected and I could see drive structure. Then all of a sudden, it disconnected. However, this does not always happen. It seems that the USB connection is not stable sometimes.

[kindle88]

Just want to bring this up again as somebody asked about USB OTG before.

Does or will the Kobo Arc support using the Nexus Media Importer app for doing USB OTG?

It would be great if we could transfer photos directory from SD card to the device. Thank you.

[MacCruiskeen]

I know Kobo has announced plans to have complete support of epub 3.0 next year. How much is available now? Can the device open and read epub 3 files?

[JD Gumby]

Fortunately, it can't yet do ePub 3.

[Akyth]

Hi !

I don't know if this has been asked, sorry if I missed it - is there any release date for 4.1 ?

Cheers

[dioioib]

Originally Posted by dioioib

Thanks this worked after a powercycle of the unit. Now I am 100% happy.

Does anyone know if you can use an external keyboard with the arc? I didn't notice any bluetooth options. I know when I was working with OMAP we could use an A - B cable to connect other equipment. Can something similar be done with the arc for using HICs?

I called tech support and they informed me an OTG cable will do the trick for keyboard attachment.

[mackin89]

quick question if anyone has any knowledge, cant seem to find the official sleep cover anywhere in the UK. My local WH Smith where i bought the Arc had no clue on them ever coming in stock.

Are they being released world wide or just in Canada?

[JD Gumby]

Hard to find here, as well. No sign of them at the local Chapters/Coles stores which sell the Arc (they have plenty of sleepcovers and other accessories for the Mini & Glo, though).

[RareBird]

I've seen slepcovers in a couple of stores here in Nova Scotia. Haven't got one though.

[isayo74]

Hi FaisalAbid,

I also want to bring USB OTG up again !

Is there any way to use the koboArc µUSB port to access a storage device (µSD adapter, memory stick, hard disk...) ?

Please give us an answer...