Kobo Firmware 3.5.0

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by Anak

Simple, all ebooks bought in the Kobo shop because the don't limit this feature to one or a few file formats and Kobo doesn't mention a 'special kind of epub' in the list of supported file formats: Kobos proprietary epub, the kepub.

Here again, most of the people who buy their reader will never shop outside the Kobo store. For them, the statement is true as written; they buy books at Kobo, sync regularly, and their status is shared between devices and apps.

Sideloading's a wonderful feature, but it's far from being the main (or even a major) use case. Yes, I'd like to see that change, as I hate ecosystem lock-in - but my preferences are not reality, and I must be careful not to confuse the two.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

Here again, most of the people who buy their reader will never shop outside the Kobo store. For them, the statement is true as written; they buy books at Kobo, sync regularly, and their status is shared between devices and apps.

Sideloading's a wonderful feature, but it's far from being the main (or even a major) use case. Yes, I'd like to see that change, as I hate ecosystem lock-in - but my preferences are not reality, and I must be careful not to confuse the two.

there are several 3rd party epub reader apps that support sync between devices ( assuming you have the same app on more than once device) -working via cloud storage apps like dropbox.

those solutions should work for all formats.

KObo's own app is not one of them!

but surely there's not that many customers who want/need to read a book simultaneously on 2+ devices. In what circumstance is this "feature" a genuine benefit ?

[Anak]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

Here again, most of the people who buy their reader will never shop outside the Kobo store. For them, the statement is true as written; they buy books at Kobo, sync regularly, and their status is shared between devices and apps.

Sideloading's a wonderful feature, but it's far from being the main (or even a major) use case. Yes, I'd like to see that change, as I hate ecosystem lock-in - but my preferences are not reality, and I must be careful not to confuse the two.

All I was saying this synchronization feature is misleading.
But, okay, I'm not a purist per se and that's why I excluded sideloading:

Originally Posted by Anak

I could go a step further by saying every item bought in the Kobo shop and stored on Kobos servers. As you can't upload non-Kobo bought books it is clear that those can not be synced.

Originally Posted by cybmole

there are several 3rd party epub reader apps that support sync between devices… -working via cloud storage apps like dropbox.

those solutions should work for all formats.

… In what circumstance is this "feature" a genuine benefit ?

but sure, I could be done easily. If Kobo created a cloud app that works with Dropbox or other cloud service. Just like they created a Pocket app.

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

Here again, most of the people who buy their reader will never shop outside the Kobo store.

That is probably true for Canada and some other territories where the market is dominiated by one party that utilizes its own proprietary book format.
I guess it's true for the English language markets and territories. You can buy everything in the same shop without worrying about book formats.

For books not written in English you can shop around at many other local retailers as long as the sell their books in the industry standard epub format. For example, in The Netherlands 80% of all digital books are sold through bol.com.

I am active on a few non-technical book related forums aimed at average users in The Netherlands and Germany. The topics are mainly about book titles and similar chit chat.
Most members (over 90% but problably over 95%) are sideloading all books bought in the Kobo store on their Kobo readers. The never heard of "kepub", and don't use Kobo software (Kobo Desktop or apps). They just put their books on their readers the way they are accustomed to. Here: they use the instructions to put books on their readers before Kobo entered these markets. Meaning they connect ereaders to a computer and use either Adobe Digital Editons software or use Microsoft Explorer to drag and drop books to a connected ereader. Or use Calibre to do this.

Now, Having said that, I will try to not to respond to this subject any further.

[anacreon]

Originally Posted by cybmole

but surely there's not that many customers who want/need to read a book simultaneously on 2+ devices. In what circumstance is this "feature" a genuine benefit ?

I do read simultaneously on 2 devices: my preferred aura HD at home, and the lightweight and smaller aura 6" on the road (that is, mostly public transport and waiting rooms). I sync them via kobo utilities, which implies access to my computer, or, for a short period and one or two books, manually. Also there are some books that are more suited to the HD real estate, and some that I keep for the fragmented / distracting context of public transport.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by anacreon

I do read simultaneously on 2 devices: my preferred aura HD at home, and the lightweight and smaller aura 6" on the road (that is, mostly public transport and waiting rooms). I sync them via kobo utilities, which implies access to my computer, or, for a short period and one or two books, manually. Also there are some books that are more suited to the HD real estate, and some that I keep for the fragmented / distracting context of public transport.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

ok - even though there's only 0.8 inches difference!

[anacreon]

Originally Posted by cybmole

ok - even though there's only 0.8 inches difference!

Yep, but though the HD's reading surface is only 25% bigger; the overall surface surface is 33% bigger, and the device is 41% heavier. I so wish kobo would produce an improved HD for size and weight, with the same reading surface and definition - and NO yellowish plastic layer to blur characters.

I have serious arthritis, and the weight is a very important consideration for me (I feel the difference in my neck when I have too much change in my purse...).

[Anak]

Recharged my Kobo Glo with fw 3.5.0 to 100%: August 8, 2014
Today, August 18 the message "recharge your battery" was displayed on the Glo again (I don't remember the exact phrase). After only 11 days of normal use.
WiFi permanently off. Light on, brightness at or below 25%.

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by Anak

Recharged my Kobo Glo with fw 3.5.0 to 100%: August 8, 2014
Today, August 18 the message "recharge your battery" was displayed on the Glo again (I don't remember the exact phrase). After only 11 days of normal use.
WiFi permanently off. Light on, brightness at or below 25%.

I don't have enough proof, but I think my Glo's battery performance drastically changed after upgrading. Since I'm a bum right now, I don't do anything else other than read. I have my light set to 20%, never turn on my wifi, but after 3 days, my battery drops to 30%. With maybe a total of 20~24 hours of reading. I don't really see this as a serious problem right now, since my mind is still conditioned with tablets' and phones' battery life, even after 6 months of using an eReader...

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hleo12

I don't have enough proof, but I think my Glo's battery performance drastically changed after upgrading. Since I'm a bum right now, I don't do anything else other than read. I have my light set to 20%, never turn on my wifi, but after 3 days, my battery drops to 30%. With maybe a total of 20~24 hours of reading. I don't really see this as a serious problem right now, since my mind is still conditioned with tablets' and phones' battery life, even after 6 months of using an eReader...

For the Glo, Kobo claim "Over 1 month with Wi Fi turned off". That is at 30 minutes reading per day. Which is 15 hours. So, 20+ hours reading with 30% to go, is great battery life.

I had to check the above as my memory said the claim worked out to 30 hours of battery between charges. That pretty much matches what you are getting.

But, I do think I get worse battery life with recent firmware. But I leave the WiFi on, use the light most of the time and let the device do the automatic daily sync. I think the latter is the major culprit.

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, I do think I get worse battery life with recent firmware. But I leave the WiFi on, use the light most of the time and let the device do the automatic daily sync. I think the latter is the major culprit.

That's one of the things that bugs me as well. It's safe to say that it's my biggest issue with my Glo. This is my first eReader so I don't know if it's an industry standard, but I don't think losing 10% battery life by just standard syncing (without downloading books/articles), is enough justification...

[murg]

Originally Posted by hleo12

I don't have enough proof, but I think my Glo's battery performance drastically changed after upgrading.

I've noticed the same thing. 3.5.0 seems to use about twice the battery as previous versions.

[booklover6]

I haven't noticed extra battery usage on my Aura. (I don't turn on the wifi at all).

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I haven't noticed extra battery usage on my Aura. (I don't turn on the wifi at all).

Neither do I , I was in the hospital for almost a week and read with one load a lot more then I did before... (nothing else to do when your youngest "roommate" is 40 years older... 90 ! ) and it is still not giving me the warning.
I don't know if the Aura HD had a bigger battery then the Glow, where two of them will arrive today (new ones) so I can compare.

[Anak]

I found a possible other bug. Kobo Glo. Happened twice, the last two days.

Without touching the touch screen the opened book I was reading was closed and the reader jumped back to the home screen.
The first time it happened it thought maybe I did accidentally touched the screen. Opening the book again and I could continue reading at the page where it previously closed (that's good). But somehow I knew I was missing something.
Last night it happened again the reader jumped back to the home screen. However, this time I noticed that the status of the book was changed to "Finished". After reopening the book it jumped back to the correct reading position (page 98/334) and not to the first page of the book as I was expecting.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Anak

I found a possible other bug. Kobo Glo. Happened twice, the last two days.

Without touching the touch screen the opened book I was reading was closed and the reader jumped back to the home screen.
The first time it happened it thought maybe I did accidentally touched the screen. Opening the book again and I could continue reading at the page where it previously closed (that's good). But somehow I knew I was missing something.
Last night it happened again the reader jumped back to the home screen. However, this time I noticed that the status of the book was changed to "Finished". After reopening the book it jumped back to the correct reading position (page 98/334) and not to the first page of the book as I was expecting.

Nod. I've had this happen numerous times and have reported this to the Kobo devs. I know davidfor has also experienced it.