A Homescreen I would actually like

[Ripplinger]

Since I've done a little grousing (ok, maybe a lot! ) about how much I dislike the homescreen on the newer firmware, I started thinking about what it would take for me to actually like it and want to use it. And this is what I came up, my wish for a new Kobo homescreen. This is dependent on having only 3 fixed tile sizes and no random sizing between them like the homescreen currently has. That random sizing and placement is what gives it the hodge-podge mess that looks like a little kid failed at playing with blocks to me.

The top row is the largest tile with the 3 most current reads and those are fixed, stationary, never changing, never moving and not put into little annoying boxes. They're full sized covers, there's no need to place them inside a little box that will only shrink the cover size. If you haven't opened up any books yet, it could be filled with the 3 most recently loaded to the reader. But not having the most current reads is one reason why I still prefer the old carousel, I would load up my next books I wanted to read. Kobo would need to keep those cover images the same size though. I'd prefer the uniform look even if a few covers would have a slightly off AR, which really isn't noticeable when you're looking at images only 200 pixels wide, it doesn't distort the images much at all.

Below that there can be some randomness between the small and medium tiles. The medium size tiles are exactly the same height as 2 of the small tiles, so that sizing would keep things aligned nicely. I think the medium size is only used for the Recommended list after syncing or for the Library when you add new books. You could fit 3 medium tiles with 3 small, or 9 small, or any combination between those. Each tile would need to have a set amount of blank space above each tile (the exact same amount above each tile) so that spacing stays neat and even. But even the smallest tiles have room for 3 lines of text for longer Collection names.

There's actually enough space to go 4 small tiles deep under the 3 large book covers so I added a mockup of that as well. I don't think there's a need for that many tiles, but it might useful for when you run into a longer collection name maybe that won't fit on two lines, that might double up the size of that collection to the medium tile. But I'd actually rather see those longer Collection titles just truncated and remain on one line to keep the box size smaller.

I'd love if we could dismiss the Sync tile like others, but I doubt Kobo would ever do that. Some people only sync when there's a firmware update, some not even then (like me on the reader I actually use to read on with 2.4.0). It's silly to keep a tile there that would only be used once every few months for some. And I'd prefer the tiles were all the same color instead of the darker color for Syncing and Recommended reads. Does Kobo think we won't be able to find the sync button if it's not colored differently?

Anyway, I'm still avoiding reading on new firmware because I dislike the disorganization and misalignment of the current homescreen that much, and that everything keeps changing positions after opening up another feature or syncing or side-loading books. It just looks like a huge mess to me with all the random sizes and placement.

Oh, and Kobo would also need to return the cover views in the Library list to the full size and not put them in little boxes there either.

So I'm curious how others would change the homescreen if they could. Or are you completely happy with the current layout (although to me it's a lack of layout)? It honestly just makes me cringe still everytime I unplug and it's again changed, I just can't get used to it.

Edit: Actually, looking at these more, I'd find it livable if they still insisted on jumbling up the bottom half of the homescreen with misaligned staggered tiles jumping all around and changing as long as that top row of the 3 current reads remained fixed and in place. That would give some sense of orderliness to it for me.

And I actually meant to post this in the general Kobo forum, not the Dev Corner, if a mod could please move it for me, sorry and thank you, Dr. Drib.

[ikkentobi]

That's a nice design - I like the left one very much.

These days I prefer Coolreader on the Kobo, for various reasons. But I never really liked the layout of the standard kobo home screen. Good work.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

I'd love if we could dismiss the Sync tile like others, but I doubt Kobo would ever do that.

You can remove it, and keep some other tiles from showing up, using the Kobo Utilities plugin in Calibre.

[Dr. Drib]

Now moved, as requested.

HINT: Click on the 'Report' button, if in the future you need some assistance.


Don
(Moderator)

[filmo]

Need option to stop displaying covers on home screen. Only need book list with Title and Author.
All current home home screen needs is caption below covers with Title and Author.

Library listing is perfect except slider at bottom of page shows only page number when I move slider along line. Instead of page numbers it should show Author, Title or Collection depending on how it is sorted. Only then will slider be useful. I hate useless cover only display without captions that I often can not read Author and Title. I only want to read books not look at covers. Search for Author or Title is still best way to find books when I can remember Title or Author.

[Bald Eagle]

Nice idea.
I'd like to see another tile where you can see the next book(s) in the current collection, like in PRS+.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Since I've done a little grousing (ok, maybe a lot! ) about how much I dislike the homescreen on the newer firmware, I started thinking about what it would take for me to actually like it and want to use it. And this is what I came up, my wish for a new Kobo homescreen. This is dependent on having only 3 fixed tile sizes and no random sizing between them like the homescreen currently has. That random sizing and placement is what gives it the hodge-podge mess that looks like a little kid failed at playing with blocks to me.

The top row is the largest tile with the 3 most current reads and those are fixed, stationary, never changing, never moving and not put into little annoying boxes. They're full sized covers, there's no need to place them inside a little box that will only shrink the cover size. If you haven't opened up any books yet, it could be filled with the 3 most recently loaded to the reader. But not having the most current reads is one reason why I still prefer the old carousel, I would load up my next books I wanted to read. Kobo would need to keep those cover images the same size though. I'd prefer the uniform look even if a few covers would have a slightly off AR, which really isn't noticeable when you're looking at images only 200 pixels wide, it doesn't distort the images much at all.

Below that there can be some randomness between the small and medium tiles. The medium size tiles are exactly the same height as 2 of the small tiles, so that sizing would keep things aligned nicely. I think the medium size is only used for the Recommended list after syncing or for the Library when you add new books. You could fit 3 medium tiles with 3 small, or 9 small, or any combination between those. Each tile would need to have a set amount of blank space above each tile (the exact same amount above each tile) so that spacing stays neat and even. But even the smallest tiles have room for 3 lines of text for longer Collection names.

There's actually enough space to go 4 small tiles deep under the 3 large book covers so I added a mockup of that as well. I don't think there's a need for that many tiles, but it might useful for when you run into a longer collection name maybe that won't fit on two lines, that might double up the size of that collection to the medium tile. But I'd actually rather see those longer Collection titles just truncated and remain on one line to keep the box size smaller.

I'd love if we could dismiss the Sync tile like others, but I doubt Kobo would ever do that. Some people only sync when there's a firmware update, some not even then (like me on the reader I actually use to read on with 2.4.0). It's silly to keep a tile there that would only be used once every few months for some. And I'd prefer the tiles were all the same color instead of the darker color for Syncing and Recommended reads. Does Kobo think we won't be able to find the sync button if it's not colored differently?

Anyway, I'm still avoiding reading on new firmware because I dislike the disorganization and misalignment of the current homescreen that much, and that everything keeps changing positions after opening up another feature or syncing or side-loading books. It just looks like a huge mess to me with all the random sizes and placement.

Oh, and Kobo would also need to return the cover views in the Library list to the full size and not put them in little boxes there either.

So I'm curious how others would change the homescreen if they could. Or are you completely happy with the current layout (although to me it's a lack of layout)? It honestly just makes me cringe still everytime I unplug and it's again changed, I just can't get used to it.

Edit: Actually, looking at these more, I'd find it livable if they still insisted on jumbling up the bottom half of the homescreen with misaligned staggered tiles jumping all around and changing as long as that top row of the 3 current reads remained fixed and in place. That would give some sense of orderliness to it for me.

And I actually meant to post this in the general Kobo forum, not the Dev Corner, if a mod could please move it for me, sorry and thank you.

Actually I think your right about the look. And to be honest the off center bottom really drives me nuts. You options both look kick ass and how hard would it be for kobo to implement it any way? I am guessing not as hard it seems.

regards

Jack
PS
I am for the one on the left as well!

[jackastor]

Hey lets start a petition to have kobo implement Ripplinger's Menu lay out!

regards

Jack

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by jackastor

Hey lets start a petition to have kobo implement Ripplinger's Menu lay out!

regards

Jack

And what makes you think they will take any notice of what users want.....

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by jackastor

... And to be honest the off center bottom really drives me nuts. ...

It drives me nuts as well because everything else is centered. At the time I thought they made it aligned left because of the new Aura reader which had Kobo aligned to the left. But they currently have 6 readers listed, and 5 of those, including the newest Aura H20, have Kobo centered at the bottom. So after I saw that, I really have no idea what they were thinking when they changed it aligned left. It just looks out of place. I also think putting the Kobo to the left on the Aura was a big design mistake.

Originally Posted by PeterT

And what makes you think they will take any notice of what users want.....

I have zero expectations of them changing the homescreen to anything I can live with, I know this is just a pipe dream. They really need someone to design it though who has some sense of esthetics for design and layout, programming skills alone aren't enough.

[GeoffR]

I'm not a fan of the tiled homescreen, but it would be a lot better if the tiles were the right shape for displaying book covers. The large tile at the top left is good, but the smaller tiles are too square, the sort of shape you would use to dislplay square audiobook covers.

It is possible to go directly from library to book and back again without seeing the homescreen though, by using the "< Books" button in the book's footer menu.

[murg]

Originally Posted by PeterT

And what makes you think they will take any notice of what users want.....

Maybe if Ripplinger breaks up his post into 47 Tweets...

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by booklover6

You can remove it, and keep some other tiles from showing up, using the Kobo Utilities plugin in Calibre.

Mind pointing us to the right direction? Thanks!!!

[vandafc]

Originally Posted by booklover6

You can remove it, and keep some other tiles from showing up, using the Kobo Utilities plugin in Calibre.

You made my day! Thanks for the tip

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by hleo12

Mind pointing us to the right direction? Thanks!!!

Install the "Kobo Utilities" plugin in calibre. Make sure you put the plugins button on the "Main toolbar when adevice is connected". Connect the device. Then right click on the button and choose "Dismiss tiles from the new home screen".

On the dialog, choose which tiles you don't want. Then select "Change database trigger" and "Create or change trigger" and the press OK. This will update the database on the device to dismiss the selected tiles from the home screen. The database trigger attempts to prevent them from coming back. It isn't perfect. Tiles get added to the home screen in a couple of ways. Sometimes tiles you want hidden get displayed, but the next time something is added, they usually disappear.

The utilities plugin does a lot more than this. It is discussed here.