Okay, who still LOVES their Sony?

[robko]

Originally Posted by auspex

You don't have to have an Amazon account to sideload books to your Kindle. You do have to have a Kobo account to download books from Kobo to your Kobo reader. So I really don't see the difference.

Please explain this difference to me. I assume you have to have an Amazon account to purchase a book from Amazon, the same as you do from Kobo? You can download the straight epub version of most books purchased from Kobo and sideload them otherwise independent of all things Kobo. Or you can get an epub from somewhere other than Kobo and sideload it directly. So I'm not understanding how Kobo and Amazon could be considered any different in this respect.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by robko

Please explain this difference to me. I assume you have to have an Amazon account to purchase a book from Amazon, the same as you do from Kobo? You can download the straight epub version of most books purchased from Kobo and sideload them otherwise independent of all things Kobo. Or you can get an epub from somewhere other than Kobo and sideload it directly. So I'm not understanding how Kobo and Amazon could be considered any different in this respect.

You can't even setup your Kobo when you first purchase it without having a Kobo account. It has nothing to do with purchasing books from Kobo or not. You're prompted to connect to Kobo either through USB to the PC Kobo Desktop program, or via wi-fi. If you don't connect to Kobo, you can't set up the reader, you can't sideload books, you can't read, period.

There is a hack to get around it I believe, but most people just want to read and not have to install things on their reader when they first get it just to get it setup and working.

Originally Posted by muse

As for the reader, do you mean breaking or bricking?

From an end-user perspective, bricked. I simply have a hard time calling something bricked if it has a working bootloader.

I'm not exactly certain why the kernel would be an issue here. Perhaps someone with an understanding of the workings of the T1 can address that point. (Outside of kernel modules, I've never run into difficulty replacing the kernel on other systems.) Yet it did look like the partition map was changed between different versions of the firmware. I was also running into difficulties because the firmware is encrypted.

This is completely contrary to my experiences with Kobo's firmware. I agree with you that Kobo is more open, albeit for different reasons.

First to elaborate on your comment about downgrading. Kobo devices contain two full copies of the firmware: the working copy, and the factory firmware. Updates are only applied to the working copy, so you can always force a factory reset to the version of the firmware that your device shipped then upgrade to the desired version. In other words, you have a downgrade path. It is also handy if you "brick" your ereader while modifying the software, since it is virtually always possible to return to the factory firmware.

Yet Kobo goes one step further: they don't encrypt their updates. You can unpack those updates to see what has changed and make your own changes. With the T1 this is much more difficult to do before applying an update since you need specialized tools to handle the special file format and encryption. In the sense that anyone with a knowledge of Unix utilities can modify Kobo systems, I would consider Kobo devices to be much more open.

As for the actual reader software, Kobo is definitely a closed system.

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

There is a hack to get around it I believe, but most people just want to read and not have to install things on their reader when they first get it just to get it setup and working.

You don't have to install things on your reader to bypass registration, though I do agree that the process is beyond what most people want to do.

[auspex]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

You can't even setup your Kobo when you first purchase it without having a Kobo account. It has nothing to do with purchasing books from Kobo or not.

You can, and it's not hard — though it's easier to just set up the account — but I imagine there are ways around ever having an Amazon account if you have a Kindle, too.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Damn Sony for not putting a front light on their readers! Especially for the x50 line. That line of readers was the closest to perfection, everything I'd ever want in a reader, except for the missing front light.

Well that and the high resolution screen. I think a 650 with a Carta screen and a front light would be absolute bliss.

[muse]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

You can't even setup your Kobo when you first purchase it without having a Kobo account. It has nothing to do with purchasing books from Kobo or not. You're prompted to connect to Kobo either through USB to the PC Kobo Desktop program, or via wi-fi. If you don't connect to Kobo, you can't set up the reader, you can't sideload books, you can't read, period.

There is a hack to get around it I believe, but most people just want to read and not have to install things on their reader when they first get it just to get it setup and working.

I see.

Do you know if they still install Google Analytics on Kobo readers?

I saw there is a mod for disabling that in the Kobo Dev corner.

[muse]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

This is completely contrary to my experiences with Kobo's firmware. I agree with you that Kobo is more open, albeit for different reasons.

First to elaborate on your comment about downgrading. Kobo devices contain two full copies of the firmware: the working copy, and the factory firmware. Updates are only applied to the working copy, so you can always force a factory reset to the version of the firmware that your device shipped then upgrade to the desired version. In other words, you have a downgrade path. It is also handy if you "brick" your ereader while modifying the software, since it is virtually always possible to return to the factory firmware.

Yet Kobo goes one step further: they don't encrypt their updates. You can unpack those updates to see what has changed and make your own changes. With the T1 this is much more difficult to do before applying an update since you need specialized tools to handle the special file format and encryption. In the sense that anyone with a knowledge of Unix utilities can modify Kobo systems, I would consider Kobo devices to be much more open.

As for the actual reader software, Kobo is definitely a closed system.

That's good to know!

The 'SD card as memory' design is also very mod friendly.

Originally Posted by BWinmill

From an end-user perspective, bricked. I simply have a hard time calling something bricked if it has a working bootloader.

I'm not exactly certain why the kernel would be an issue here. Perhaps someone with an understanding of the workings of the T1 can address that point. (Outside of kernel modules, I've never run into difficulty replacing the kernel on other systems.) Yet it did look like the partition map was changed between different versions of the firmware. I was also running into difficulties because the firmware is encrypted.

It's an issue for me because I updated the reader to latest v1.0.07 firmware and accidentally installed a enable-adb package not meant for it, bricking the USB and Wifi.
I didn't do a complete backup and Sony doesn't allow reinstalling of the firmware so I had an idea to downgrade to v1.0.05 and use the restore package made for it.
However, Sony restricted the access to the kernel so downgrade is not possible.
Right now, I'm using a semi-bricked (USB&Wifi), but otherwise working, rooted T1 that only charges in recovery mode.

From what I understand, the firmware by Sony is not encrypted but packed as .package (Autopackage).
The only way to extract the package is on the reader itself then find a way to copy it over.
I believe the Russian community physically hacked the reader and installed a board to it to do so (I can't remember the exact details).

Which firmware version are you running?
Unless you are like me and installed the 1.0.06/07 firmware, you should be able to restore the reader.
I might be able to help you.

p.s. the reason I started to mod the reader is because of constant dictionary freezes and bad blocks in the flash memory. I'm hoping Kobo readers are better made.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by muse

p.s. the reason I started to mod the reader is because of constant dictionary freezes and bad blocks in the flash memory. I'm hoping Kobo readers are better made.

You mean the T1? and maybe the T2 as well? The T1's did start to freeze. Initially I thought it was due to rooting, but I don't think so now. Just Sony ****ed up.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by auspex

You can, and it's not hard — though it's easier to just set up the account — but I imagine there are ways around ever having an Amazon account if you have a Kindle, too.

To be able to setup a Kobo reader without connecting to Kobo and having an account there, you actually have to edit the database found on the reader. Most people really don't want to do that on a brand new reader they just opened up out of the box. I don't believe Amazon requires you to login into your Amazon account to start reading on your Kindle (but I don't have one, so I can't swear to that).

How to bypass Kobo account registration when setting up your reader:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=171664 (Post #4)

Originally Posted by muse

I see.

Do you know if they still install Google Analytics on Kobo readers?

I saw there is a mod for disabling that in the Kobo Dev corner.

Since I have reference to Google Analytics with a visitor cookie in my Kobo eReader.conf under the newest firmware update, definitely yes. I had forgotten about that mod since the only time I connect to wi-fi is on a newer Glo I bought and only when it's time to upgrade the firmware. On an older reader where I preferred using a much older firmware (2.4.0 because of problems with Calibre communicating with Kobo on WinXP machines with an AMD processor), that one never gets connected to wi-fi. So I don't really think about what data they get from me. I prefer sideloading all my books through Calibre.

How to disable Google Analytics on Kobo:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=162713

Edited to add links to the hacks/tweaks info pages.

Originally Posted by muse

Which firmware version are you running?

Unless you are like me and installed the 1.0.06/07 firmware, you should be able to restore the reader.
I might be able to help you.

p.s. the reason I started to mod the reader is because of constant dictionary freezes and bad blocks in the flash memory. I'm hoping Kobo readers are better made.

I'm pretty sure that it was 1.0.07. (It was the update that added the Kobo store.)

As for the freezes due to bad blocks on the flash memory, that would have been repairable on at least some Kobo devices. Some Kobo readers have the firmware on a removable SD card, some don't. (I'm not sure what the situation is for current devices, but my older Touch didn't have an SD card. From what I've heard, newer revisions of the Touch did have an SD card. My Aura HD also had an SD card.) Having the firmware on a removable SD card is wonderful though since it is much easier to backup and modify. Some models also expose serial lines on the mainboard, making it easy to solder on a connector.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

To be able to setup a Kobo reader without connecting to Kobo and having an account there, you actually have to edit the database found on the reader. Most people really don't want to do that on a brand new reader they just opened up out of the box. I don't believe Amazon requires you to login into your Amazon account to start reading on your Kindle (but I don't have one, so I can't swear to that).

I have one, so I know.
The Kindle when first started will display a splash screen asking you to login. (It may ask to confirm your account instead, if you bought it from Amazon.)
If for any reason you cannot connect, for example you refuse to add a WiFi network, the Kindle will say whoops, remind you to login when you get a chance, and drop you down to the main interface without a login.

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

The Kindle when first started will display a splash screen asking you to login. (It may ask to confirm your account instead, if you bought it from Amazon.)
If for any reason you cannot connect, for example you refuse to add a WiFi network, the Kindle will say whoops, remind you to login when you get a chance, and drop you down to the main interface without a login.

Curious. Does it keep reminding you until you do, or just that one time?

[Ripplinger]

I'm a bit curious about how the Kindle works as well, I've been a bit tempted lately to pick up maybe a used Kindle just to take advantage of borrowing more books through Prime (for some stupid reason you can only use that feature if you download to a Kindle device, Kindle apps don't count at all). But I'm not sure how great the books are that they offer, and it's only 1 book a month max, if getting even a used Kindle would be worth it.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Jane12

Curious. Does it keep reminding you until you do, or just that one time?

Just that one single solitary time.