Glo Corner of screen no longer refreshes

[Hiro-kun]

The top-left corner of my Glo has suddenly stopped refreshing after starting from a sleep. Neither a soft reset nor a factory reset fixed it. Touch still works as I can still hit the Home icon and I can otherwise navigate normally. Is my screen totally borked?

[arspr]

Yes that seems a broken e-ink substrate... Have you hit/drop your device somehow?

[Hiro-kun]

Originally Posted by arspr

Yes that seems a broken e-ink substrate... Have you hit/drop your device somehow?

I've dropped it from less than a metre before, but not recently. I was carrying it in a jacket pocket; it was fine just before I left my home. The problem occurred when I took it out on a bus. I don't think I put any undue stress on the device; maybe I sat down a little too hard?

I suppose I don't have any options other than getting a new one.

[Dr. Drib]

You have a broken substrate.

There is absolutely nothing you can do to fix it, short of buying another screen and installing it yourself.

Your best bet is to buy another one.

[Hiro-kun]

Thanks for your help, arspr and Dr. Drib. Good thing this happened soon enough before Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Hiro-kun

Thanks for your help, arspr and Dr. Drib. Good thing this happened soon enough before Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

I'm sorry this has happened to you.

The good news (if there is such a thing) is that if you decide to buy another same unit, then you can use the parts from the first one if something goes wrong with the second one AND if the second is out of warranty.

If you decide to get something totally different, you can still sell this damaged one for parts harvesting - there's a market, and someone will buy it as a broken unit.

[JSWolf]

Don't put your replacement Reader in a pocket and buy a cover for it and always use it with the cover.

[Hiro-kun]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Don't put your replacement Reader in a pocket and buy a cover for it and always use it with the cover.

Thanks for your suggestion. I did indeed have it in a case; I removed it for the photograph.

[JSWolf]

My guess is because you had it in your pocket on public transport, that you maybe got bumped. I've read of that sort of thing happening to others.

[Hiro-kun]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My guess is because you had it in your pocket on public transport, that you maybe got bumped. I've read of that sort of thing happening to others.

It's certainly possible, although I did not notice when it happened.

On a side note, I'm deciding between the Aura HD and the Aura H2O. A local store has the Aura HD on clearance, possibly because it is to be replaced by the H2O. The Aura HD is just under $100 CAD while the current price of the H2O is $179.99.

I don't need the waterproofness of the H2O and at least one reviewer noticed that the recessed USB port means that only cables with a thin profile can be used.

However, the H2O has a Carta e-ink screen, while the HD has a Pearl. Another reviewer says that the improvements from Pearl to Carta are only a little noticeable; slightly darker text and a slightly lighter background. On the other hand, the official Carta specs show that Carta screens can be made with the Mobius Flexible display or glass. Given that I damaged my Glo's screen, having the more durable flexible screen is attractive to me. Does anyone know if the Aura H2O has a glass or Mobius screen?

[JSWolf]

The H2O is glass.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Hiro-kun

I don't need the waterproofness of the H2O and at least one reviewer noticed that the recessed USB port means that only cables with a thin profile can be used.

So far the only USB cable I've found that doesn't work reliably on my H2O is iffy on my Aura HD (and other microUSB connected devices). I tried milling down the edge of the connector until it fitted inside the H2O's slot but that still left it flaky. A bit upsetting since it is one of the few cables I actually paid for instead of having it come with a device.

Originally Posted by Hiro-kun

However, the H2O has a Carta e-ink screen, while the HD has a Pearl. Another reviewer says that the improvements from Pearl to Carta are only a little noticeable; slightly darker text and a slightly lighter background. On the other hand, the official Carta specs show that Carta screens can be made with the Mobius Flexible display or glass. Given that I damaged my Glo's screen, having the more durable flexible screen is attractive to me. Does anyone know if the Aura H2O has a glass or Mobius screen?

The Aura H2O has a glass screen. Comparing my HD and H2O, the H2O's display has blacker blacks and whiter whites but not that noticeable unless I hold the two side by side or use a densitometer when I'm feeling in a mad scientist mood.

With the Mobius screens, at one point, it was mentioned the flexible screens did not have the same resolution capability as the glass screens -- the Sony 13.3" ereader is ~150PPI. the 1.73" display mentioned would be ~225PPI while the H2O is 265 PPI and the Voyage 300 PPI. The new data sheets on eInk's site seem to have been simplified and no longer mention that limitation so it may no longer be an issue.

[dordale]

Originally Posted by Hiro-kun

It's certainly possible, although I did not notice when it happened.

On a side note, I'm deciding between the Aura HD and the Aura H2O. A local store has the Aura HD on clearance, possibly because it is to be replaced by the H2O. The Aura HD is just under $100 CAD while the current price of the H2O is $179.99.

I don't need the waterproofness of the H2O and at least one reviewer noticed that the recessed USB port means that only cables with a thin profile can be used.

However, the H2O has a Carta e-ink screen, while the HD has a Pearl. Another reviewer says that the improvements from Pearl to Carta are only a little noticeable; slightly darker text and a slightly lighter background. On the other hand, the official Carta specs show that Carta screens can be made with the Mobius Flexible display or glass. Given that I damaged my Glo's screen, having the more durable flexible screen is attractive to me. Does anyone know if the Aura H2O has a glass or Mobius screen?

I have an Aura HD and a Kindle PW2--the Aura HD is a Pearl screen and the PW2 has a Carta screen. Since I don't have the H2O, obviously I can't comment on the H2O screen--but honestly, I find the screens on both my HD and PW2 to be very good. For $80, I'd personally go for the HD and spend the difference on the cover and some e-books. I'm very happy with my HD--can see paying an extra $10 for the H2O, but $80 is a significant savings--and $100 for the HD is a great deal!

[Hiro-kun]

Thanks, JSWofl, DNSB, and dordale. If the H2O had a flexible screen, it would have greatly muddied the decision, but learning that its screen is likely no more durable than the HD's, I have decided to get the HD today.

[Halk]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The H2O is glass.

We were talking about flexible screens back in 2008 and as far as I can see it's not come to market.

One of the biggest downsides of e-ink seems to be that the screens can be fragile and you need to be careful with it. I moved away from Bookeen after I lost 2 Cybooks to torsion.

Now that I'm back with a plastic shelled reader, which I hope is more torsion resistant (although there's no way to tell) I'm again a bit concerned about screen damage, at least they're cheaper to replace now.