Original Kobo Aura with slick cover

barryem · 09-24-2016, 05:40 PM

I bought a Kobo Aura when they first came out and I tried it both with and without a case. I prefered it in the case because the texture of the device itself was kind of unpleasant. Other than that I liked how small and light it was. That's a very important feature for me.

I mostly read with a Voyage but the Kobo is the only thing that fits comfortably in a pants pocket and that makes it easy to carry with me.

Anyway I found one that said lightly used on Ebay last week for $50 so I bought it as a backup. This one was called Magenta although it's really sort of an orange pink. Since I planned to keep it in a case I didn't care. The price was good.

But I bought the wrong case for it so I started reading with it without the case. The outer shell is totally different than my black one. Instead of the little rased dots that are so uncomfortable this is perfectly smooth. Not slick, just smooth. It feels great without the case.

Also my original Aura had a minor defect: if I squeeze just a bit on the lower part of it it starts turning pages. This one doesn't do that. Now I'm finding myself tempted to get another one as a backup and sell my old one.

Anyway for those of you who have an original black Aura and don't like the feel of the case this might be good news for you.

I don't think I was aware of why I didn't like mine till I got this one. I just knew I liked it better in a case.

Barry

Ksquared · 09-24-2016, 11:07 PM

That's is interesting! I have a newer (about 14 months) old Aura, in black - I have never felt the case was uncomfortable. I would not describe the back as little raised dots, just a slight texture. Not smooth, but not raised. I wonder if the case was not well received and was modified during the production run, or just a difference in perception. No problem with the squeezing the case either. I do use an off-brand sleep cover, not due to the feel, but I like the sleep function and protection.

I do love the size, and putting it in my pocket is pretty common.

Good luck with the back-ups!

barryem · 09-25-2016, 09:19 AM

My Aura is one of the early ones and I wouldn't be surprised if they changed that, although I don't really know since it's the only one I've seen till I got this one.

Since I posted I realized there's another difference as well, although this might be something I've done. Not sure yet. The older one has an option to display the cover of the current book when the device is sleeping. There is no option for that in the newer one and it just displayes a logo with the letters fnac, all lower case.

I haven't checked to see that they're the same firmware although this newer one did update when I first set it up and I did a factory reset on the older one a few months ago and it also did an update. It might also be that I've installed some sort of hack from these forums on the old one that gives me that cover. I don't recall. I did install a few hacks a couple of years ago but I'm pretty sure the reset would have undone that. I don't recall which hacks those were.

Anyway this newer one is basically the same but with those differences. I have ordered a second one and if it's as nice as this other one I'll probably find someone around here who can use my old one.

Barry

PeterT · 09-25-2016, 09:22 AM

The FNAC screen can be changed by editing the Kobo.conf file on the device and changing the affiliate setting. Certain retailers (FNAC for one) have branding on their device, which can be removed via the affiliate setting.

booklover6 · 09-25-2016, 09:42 AM

I got my back up Kobo Mini from the same seller, also from FNAC. Easy to fix, as Peter said. I wonder if all their Kobo products came from FNAC?

barryem · 09-25-2016, 11:47 AM

I just removed the affiliate setting and sure enough it's showing the cover now. On my older Kobo it shows it full screen and on this one it's a bit reduced. I'm not sure that matters.

Thank you.
Barry

Ksquared · 09-26-2016, 06:52 AM

Under "Sleep and Power" in the settings there is a checkbox for showing the covers full screen. I happen to like that better.

I looked at pictures of the magenta units, and I guess the back does look smooth compared to the black ones. I would not have expected different molds for manufacturing, just a pigment change, but I guess it was a different approach.

When the color is different, is the bezel also magenta? I suspect that would bother me.

barryem · 09-26-2016, 03:16 PM

The bezel on the magenta one is black. I wouldn't like a pink bezel either. By the way, it's not really magenta except in name. It's a strange kind of milky orange-pink.

My older Aura does have an option for showing covers. This one doesn't. I haven't compared firmwares yet. I probably should do that but I'm not sure I really care that much.

Barry

robko · 09-26-2016, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

My older Aura does have an option for showing covers. This one doesn't. I haven't compared firmwares yet. I probably should do that but I'm not sure I really care that much.

Barry

Did you check for a covers option in the menu since you changed the affiliate from FNAC?

barryem · 09-26-2016, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robko

Did you check for a covers option in the menu since you changed the affiliate from FNAC?

I did check it after I changed the affiliate option. I wonder if I might have done that wrong. I removed that line from the affiliate config file. Should I have removed the config file entirely?

Barry

PeterT · 09-26-2016, 07:43 PM

Make it
affiliate=Kobo

robko · 09-26-2016, 08:37 PM

What Peter said. If you just removed the affiliate line it likely put it back when you rebooted. Change it to Kobo and it should work (has for lots of others)

barryem · 09-26-2016, 10:16 PM

That worked. I changed it as above and powered off and on and found the setting for full screen screensaver and that's what I got.

Thanks,
Barry

09-24-2016, 05:40 PM	#1
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	Original Kobo Aura with slick cover I bought a Kobo Aura when they first came out and I tried it both with and without a case. I prefered it in the case because the texture of the device itself was kind of unpleasant. Other than that I liked how small and light it was. That's a very important feature for me. I mostly read with a Voyage but the Kobo is the only thing that fits comfortably in a pants pocket and that makes it easy to carry with me. Anyway I found one that said lightly used on Ebay last week for $50 so I bought it as a backup. This one was called Magenta although it's really sort of an orange pink. Since I planned to keep it in a case I didn't care. The price was good. But I bought the wrong case for it so I started reading with it without the case. The outer shell is totally different than my black one. Instead of the little rased dots that are so uncomfortable this is perfectly smooth. Not slick, just smooth. It feels great without the case. Also my original Aura had a minor defect: if I squeeze just a bit on the lower part of it it starts turning pages. This one doesn't do that. Now I'm finding myself tempted to get another one as a backup and sell my old one. Anyway for those of you who have an original black Aura and don't like the feel of the case this might be good news for you. I don't think I was aware of why I didn't like mine till I got this one. I just knew I liked it better in a case. Barry

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kobo Aura One sleep cover	Stingo	Kobo Reader	50	11-05-2016 05:13 PM
Kobo Aura + Free Cover for CA$99.99	itisbomb	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	12-30-2014 09:58 AM
Aura Kobo Aura Original Case	aluisscp	Kobo Reader	12	06-13-2014 07:02 AM
Sell Kobo Aura official cover	Canuck_in_Japan	Flea Market	0	01-09-2014 11:11 AM
Sell SOLD: Kobo Aura HD original sleep cover black	Thrasher	Flea Market	1	06-01-2013 05:35 AM

09-24-2016, 11:07 PM	#2
Ksquared Groupie Posts: 181 Karma: 2635236 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Cleveland, Ohio USA Device: Original Kobo Aura 6", Libra H2O	That's is interesting! I have a newer (about 14 months) old Aura, in black - I have never felt the case was uncomfortable. I would not describe the back as little raised dots, just a slight texture. Not smooth, but not raised. I wonder if the case was not well received and was modified during the production run, or just a difference in perception. No problem with the squeezing the case either. I do use an off-brand sleep cover, not due to the feel, but I like the sleep function and protection. I do love the size, and putting it in my pocket is pretty common. Good luck with the back-ups!

09-25-2016, 09:19 AM	#3
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	My Aura is one of the early ones and I wouldn't be surprised if they changed that, although I don't really know since it's the only one I've seen till I got this one. Since I posted I realized there's another difference as well, although this might be something I've done. Not sure yet. The older one has an option to display the cover of the current book when the device is sleeping. There is no option for that in the newer one and it just displayes a logo with the letters fnac, all lower case. I haven't checked to see that they're the same firmware although this newer one did update when I first set it up and I did a factory reset on the older one a few months ago and it also did an update. It might also be that I've installed some sort of hack from these forums on the old one that gives me that cover. I don't recall. I did install a few hacks a couple of years ago but I'm pretty sure the reset would have undone that. I don't recall which hacks those were. Anyway this newer one is basically the same but with those differences. I have ordered a second one and if it's as nice as this other one I'll probably find someone around here who can use my old one. Barry

09-25-2016, 09:22 AM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,532 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	The FNAC screen can be changed by editing the Kobo.conf file on the device and changing the affiliate setting. Certain retailers (FNAC for one) have branding on their device, which can be removed via the affiliate setting.

09-25-2016, 09:42 AM	#5
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,545 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre 1, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle, Kobo Libre Colour	I got my back up Kobo Mini from the same seller, also from FNAC. Easy to fix, as Peter said. I wonder if all their Kobo products came from FNAC?

09-25-2016, 11:47 AM	#6
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I just removed the affiliate setting and sure enough it's showing the cover now. On my older Kobo it shows it full screen and on this one it's a bit reduced. I'm not sure that matters. Thank you. Barry

09-26-2016, 06:52 AM	#7
Ksquared Groupie Posts: 181 Karma: 2635236 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Cleveland, Ohio USA Device: Original Kobo Aura 6", Libra H2O	Under "Sleep and Power" in the settings there is a checkbox for showing the covers full screen. I happen to like that better. I looked at pictures of the magenta units, and I guess the back does look smooth compared to the black ones. I would not have expected different molds for manufacturing, just a pigment change, but I guess it was a different approach. When the color is different, is the bezel also magenta? I suspect that would bother me.

09-26-2016, 03:16 PM	#8
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	The bezel on the magenta one is black. I wouldn't like a pink bezel either. By the way, it's not really magenta except in name. It's a strange kind of milky orange-pink. My older Aura does have an option for showing covers. This one doesn't. I haven't compared firmwares yet. I probably should do that but I'm not sure I really care that much. Barry

09-26-2016, 07:43 PM	#11
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,532 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Make it affiliate=Kobo

09-26-2016, 08:37 PM	#12
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	What Peter said. If you just removed the affiliate line it likely put it back when you rebooted. Change it to Kobo and it should work (has for lots of others)

09-26-2016, 10:16 PM	#13
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	That worked. I changed it as above and powered off and on and found the setting for full screen screensaver and that's what I got. Thanks, Barry