Aura One unavailable until "early 2017"...

[Stevex]

A lot depends on people's use case. For me the Kobo is definitely the best* option. It's a shame the Tolino doesn't have the same Calibre support, because then at least I'd have a choice! But I'm constantly surprised browsing this board how different people's usage is. From what I see though, people are far more closed mind Kindle evangelistic than for Kobo, but that's probably because there are far more Kindle users full stop.

* Actually, only. Which is scary.

[Stevex]

I want to add: actually there was a very fair, as far as I could tell, review of the Aura 1 linked to from this board early on. On the basis of that review, I decided to wait until the next either production run or iteration, but not to make it a day one purchase. I'm pretty sure I will be buying one in 2017. i write that only to show that serious info is around and someone who is a kobo fan, as i became because i love the products openness, can still be hopefully objective.

[Braid]

Originally Posted by Stevex

I want to add: actually there was a very fair, as far as I could tell, review of the Aura 1 linked to from this board early on. On the basis of that review, I decided to wait until the next either production run or iteration, but not to make it a day one purchase.

I'm not aware of that review. What were your main reasons for arriving at this decision... what do you think Kobo might improve on for future iterations?

[Desdinova]

Originally Posted by Braid

I carry both my H2O and Kindle Voyage around with me. They are both very good in their different ways. I've installed Koreader on the H2O so it can display PDF almost as well as the Voyage does. I stupidly hoped Kobo might improve the PDF performance for the Aura One since its bigger screen will attract people who read that file format. They didn't, so I'm currently dragging my feet to install Koreader on it, and say goodbye to Kobo's gorgeous menus and fonts and operating system.

Yeah, pdf viewing is ...ahem... suboptimal lol.

If the Voyage was a 7" viewer, a la the H2O, I'd have probably jumped all over it. Its the bigger screen size thats the big draw to me ;-)

[robko]

The other thing that would indicate an early sell out on the KA1 is how quickly it became difficult to get one. Almost before then end of the pre-purchase (and in some cases before) period there were already stores that had sold their initial allotment. Since it wasn't in the hands of the public yet, obviously at that point it wasn't a case of returns.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Braid

Sorry if I'm misreading your post... it kinda sounds like you are referring to me... ?

(Just in case you are - I do own a Kobo H2O and a Kobo Aura One and I know they can both display PDF files but I find it quite an unusable experience and is much better using Koreader (on the H2O). That's only my opinion... perhaps some people find Kobos decent for reading PDF.)

I haven't yet encountered anyone who exhibited that specific behaviour you have described. It does sound annoying.

I was responding specifically to your post about the group. Not about you but just commenting about another group of people.

One of those people told someone that you have to use calibre to sideload to a kindle. They do not own a kindle and as long as you have the correct format you can sideload straight to a kindle.

Now as to pdfs, I can assure you that kindle and Kobos can read them but not real well.
I do have a pdf that is readable on both but it took me 6 times to get it to usable. It is nothing more than two columns.
I prefer a tablet for pdfs.

[dmapr]

Originally Posted by Stevex

I want to add: actually there was a very fair, as far as I could tell, review of the Aura 1 linked to from this board early on. On the basis of that review, I decided to wait until the next either production run or iteration, but not to make it a day one purchase. I'm pretty sure I will be buying one in 2017. i write that only to show that serious info is around and someone who is a kobo fan, as i became because i love the products openness, can still be hopefully objective.

I too will be buying one in 2017 to replace my HD. Maybe as soon as they become available to order from Kobo again

[Barbara1955]

Funny it seems available All Over the World.... http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...a+one&_sacat=0

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I have never seen any publicly available stats. What I do hear from a Chapters/Indigo employee is that their return rate on the KA1 is not significantly higher than on other electronics they sell. However, this information comes from one B&M store and not the whole chain so a relatively small sample which may/may not be representative of their overall sales/return ratio.

I also wonder about johnnyb's source for his comment about the H2O.

Here in Australia I bought and returned literally about five devices - each had such splotchy lighting that for me I gave up. I then bought one from Chapters Canada (who I believe are still selling A1's?) and got a perfect one from there. And then again to replace my broken one. Got a perfect A1 from there too, first try, and I am -very- picky...
I do wish that the A1 had a similar screen to the Voyage - I somehow thought that a 300ppi screen meant that the text would kind of 'float' on the screen like it does on the Voyage but alas, no dice. How do they even get the text to pop like that? Something about plastic Vs. glass substrates if i'm correct? Kobo would do well to steal that feature... :P
Even the Oasis didn't have it... and in my opinion had a worse screen than the Voyage in terms of contrast and lighting, such a jip...

[trekk]

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

I somehow thought that a 300ppi screen meant that the text would kind of 'float' on the screen like it does on the Voyage but alas, no dice. How do they even get the text to pop like that? ...
Even the Oasis didn't have it...

This 'floating' you mention could also be seen on some of the very first models of the Paperwhite, which had much less ppi. So I don't think it's related to higher ppi.

Personally I didn't liked it and returned the PW back to Amazon, but "Chacun à son goût" I have never seen 'floating' text again, not on the Voyage, not on my Oasis and not on any of my Kobo devices

[Braid]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I was responding specifically to your post about the group. Not about you but just commenting about another group of people.

One of those people told someone that you have to use calibre to sideload to a kindle. They do not own a kindle and as long as you have the correct format you can sideload straight to a kindle.

Lol sorry, I guess I'm paranoid after unpleasant encounters with loyalist zealots. I thought you were saying I didn't own the Kobo device, and that I was just talking from info I got from Kindle's marketing, hahaha.

Now I see what you're talking about. I guess there is a limitation there for transferring files to Kindles, since to Kobos you can transfer any kind of files you like. But, with Kindle you can email books to the device, which I've found super useful in the past when it's a pain to keep unplugging and plugging stuff. Plus it means you have a copy of the book saved in your outbox.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by Braid

I stupidly hoped Kobo might improve the PDF performance for the Aura One since its bigger screen will attract people who read that file format. They didn't, so I'm currently dragging my feet to install Koreader on it, and say goodbye to Kobo's gorgeous menus and fonts and operating system.

You can run Nickel and Koreader next to each other. Just choose whichever from the front menu.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

And while the H2O wasn’t a bad device by any means, it wasn’t a hit either...

What a strange thing to say. From what I've read, the H2O was a massive hit. It's extremely popular.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Braid

Lol sorry, I guess I'm paranoid after unpleasant encounters with loyalist zealots. I thought you were saying I didn't own the Kobo device, and that I was just talking from info I got from Kindle's marketing, hahaha.

Now I see what you're talking about. I guess there is a limitation there for transferring files to Kindles, since to Kobos you can transfer any kind of files you like. But, with Kindle you can email books to the device, which I've found super useful in the past when it's a pain to keep unplugging and plugging stuff. Plus it means you have a copy of the book saved in your outbox.

You can email, you can use send to kindle, and if I remember correctly you can just plug the kindle into the computer and transfer that way. Note: I was referring to mobi files. A kindle will also read pdfs.
I have side loaded to both kindles and Kobos.

Now just for fun, there are two other ereaders that I own that have no way to connect to the internet. One is called a Slick. It makes a better MP3 player than a reader. The other is the sharper image alturek. (It is smaller than a kindle and now only works if plugged in. But I got it super cheap used.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

What a strange thing to say. From what I've read, the H2O was a massive hit. It's extremely popular.

I think it and the Aura 1 sell just fine. I'm a Kobo Affiliate and they run a few sales on the devices (usually in Canada) and they seem to limit the sales to very short periods. If a unit weren't selling well, I'd expect their sales to run longer or more often (example--the Aura, edition 2 is on sale right now for 99) I received the affiliate notice about it today, but I still haven't figured out if the sale is valid in the US or only France (I only post these deals on my blog, but I try to only post when the deals are fairly "wide" because my blog readers don't have borders...I have the largest number of followers in the US, followed by the UK) I haven't figured this particular sale out. It runs until Dec 25. Some of their sales are shorter.

I'm not sure I ever saw a sale on the H2O. The chatter I saw about that particular model on FB was very positive. I saw lots of REQUESTS for "sale" or discounts. I vaguely recall they might have one, but memory isn't coming up with any details at the moment.