Kindle owners should have a Kobo

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by crane3

Thank you for the explanation. Now wondering if my encounters with the KA1 LE OS is due to KSM09!

There was a version of KSM that caused problems after connecting to the PC. That has been fixed for a while. But, as a general rule, if you are having problems, you should remove the addons in case it is there is an unexpected interaction.

Also recalled that I read that the 'collections' is in ram & not a 'database'; sounds like the disappearance of my books from the collections was due to ram problem or power to the ram.

The collections are in the database. The existence of collections is synced to the Kobo server along with which purchased books are in them. But, nothing about sideloaded books is. So, if you do a factory reset you will probably get the collections back, but, they will be empty if you don't buy books from Kobo.

[Atunah]

I have had a kindle since 2008. Most all my ebooks are from the amazon store. Too complicated to try to fit all those books I already own onto a different device with a different format. I like being on wifi and getting what I want, when I want.

Plus, main reason, as far as I know, there were no page buttons on Kobo in early years. No page buttons, no dice. I also never heard of a Kobo until many years into my e-reading experience.
Do Kobo's have easy sync across all devices, easy dictionary, wikipedia? I have no clue. I didn't even know they were available in my country of the longest time. I think they are just recently available in the US without having to order from some overseas company.
Also, amazon customer service.

I also noticed that over the years reading this forum, yes I read other devices forums, I notice there seems to be a lot of "fiddling" with kobos. Putting things on them. I don't jailthingie, whatever that means my kindles. I want to buy device, open device, load a book and start reading. I just remember a a lot of posts about fiddling with software stuff with kobo's. Not my thing. If it doesn't work as is out of the box, it is not for me.

Maybe if I had started with a kobo I would have all kobo books now. Probably not though. I would have found a kindle that has page turn buttons later and never looked back. Plus, I was a amazon user long before kindle. They are just more accessable. Still the only reason I have ever heard of Kobo's is because of this forum. Otherwise I would still not know they existed.

Not sure why this obsession with OP to turn kindle users onto Kobo. Use whatever works for you and what offers the things you must have. Or whatever you always used. Why change something that works.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Atunah

Plus, main reason, as far as I know, there were no page buttons on Kobo in early years. No page buttons, no dice.

The first two Kobo models had physical buttons.

Originally Posted by Atunah

I also never heard of a Kobo until many years into my e-reading experience. Do Kobo's have easy sync across all devices, easy dictionary, wikipedia? I have no clue. I didn't even know they were available in my country of the longest time. I think they are just recently available in the US without having to order from some overseas company.

I think this is the first time I've heard an American refer to Canada as an overseas country. Almost as funny as watching Americans struggle with world geography on Jeopardy. Category: World Capitals, country is Georgia, contestant answered "What is Atlanta".

Easy sync across devices? If you mean things like reading position for books purchased from Kobo and synced to the ereader? Yes. Sideloaded books? Kobo gets time spent reading and page turns. Canadian privacy regulations make sending other information difficult. Dictionary? Yes, though not the greatest but then I seldom use a dictionary. Wikipedia? There used to be a search Wikipedia but it was removed. I suspect due to lack on interest.

Originally Posted by Atunah

I also noticed that over the years reading this forum, yes I read other devices forums, I notice there seems to be a lot of "fiddling" with kobos. Putting things on them. I don't jailthingie, whatever that means my kindles. I want to buy device, open device, load a book and start reading. I just remember a a lot of posts about fiddling with software stuff with kobo's. Not my thing. If it doesn't work as is out of the box, it is not for me.

Going by some of your statements, I find it hard to believe that you have ever read this forum other than possibly seeing the name as you headed to the Amazon forum.

Jailbreak? An attempt to make your Kindle an open device the way a Kobo is out of the box. Something which Amazon has worked hard to make impossible.

As for fiddling with software? My Forma does not get patched and it is my main reader. My Clara HD does get patched and played with. We all have our ideas of fun.

Originally Posted by Atunah

Maybe if I had started with a kobo I would have all kobo books now. Probably not though. I would have found a kindle that has page turn buttons later and never looked back. Plus, I was a amazon user long before kindle. They are just more accessable. Still the only reason I have ever heard of Kobo's is because of this forum. Otherwise I would still not know they existed.

Hmmm... so you never got into the touch screen revolution? I seem to remember Amazon dropping page turn buttons (though I seem to remember that they used a D-pad and not separate buttons) like a hot potato until they brought them back with the Voyage.

As for whether Kobo or Amazon makes a better ereader, I had to love one review by an American of the Kobo Aura One where he compared it to the original Oasis (both released in 2016). Evidently he loved the typography, he loved the screen size with a 7.8" screen compared to a 6" screen (both 300 PPI). Variable colour backlighting. CBR/CBZ support out of the box (I suspect the reviewer was a closet comic book reader). IPX waterproofing. But it weighed more than the Oasis 1 without the battery/cover, 230g vs 131g so he had to drop it to 3 stars out of 5. Of course, adding the cover to the Oasis 1 brought it's weight up to 238g but that didn't matter since it was a Kindle.

Originally Posted by Atunah

Not sure why this obsession with OP to turn kindle users onto Kobo. Use whatever works for you and what offers the things you must have. Or whatever you always used. Why change something that works.

I might have to agree with some of what you are saying in that paragraph.

OTOH, why change something that works? Looking back, I guess we really didn't need ereaders when we had physical books that we actually owned. We didn't need horseless carriages when we had horses. Who needed vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dryers, etc. when we had servants to take care of that work. Who needs HD TV when we could watch our favourites on TVs.

All thing considered, welcome to the 21st century where change is a way of life.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Atunah

Not sure why this obsession with OP to turn kindle users onto Kobo. Use whatever works for you and what offers the things you must have. Or whatever you always used. Why change something that works.

I agree with the basic tenor of your post, and several others have made similar comments - "whatever floats your boat/boils your crawfish" As to the bolded question though, the answer can be "because something else works better." I got my first Kindle in 2010 and went through several for switching to Kobo in 2018 after discovering that I could borrow ebooks from my local library on Kobo - Kindle's lack of this functionality here had long been an annoyance.

Another example of something that might be a reason to switch is the existence of devices not available in Kindle. As fas as I know, for example, Amazon has no 8-inch reader, while Kobo does - with buttons. If a Kindle user wanted a bigger screen, a switch to Kobo would be the answer.

As to the other questions you asked - easy sync across devices, "just works out of the box" etc, the answer for Kobos is "yes" Any Kobo works as is out of the box, exactly as a Kindle does. Turn it on, buy a book, read. All the "fiddling about with software stuff" is optional, for hobbyists and/or people who want to modify part of the experience. Not one of the modifications is necessary. My wife also switched from Kindle to Kobo when he found out about the library function, and has never patched either of her Kobo devices - she's also used the library borrowing function more than I have.

Parts of your post seem contradictory. You claim at one point not to have heard of Kobos until many years into your reading experience, yet say that as far as you know there were no buttons on Kobos in the early years, and give the absence of buttons as a dealbreaker. Yet these buttonless Kobos, if they existed, did so before you were aware of Kobo, so they could not have been a reason for you not to choose them.

I'm not trying to evangelise for Kobo, simply explaining why some make the switch, and also refuting, again, a very common misconception among some Kindle users - especially those who use these forums. The assumption seems to be that because you CAN tinker a lot with Kobos, you MUST, to make them usable. This is simply not true.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I think this is the first time I've heard an American refer to Canada as an overseas country.

Well, if you take the Seattle to Victoria, and then the Victoria to Vancouver ferry.... :-)

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by twowheels

Well, if you take the Seattle to Victoria, and then the Victoria to Vancouver ferry.... :-)

Did that include a stopover for high tea at the Empress?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Did that include a stopover for high tea at the Empress?

I’ve had tea at the Empress, but I have to nitpick and say that high tea isn’t the afternoon repast with fancy cakes and cucumber sandwiches, but is essentially supper, i.e., the evening meal when dinner is midday.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I might have to agree with some of what you are saying in that paragraph.

he reason I started this thread is because I've read a lot of posts of Kindle owners wanting to jailbreak so they could have features that Kobo already has. If these features are that important, go for a Kobo that already have what you want. For example, what seems to be a big deal is having the eBook cover be the sleep image. Kobo already does this out of the box.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

he reason I started this thread is because I've read a lot of posts of Kindle owners wanting to jailbreak so they could have features that Kobo already has. If these features are that important, go for a Kobo that already have what you want. For example, what seems to be a big deal is having the eBook cover be the sleep image. Kobo already does this out of the box.

Many of those users also use whispersync for sideloaded books, which Kobos don't have. So they cannot switch.

In my opinion, both are excellent readers (yes, I still use my Kindles too). But then I sideload all my books. For someone who relies on direct syncing with Amazon, a Kindle may well seem an easier and better choice.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Many of those users also use whispersync for sideloaded books, which Kobos don't have. So they cannot switch.

In my opinion, both are excellent readers (yes, I still use my Kindles too). But then I sideload all my books. For someone who relies on direct syncing with Amazon, a Kindle may well seem an easier and better choice.

But why buy a Kindle when it doesn't have what you want but Kobo does?

I know for some, the Kindle may be a better choice. But for those on MR who complain about features Kindle doesn't have and Kobo does, why do you not have a Kobo?

[darryl]

Because neither Kindle nor Kobo have all the features that everyone wants. One can want a custom screensaver whilst still having easy access to KU with the author getting paid, whispersync, Amazon customer service and various other Amazon features. People usually don't make their purchasing decisions on the basis of one feature but on the basis of a balance of features. Those for whom a custom screensaver is the pre-eminent feature may well choose a Kobo. For the rest it is a balance as to what they perceive best suits their needs.

[ps67]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But why buy a Kindle when it doesn't have what you want but Kobo does?

I know for some, the Kindle may be a better choice. But for those on MR who complain about features Kindle doesn't have and Kobo does, why do you not have a Kobo?

I have both and I complain about both: where is the problem?

seriously: when I bought my first ereader, a Paperwhite 3, I chose a Kindle because it simply was the most widespread used. I was a novice so I thought that it could be easier to find help respect than other ereder.

When I bought the KA1 the only thing I was really interested was the larger screen. All the nice things about Kobo, and also some that I like least, I discovered later.

Neither device is my ideal ereder but that chimera does not exist. And if somebody has a Kindle may he can't afford the expense for buying another ereder also if there are some things he would change in his Kindle. Or simply may be that someone don't want to become a device collector.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ps67

Neither device is my ideal ereder but that chimera does not exist.

Very true.

[radbaddude]

Pretty simple. I purchase books from amazon so I use a kindle. I've used Kobos -- Owned a Clara and a Forma. Enjoyed Koreader. Dislike Kobo store pricing. Dislike how the very specific genre of books I read are not available on Kobo store due to those authors agreements with Amazon. Kindle works for me. I am not opposed to Kobo and think they make great devices. I don't have to de-DRM anything as it stands right now and no, I got tired of backing up all my books in fear of amazon owning my purchased titles. It's just not that big of a deal.

[JSWolf]

One thing I do have a complaint about is the PW3 and Amazon. I've read about some problems with 5.12.4. But Amazon is not releasing 5.12.5 for the PW3.

Kobo is still supporting most Readers with the same new firmware. Why can't Amazon do this?