Sage Kobo Sage opinions

[sherman]

If anyone is interested in the download link for firmware for the new devices, here it is:
https://kbdownload1-a.akamaihd.net/f...4.29.18730.zip

EDIT: It only seems to be available for Mk 8 devices, which is to be expected. Also confirms the new hardware is considered Mk 8.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by ErikG

Just got my new Sage. Well, it's for my wife because her Forma had a bad battery.

That's what I plan to tell my wife as well.

It right away updated to a new software version: 4.29.18730.
Did anyone see that version for existing kobos?

No, this will be explicitly for the Sage and probably the Libra 2. Kobo always have a release-day firmware update for new devices. They don't usually release for the other devices for another month. Or at least until things settle down for the new device.

Screen looks great, more uniform and crispier than the Forma. Loading about 1000 books into the database went sort of quick. 20 seconds or so.

That is a lot quicker.

Edit:

Can you send me a copy of the file "version" from the .kobo directory of the device. I would like to check the ids and see the kernel version that has. The first field in it is the serial number of the device, so you can obfuscate that. The rest is the same for all of this device.

And if someone with a Libra 2 can do the same, that would be good.

[sherman]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Can you send me a copy of the file "version" from the .kobo directory of the device. I would like to check the ids and see the kernel version that has. The first field in it is the serial number of the device, so you can obfuscate that. The rest is the same for all of this device.

And if someone with a Libra 2 can do the same, that would be good.

Someone with an actual device may want to confirm this, but from the firmware, it appears that the Sage has the code name Cadmus with ID 383, and the Libra 2 is Io with ID 388

(It's the first time doing this, so I may have stuffed it up. @geek1011 usually does these checks)

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by sherman

Someone with an actual device may want to confirm this, but from the firmware, it appears that the Sage has the code name Cadmus with ID 383, and the Libra 2 is Io with ID 388

(It's the first time doing this, so I may have stuffed it up. @geek1011 usually does these checks)

When I saw your link, I downloaded it and went looking. I found the id for the Sage, but, had missed the one for the Libra 2. I did find one I thought it was, but, had missed the 388 but had found it by other means.

But, it looks like the Libra 2 is a Mark 9 device. The firmware is at https://kbdownload1-a.akamaihd.net/f...730-TF6408.zip. Same version, but, like the Elipsa, it has something extra on the file name.

[sherman]

Originally Posted by davidfor

When I saw your link, I downloaded it and went looking. I found the id for the Sage, but, had missed the one for the Libra 2. I did find one I thought it was, but, had missed the 388 but had found it by other means.

But, it looks like the Libra 2 is a Mark 9 device. The firmware is at https://kbdownload1-a.akamaihd.net/f...730-TF6408.zip. Same version, but, like the Elipsa, it has something extra on the file name.

Yeah, when geek1011 posted a link to the kobo9 firmware, I was like, wait, what, another hardware version? I guess the Libra 2 is different enough from the Kobo7 and Kobo8 platforms to get its own platform.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by sherman

Yeah, when geek1011 posted a link to the kobo9 firmware, I was like, wait, what, another hardware version? I guess the Libra 2 is different enough from the Kobo7 and Kobo8 platforms to get its own platform.

Actually, the marks have almost nothing to do with the hardware differences. I was told a while ago that Kobo was trying to keep the update packages to around 100MB. When they go past that, they start a new mark. These packages are bigger, which is largely the kernel and associated files, so they have probably need to update those rules. And I'd say the Sage is included with the Elispa as they do have similar hardware.

[ErikG]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Can you send me a copy of the file "version" from the .kobo directory of the device. I would like to check the ids and see the kernel version that has. The first field in it is the serial number of the device, so you can obfuscate that. The rest is the same for all of this device.

And if someone with a Libra 2 can do the same, that would be good.

This is the content of the version file of my Sage.
N778190xxxxxx,4.9.56,4.29.18730,4.9.56,4.9.56,0000 0000-0000-0000-0000-000000000383

[mbovenka]

Just for giggles, I ran my usual set of patches against 4.29.18730, and they applied cleanly and work:

overrides:
src/nickel.yaml:
Reduce new header/footer height: yes
Remove footer (row3) and increase cover size on new home screen: yes
src/libnickel.so.1.0.0.yaml:
Don't uppercase header/footer text: yes
FeatureSettings - BookSpecificStats: yes
PowerSettings - UnlockEnabled: yes
My 10 line spacing values: yes
Custom font sizes: no
Enable advanced settings for all fonts: yes
Custom kepub default margins: yes
Set KePub hyphenation: yes
KePub stylesheet additions - text justify: yes

I have no idea whether any other patches work out of the box. Here Be Dragons.

[scegghy]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

No, I know of the shadow in the frontlight at the button side. This is something different. I have a single line going down my screen (about a third from the non-button side in portrait) where the pixels are inverted: black on a white background, and white on black. I think that's what @Nightyume is talking about.

I had almost the same issue on my Forma and I asked Kobo to replace the device. It took 2 weeks but I have now a new Forma without the issue

[scegghy]

Comparing Forma and Sage, would you recommend to keep the Forma or to buy the Sage?

[s4nder]

Does it have a light sensor? I'll have to go to Kindles in the future if Kobo has dropped it for good.

[Quoth]

Light sensors for auto-brightness are a gimmick. They'll only work in some situations.

[s4nder]

The one on the KA1 works perfectly for me. So do the ones in phones. Any device without it is a gimmick.

[mezzanine]

This is a naive question, but will retail outlets have these on display today? I could make a quick run down to my local Chapters and take a first-hand look if they're in stock. Jeez, I say that, and yet the chances of me not walking out with one would be low...and if I remember correctly after inquiring about their return policy when looking at the Forma, it's ridiculously bad.
*nope, not in stock in store. I want to see the reviews first anyway if they don't accept returns as I suspect they don't.

[ErikG]

Originally Posted by scegghy

Comparing Forma and Sage, would you recommend to keep the Forma or to buy the Sage?

My wife needed to charge her Forma almost every day.
My own Forma works perfectly so I am going to keep it. For as long as I can stand the sight of a Sage that isn't mine
If buying a new ereader and the choice is between a Forma and a Sage: no doubt about it, go for the Sage.
It is very responsive and I very much like the look of the front that is one continuous surface of which the screen is just one part and the two buttons another part. None of those ridges that the Forma has. Also, the screen is just perfect with better uniform lighting than the forma and more contrast.
And all this from someone who thought that the Forma was the best ereader he owned thus far.