Sage Kobo Sage opinions

[anacreon]

I've now lived with the Sage for two months, with the Elipsa for six.

I had given away my Forma at the beginning of October, so didn't have it on hand to compare with the Sage, but I remember I used it only to read the PDFs that were impossible on the Libra H2o, and it was mostly not big enough, so once I had the Elipsa, I stopped using the Forma. I had problems with the on/off button, and the screen and holding comfort was not as good as the Libra's, though that was painfully yellowish.

The Elipsa is wonderful for most PDFs even though I have to read some of them in landscape mode, and it is very good for kepubs too. It is too big for some PDFs which were formatted for much smaller readers.

When I got the Sage I was wowed. The screen is perfect, not yellow - not blue, so is the on/off button, and reading on it is a pleasure. I like that the shape is not as canted as the Forma's, it fits better in the outside pocket of my handbag. I retired the Libra H2o, and I doubt I will return to 7" and less screens.

Some books are better on 8" than on 10" screens, but for others, page turning is very sluggish so I have to read them on Elipsa.

So I'd say there are two major cons to the Sage, the battery and the ram, both half what they are on the Elipsa. I suppose it would be heavier with a bigger battery, but how much?

All the same, I love the Sage which is fine for most of my books and on the go. And I love the Elipsa too, at home. Anyway most of the books I read on the Elipsa request calm, impossible in public transport.

I never read with the cover for either, too heavy. I use them only as a protection in a suitcase, or going through control before boarding (pre-Covid).

I don't plan on buying the charging cover, whenever it will be available in France. With the USB-C plug, I can use the same charger for phone and readers, and I take one with me for long trips. And since I take both readers, I can read on the Elipsa while the Sage is charging (fairly quick charge). Also in modern trains there is usually a plug available next to the seat.

[John Hopper]

Originally Posted by John Hopper

My Powercover has arrived and I am now charging it and the Sage. The Powercover can't be charged separately which I sort of expected based on the Kindle Oasis 1 precedent, though I might have hoped for something different. The battery indicator shows the % that both are charged (see picture) and they seem to both get charged simultaneously but with the cover charging more slowly as most of the power goes towards charging the device first.

The cover feels premium and is heavy and adds a lot of weight, but I expected this and I don't anticipate holding it anyway, but either resting it on a flat surface or removing it. Slightly disappointed that it is wider than the sleep cover to allow for the pen slot (which I don't anticipate using) but I knew this would be the case.

I'll report back on the covers usage in real time reading use.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

Now both fully charged to 100% let's see how it goes.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by anacreon

I suppose it would be heavier with a bigger battery, but how much?

Less heavy than it is with the expensive power cover, that's for sure. It's hard to see it as anything other than an Apple-style upselling ploy with the excuse of saving weight a rather transparent fig leaf.

[Deobulakenyo]

Bringing a powerbank seems to be a better option than having a heavy powercover. At least with the powerbank, you can read without the additional weight

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Deobulakenyo

Bringing a powerbank seems to be a better option than having a heavy powercover. At least with the powerbank, you can read without the additional weight

That's what I do. We have 4 in the house and 2 in the car, so I can read while it's charging if needed, without giving Rakuten another dime.

[LDB]

Will it not last all day, even if one has the luxury of reading all day? Will it not fully charge overnight even from 98% exhausted? Does one not sleep every night when it would be recharging? Definitely not as convenient or nice as one that can be read all day for a few days in a row between charging but adequate if it meets those requirements.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Yeah, I react very badly to that adjective "premium", it gets my hackles up. It gets thrown about a lot in discussions of plastic versus metal, but from what I've seen basically seems to boil down to the idea that "heavy" = "premium quality" and "light" = "cheap, poor quality". I don't care whether something FEELS expensive, especially when the Sage already is stupidly expensive, for me.

What I do care about is the idea of a half kilo ereader, that's just appalling. I almost never read on a flat surface, and on those very rare occasions when I do, it's at my computer desk where I might just as well plug in my Sage and have it charging while reading without the burden of doubling it weight. I've even taken my Sage out of its regular sleep cover and will continue using it like that except when taking out of the house, which happens on average once a month or so.

You can take it out of the power cover as well while reading. Frankly I don't get why you assume you MUST read it in the cover. Put it in between reading sessions and let it charge.

If you don't want the power cover because it's too expensive, that's a different kettle and one I can understand.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You can take it out of the power cover as well while reading. Frankly I don't get why you assume you MUST read it in the cover. Put it in between reading sessions and let it charge.

If you don't want the power cover because it's too expensive, that's a different kettle and one I can understand.

I fail to see what the point of a cover that's only used for charging is. If the device is being charged while not in use, why not just plug the device in to an external power source. Not only is it less expensive, at zero additional outlay, it's likely to be quite a lot faster too. If the power cover is effectively nothing more than an extra battery, I already have plenty of those.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I fail to see what the point of a cover that's only used for charging is. If the device is being charged while not in use, why not just plug the device in to an external power source. Not only is it less expensive, at zero additional outlay, it's likely to be quite a lot faster too. If the power cover is effectively nothing more than an extra battery, I already have plenty of those.

Because plugging it in is inconvenient for me. I often read in several short sessions, not one long one. It's much more convenient to put in in the cover in between. I don't have so many wall outlets in my home that I can just plug the Sage in wherever I happen to sit.

As to having it plugged in overnight, that would be fine if I actually remembered to do it. Unfortunately I often forget.

[LDB]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

As to having it plugged in overnight, that would be fine if I actually remembered to do it. Unfortunately I often forget.

I resemble that remark. I drape the power cord over the arm of my recliner so it reminds me to plug in before retiring.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Because plugging it in is inconvenient for me. I often read in several short sessions, not one long one. It's much more convenient to put in in the cover in between. I don't have so many wall outlets in my home that I can just plug the Sage in wherever I happen to sit.

As to having it plugged in overnight, that would be fine if I actually remembered to do it. Unfortunately I often forget.

It took me 5 minutes to get my Sage out of its sleep cover when I needed to power it off recently. In contrast to that difficult and frustrating struggle, every seat at which I read has at least 1 charging cable in arm's reach (1 has 3, 1 has 2) so the equation is straightforward for me.

[John Hopper]

Originally Posted by John Hopper

Now both fully charged to 100% let's see how it goes.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

After my first reading session after getting the cover and charging it and the Sage to 100%, then reading with the naked Sage, it's battery was at 92%. I replaced it in the powercover, and the device is back up to 100%, while the powercover has gone down to 96%. Very rough and unscientific, but that so far suggests the cover battery might be roughly twice the size of the Sage one. But we'll see.

PS - powercover battery now 92% with Sage still inside it on 100%. So perhaps they are the same size after all.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

It took me 5 minutes to get my Sage out of its sleep cover when I needed to power it off recently. In contrast to that difficult and frustrating struggle, every seat at which I read has at least 1 charging cable in arm's reach (1 has 3, 1 has 2) so the equation is straightforward for me.

Another bit of hyperbole? I open the sleep cover, fold it over the back and then use a nail in the cutout on the sleep cover to hold the sleep cover in place and a couple of fingers on the side of the Sage to pop the Sage out. It takes me less than 5 seconds.

Not what I would call a difficult and frustrating struggle.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I fail to see what the point of a cover that's only used for charging is. If the device is being charged while not in use, why not just plug the device in to an external power source. Not only is it less expensive, at zero additional outlay, it's likely to be quite a lot faster too. If the power cover is effectively nothing more than an extra battery, I already have plenty of those.

My exacts thoughts. If needed, my assorted powerbanks serve any device at a fraction of the cost.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

It took me 5 minutes to get my Sage out of its sleep cover when I needed to power it off recently. In contrast to that difficult and frustrating struggle, every seat at which I read has at least 1 charging cable in arm's reach (1 has 3, 1 has 2) so the equation is straightforward for me.

The power cover attaches via magnets. No struggle needed, like with sleep covers.