Kobo mandatory update

[rosalita]

Originally Posted by issybird

Quick guess: looks as if the Canadians are the first to be informed, which probably signals the order in which the change is going to be rolled out.

I got the email yesterday morning (April 17) but I did buy my Forma from Indigo/Chapters to take advantage of the exchange rate, so I guess this means I am now an honorary Canadian! I'll try to live up to the responsibility.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by G0AT

All my devices are on the most recent firmware of 4.35.20400. My guess is that the urgent fix is included in that update, and probably some prior to that as well. This warning likely applies most to those that haven't updated in a few months/years.

It would be nice if Kobo would list the minimum firmware for compatibility with their new system.

From what I read into the email, the issue is if you factory reset your Kobo (the line about Without this update, your Kobo eReader will no longer be able to exit the setup process after a factory reset is performed). The factory firmware revision would not support the newer security and so you would need to connect your Kobo to a Windows or Mac PC running Kobo's Desktop app to register and update it (or a Linux computer if you manually downloaded and installed the newer firmware and then registered over WiFi).

If I remember correctly, the newest model listed was the Kobo Forma which was released in Nov., 2018 while the Kobo Libra 2 which was released in Sept., 2019 is not in the list. So at a WEG, if you are running 4.17 or newer, it won't be an issue. The Kobo Mini may be an issue since it's last firmware update was in 2016 but then my Mini is on newer firmware.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

Has anybody, besides the OP, actually received a similar message from Kobo? One would think with such importance info that Kobo would issue a torrent of warning messages.

Do you have one or more of the devices on the list registered to your email address?

[Aleron Ives]

It does seem a little odd, since a normal factory reset doesn't revert you to the stock firmware; it only erases all your settings. Don't you have to enable devmode in order to do the full factory reset that reverts your firmware and would prevent you from completing the setup?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

It does seem a little odd, since a normal factory reset doesn't revert you to the stock firmware; it only erases all your settings. Don't you have to enable devmode in order to do the full factory reset that reverts your firmware and would prevent you from completing the setup?

That is a matter of which firmware you are using. The partial factory reset from the settings menu is not that old. There is also the manual factory reset which wipes back to the factory firmware. This is often needed when the Kobo is so hooped that you can't get to the GUI.

So yes, Kobo is being proactive in this firmware update.

[DNSB]

Just to continue this babble fest, I received a second email from Kobo listing devices that will no longer be supported after 2023-May-25:

As of May 25th 2023, the following eReaders or tablets will no longer be supported by Rakuten Kobo:

Kobo Mini eReader
Kobo Arc tablet
Kobo Arc 7 tablet
Kobo Arc 7HD tablet
Kobo Arc 10HD tablet


This means they will no longer receive software updates, and will not be able to connect to the Kobo Store. If a factory reset is performed after May 25, 2023, your eReader or tablet will not exit the setup process. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Rest assured that no items in your Kobo library will be affected; you will always have access to eBooks or audiobooks you have purchased or downloaded by signing into the free Kobo Books App for iOS or Android, or any other Kobo eReader.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

So they have set a 4/25 deadline and as of 4/18 they haven't even made the update available?

Originally Posted by sqdancer

The OP said May 25, not April 25.

Still, the logical assumption is that the needed update is available, since they're saying by May 25th. I know I upgraded my Kobos assuming that the needed upgrade was currently available. And by May 25th is still a pretty small window, especially since most of us haven't even gotten an email about this.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Just to continue this babble fest, I received a second email from Kobo listing devices that will no longer be supported after 2023-May-25:

Why do they keep picking on the Kobo Mini? It's newer than the Touch, same age as the Glo and not much older than the Aura HD — and it was on the shelves longer than several other readers that are still supported.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Why do they keep picking on the Kobo Mini? It's newer than the Touch, same age as the Glo and not much older than the Aura HD — and it was on the shelves longer than several other readers that are still supported.

Most likely because the Mini was not a great seller. Most purchasers went for the 6" Glo that was released at the same time. Besides if you refer back to the notice that Kobo sent you as a Mini owner back in Feb. 2019 telling you the Mini was now EOL:

Kobo Mini requires a mandatory software update by February 28th, 2019.

To stay aligned with global internet security standards, we are releasing a mandatory software update for all Kobo Mini eReaders. Without this update, the Kobo Mini will no longer be able to exit the setup process after a factory reset is performed.

The wording sounds rather familiar.

[graycyn]

Just tried updating my oldest Kobo, the Aura HD ... but nothing newer than 4.35.20400 which was already on it.

Either that's the firmware needed, and it's a reminder to folks to update to the latest, or they haven't rolled out whatever the update is yet.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by graycyn

Just tried updating my oldest Kobo, the Aura HD ... but nothing newer than 4.35.20400 which was already on it.

Either that's the firmware needed, and it's a reminder to folks to update to the latest, or they haven't rolled out whatever the update is yet.

I suspect that the update either is not being rolled out yet or is being rolled out to a small subset of their customers.

[Quoth]

Firmware release notifications: You can receive instant notifications for new firmware releases by joining the Telegram channel @KoboFirmware
Or just check here:
https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html

Well, today is Elipsa 2E release, so I'm checking regularly anyway to see if the existing Sage, Elipsa (and maybe Libra 2) get the improved annotation and notetaking of the Elipsa 2E, so I'll see if the original Aura HD H2O I passed on to grandson needs an update.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Just to continue this babble fest, I received a second email from Kobo listing devices that will no longer be supported after 2023-May-25:

Hmm. I wonder if this is similar to last summer's obsoleting of some Kindles, meaning the Mini will still be able to direct download books, just not purchase them, or if it means sideload only. Which would make it a lot less useful to me.

I'll have to check what firmware my Mini's got. I stopped manually updating it when the display got a little wonky with the notion of leaving well enough alone, but if a manual update to whatever means it would still be able to download books it's probably worth a shot.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Where are they? If home page I'd not see them as My Books is closest to the old Tiled screen with everything removed except books opened / being read.

Also most of my Kobo have sideLoadedMode=true. Only the Libra2 is synced (occasionally).
WiFi is off by default on all ereaders: Kindle, Boyue, Kobo etc.

The only emails I've ever had from Kobo are receipts of ebook purchases.

When I turned on my eReaders the day Kobo Plus went live, all three devices had a pop up ad over the homepage. If you’ve got WiFi turned off, you won’t likely see them.

I posted this pic of the ad on my Mini in another thread, but Tapatalk doesn’t play nice with mobileread, or visa versa. I’ll try again here. The url is good, but MR may not choose to display it for you. If that happens, copy the url and paste it into a browser:

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Cootey

Please don't post images from tapatalk. They don't work as MR doesn't like the URL.