Kobo future firmware feature request thread

[John F]

I would still like to see a simple reading mode: being able to enable tap only/swipe only/or both, with no other UI actions other then a long press anywhere brings up some menu.

I can appreciate that some people want to highlight, get the last three reads, are bringing up the menu often, want to fast forward, wiki, dictionary, ...

Too often I get some unexpected/unwanted behavior.

[Paul Reader]

Originally Posted by meeera

Ah, it thinks you're vertical-swiping! Turning off swiping to turn page wouldn't stop it from detecting vertical swipes. Do you have a hand tremor? Which device is it? I've never had that happen, and never heard complaints about it, so it's not really a typical or widespread issue.

I agree with the poster who suggests to try deliberately side-swiping. Another alternative, if your hands are that unsteady, would be a remote page turner or a Kobo with page turn buttons.

It's Kobo Clara BW. No hand tremor. As I said, I assumed I had pretty steady hands. I can't imagine how someone with physical challenges could use this device.

As for just always using swipe to turn a page, I think that's a hack instead of a real solution. Bear in mind that ppl with one hand are often not holding the device when they read. Now imagine it's the right hand that's missing. The Smart Cover thingie doesn't add a ton of friction to the surface of a table and the Kobo is extremely light. You could try stabbing at the Kobo with your index finger and watch it rotate or slide backwards a little bit (or a lot) each time. Or you perform weird left-hand motions like trying to get your left-hand fingers behind to stabilize, yet get a tap on the right-hand side of the screen with your thumb. And now that tap has to be a left swipe instead. Fine, perhaps, if you large hands and no mobility problems. Not great if you have smaller hands or limited flexibility.

I recently spent two years with a serious injury and was unable to get my right hand anywhere near a Kobo during this time, so this comes from experience. I would not have been happy with swipe for page turns.

From my perspective vertical swiping a new feature: it never existed until a hardware or firmware update gave it to me, I don't know which as I was running years old firmware on my Clara SE. Unfortunately vertical swiping is the opposite of helpful (for me), and there is already a widely known way--dare I say primary way--to pop up the top/bottom menus. In fact, it seems several ppl here didn't even know about this feature!

[toady42]

Originally Posted by Paul Reader

Can we have a way to disable swiping while reading? Currently it is so sensitive that when I tap to turn a page the Kobo thinks I am swiping and pops up the header and footer menus/control-bars/whatever. I'd like to think I have steady hands, but I guess not.

This is super frustrating, happening 25% of the time. I'm pretty much giving up on reading with the Kobo. This might even go back to the store. My previous Kobo did not have this problem, then again, it was running firmware from years ago, never updated. Too bad it died.

Here's a post from reddit which may be related to what you are experiencing: https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen..._difficulties/

There was some speculation on the Kobo subreddit that the P365 model of the Clara BW has an issue where it brings up the menu when tapping or swiping to change the page.

One person even commented that they exchanged their P365 model for a N365B and the issue was not present on the N365B.
https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...mment/nmlbppy/

[Paul Reader]

Originally Posted by toady42

Here's a post from reddit which may be related to what you are experiencing: https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen..._difficulties/

There was some speculation on the Kobo subreddit that the P365 model of the Clara BW has an issue where it brings up the menu when tapping or swiping to change the page.

One person even commented that they exchanged their P365 model for a N365B and the issue was not present on the N365B.
https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...mment/nmlbppy/

OMG, yes! This is exactly it. I also get the double-page turn the OP of that Reddit threads mentions. So this is bad news I suppose. It's been a known firmware problem for the better part of a year and no one cares to fix it. Judging by my serial number I also have a P365 version. Since P comes after N I can only assume the P models are the new ones, so my chance of finding an N model is zero to none. Time for Kindle

Thanks everyone who confirmed I was not crazy ... and confirmed I don't have shaky hands after all ... !

[Tibor]

Originally Posted by Paul Reader

OMG, yes! This is exactly it. I also get the double-page turn the OP of that Reddit threads mentions. So this is bad news I suppose. It's been a known firmware problem for the better part of a year and no one cares to fix it. Judging by my serial number I also have a P365 version. Since P comes after N I can only assume the P models are the new ones, so my chance of finding an N model is zero to none. Time for Kindle

Thanks everyone who confirmed I was not crazy ... and confirmed I don't have shaky hands after all ... !

For your information I have exactly the same problem. I will write support to pressing.
Meanwhile I changed yesterday the swyping area in options from default to next page at the bottom and last page in the upper side and I was able to stay without problems for about 4 hours of reading. Of course you have to pay attention to not though the middle area which is now the one with open the menu. Can you try and comment us?

I think it is also important to notify support to press for a fix, so f you could do it if would be nice.

[Paul Reader]

Originally Posted by toady42

Here's a post from reddit which may be related to what you are experiencing: https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen..._difficulties/

There was some speculation on the Kobo subreddit that the P365 model of the Clara BW has an issue where it brings up the menu when tapping or swiping to change the page.

One person even commented that they exchanged their P365 model for a N365B and the issue was not present on the N365B.
https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...mment/nmlbppy/

I tried to exchange my P365 for an N365B using Kobo's warranty, claiming mine is not fit for purpose. I was eventually successful in getting a new Kobo via the warranty exchange. The trouble is it's another P365! Darn it! I suppose by now they are out of old stock of the N365B.

The related problems I have uncovered so far: tapping is interpreted as swiping, long press is interpreted as single press, and single tap is interpreted as two taps and turns the page twice. Which one will hit you on any given tap (or long press) is a roll of the dice.

Gemini claims this is a power management bug with the display controller driver. With WiFi and Bluetooth disabled the controller goes into a deeper sleep and doesn't wake up fast enough, causing the touches to be misinterpreted. I have no idea how Gemini made that determination, but sure enough: when I enable WiFi and Bluetooth the problems go away. BTW, Gemini also claims the alternative KOReader software developed here does not have the bug. (Did I get the name right, is that what it's called? I might try that.)

So it's a work-around for some of you. I personally am not going to leave my device with WiFi and BT on. I only turn them on when I get so frustrated with this bug that I want to destroy the Kobo in a fit of self-righteous cathartic rage.

It would seem someone, somewhere is well aware of this bug since Gemini must have gotten the info from somewhere. However, it's been a problem for a very long time with no fix, so it doesn't seem like a priority to the devs. It's not a money-making fix related to the Kobo store, after all ... so hopefully some of the afflicted can make use of the work-around.

[vikbi8]

Hello, I'm asking for a missing feature : I cannot find any way to open the book's picture in full screen mode ... except opening the book / switch to sleep mode...
Is this any developer who can just add the feature : press on the thumbnail picture opens it with a close button ???
Thank you ! I think it would be very useful...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by vikbi8

Hello, I'm asking for a missing feature : I cannot find any way to open the book's picture in full screen mode ... except opening the book / switch to sleep mode...
Is this any developer who can just add the feature : press on the thumbnail picture opens it with a close button ???
Thank you ! I think it would be very useful...

Most books show the cover full screen. Isn't this what you wanted?

You open the book and it starts at the cover which is full screen.

[pipermint]

I really wish kobo has a function similar to kindle's read&listen/whispersync. The current TTS is hard to access and would compromise other functions due to downgrading the firmware. Since kobo devices don't have speakers, a function with only automatic word-by-word highlighting would be immensely beneficial to a lot of readers already. If it could read along with audiobooks or TTS, it would be perfect!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Most books show the cover full screen. Isn't this what you wanted?

You open the book and it starts at the cover which is full screen.

I think they mean images in epubs, which can't be displayed in full screen. The solution is to use kepubs, either with the help of Calibre or Kepubify.

[maddz]

What I'd like to see is:

Nested collections. Rather than having fantasy scattered among different collections over several pages, have an overall fantasy collection with the various subcollections held under it.

Better metadata handling, in particular series and subseries. For example, Valdemar has (currently) 42 titles grouped into at least 14 several different series (I don't own all), along with spin-off anthologies. Being able to see the linkage is incredibly useful.

Tags. That would be useful: my History collection covers a number of different time periods and geographical areas ranging from prehistory to 20th century.

Multiple sorts. For example, sort first by author, then by series, then by subseries (if there is one), then the stand-alone books by title.

[vikbi8]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Most books show the cover full screen. Isn't this what you wanted?

You open the book and it starts at the cover which is full screen.

Hello, yes, it works, but it's not what I'm looking for. I mean I'd expect to show a full screen cover without opening the book (otherwise, you'd have dozen of opened books). For example, you are searching into your collection, and just pressing a thumbnail would display the cover (exactly like `show details`). May be I'm not clear enough ? A bigger thumbnail size would also be useful for my old eyes...

thank you,

[vikbi8]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I think they mean images in epubs, which can't be displayed in full screen. The solution is to use kepubs, either with the help of Calibre or Kepubify.

Hello !
Is this possible to open a picture inside a ePub to a larger size ??? Wow.. how to do that ?

Auto solution : touble-tap on picture.....

So so nice ! Thank you for the tip' !

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by vikbi8

Hello, yes, it works, but it's not what I'm looking for. I mean I'd expect to show a full screen cover without opening the book (otherwise, you'd have dozen of opened books). For example, you are searching into your collection, and just pressing a thumbnail would display the cover (exactly like `show details`). May be I'm not clear enough ? A bigger thumbnail size would also be useful for my old eyes...

thank you,

That's not going to happen. You'll have to open the ePub to see the full screen cover.

But you can increase the thumbnail size. There is a patch to do this. Which firmware are you running so I can link you to the appropriate patches?