played with new wifi kobo - Page 2

triffids · 10-17-2010, 02:41 PM

Thanks - I'd assumed that was at least part of the reason for speed improvements. (Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic to hope that we can expect some improvements with speed on our original Kobo eReaders with the 1.5 update ...)

PeterT · 10-17-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billthereader

There's also an extra step now when you connect it to the computer as you have to choose to "manage library" before the computer will see it as a device.

Does this mean you can now charge the device AND read at the same time?

Quote:

Originally Posted by billthereader

Calibre also doesn't see it as a device yet.

Sounds like a new USB device ID. Follow the steps documented in the Calibre forums I think it was and you can supply them with the new USB id, and it casn be easily added.

billthereader · 10-17-2010, 03:39 PM

I've bought 3 Kobos now and don't even own one myself since they are all gifts and I read on the iPad most of the time because I like color magazines. That thing is a beast on power and weight though and this Kobo beats it at that.

I'm working with the new Kobo getting it ready to give as *yet another* gift. So far, I'd say the screen resolution is better compared to the original model. I just added a couple PDF files to the root directory (one book and a playboy mag). It's on the images that you notice the difference. PDF can be zoomed and displayed in portrait or landscape. The "full page" view is nice if you have good eyesight since it doesn't have the annoying navigation arrows showing up. File load and page flips are very quick even though the playboy mag is a fairly large file. Navigation on a zoomed file works well once you get used to it.

btw.. the PDF book I loaded has a table of contents and that works. Whole page view gives very small text but switching it to 100% looks best. Images that I know are in the book show up as well. Switching to landscape for a map that shows up at the start of the book really helps and the zoom can be used and the quality doesn't degrade when zoomed in. It remembers your place if you close and then re-open the file.

Something to mention with the wifi kobo is that there's a news &magazine section at the top for when those download options are available (not yet though). I've also been reading that the wifi will be able to connect to local online libraries.

The online store looks okay to me.

VICROAMER · 10-17-2010, 03:49 PM

Quote:

The dictionary feature works ok although it's a bit of hassle to invoke it -- but it's still a nice to have.

Just doing a bit of armchair research myself with a view to buying a reader, I noticed the KOBO WIFI user guide states the dictionary can only be used on ebooks sourced from KOBO, this has put me off buying a KOBO.

taming · 10-17-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

A kobo book, loaded with the kobo desktop app, will be live on two Kobos. A kobo book, as an ePub loaded through ADE desktop app, can be live on ONE kobo only.

Did I get that right?

No. If you are using sync with two Kobos, they both match whenever they are synced--they become identical twins. That includes bookmarks, books removed, books in "I'm reading"--everything is the same.

If you only download ePUBs, once they are on your reader what the other person does through sync or with his own downloaded ePUBs does not affect you at all. You can both go merrily on your way with your own bookmarks, I'm reading list etc.

The problems with ePUB and ADE start when you are both buying books on the same Kobo account but with two different ADE accounts.

For this all to work seamlessly, you need to share both the same Kobo account and the same ADE account. If you try to use two separate ADE accounts, you will find that the books loaded on Kobo will only display the books loaded with the ADE account you used last. All of the other books will have locked content and be unreadable.

ADE on your desktop only recognizes the last reader it transferred books to. If you plug reader #2 in, it will see it as a device that needs to be authorized (even if you have authorized it in the past). Do it often enough, and you will exceed your 6 device limit, even if you only have two readers.

For this reason, I suggest that you install ADE on two computers using the SAME email address/Adobe account. Use one reader on one computer, and the the other reader on the second machine. That way you avoid the too many authorizations issue. If you only have one computer, use Calibre instead of ADE to load the books on one of the Kobo readers. Both readers continue run off the same Kobo account.

taming · 10-17-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VICROAMER

I noticed the KOBO WIFI user guide states the dictionary can only be used on ebooks sourced from KOBO, this has put me off buying a KOBO.

Does the Kindle dictionary work with books not purchased from Amazon? Not that you can buy books from other "mainstream" stores,if you have a Kindle, but, for example, what about Kindle formatted books bought on Smashwords?

robko · 10-17-2010, 04:17 PM

So I took the plunge and bought the new Kobo. I have an original as well, so I can directly compare.

GOOD: speed on page change is MUCH faster. You don't have to hit page turn a sentence before the end of the page.
- contrast is better. The screen background seems much whiter and the text seems crisper. Having said that I also went from a white original to a black WIFI so that could be influencing it slightly.
- it's much easier to navigate PDF's due to the increased speed and they are easier to read at smaller text size due to crisper text.
- in the native KOBO Books format the GRAPHICS in books are actually showing up now.
- there is an option to force left justification (alternate option is default to whatever the file has) - NOTE: only works in KOBO native format files.
- only sleeps after 15 min and never fully shuts off.

BAD: dictionary (as mentioned in previous text) only works with KOBO native format books (not e-Pubs) (doesn't bother me because I don't use it, but I know some people want it).
- boot time is still 30 seconds - not such a big deal since I discovered it has indefinite sleep
- still no go to page option. Maybe tougher to implement, but they really need to sort it out.

Overall after 3 hours of ownership I'd say it's a definite improvement. There are still some things they need to work on, but I don't regret upgrading.

Robert

taming · 10-17-2010, 04:23 PM

@robko--what about the pagination? One of the reasons I didn't want to use sync was because I wanted the books to number themselves from beginning to end and not have that weird chapter by chapter numbering. It drove me bonkers to never know how many pages remained in the book and to have to do that double click when a new chapter started.

robko · 10-17-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

@robko--what about the pagination? One of the reasons I didn't want to use sync was because I wanted the books to number themselves from beginning to end and not have that weird chapter by chapter numbering. It drove me bonkers to never know how many pages remained in the book and to have to do that double click when a new chapter started.

Unfortunately there is no difference in the way it numbers pages.

SensualPoet · 10-17-2010, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

Does the Kindle dictionary work with books not purchased from Amazon? Not that you can buy books from other "mainstream" stores,if you have a Kindle, but, for example, what about Kindle formatted books bought on Smashwords?

Yes. Kindle 2 and Kindle 3 dictionary can be used on all Amazon titles and non-DRM mobi titles sourced elsewhere. I used it while reading Chesterton stories on my Kindle 2 in editions formatted here by MR folk.

corona · 10-17-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Does this mean you can now charge the device AND read at the same time?

Yes. Although if you make the other choice -- to manage your library, i.e. have Windows recognize Kobo as a drive, use the Kobo software etc. -- you can't change back later. You have to eject and disconnect the Kobo and then plug it back in (and choose "continue reading").

This is a very good change (and of course one we've been suggesting for a long time!).

taming · 10-17-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robko

Unfortunately there is no difference in the way it numbers pages.

Thanks, Robko. I think I will stay with ePUBs and ADE/Calibre rather than sync. It's funny how each one of us seems to have a make it or break it feature. This is apparently mine.

taming · 10-17-2010, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Yes. Kindle 2 and Kindle 3 dictionary can be used on all Amazon titles and non-DRM mobi titles sourced elsewhere. I used it while reading Chesterton stories on my Kindle 2 in editions formatted here by MR folk.

Thanks for the reply Sensual Poet. Now, I wonder about the Sony readers? Does their dictionary work with all ePUB books regardless of the source?

corona · 10-17-2010, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robko

- there is an option to force left justification (alternate option is default to whatever the file has).

But like the dictionary, this option is only available with books you got from Kobo.

taming · 10-17-2010, 06:29 PM

I wonder if the Kobo-books-only features are tied into the sqlite Db? That would seem to explain why books we sideload would not be treated in the same way. It's not an excuse, because it surely is a pain that this is true, but I wonder if that is why it is this way. Do the books not only have to be purchased from Kobo books but also loaded through sync?

10-17-2010, 04:17 PM	#22
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	So I took the plunge and bought the new Kobo. I have an original as well, so I can directly compare. GOOD: speed on page change is MUCH faster. You don't have to hit page turn a sentence before the end of the page. - contrast is better. The screen background seems much whiter and the text seems crisper. Having said that I also went from a white original to a black WIFI so that could be influencing it slightly. - it's much easier to navigate PDF's due to the increased speed and they are easier to read at smaller text size due to crisper text. - in the native KOBO Books format the GRAPHICS in books are actually showing up now. - there is an option to force left justification (alternate option is default to whatever the file has) - NOTE: only works in KOBO native format files. - only sleeps after 15 min and never fully shuts off. BAD: dictionary (as mentioned in previous text) only works with KOBO native format books (not e-Pubs) (doesn't bother me because I don't use it, but I know some people want it). - boot time is still 30 seconds - not such a big deal since I discovered it has indefinite sleep - still no go to page option. Maybe tougher to implement, but they really need to sort it out. Overall after 3 hours of ownership I'd say it's a definite improvement. There are still some things they need to work on, but I don't regret upgrading. Robert Last edited by robko; 10-18-2010 at 05:16 PM. Reason: Corrected/clarfied a few things

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10-17-2010, 02:41 PM	#16
triffids BookWorm Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo eReader (1st generation)	Thanks - I'd assumed that was at least part of the reason for speed improvements. (Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic to hope that we can expect some improvements with speed on our original Kobo eReaders with the 1.5 update ...)

10-17-2010, 03:39 PM	#18
billthereader Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 16 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo	I've bought 3 Kobos now and don't even own one myself since they are all gifts and I read on the iPad most of the time because I like color magazines. That thing is a beast on power and weight though and this Kobo beats it at that. I'm working with the new Kobo getting it ready to give as yet another gift. So far, I'd say the screen resolution is better compared to the original model. I just added a couple PDF files to the root directory (one book and a playboy mag). It's on the images that you notice the difference. PDF can be zoomed and displayed in portrait or landscape. The "full page" view is nice if you have good eyesight since it doesn't have the annoying navigation arrows showing up. File load and page flips are very quick even though the playboy mag is a fairly large file. Navigation on a zoomed file works well once you get used to it. btw.. the PDF book I loaded has a table of contents and that works. Whole page view gives very small text but switching it to 100% looks best. Images that I know are in the book show up as well. Switching to landscape for a map that shows up at the start of the book really helps and the zoom can be used and the quality doesn't degrade when zoomed in. It remembers your place if you close and then re-open the file. Something to mention with the wifi kobo is that there's a news &magazine section at the top for when those download options are available (not yet though). I've also been reading that the wifi will be able to connect to local online libraries. The online store looks okay to me.

10-17-2010, 04:23 PM	#23
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	@robko--what about the pagination? One of the reasons I didn't want to use sync was because I wanted the books to number themselves from beginning to end and not have that weird chapter by chapter numbering. It drove me bonkers to never know how many pages remained in the book and to have to do that double click when a new chapter started.

10-17-2010, 06:29 PM	#30
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	I wonder if the Kobo-books-only features are tied into the sqlite Db? That would seem to explain why books we sideload would not be treated in the same way. It's not an excuse, because it surely is a pain that this is true, but I wonder if that is why it is this way. Do the books not only have to be purchased from Kobo books but also loaded through sync?

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