My Voyage v Kobo H2O experience

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by Stingo

In my experience the H2O is definitely not as responsively snappy as the Voyage. Highlighting is a little less accurate so it takes a more careful touch. Page turning, however feels the same.

I agree and have noticed this as well. The voyage is extremely fast and snappy. When I was using epubs on my H20, highlighting was especially annoying. I also got a lot of weird flashing when trying to highlight. However, since I converted my books to kepubs highlighting works so much better for me now. Much smoother and more accurate.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I agree and have noticed this as well. The voyage is extremely fast and snappy. When I was using epubs on my H20, highlighting was especially annoying. I also got a lot of weird flashing when trying to highlight. However, since I converted my books to kepubs highlighting works so much better for me now. Much smoother and more accurate.

I noticed on the Kobo site that it "says" the H2O will handle mobi files. Do you have any experience with that, other than converting to kepubs? Thank you!

[PeterT]

Standard advice from all is that while it might handle basic mobi files, support for them is not that good (and forget it totally if the files have DRM on them).

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Standard advice from all is that while it might handle basic mobi files, support for them is not that good (and forget it totally if the files have DRM on them).

Thanks. I suppose that this "support for them is not that good" means that the software of the Kobo doesn't really handle them well?

DRM goes without saying. Would need to be a Kindle for that, I suspect.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

Thanks. I suppose that this "support for them is not that good" means that the software of the Kobo doesn't really handle them well?

It handles them OK. The more complex, the more likely there is to be a problem. But, a conversion to epub using calibre is so easy, that using MOBI files on the Kobo devices is fairly pointless. And if there are problems in the conversion, there will probably be problems with the MOBI on the device.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, a conversion to epub using calibre is so easy, that using MOBI files on the Kobo devices is fairly pointless.

Thank you. All things considered, if I were going to do conversions of my mobi files for the H2O, wouldn't I be better off going all the way to Kepubs?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

Thank you. All things considered, if I were going to do conversions of my mobi files for the H2O, wouldn't I be better off going all the way to Kepubs?

That's really up to you. Some people prefer the way a kepub is displayed, some prefer the way epubs are done.

[arspr]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I agree and have noticed this as well. The voyage is extremely fast and snappy. When I was using epubs on my H20, highlighting was especially annoying. I also got a lot of weird flashing when trying to highlight. However, since I converted my books to kepubs highlighting works so much better for me now. Much smoother and more accurate.

Hey guys, Kobo eReaders (but Aura) use Infrared touchscreens which are far less accurate and also slower than the capacitive ones used in Kindles and Aura.

But OTOH capacitive touchscreens add an extra layer over the e-ink display itself, so their contrast is affercted a little.

So in an eReader I do prefer IR, and capacitive in smartphones/tablets (where no other type is actually used).

Also: IR needs a bezel so forget about fully flat screens... But you can use them with common globes in your hands...

[Stingo]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

Thank you. All things considered, if I were going to do conversions of my mobi files for the H2O, wouldn't I be better off going all the way to Kepubs?

I've gone the KEPUB way. I like the looks and a couple of perks that go with it. Using Calibre I converted hundreds of books already. I also set up the shelve field and have classified hundreds of them by shelve so they are neatly organized. This ability to sink shelves from Calibre is something that Kindle definitely needs. Amazon has to stop making things harder for more advanced users.

[PeterT]

@stingo: Remember that the ability to sync shelves is due to a programmer (davidfor) understanding the Kobo database structure, and implementing an easy means to manage it via calibre.

[peachiekene]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

However, since I converted my books to kepubs highlighting works so much better for me now. Much smoother and more accurate.

How does one convert to kepubs? (I have calibre, but I don't see the option - I'm assuming there is something I must add or am overlooking.)
I highly prefer them on my glo and would love to convert everything to them.

[PeterT]

kepubs need you to install either the [Device Plugin] Kobo Touch Extended Driver OR [Conversion Output] KePub Output Plugin.

Don't worry about the note that they are no longer being developed; if bugs are found they will be investigated and resolved.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by peachiekene

How does one convert to kepubs? (I have calibre, but I don't see the option - I'm assuming there is something I must add or am overlooking.)
I highly prefer them on my glo and would love to convert everything to them.

Once you install the plugins PeterT mentions you just send your epubs to the device as normal, calibre converts them to Kobo epub (Kepub) for you when they send.

[gdornick]

Thank you all for the information about the Kobo Aura H2O and the Kindle (PW and Voyage). I am considering buying a Kobo Aura H2O (or HD), but I am curious to know what you think about the Kobo and Amazon dictionaries.
I am dutch and read a lot of english books on my PW1. I love how the Amazon dictionary works.

A couple of questions:
1.
Is the Kobo dictionary comparable with the Amazon one? I have read some posts where people complained that the Kobo dictionary isn't as comprehensive and less easy to use. What is your experience?

2.
In the Kobo manual it says about the dictionary:
"The dictionary may not work if you're reading books from other sources, such as PDFs, books you get from a public library, or free eBooks you’ve found on the Internet."

And about translation:
"Translation may not work if you're reading books from public libraries or from other stores, and won't work when reading PDFs."

If I understand this correctly, it would mean that if I put my own ebooks on the Kobo (from library or internet), the dictionary does not work. That worries me! That would be a no-no. What is your experience?

3.
Does the Kindle Voyage support the dutch (NL) language (this is what I read on the Amazon site). And does it have EN-NL, NL-EN and NL-NL dictionaries?

Thanks in advance.

[arspr]

First of all forget HD. Carta is fully worthy of the 10 €/$/£ the H2O cost over it. No decision here. As you can see in my signature I own both and the contrast ratio difference is very noticeable.

About dictionaries:
+ Yes, dictionaries do not work in PDFs in Kobos. I don't know in Kindles.
+ But they perfectly work in any kind of epub/kepub. It doesn't matter if it they are directly bought and downloaded from Kobo Bookstore or if they are sideloaded by you.
+ Yes Kobo dictionaries are somehow weak compared to Oxford ones (the brand used in my old Sony). But I use them without more trouble (EN, ES and translation between them).
+ IIRC Kindles are the only brand which allow buying and installing (without "advanced" tricks I mean) new and different dictionaries. So I would say that Kobo is clearly worse here.