Aura H2O screen frozen

[koboy]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

Also the Aura does not have internal SD card so outside of the builtin recovery methods, you can't fix bricks. So you can't use mods as carefree as with the other models.

I think the Aura is one of Kobo's lesser popular devices in general, so you also get fewer threads regarding breakage with it. Most people manage to not break their readers after all.



Most manufacturers are guilty of glossing over the weak points of their devices... did Apple warn customers about the possibility of their iphone bending in their pockets? eInk may be more fragile than others but other displays may break, too... Nintendo Wii has a history of breaking flatscreen TVs... although they did warn about it (I think?) it still happened and later they came up with the idea of wrapping the entire Wii remote in silicone...

Everything breaks and ebook readers are obviously not as sturdy as paperbacks.

I still think the advantages of these devices far outweigh their weaknesses so ... it's worth buying another reader, at least for me. I can't imagine ever going back to paper for reading...

It's all about personal preference.


best wishes koboy

[filmo]

I now have 2 Kobo ereaders with only one always in a cover and one Sony T1 reader. I had 2 Kobo wifi readers one in case and 2 more Sony T1 readers and all 4 of these I gifted to new homes. Out of these 8 readers I have only broke one glass sub straight. Once you fully understand how delicate they are you can easily avoid damage. I wouldn't call taking my still working Kobo Mini on roller coaster rides in a pocket babying it to prevent damage.

[Ripplinger]

I've had Sony PRS-350s and Kobo Glos and Glo HDs and take my reader with me daily whenever I leave the house, either in a pocket or a very small purse that the reader fits into snugly along with my phone and keys. I have a decent cover on it and that's all the babying it gets.

I do make sure that the reader is in a pocket alone where there's no chance of any other object pressing against it, that's about the extent of my being careful with any reader. I've never had one broken screen.

The flush glass seems like it would be just more area to break, more reflective surfaces for those with sensitive eyes (me), plus some seem to have problems accidentally triggering page turns when they hold it slightly beyond the "dead" area. I actually prefer the infrared touch on the Glo and Glo HD and the slightly raised matte bezel.

[Bob the builder]

Originally Posted by filmo

Once you fully understand how delicate they are you can easily avoid damage.

I understand now ... after it broke and I looked through these excellent fora.

Kobo certainly gives NO indication of their fragility and their customer service blamed me for it breaking, saying it would have had to have suffered a very heavy impact to break like that. Which it didn't.

I'd much prefer a device without a touch screen that was more robust. I want an e-book reader, not a quasi-tablet, not the very highest level of capability currently feasible for a consumer item, just something to read books on that can handle something like the treatment a book gets while remaining in very good condition.

[filmo]

With many complaints of hand pains after long reading sessions, they try to make readers as light as possible and still have long battery life. I think screen breaking will stop soon as new flexible substrate screens become affordable and common on ereaders in a few years.

http://www.eink.com/flexible.html

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

Kobo certainly gives NO indication of their fragility and their customer service blamed me for it breaking, saying it would have had to have suffered a very heavy impact to break like that. Which it didn't.

I'd much prefer a device without a touch screen that was more robust.

Not one ereader vendor gives any indication of how fragile e-ink screens are, so it's not just Kobo. And all of them would agree the reader was subjected to some type of physical damage to crack the screen. You probably just found the weak spot on your reader. The way I handle my readers and have dropped them onto conrete, I find them to be not fragile at all and pretty sturdy. I think it's just the luck of the draw whether a fall will crack the substrate or not.

It's not the touch screen at all that makes the readers fragile. It's the substrate of the e-ink screen itself, nothing to do with infrared or capacitive touch at all.

For myself, I can't imagine ever going back to paper books and lugging them around. Especially with my already poor eyesight getting older.

[meeera]

I'd actually consider them more sturdy than paper books, in many ways. I've read maybe 200-300 books on my ereader, and it still looks near-new. Anyone ever seen a paperback that's been read 300 times? My ereader's waterproof, too, unlike paper...

[Bob the builder]

Originally Posted by meeera

I'd actually consider them more sturdy than paper books, in many ways. I've read maybe 200-300 books on my ereader, and it still looks near-new. Anyone ever seen a paperback that's been read 300 times? My ereader's waterproof, too, unlike paper...

I just jumped on a book, whacked it, punched it, left it in the sun and it's still fine. One little nudge on the wrong bit and e-reader dead forever. Book ok for years and years.

[Bob the builder]

So I bought another H20 and in some moment of madness bought it through the Kobo website.

I have been through the seven circles of hell dealing with their customer service. Apparently it takes 24 - 48 hours for them to get back to me to tell me if it was shipped, as the contact people have no access to the ordering system.

All the reviews say Kobo customer service is appalling, so I only have myself to blame, but I can't quite believe how badly organised they are.

[Bob the builder]

In a world of outsourced customer service that is frustrating and unresponsive, Kobo stands tall. It truly is amazingly bad. The online responses I got were slow and nonsensical. The phone discussions the same, worsened by the amazing fact that they are unable to access their order or shipping database to simply check on the status of an order.

After a week of back and forth and multiple attempts to cancel my order, I finally have confirmation that it's cancelled and refunded.

I don't think I can go back to Kobo, they are that sh*t. Pity the actual devices are great to use when they don't break.

Can anyone recommend a brand and model that is open-source and flexible?

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

After a week of back and forth and multiple attempts to cancel my order, I finally have confirmation that it's cancelled and refunded.

You're in Australia - why would you buy direct from Kobo? Buy from JB or Officeworks or Myer or Collins or wherever. Less postage, local replacement if defective, etc.

All e-ink readers break when not treated gently. Can't recommend any over the others in that respect, so buy the one you like using, buy a good case, and be careful.

[Bob the builder]

Originally Posted by meeera

You're in Australia - why would you buy direct from Kobo? Buy from JB or Officeworks or Myer or Collins or wherever. Less postage, local replacement if defective, etc.

I thought I was buying from Australia. The website is https://au.kobobooks.com/products/ko...ign=Aura%20H2O, so I assumed it was the local Kobo supplier.
I chose it because they promised the quickest delivery (yes, stupid assumption, I don't even know why I believed them!) and the delivery fee was about the same or lower than others.

Originally Posted by meeera

All e-ink readers break when not treated gently. Can't recommend any over the others in that respect, so buy the one you like using, buy a good case, and be careful.

Yes, as noted above I know that now, just wish the industry was a bit more upfront about this!

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

I thought I was buying from Australia. The website is https://au.kobobooks.com/products/ko...ign=Aura%20H2O, so I assumed it was the local Kobo supplier.

The first line when you click on "Terms" is "The following Terms of Sales applies to any online order that you place with Rakuten Kobo Inc. (“Kobo,” “we,” or “us”) located at 135 Liberty Street, Suite 101, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 1A7. ".

I'd suggest just reading along in the forums here for a while - all this stuff is very commonly discussed.

[Bob the builder]

Originally Posted by meeera

The first line when you click on "Terms" is "The following Terms of Sales applies to any online order that you place with Rakuten Kobo Inc. (“Kobo,” “we,” or “us”) located at 135 Liberty Street, Suite 101, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 1A7. ".

Like most people, for better or worse, I don't often read the Terms. With an Australian web address, billing in Australian dollars, and promised delivery as quick or quicker than Australian retailers, I had an assumption that it was an Australian entity. Seems Kobo is more sh*t the more I'm exposed to them.

Originally Posted by meeera

I'd suggest just reading along in the forums here for a while - all this stuff is very commonly discussed.

Yes, I have now. But I didn't before I bought the original item. I did read fairly extensively for reviews, but sadly didn't stumble across this excellent site, which obviously has far more info than reviews by professional electronics/consumer reviewers, who just looked at the characteristics of a unit out of the box.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Bob the builder

Like most people, for better or worse, I don't often read the Terms. With an Australian web address, billing in Australian dollars, and promised delivery as quick or quicker than Australian retailers, I had an assumption that it was an Australian entity. Seems Kobo is more sh*t the more I'm exposed to them.

Like amazon.com.au?