Aura ONE Kobo Aura One owners thread

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by Stingo

Well I finally got my Aura One and was wondering if others have run accross what I've found. So let me recap the issues.

The device itself is very nice and I have no problem with washed out text. The text is sharp and clear. I also have had no issue with battery life which is fine. But....

-when using dim front lighting the top and edges are noticeably darker forming a slight gradient. The lighting is not as even as on the H2O.
-in dim light the screen lighting will suddenly adjust a step or to up or down for no reason at random times later adjusting back.
-In night light there is a noticeable green/blue blotch about a third of the way across on the bottom. It extends up about an inch.
-The screen sensitivity is not great.

Yes
No
Maybe
Yes

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Having sold eink devices in a brick and mortar store I can tell you that even seeing the demo models next to other generations doesn't help.

You're still gambling on the quality of the device you pull out of the box. And after a certain time the demo models wont be representative of the ones in boxes simply because they're usually abused by some customers (not all, but some folks could use lessons in personal hygiene).

And depending on the company returns to a brick and mortar store can be harder, they are generally stricter than websites when it comes to returns, even within the same company.

When I bought the H2O I got to actually pick up the exact unit I wanted. They used the two other ones as demo afterwards, as I got it on their first day.

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I believe you and I believe aceflor too. I'm glad people post their differing experiences, my only point in replying was that I find it a little frustrating when someone posts what they see and someone else replies basically saying that's impossible, as JoOrwick did. I don't think people are trying to be rude, but it rubs me the wrong way. I experienced this constantly years back when I was having trouble getting a decent kindle paperwhite screen. People acting like I couldn't possibly be seeing what I was seeing. Why would someone say they see something they don't? I should add, as someone who has had experience with the same make and model of e-readers next to each other, I also know how much the same make and model can vary as well. I also know some people can look at the exact same device and see different things. The main thing is if you're happy with your device that is all that matters.
....

. My point exactly ! I remember the whole discussion on the PW, and then on the Voyage. I know you do too...

[robko]

Originally Posted by Stingo

-in dim light the screen lighting will suddenly adjust a step or to up or down for no reason at random times later adjusting back.

Go into your light menu and turn off the autolighting. sitting "near" a window on a partly cloudy day mine went up and down like a yo-yo as the sun went in and out of cloud or edge of cloud. The sensor seems a little too sensitive so even turning the angle of the device in dim light might be enough to cause it to go up or down.

Originally Posted by Stingo

-In night light there is a noticeable green/blue blotch about a third of the way across on the bottom. It extends up about an inch.

I find the base lighting overall go be very good, but I do find the Natural light (especially a lower - 25%ish setting) does get more blotchy and uneven. That's really my only disappointment with the A1.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by SCION

I opened a support ticket first thing this morning, and provided photos. Decided to call them as a follow-up on next steps. After being on hold for 30 minutes waiting for a representative, I was prompted to do a factory reset. Of course that didn't resolve the issue. He didn't give me a hard time and stated I would get an email requesting photos of front and back of device, along with proof of purchase. Email arrived a few minutes later and I attached what was needed. We'll see where this goes.

Forgot to mention, his tone softened at the beginning of the conversation when I told him it was purchased from them.

Received another email requesting my name and address. Looks like they are going to send a replacement. Previous posts indicate shipments for orders placed directly with Kobo are coming from Canada now. Hope this means I'll have a new device soon.

Someone else indicated they also have a bright spot above center on the screen. I encourage folks to reach out to Kobo soon after receipt.

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by robko

I find the base lighting overall go be very good, but I do find the Natural light (especially a lower - 25%ish setting) does get more blotchy and uneven. That's really my only disappointment with the A1.

Same here. But if my memory of high school physics serves me correctly, its impossible to get a uniform colour gradient from two different light sources of differing colour, plus personally I dont find it distracting in the slightest, but I can understand how someone might. And after the Oasis I had to learn to lower my standards a bit. Im still singing about the blue-light filtration

I never used to let those pinpricks of light fly. Very distracting. Easy to solve though - exchaaange! Feeling very lucky I got a great device first time first try - not the first time its happened buying from chapters.ca

And to anyone with any problems, faults or dislikes towards their devices - No! Your experience with the Kobo Aura One is wrong! :P *sacrifices chicken at Kobo shrine* Mine is the only true, divine way. Come join ussssssss

[cerem0ny]

A broken H2o vs an Aura One at max brightness, no colour balance, very dark room. Hard to tell from the photos but my Aura One just feels much cleaner and crisper, especially up close and personal.

The text on the H2O does seem a little blacker which I just noticed from the images but I think if I adjusted the weight on my A1 theyd be equal. I think in pretty much all respects the A1 is a great step up, shadows on the edges and cones on the bottom and all.

[frankrec]

I love my new Kobo Aura One! It feels great in my hand and it weighs so little. I just wish it had an option not to display any headers or footers.

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by frankrec

I love my new Kobo Aura One! It feels great in my hand and it weighs so little. I just wish it had an option not to display any headers or footers.

There is an option, ive done it to both my devices (pictured), one through a patch and one from just editing some text files, check the Patching 4.01... sticky in the Developers Corner on kobo mobileread forums.

[MGlitch]

I'm just confused why you disabled the header and footer, but haven't sought to reclaim the space. I've got my Aura One with text basically from edge to edge of the screen both left/right and top/bottom.

[cerem0ny]

double post

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

I'm just confused why you disabled the header and footer, but haven't sought to reclaim the space. I've got my Aura One with text basically from edge to edge of the screen both left/right and top/bottom.

Because it's prettier! Nicer to look at. I have to change the way the text is displayed with each book, otherwise I get bored. I thought everyone did that? How can you stand to look at the same batch of text every time you open an ebook for the rest of eternity?

Plus I like feeling like a book publisher because I get to pick the fonts and sizes etc. with each book, hehehe

[Katsunami]

Kobo Aura ONE vs. Kindle Paperwhite (2012, v1) size comparison.

In the attached pictures, the reader is set to full screen, using the option as described on this page:

[FeatureSettings]
FullScreenReading=true

When converting files to KEPUB, there's a bug in this (unofficial/experimental) feature that cuts off part of the final letter on a line, at the right, which I have been unable to work around. However, when uploading plain EPUBs without converting them, and setting the "Use extended features" in the Kobo Touch extended driver, everything seems to work; reading progress, and everything is correctly displayed.

edit: I was mistaken in the above paragraph. The bug still exists even when sending the books as EPUB through the Kobo Touch Extended driver. The driver converts them to KEPUB. It was a coincidence that the Sherlock Holmes book displayed wasn't affected by it. According to GeoffR however, it can be fixed without patching the firmware. I'll try that tonight.

The amount of text that can fit on this screen compared to a six inch Kindle is huge. Even if you're reading in normal mode, with header and footer, the KA1 displays a lot more text than a Kindle.

(PS: I would NEVER read on a 6 inch Kobo, with header and footer displayed; it's one of the reasons why I haven't tried a Kobo before. If the full screen feature hadn't worked out, I could have lived with the header and footer on a 7.8 inch device, but it would have been exceedingly annoying on an already small 6 inch device.)

Also, I'm comparing it to one of the very few hard covers and mass market paperbacks I still have. While the KA1 can't display the amount of text the hard cover can, it seems to get close to, or even exceed, the text shown in a mass market paperback. I haven't counted to make sure. The Kindle obviously can't keep up by a long shot because it's so much smaller.

In picture r1, the red dot on the KA1 marks the spot where the Kindle screen is full. (I must admit that the Aura ONE's text is a bit smaller in this picture, but still; you should be able to fit at least twice the amount of text on an KA1 as compared to a KPW1.) In pictures r7 and r8, there's a comparison between the smallest, and next to smallest margin settings. I don't know if I like reading with all the text right up to the edge of the reader.

[MGlitch]

It's possible to get two or three more lines of text on the Aura One, maybe even four. Though it would require the text be siginifcantly closer to the edges of the screen. The two or three lines are entirely just from the blank space at the bottom of the Aura One, the fourth+ would be from that space as well as the left and right margins.

I realize that some people prefer slightly thicker margins, I prefer to maximize the amount of text on a page. Especially since discovering the joy of a capacitive touch screen, no slightly raised bezel to cast shadows on the screen from outside sources of light.

I'll try and get a photo of my Aura One screen up sometime tonight after I get home.

[Barty]

Q for owners: When you touch the screen does it feel like glass or plastic?