Touch Remove Ads from the special offers edition?

[Xennex1170]

Originally Posted by David58117

I admit I have no idea how their profits are earned from the ad enabled units, but I severely doubt it's based on "each and every time a specific units runs a specific ad" - as there's too many ways Kobo can be screwed out of $ on that deal.

It makes 100% more sense to me for the sales figures to be what attracts the advertisers. "We have a product that is in front of blahblahblah many users each day - how much will you pay us to advertise on it?" makes more sense than "Okay - give us money and we'll put you on serial number 472720-794793 for 2 weeks...but your time may be cut off since most users have wifi off and may not connect to our servers in time for your ad run...you can just not pay us for that time, that's cool."

The user paid less by agreeing to purchase an ad supported reader, and indeed that's what they purchased. Once they own it and apply a hack to it, they would be just as guilty as any of us who have ever broke a software agreement (if there is in fact a software agreement somewhere)...and I'm sure pretty much everybody here has at one time or another.

They didn't pay to have to personally view each and every ad,..how would you enforce that? And what about the people who turn their device upside down and ignore them all?

Perhaps the model is similar to Billboard advertising.. It is just there and people can choose to view it or not. The advertisers simply paid for the space. If you remove that ad function of the subsidized device you are in effect tearing down the billboard because it obstructs your view. Or maybe Radio/TV advertising is a better comparison since you don't HAVE to have your TV on. I got it.. If you never want to see ads on your ad supported KT just set the device to NEVER go to sleep or power off. LOL

On another point, I wonder if the ad-subsidized versions since they show ads don't even create image files to be used for sleep and power-off modes. If so even after all that effort to hack it, you may just end up with a KT that just shows the happy face or blank cover whenever it's sleeping or powered-off.

Originally Posted by John F

I don't think the advertising is that big of deal. It could just be a marketing gimmick to appear to make the device cheaper, thus selling more kobos, thus more people using the Kobo store.

In that case, why wouldn't they just offer the device at a lower price without the advertising?

Whereas hacking could make it easier/more likely to bypass the Kobo store. Kobo wants you to use their store, it is another revenue stream for them. The cost of the Kobo is relatively cheap in the hopes of driving more people to the Kobo store.

Maybe it's because I used to own a Kindle, but Kobo seems to be much more open to hacking and buying/borrowing/downloading through third parties than their competition. Hacking the thing is so bloody easy that a reasonably proficient Unix administrator could figure it out by downloading a firmware update and examining the contents. Similarly, the device can accept protected books from libraries (at a minimum) and likely other vendors. So while Kobo probably prefers that people buy from them and they probably prefer that you use their firmware, they are by no means as restrictive as some of their competition.

[GoingDown]

fickel = program which handles wifi between frontend Nickel and Linux backend.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by LarpSarpLo

Just wondering if the Ads can be removed from the Special Offers edition? If yes, can someone kindly show how to do so step by step?

I recommend that members wishing to not have advertisements on their Kobo with Special Offers should not buy the discounted version.

Paul Durrant
MobileRead Moderator

[WT Sharpe]

Amen to that. There's a reason for the discounted price. Buying a Special Offer Edition and then removing the ads is a shady practice, in my opinion. I always pay the extra to get the ad-free version.

[pilotbob]

Not only is it shady but it violates the Terms of Service... which you agree to when buying/using the device. Pay the extra or deal with the ads... which really aren't any type of issue.

BOb

[SF&F Reader]

Yeah, but why are you all talking about Kindles and Amazon in the Kobo forum?

[WT Sharpe]

My response was aimed at special offers readers regardless of their make.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by SF&F Reader

Yeah, but why are you all talking about Kindles and Amazon in the Kobo forum?

Apologies. I didn't notice which Special Offers device was being discussed. I've adjusted my message accordingly.

[SF&F Reader]

No problem. I agree with you in either case.