Aura Problem with scratches?

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

For comparison's sake: immediately after I got off the phone with Kobo on Monday, I ordered a Kindle. About 20 minutes after I got the Kobo confirmation this morning (Wednesday), I got a UPS email telling me that my Kindle's been delivered. Checkmate, Amazon.

Nobody's going to argue you with you, there. I haven't ordered any of my Kobos from Kobo, so I can't speak about that. I do love ordering from Amazon!

[U2Bono269]

I just noticed you're from PA...me too! That's pretty cool.

Final thoughts on my Kobo screen: Having never owned a lighted ereader before, my new Kindle makes it obvious that the screen on my Kobo is not very good. The Aura has some fairly big shadows and dark areas on it...very uneven, somewhat streaky and blotchy. It's also significantly glossier than the Kindle or Nook, which combined with the lack of bezel has me convinced my scratch problem comes from the design of the screen. Throw in the light-leaks and I have what is a very defective device, and I believe that I would have some of the same issues with the replacement.

I'm happy I changed to the Kindle.

[AbPho]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

...I'm happy I changed to the Kindle.

Congratulations. That is the main thing (you being happy). Too bad about your less than stellar experience.

[PeterT]

I have to say I would not expect the manufacturer to replace a unit with scratches on the screen. Its not as if this is a software issue or even a device that became corrupted on a f/w upgrade. Rather it is an issue caused by the user, either via dirt on the screen that gets dragged around, or some impurity within the case.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

For comparison's sake: immediately after I got off the phone with Kobo on Monday, I ordered a Kindle. About 20 minutes after I got the Kobo confirmation this morning (Wednesday), I got a UPS email telling me that my Kindle's been delivered. Checkmate, Amazon.

So you're claiming that a company that is essentially in the business of delivering stuff is more streamlined than a company in the business of producing hardware and selling digital books? Get back off that limb!

[U2Bono269]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I have to say I would not expect the manufacturer to replace a unit with scratches on the screen. Its not as if this is a software issue or even a device that became corrupted on a f/w upgrade. Rather it is an issue caused by the user, either via dirt on the screen that gets dragged around, or some impurity within the case.

I think you're right, in most cases. But here, I disagree. It's not as simple as "I scratched my e-reader." If I scratched it due to my own mishandling, that's my own fault.

I can only speak from my own e-reader experiences. I've owned an e-ink device since 2009. I had a Nook Simple Touch, and a Nook 1E. I never used a case or a sleeve on either of them and in all that time I never experienced a single scratch, scuff, mark, or anything. I take good care of my things. When it comes to my gadgets, I'm obsessive about them being pristine.

I bought a small sleeve for my Kobo because of the flat screen. I suspected it would need the extra protection. So yes, in my view and based on my experiences, a brand new e-reader that accumulates the kind of screen-damage that mine has in 6 weeks of use, in a case, and stored in my padded messenger bag, is in some way "bad." You don't get that kind of damage unawares unless there's something wrong. And I can guarantee you, that if anything happened to that e-reader that would have caused a scratch, I'm pretty sure I would have known.

In the end, it wasn't just scratching. There were also pinpoint light spots on the screen, and a really big light leak along the top. The top bezel is actually separating...there's a gap between the brown plastic and the screen itself now, and it's growing. The lighting on the screen is really bad...not only compared to the new Kindle. I also went online and checked out video reviews that show much better lighting than mine has. Mine has dark shadows around the edges and in the middle. I assumed that was par for the course.

So yes, it seems that I have a poorly constructed Aura. It's not unreasonable to think that the tendency to scratch easily could be related to an overall shoddy device.

I'm sure that my replacement, if it ever arrives, will turn out to be fine. I think I just got a device that slipped through QC, which is not unheard of or really all that big of a deal.

It's really Kobo's customer service that drove me away. To say that a light leak is, in their words, "not that bad" and that the bright spots are "not that noticeable" is unacceptable. If a new device shows those flaws, you take it back. You don't try to talk the customer down and persuade them to live with it.

My Kobo is unusable right now. The screen reflects light and highlights all the scuffs and obscures words. The front-light does the same. And it's been almost a week now, and Kobo STILL has not created an order to send me a replacement.

[U2Bono269]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

So you're claiming that a company that is essentially in the business of delivering stuff is more streamlined than a company in the business of producing hardware and selling digital books? Get back off that limb!

I know, right!

Just for fun, I googled how long it would take me to go to Toronto myself...

I could drive there in 7 hours and 4 minutes.

I could walk there in 5 and a half days.

I could fly there in 1 hour.

I could bike there in less than 2 days.

Even if I walked there, and back, it would take less time than it does for them to deliver it.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

I know, right!

Just for fun, I googled how long it would take me to go to Toronto myself...

I could drive there in 7 hours and 4 minutes.

I could walk there in 5 and a half days.

I could fly there in 1 hour.

I could bike there in less than 2 days.

Even if I walked there, and back, it would take less time than it does for them to deliver it.

As a Canadian, I get a laugh out of the constant praise of Amazon's delivery times compared to Kobo's delivery times. Perhaps you should try placing an order with Amazon.com from Canada. Forget the next day delivery. Just hope for less than a couple of weeks during most of which time tracking shows the parcel as sitting in Indiana until it miraculously appeared stuffed between my front door and screen door -- I'm not certain which door signed for the parcel.

Regards,
David

[Snow Sciles]

I've no idea what the manufacturing process is for ereaders, but it really is a lottery when it comes to the screens. It seems you were one of the unlucky ones. I sent my Aura back straight after I noticed pinpricks, but I'm sure there are many Kobo users who haven't had any issues. It's the same with my Nook. I've had no problems, but there were others who had issues.

It just is what it is. Unless the quality control for ereaders is increased, this is something we will all have to deal with. Which I find irksome, as it seems the standard is lower for ereaders than other computing devices.

[U2Bono269]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As a Canadian, I get a laugh out of the constant praise of Amazon's delivery times compared to Kobo's delivery times. Perhaps you should try placing an order with Amazon.com from Canada. Forget the next day delivery. Just hope for less than a couple of weeks during most of which time tracking shows the parcel as sitting in Indiana until it miraculously appeared stuffed between my front door and screen door -- I'm not certain which door signed for the parcel.

Regards,
David

That's a little over simplified. I certainly wasn't expecting next day, or 2 day, or whatever. When I ordered it, I had 5-7 delivery. That's what I expected. It took 8 days before it even left the warehouse. That has nothing to do with ordering from another country.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

That's a little over simplified. I certainly wasn't expecting next day, or 2 day, or whatever. When I ordered it, I had 5-7 delivery. That's what I expected. It took 8 days before it even left the warehouse. That has nothing to do with ordering from another country.

My last experience with ordering from Amazon was that I had a parcel that the web based tracker showed as sitting in Indiana for ~9 days after 4 days to get to Indiana. The tracker showed it still sitting there after it was dumped at my front door. It took until the following morning before the parcel was shown as in transit. Experience shows quite a few parcels crossing the border showing the same type of behaviour -- it seems as if they get dumped into a black hole and a random time later pop back out on the other side of the border.

I don't blame Amazon for those shipping times. Almost any shipment crossing the international border in either direction is a crap shoot for delivery times.

Regards,
David

[U2Bono269]

A package sitting in a warehouse in Indiana for days is not the same as a company holding a shipment for over a week after receiving payment. Nor is it the same as taking a week and counting to create an order for a warranty replacement.

The truth is, once Kobo finally shipped my aura 2 months ago, it took 8 days, which is just a day over the 5-7 days I was quoted. That's reasonable. But promising a 5-7 day delivery, and having it arrive 16 days later is bad, regardless of what country you're in, where you're ordering it from, or how long it sits in Indiana.

[TechniSol]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your Aura. Good luck with the new device from Amazon.

It's obvious you're upset, but I'd caution you to read your own posts, mentally substitute another poster's handle and a device that you've had no problems with and realize that you may be coming off a bit differently than intended when you write posts detailing the various methods & travel times by which you might have journied to Canada to more quickly resolve the issue and then make comparisons between returns dealing with a manufacturer vs. the shipping of a new device... You're letting your anger color how others will regard the situation and how they'll perceive you and the situation you've taken so much time and effort to document.

Next thing you know some jerk yells "Troll" and all the trouble you've gone to trying to selflessly protect others from a company maliciously producing products that apparently practically scratch themselves and deteriorate before your very eyes goes down the drain...

Good thing we caught that and nipped it in the bud before anything really silly or ill considered was written that might have caused others to in some way discount the validity of your claims or otherwise derail your efforts!

[jackastor]

@ U2Bono269:

Have you received your replacement Kobo?

I have ordered From Amazon and have had to cancel an order that was not shipped. They got their money right away it was a direct debit Card purchase so the money was deposited in their account. It took 2 weeks to get the money back from them. So much for their fast times.

regards

Jack

[jackastor]

I purchased nice screen protector for my Reader, because I know that when you use things that are accessed by hand, rings( especially a ladies ring, by slipping around) will scratch screens with out realizing it. A pet for instance a dog ( living experience here), can and has scratched my lap top screen. So it can happen with out us realizing it. The best way to prevent scratches is to protect the device from the get go. Look at the space behind a door handle on the car and you will see what I mean.

That's not to say you deliberately scratched your unit, why would anyone sane do that any way. It is just to say that there are lots of ways that it can happen with you noticing or realizing it happened when it happens.


regards

Jack