My Voyage v Kobo H2O experience

[aceflor]

Now it hits me. That's the reason why the H2O is not that attractive to me: we have no bathtubs !!!

No, really, we don't.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

If you sideload books, i.e via USB or calibre there is a quick way to add to a collection. I loaded 135 Christmas stories yesterday to my new PW2 (yes i'm sad) and I didn't want to email them all to Amazon so I loaded via Calibre.

I then created the collection and selected Add/Remove.
I sorted the list of books to select from by Recent.
I then selected Add all on this page from the menu button. This loads 10 books in one go (the whole page) with only 1 pop up message saying I am adding books that won't sync with the cloud.
I then swiped to the next page.
On the page with more books that I wanted in the collection I added them all then unticked the ones I didn't want.

This way I had 13 pop up messages instead of 135!

I like that! Thank you! I'll have to try that the next time I'm adding to collections. I do everything in the Cloud because of the pain of collections. Horrible implementation, but I like having covers in my collections instead of text, so suffer I must.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Now it hits me. That's the reason why the H2O is not that attractive to me: we have no bathtubs !!!

No, really, we don't.

I rarely use the tub unless I'm in pain so the H2O part wouldn't entice me either.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I'm looking forward to using mine in the bath this winter. Nothing better than a nice bubble bath and a good book!

With this in mind, I bought a bath pillow, etc., used it once, but haven't used it since. No pain, no bath, but really I need to try it - with my PW in a bag, of course.

[JimmyH]

Thanks for the review. I'm new to the whole ereader experience, and I have the Voyage, and the H2o, so through your review I've learned a bit more than I knew heretofore about the possibilities of both. I really like both of them. I am keeping both. Perhaps if I had a "beloved PW2" I might return the Voyage as the OP is doing, but I don't so I feel I have the 'best of both worlds."

[guitarizt]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I can understand some buyers are wary of buying an H2O via the net. Why aren't Kobos stocked in stores in the USA?

Kobo and Amazon's front-light tech is clearly different, and Kobo does it better. I wonder what the difference is.

Add the increased size of the H2O screen over the Voyage, and I think the H2O is the clear winner. And it's cheaper too!

I do like the flush bezel design. Kobo hasn't used it on the H2O. Maybe they avoided the extra layer of complexity in favor of producing a flawless product. The 6" Aura had it and did have some issues compared to the glo and the Aura 6.8". And now the same with the Voyage.

I love my H2O. I ordered it Fri at about midnight from Chapters, and I got it Monday afternoon in Reno. Amazing, right?

[93terp]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

That's where the issues started for me. It took three tries to get one without gaps and cracking. Each model since, that I've purchased, has had issues and required multiple returns.



That's why I sent the Voyage back. I got one replacement and it was worse. I was done. If I could find a recent Kobo to compare, I'd likely switch, but really hard to say. They took the font size I need away after the KK and don't seem to think they need to put it back. They also haven't made any improvements to the UI since the PW1. I'm starting to feel a bit like they think we're sheep... baaaaa...

I really don't like the UI that Amazon introduced with the K4 (model that followed the Kindle Keyboard), not to mention the difficulties they inserted to using hacks/customizations of the creative folks here at MR! Not to mention the fact that they don't believe in eInk screens larger than 6". That's a deal breaker AFAIC.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by 93terp

I really don't like the UI that Amazon introduced with the K4 (model that followed the Kindle Keyboard), not to mention the difficulties they inserted to using hacks/customizations of the creative folks here at MR! Not to mention the fact that they don't believe in eInk screens larger than 6". That's a deal breaker AFAIC.

They do keep making it harder, don't they. I'm going to start taking it personally pretty soon. I always customize my devices, since I got my hands on my first Android, and won't stop now. Plus I have faith in the guys that love to find the hacks. We'll get by.

I'll admit, there's a few things they don't believe in that I'd like to change their minds about - SD card, sizing (my phone's almost the same size LOL), FONTS (sorry for screaming that, but it's starting to get on my nerves - not everyone has 18 year old eyes), speaker, etc.

Kobo has been on my radar for a while and won't go away any time soon.

[Josieb1]

I moved to Kobo last year with the 6 inch Aura and can't imagine not having a Kobo now. I have three now and while I have just bought a PW2 as I'll always need a Kindle part of the reason I won't pay for a Voyage is I much prefer Kobo now.

[allochi]

I also was between Kindle Voyage and Kobo H2O, specially I own Kobo Aura, and I like their software, and pocket integration. Where I live, there is a Fnac shop that sell Kobo H2O, so I checked it and it's amazing, light and screen size.

I received my Kindle Voyage yesterday, and I can see that it has wonderful screen, but there is this an even pinkish color that show up and disappear based on lighting around me.

Still, I'm going to keep the Voyage, H2O seemed slow for me, the screen sometimes just not responsive compared to the Voyage, the Voyage is snappier and the "Page Flip" feature is a blessing.

Kobo software has become more stable than before, and the quality of build is good, I didn't have Voyage and H2O next to each other, but I did play a little bit with H2O and I think the text is crisp, probably with the right font and setting you wouldn't notice a difference between Voyage and H2O.

Still, the Voyage font seems to be as perfect in darkness and in look as I would dream my perfect reader would be, if it wasn't for that pinkish tone :/

Kindle Voyage stay, hope for Kindle Voyage 6.8" or even 8"

One last note, I tried Kindle Voyage with PDFs, and it's just amazing and snappy, I don't think it's the same case with H2O, not with my few visits trying normal kepub books, I'm not sure if it's because of the infrared screen.

You would love both, just keep in mind it's the book not the paper ;D
Well, the paper a little

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Add the increased size of the H2O screen over the Voyage, and I think the H2O is the clear winner. And it's cheaper too!

I do like the flush bezel design. Kobo hasn't used it on the H2O. Maybe they avoided the extra layer of complexity in favor of producing a flawless product. The 6" Aura had it and did have some issues compared to the glo and the Aura 6.8". And now the same with the Voyage.

Personally, I would find the increase in size to be a reason for the Kobo not to be the winner since it might be enough to push it beyond the size that comfortably fits my jacket pockets so for me the Kindle is the clear winner even before I consider the ecosystem point where Kindle really excels.

As far as the 'in favor of producing a flawless product' comment, I am sure that if Kobo sold anywhere near the amounts of the Kindle then we would have heard far more hardware woes from them too and so far my Voyage has been flawless too anyway.

[soulfuldog]

+1 for the bigger screen on the Aura H2O being a negative for me. I personally would have been more interested if it'd been the standard 6". The smaller size was one of the things that had me considering the Aura against the PW2, and it was the better screen of the PW that kept me with a Kindle.

Originally Posted by Crowl

As far as the 'in favor of producing a flawless product' comment, I am sure that if Kobo sold anywhere near the amounts of the Kindle then we would have heard far more hardware woes from them too and so far my Voyage has been flawless too anyway.

Another excellent point.

[mr_nihilism]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

+1 for the bigger screen on the Aura H2O being a negative for me. I personally would have been more interested if it'd been the standard 6". The smaller size was one of the things that had me considering the Aura against the PW2, and it was the better screen of the PW that kept me with a Kindle.

Personally for what it lacks in portability (relatively) I would say it more than makes up for in as a home reader. The larger screen is a plus.

Now if Kobo can make an improved Aura 6" . I'd buy that in a heartbeat for all my on the go needs.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by mr_nihilism

Personally for what it lacks in portability (relatively) I would say it more than makes up for in as a home reader. The larger screen is a plus.

Now if Kobo can make an improved Aura 6" . I'd buy that in a heartbeat for all my on the go needs.

I would take my PW2 to go and use an H2O at home if size were an issue. Since I don't have an H2O at home, that's currently the issue.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I moved to Kobo last year with the 6 inch Aura and can't imagine not having a Kobo now. I have three now and while I have just bought a PW2 as I'll always need a Kindle part of the reason I won't pay for a Voyage is I much prefer Kobo now.

Same for me in that I can't imagine not having a Kobo now. I now prefer them over the kindles, mainly because I've had too many screen issues with the Paperwhites and the Voyage. The H20 screen is gorgeous and the customization is huge for me. I still really like my PW2, but I'm using my H20 at home exclusively. I might use my PW2 on the go since it's a little smaller.