Aura Kobo Aura ONE issues

[Zaroff]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The first four characters should be the model number. The rest, I don't know. But, the more similar they are, especially if only the last two or three characters are different, the more likely they are from the same batch.

I don't think they're the same batch. First one is N70968000xxxxx, the second N70969000xxxxx with that last xxx number much higher than the 68 one. So it's not a batch problem, apparently, but repeated manufacturing flaws, with, among others, screen sources all over the place, or a total absence of QC, or both. If that goes for the screen, alignement of front panel, and so on, no reason it doesn't go as well for either battery or battery controller, IMO.

Originally Posted by davidfor

Nothing unusual in that. There have been some problems with books with errors that trigger a problem and leave a background task running. Or killing a background task. Until the device is restarted, the background task is using power.

Why not, but at least on the first one, that I had for a month and half, no book would be immune to the battery farce. So I don't think it's book/book files related.

[robko]

Originally Posted by crissman

How long does it take for the firmware to update after sideloading the files and unmounting? My KA1 hasn't updated yet and it has been 15 minutes? I kinda expected it to do it immediately.

If it doesn't start the update process pretty much immediately after unmounting you likely did something wrong in putting it onto the device. Double check all the directions and try it again.

[crissman]

Originally Posted by robko

If it doesn't start the update process pretty much immediately after unmounting you likely did something wrong in putting it onto the device. Double check all the directions and try it again.

Yup I screwed it up.

Originally Posted by Willa

- Copy all three items to the .kobo folder on your ONE
- Eject the ONE, and then unplug it

The update will happen automatically.

I got to used to the kindle pw1 and dropping everything to root. Didn't read it properly. Thanks for pointing it out. Doh!

crissman

[alizarin]

>First one is N70968000xxxxx, the second N70969000xxxxx

Same here. I got a replacement KA1 after the orginal had green blotches when natural light was on. QC is definitely an issue, as you can see from the picture.

http://i.imgur.com/D8VGoRs.jpg

8000 batch on the right, 9000 batch on the left. I kept the "warm white" version and returned the "cool white" version, mainly because the green blotches in the original 8000 batch KA1 were very distracting and the replacement is much more even (although not perfect, this one veers towards red blotches rather than green)

Both have slightly misplaced front screens with minor gaps. The replacement also has a somewhat loose back plate, and there were a few scratches on the finish when I unboxed it (not an issue for me).


Battery life is about the same in both, they both drop about 5-10% an hour when reading with backlight on.

I have left the wifi on in the replacement and haven't experienced the nocturnal battery drain issue yet.

[Zaroff]

About the battery drops, interesting stats maybe: since I still have both KA1, I tried to observe when the 10% drops occur. On both units, battery dropped 10% first at 70% battery remaining, then again at 50%. Both had the lighting set at 11%.

[monic39]

Today I bought a sealed KA1 in a local Dutch electronical shop.
When I unboxed it ther where a lot issues:
1)there was a very wide gap on the left side between screen and back
2) the back was a little bit loose
3) there was visible dust onder the screen
4) there was a bright spott on the screen
5) the bottom could be pressed and then there was a cracking sound

I returned it and emailed Kobo about this. The kobo displayed in the store had none of the above issues, so it's pretty random I think.

I will order one more through another store, If that one is also like above, then I will wait until .......forever I am affraid. Kobo doesn't producing new stuff often

(sorry if there were gramm. mistakes, I am dutch)

[JoOrwick]

Originally Posted by Zaroff

I tried to observe when the 10% drops occur. On both units, battery dropped 10% first at 70% battery remaining, then again at 50%. Both had the lighting set at 11%.

I have the same exact issue. I guess it's the battery indicator trying to "catch up" to the actual battery charge/level. It's an issue with calibration, but it seems like there's nothing the user can do about it. I went through 5 or 6 full charge cycles and the issue is still there.

[JoOrwick]

I want to expand on the 10% battery drop issue. Zaroff is not the only one with this issue. I had noticed it as soon as I got my KA1 over a month ago and I've been complaining about it quite a bit on this forum.

It usually happens soon after waking the device from sleep and only when the battery indicator is at ~70%, ~50% and or ~35%.

I always check the battery level before I start reading and check it again after a couple of minutes. Everything would seem fine at first and I'd be 100% sure the battery is at say 72%. After a couple of minutes, the battery would magically drop to 60%. This would then happen again either at 35% or 50%. It only happens two times per charge. Once at 70% and again at 35% or 50%.

It doesn't happen exclusively after waking up from sleep nor does it happen every time I wake the device from sleep. It only happens when the battery indicator is near or at 70%, 50% or 35%. For example, just the other day I woke the device from sleep and the battery indicator was at 55%. After about an hour of reading, it was at 50% and then at 40% just a few minutes (possibly even seconds) later.

[davidfor]

@JoOrwick: Personally, I don't expect the battery drain to be linear. There is enough going on (battery chemistry, how often the screen change, background tasks, temperature changes) that I would some drops or drain at different rates. But, I wouldn't have expected those types of drops without something else happening.

But, the important question here is: How much reading time do you actually get? If you charge it to 100% and use it until you get the "please charge" message, how long can you read for? If it is only an hour or two, then there is a problem. Ten hours would still be low, but it could be usage patterns. If you get 15 hours or more, then that is the Kobo quoted time, and while it is annoying that the battery level change is non-linear, the device would actually be living up to spec.

[Lemons]

Another random issue that is hard to explain and can't get it in photos. My replacement started having problems after a few weeks that was more of a discolor and uneven light. To make it worse it also started waking up to a off-light box ring effect that takes a few page refresh's to get rid of sometime's the light would not even turn on when tried to wake it up.

Got a photo of the so called dark ring.
https://i.gyazo.com/44c22cb1480aedd6...e791d42568.png

[TheHazardsDuke]

I don't think I've seen a product have this many issues in a long long time. I mean firmware is one thing, computer code is lengthy and complex and with so much going it's not surprising there are bugs and glitches. The amount of issues people have with the build though is really poor. Not just for the product but for Kobo as a company. I certainly have no plan to invest in one now. Too many horror stories (and when I got a Glo HD back in 2015 it came with a damaged screen and it took two months before I was able to return it and get my money back) and for comparison I haven't seen this many compliants ever for Nintendo hardware (and I've been a Nintendo gamer for 17 years) or for Kindles as a whole.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by TheHazardsDuke

I don't think I've seen a product have this many issues in a long long time.

So you don't use Microsoft products?

Kobo's software is famous of having bugs, but in the end Kobo delivers a product which in many ways (freedom of style choices, possibility of installing other reading software, easy customization, easy hacking, adding your own fonts, bigger screensizes etc.) could be an alterantive to Amazon ereaders.

Over the years I returned more Kindles than Kobos regarding hardware issues (bad screens, lighting issues, black dots, bright spots, dust under the screen). Of course your own experience might be another.

Kindle software surely is bulletproof in terms of stability and also has it's unique features (Word Wise, X-Ray). That is why I also own Kindles.

But my second Kobo Aura One is without any flaws (after returning the first because of uneven lighting). So for me personally it is one of the best ereaders I have ever owned.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Lemons

Another random issue that is hard to explain and can't get it in photos. My replacement started having problems after a few weeks that was more of a discolor and uneven light. To make it worse it also started waking up to a off-light box ring effect that takes a few page refresh's to get rid of sometime's the light would not even turn on when tried to wake it up.

Got a photo of the so called dark ring.
https://i.gyazo.com/44c22cb1480aedd6...e791d42568.png

From what I can see on your photo, it looks as if the white/black/white refresh of the screen was not done when leaving sleep mode. If you tap the center of the screen to bring up the menu bar and then again to dismiss it, does the text look okay? Ghosting is one of the more annoying items about eInk screens.

[Zaroff]

Originally Posted by DNSB

If you tap the center of the screen to bring up the menu bar and then again to dismiss it, does the text look okay? Ghosting is one of the more annoying items about eInk screens.

I confirm that trick corrects any ghosting issues I have going into a book from the home screen or wherever else. Refreshing eInk can't be avoided on current screen to keep it clean.