Kindle Oasis 3 vs Boox Poke 3 vs ?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

More features?

Umm... Last time I looked the more features was the kepub conversion and options around it. If you disable the kepub conversion, from my limited tests, ModifyEpub does a better job of cleaning up the files and smartening punctuation.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

What makes you think flush screen versus recessed screen makes any difference whatsoever in the touch layer?

What evidence do you have that the tere is any difference between the touch layers of the PW3 and the PW4?

Why else would the PW4 be less sharp/clear then the PW3?

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

What makes you think flush screen versus recessed screen makes any difference whatsoever in the touch layer?

What evidence do you have that the there is any difference between the touch layers of the PW3 and the PW4?

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why else would the PW4 be less sharp/clear then the PW3?

Any number of reasons, but you have not answered either of the above questions.

The touch layer has to be electrically connected. The easiest way to do that is for it to be a part of the screen assembly.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by LDB

I have Oasis 3, PaperWhite 4, Aura One, and Glowlight Plus. The PW4 is to loan to a friend or for if the Oasis croaks. I like the Kobo and Nook fine but never use them. They were both purchased to see if something better than the Oasis is out there. They are both very good but neither one scores any runs the Oasis can't.

Hmmm... Comparing a Kobo to a Kindle... There is the better margin and font size controls, the ability to hack the device without having to jailbreak it, the ability to borrow library books on the device (don't bother mentioning that in the USA, you can borrow Kindle format library books since not living in the USA, that's barely of academic interest to me). The ability to sort by series which may change since my Kindle is on 5.13.4 but I haven't seen any series information in the month since it was updated. Heck, even items such as when Kobo releases a new firmware, it is feature complete for the device while Amazon seems to release firmware with features that may or may not be enabled Real Soon Now.

I look at the sort options for books. For books, Recent, Title and Author are on both. The Kobo add Date Added, Series, File Type and File Size. Filter on the Kobo adds Reading, Finished, Purchased, Imported and Downloaded. I'm going to say Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus are a saw off though Kobo Plus does not limit me to 10 books. Checking the Authors tab allows me to sort by Last name, First name, Recent and Rumber of books. The Series tab sorts by Series title, Recent and Number of books while the Collections tab allows sorting by Collection name, Number of books and Date created.

You have noted that either old Kindles or jailbroken ones are required to allow calibre to manage collections on a Kindle? Manual collection management is so last decade.

For the ease of hacking, try installing alternative reader software on your Oasis 3. Compare it to installing KOReader, Plato with the one click install packages on a Kobo. Where's the NickelMenu equivalent for an Oasis 3? Want custom screensaver images? On a Kobo, create a directory called 'screensaver', add the images and set to display covers full-screen. Want to set your device to go to sleep in 10 minutes and power off after an hour? Just set those two settings and bob's your uncle.

At one point, it could be said that the Kindle had better dictionaries but Kobo seems to have caught up with Amazon in that area.

I have compared my wife's Libra H2O to an Oasis 3 and, to me, the advantage is to the Libra H2O. My Forma simply adds an 8" screen though being 9 grams heavier than the Oasis 3 might be a deal killer for some.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I have compared my wife's Libra H2O to an Oasis 3 and, to me, the advantage is to the Libra H2O

As a satisfied Libra owner, I'm always surprised by how seldom price is mentioned as a factor in its favor. I'm somewhat envious of those to whom the significant price difference between the Libra and the Oasis is irrelevant.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

As a satisfied Libra owner, I'm always surprised by how seldom price is mentioned as a factor in its favor. I'm somewhat envious of those to whom the significant price difference between the Libra and the Oasis is irrelevant.

I was going to mention that the Libra H2O is currently $180 Cdn while the Oasis 3 is $330 Cdn (8GB WiFi only) but it seems every time pricing is brought up, we get someone stating something to the effect that "Amazon always has sales and I got my Oasis 3 for $60 with trade ins and earnings on my Amazon credit card, etc.".

Much like the responses when $70 for "free WAN" is brought up. If McDonald's sold a Happy Meal for $3.29 Cdn and advertised "to add a free toy to your Happy Meal, pay $3.99 Cdn", I suspect we would not have the acceptance of paying for "free".

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The ability to sort by series which may change since my Kindle is on 5.13.4 but I haven't seen any series information in the month since it was updated. Heck, even items such as when Kobo releases a new firmware, it is feature complete for the device while Amazon seems to release firmware with features that may or may not be enabled Real Soon Now.

The series feature of the new Kindle firmware only works with eBooks downloaded from Amazon. It will not work with side loaded eBooks because Amazon keeps the database locked up tight.

I have compared my wife's Libra H2O to an Oasis 3 and, to me, the advantage is to the Libra H2O. My Forma simply adds an 8" screen though being 9 grams heavier than the Oasis 3 might be a deal killer for some.

You forgot to mention that the Forma is using a plastic backed screen so it's a lot more safe from the "I have no idea how the screen broke" issues.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The series feature of the new Kindle firmware only works with eBooks downloaded from Amazon. It will not work with side loaded eBooks because Amazon keeps the database locked up tight.

Jon, please give me some credit for knowing why I type about. I currently have around 193 books on the Kindle PW3, all of which were downloaded over WiFi from Amazon. As I said, it's been a month since I installed 5.13.4 and still no series. I picked up the Kindle for a serial number and that's about my only use for it when I'm not doing comparisons between it and a Clara HD.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You forgot to mention that the Forma is using a plastic backed screen so it's a lot more safe from the "I have no idea how the screen broke" issues.

That it may be. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen a broken screen and "I didn't do nothing" in the same message.

[JSWolf]

@DNSB as you mentioned about not having the series feature activated, I don't know if you need WiFi on or not to get the inactivated new features.

I do find it dreadful that Amazon has new features in the firmware and you don't get them all right away. You have to wait for who knows how long for them to be activated. At least Kobo gives you all the features with no waiting.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Why use the Kobo Touch Extended with kepub turned off instead of the Kobo Touch driver?

I forget

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Jon, please give me some credit for knowing why I type about. I currently have around 193 books on the Kindle PW3, all of which were downloaded over WiFi from Amazon. As I said, it's been a month since I installed 5.13.4 and still no series. I picked up the Kindle for a serial number and that's about my only use for it when I'm not doing comparisons between it and a Clara HD.

Long ago Collections worked on Kindle via Calibre, then on Kindle only and now they break if you sync.

It is mindlessly stupid that Amazon has changed to having Firmware updates that at some unspecified time in the future activate.

I've stopped updating FW on my PW3 and now don't use Sync. I also transfer via USB to avoid KFX. I do have to connect the DXG or KK3 to 3G or WiFi if the battery goes flat to reset time/date which can take a day. None of the Kindles I have truly power off like my Sony, Kobo or Boyue Likebook Mars, so the battery goes dead. Very bad for battery life. I think their theory is that you use it at least once a week and don't let it get flat.

Kindle SW peaked and is now getting poorer.

The Kobo collections and Series works. No need for Internet. Works with Calibre, though Series needs a second connect so that it appears as it adds ebooks to database on disconnection and they need to be in the database to update metadate.

You can re-install older FW on a Kobo if you don't like the update or it's broken. You can only install newer Firmware on a Kindle.

I use my kindles for two things:
1) Testing ebooks we make.
2) The serial number so I can buy Amazon ebooks and read them on the Kobo or Boyue as epubs.

[LDB]

I should have clarified the others did nothing extra for my specific usage, however I am a most basic user. I click books on Amazon to "buy" them, although most are $0.00, and then I open the Oasis and read them. I think as ably demonstrated above the Kobo is quite robust and competent and for those who aren't the most basic users it probably is a better choice.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

As a satisfied Libra owner, I'm always surprised by how seldom price is mentioned as a factor in its favor. I'm somewhat envious of those to whom the significant price difference between the Libra and the Oasis is irrelevant.

Depends. I'm not rich or even well off by any yardstick, but the price differences important to me are those between everyday goods - food, clothing, water, electricity, central heating, internet, cat litter and food etc. The price differences between ereaders and other electronics I buy perhaps once in several years aren't that important. Now the prices of everyday stuff, those I watch like a hawk. Not that I'm always very cheap there either, but certainly my clothing and footwear are generally pretty low-priced, while my electronics are not. I also never travel, which helps me to save for the important stuff, like books and ereaders.

Of course other people may have different priorities, as always. I'm not saying my way is the one true way.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by LDB

I should have clarified the others did nothing extra for my specific usage, however I am a most basic user. I click books on Amazon to "buy" them, although most are $0.00, and then I open the Oasis and read them. I think as ably demonstrated above the Kobo is quite robust and competent and for those who aren't the most basic users it probably is a better choice.

And this is probably one of the most persistent myths about the Kobo -that it is somehow less amenable to "turn on, buy, read". Out of the box, with zero customisation, tweaks or hacks, the exact process you describe works on a Kobo. Except that the "0.00" option is more limited on Kobo, and the equivalent of KU is only in a few markets. The fact that it CAN be more easily modded doesn't make its core functionality one iota more complicated than that of a Kindle. Turn it on, buy a book, read.

[LDB]

Yes, I agree. The main difference being, as you pointed out, the quantity of books available.