Kobo Aura H2O - First Impressions

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

With your H2O patched the way it is, is it possible to have no margins at all so the text is right at the edges of the screen?

Assuming you haven't got non-zero @page and body left/right margins set in your standard epubs, even an un-Patched Kobo will display text within a gnat's whisker of the left/right/top edge if you set the margin slider to zero.

As you probably know, you need the Patcher to reduce the footer to a more reasonable size. Also if you prefer a little bit of white space at the top there are 2 different ways of achieving that. One option using the calibre Kobo drivers and the other using GeoffR's special Patch which changes the top margin in proportion to the left/right margins set with the margin slider.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Assuming you haven't got non-zero @page and body left/right margins set in your standard epubs, even an un-Patched Kobo will display text within a gnat's whisker of the left/right/top edge if you set the margin slider to zero.

Thanks!

As you probably know, you need the Patcher to reduce the footer to a more reasonable size. Also if you prefer a little bit of white space at the top there are 2 different ways of achieving that. One option using the calibre Kobo drivers and the other using GeoffR's special Patch which changes the top margin in proportion to the left/right margins set with the margin slider.

Yes, I would patch the footer to reduce it's size. Also, I would have to see how the text right at the top looks to decide what I wanted to do in that regard.

I am hoping that the local bookshops have the H2O when I get back from vacation early November. If not, I'll just order via Kobo. I know I'd like to have the H2O and take it on vacation with me, but I'd like to have enough time to get it setup how I wanted and to get used to it enough and to make sure it was working. Plus, by the time I get the H2O, there will be more case options available. I would not want to take it without a case. Sure, I could use it in house without a case, but not to travel.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I know I'd like to have the H2O and take it on vacation with me, but I'd like to have enough time to get it setup how I wanted and to get used to it enough and to make sure it was working.

Probably a good idea. Changing brands usually requires some degree of rethinking long-held beliefs and workflows. May as well wait till you can enjoy the ride

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Probably a good idea. Changing brands usually requires some degree of rethinking long-held beliefs and workflows. May as well wait till you can enjoy the ride

Oh I'll enjoy the ride. But I'll be reading from my T1 and not an H2O.

Actually, the one thing that put me off ordering now is that I'm not sure how long the line is for the H2O and I don't want it trying to arrive while nobody is home and then it getting sent back. That would not be good. Besides, I have my 650 as a backup with a battery that could do with being replaced. But for this vacation, it would have done in a pinch.

I am looking forward to the front light hoping that it doesn't cast much light other then at me. Also, I'm looking forward to a bigger screen with better contrast and more options to play with. One thing I want is the ability to increase the font size just a little bit. I'll have to create a test ePub to see how the different font sizes look so I know what values to put in the patcher. Same with line height.

[robko]

I've been using my H2O for a day now and I like it! Initially I thought the light seemed too yellow, but after I've gotten used to it I do prefer it over the more blue/white of the Aura HD. The blacks are noticeably more black over the HD. Took me a bit to get used to holding it, but the balance/weight is slightly better than the HD too. I will admit that I miss the angled back of the HD (I liked it from the start), but the rubberized back on the H2O is nice to have back. Aside from the colour not much difference in the light (and zero setting truly turns it off, doesn't just make it really dim for those who want to turn it off). Inside edge of the bezel does seem to be slightly more reflective, but so far it hasn't been a distraction.

[slantybard]

I picked up an Aura H2O today to check it out. I have been using the KPW2 (hacked) for the past year and previous to that, I tried to use the Aura (not HD).

I am impressed so far with how the firmware has improved since I used it on the Aura. I have so far removed the registration for the device (I never liked the Kobo ecosystem and it's socialization and I always use calibre to sideload books on). I have also updated the firmware from 3.7 to 3.8 and patched it using the patcher instructions.

I will be looking closely at the fonts (I have always made my own customized fonts for each device I have used for the past several years) and will try my customized caecillia font I modified for the Aura.

I can not find any pinholes like my Aura and KPW 1 was plagued with. There is a small amount of shadowing near the LEDs at the bottom but the lighting is really good and comparable to the KPW 2. I have not had a chance to view or compare devices in sunlight since sunlight is rare this time of year at my location.

I will have to play around with my calibre workflow but was wondering if I should place the kobo extra css file I used for my Aura onto the H2O. It has the following code:

body {
	orphans: 0;
	widows: 0;
	}

div, p , blockquote {line-height: 1.0}

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by slantybard

I will have to play around with my calibre workflow but was wondering if I should place the kobo extra css file I used for my Aura onto the H2O. It has the following code:

body {
	orphans: 0;
	widows: 0;
	}

div, p , blockquote {line-height: 1.0}

You can though I would suggest changing widows and orphans to 1 from 0. Older epub standard was iffy on that though it did say positive integers but epub3 does exclude 0. Personally, I haven't seen any ill effects from using 0 except for 1 ebook with very long paragraphs where I noticed the occasional and repeatable break approximately every 250-260 lines in a single paragraph. I was never sure if the 0 setting was causing that issue or if the other cleanup while I was editing the ebook to clean up some formatting issues fixed the problem.

It did leave me wondering about an author who seemed to have difficulty with the concept that a chapter did not equal a paragraph.

[arspr]

There's been quite discussion about w&o... The right value if you want to disable them is 1. Although 0 usually works fine too, it is against spec and, more important, against any kind of coherent mathematical meaning.

But they both are useless in Kobos (for kepubs). ACCESS renderer ALWAYS uses a value of 1 (disabled) no matter what the book CSSs or that extra CSS say.

[Ryzir]

Finally got my H2O!

Haven't had much time with it but here are some comparison pictures vs Nook STG. They both have the same sideloaded epub. I tried to get the font (Caecilia) close to the same size and line spacing is at minimum on both. Margins are at minimum on the STG and like 5% on the H2O.

Light is pretty low maybe 10% and I had header & footer disabled for the light picture (FullScreenReading=true).

[doxallday]

Originally Posted by Ryzir

Finally got my H2O!

Haven't had much time with it but here are some comparison pictures vs Nook STG. They both have the same sideloaded epub. I tried to get the font (Caecilia) close to the same size and line spacing is at minimum on both. Margins are at minimum on the STG and like 5% on the H2O.

Light is pretty low maybe 10% and I had header & footer disabled for the light picture (FullScreenReading=true).

That looks gorgeous Ryzir, especially under dark room conditions.

[owly]

I really like mine. The back feels nicer, the screen lighting is much better. I prefer the warmer, yellow tone and it doesn't bleach the fonts like the older ligh did. they've finally gotten rid of that stupid, slider powerbutton. Out of curiosity, does anyone know what that extra hole by the reset pin-hole is for?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by owly

I really like mine. The back feels nicer, the screen lighting is much better. I prefer the warmer, yellow tone and it doesn't bleach the fonts like the older ligh did. they've finally gotten rid of that stupid, slider powerbutton. Out of curiosity, does anyone know what that extra hole by the reset pin-hole is for?

The one that the cover latch clips into?

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The one that the cover latch clips into?

Yep, that one (I wondered myself what that hole was, until it hit me).

[Antioch]

Originally Posted by Ryzir

Finally got my H2O!

Haven't had much time with it but here are some comparison pictures vs Nook STG. ...

Thanks so much for the pictures! I've been thinking about upgrading from my Original Nook Simple Touch (the first without backlight) and wanted to see a size comparison between the two devices. According to the official measurements the Nook STR and H2O are practically the same size despite the H20 having a larger screen - it appears that is thanks to a narrower bezel - and thinner to boot! The H20 is taller, but only by a centimeter, I'm sure I'll adjust.

Really excited to finally upgrade my from the Nook STR, looking forward to the increased resolution and contrast!

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by Antioch

Thanks so much for the pictures! I've been thinking about upgrading from my Original Nook Simple Touch (the first without backlight) and wanted to see a size comparison between the two devices. According to the official measurements the Nook STR and H2O are practically the same size despite the H20 having a larger screen - it appears that is thanks to a narrower bezel - and thinner to boot! The H20 is taller, but only by a centimeter, I'm sure I'll adjust.

Really excited to finally upgrade my from the Nook STR, looking forward to the increased resolution and contrast!

As I just upgraded from the more recent Nook Glowlight (Fall 2013) I can tell you the H20 will be a huge upgrade in terms of the screen clarity from your Nook STR. It's about as wide, and is very obviously lighter.