Kobo Glo HD

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

Well, I received a notice from customs that my Glo HD arrived! IN under 2 weeks to Greece, that is the good news. I did get charged the 23% intl VAT, which I am not surprised about. But I also got hit with an additional 15 euros charge for something else, not sure what.

I think the extra costs are import duties payd for customs. (Customs duty's)

[rgeorg]

I thought import duties only over 150 euros value, but you may be correct. The entire package, including postage is about 137e. Now I have an additional 50e payment due!

Or it could just be one more gratuitous payment to the Greek govt....

Although, as I said, the Kobo Glo HD sells for 180e in Media Markt store in Germany, without case. So, considering it is not even sold here, I didn't do so badly. I could've gotten it other ways, or waited a few months till I go to USA - just impatient!

The important bit is if I feel it is worth it! I bought the Glo last year, on a whim, when it was on sale. Absolutely love it, size is perfect. Hope I enjoy the HD as well. I read at least 3-5 hours a day so cost is well justified.

[mathil]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

I thought import duties only over 150 euros value, but you may be correct. The entire package, including postage is about 137e. Now I have an additional 50e payment due!

Or it could just be one more gratuitous payment to the Greek govt....

Although, as I said, the Kobo Glo HD sells for 180e in Media Markt store in Germany, without case. So, considering it is not even sold here, I didn't do so badly. I could've gotten it other ways, or waited a few months till I go to USA - just impatient!

The important bit is if I feel it is worth it! I bought the Glo last year, on a whim, when it was on sale. Absolutely love it, size is perfect. Hope I enjoy the HD as well. I read at least 3-5 hours a day so cost is well justified.

In case you want to make a similar purchase in the future -- or if there are any Greek users reading this who are interested in buying a Kobo e-reader -- both Feltrinelli and Mondadori ship worldwide. The prices are the standard ones, but in euro (Glo HD 129 euros, H2O 179 euros...), shipping to Greece with FedEx/DHL takes 3-4 business days and costs around 19 euros. Since it's EU, no customs taxes.
One downside is that the websites are in Italian, but they shouldn't be difficult to navigate using Google Chrome.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

Although, as I said, the Kobo Glo HD sells for 180e in Media Markt store in Germany, without case.

Until now the Glo HD is not available in the Media Market online. Just check www.mediamarkt.de. 180,- Euro is the price for an Aura H2O, the Glo HD will cost around 130,- Euro in Germany. If you saw any Glo HD with a higher price tag, that would have been a mistake from the store.

[rgeorg]

I stand corrected, yes, I was looking at the Aura H20 price at Media Markt!

The purchase price comes out about the same when you figure I paid in Canadian dollars (with a USD credit card!). 190 CAN = 137euro (Glo Hd, KOBO Wake/Sleep Cover, shipping) + 50euro (customs + VAT) = 187 euros.

130 for GloHD (in EU) + 30 cover(although less expensive are available) +20 shipping = 180 euros

(Please do not correct me if I am wrong, I am content in my ignorance and rationalization :-)

So, it is similar, and I will soon have it my greedy little hands :-) I was just pleased at the thought of a bargain. Oh well. Thanks for the info about the Italian sites, the prices look very good. Sometimes EU site do not include VAT which would still need to be paid, but I didn't check...my Italian is quite rusty.

I am impressed with the older Glo. I find that it is easiest on my eyes, and comfortable for me to hold. Perhaps I would purchase another KOBO in the future. Although I think I'll stick to buying them when I am in the USA from now on!

Hopefully, the HD will further improve my reading experience. I bought my first ereader, the Amazon Kindle DXG for about $500 USD only about 5 1/2 years ago. My older eyes are sensitive, and I read for many hours, so I try to have a good quality ereader.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

... and I will soon have it my greedy little hands :-) ... My older eyes are sensitive, and I read for many hours, so I try to have a good quality ereader.

It is a nice little device. I'm sure you will love it, at any price.

[rgeorg]

@trekk
Thank you!

[murg]

Originally Posted by unaj41

Nah, I don't do cases/covers ... makes the device bulky ... I have ordered these: eGrips ... will try to cut a thin strip and snap it on each side/edge ...

Cool product. Would have been perfect for the back of the Glo, before I got a Glo HD.

[rgeorg]

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

Incorrect reply, please delete.

Thank you

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

Thank you

I would say, when the custom services calculate the tax, you have to pay for clearance; clearing.
But as I understand,you never pay tax twice within the euro country's.
What I could not find was,what if the sending country has a lower vat, like mine (21 % ) do you have to pay the difference between Netherlands, 21 and Greece 23 ?
I didn't know where your reader is coming from.
Worth over 150 euro's:
If it is coming from a country outside european union you have to pay for the declaration of the vat, and income duty's, most of the time the post company charge you for this extra services they did,like declaring your package.
Costs for customs.
Vat/tax
Because the postal service does the custom things like clearing and declaration and calculating tax, I have to pay them 13 euro's extra on top.

Lower then 150 I pay : tax/vat and i must pay that to the Netherlands postal service because they calculate the tax money and transfer it to the government.
Example, a cover of 50 euro.
Tax: 21 % is 10,50
No declaration / custom costs.
13 euro for the postal service that calculates the tax and send that to government.
Total costs: 73,50 !!

Only goods under 20 euro can be send free.
But then I saw U make a mistake, so I deleted it

[rgeorg]

Yes, well this was the first time I have purchased an electronic item from No. America, so it was a bit of a shock. I'm sure there is a good reason for all of the charges, otherwise the store costs would be less. Electronics probably are a sort of red flag for the customs people. And not so great that my husband found the PO invoice! (LOL)

Next time I'll be a bit more patient since I'll go to the USA in a few months and could have bought it there. But it will be nice to have it for summer reading. It did arrive in under 2 weeks which was much faster than the 4-8 weeks advertised, and is much appreciated.

I just hope the page turns for epubs are not too slow as some people are describing. I don't ever read in direct sunlight/lamplight (in Greece?!!), so the reflective thingy is not a concern.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

Yes, well this was the first time I have purchased an electronic item from No. America, so it was a bit of a shock. I'm sure there is a good reason for all of the charges, otherwise the store costs would be less. Electronics probably are a sort of red flag for the customs people. And not so great that my husband found the PO invoice! (LOL)

Next time I'll be a bit more patient since I'll go to the USA in a few months and could have bought it there. But it will be nice to have it for summer reading. It did arrive in under 2 weeks which was much faster than the 4-8 weeks advertised, and is much appreciated.

I just hope the page turns for epubs are not too slow as some people are describing. I don't ever read in direct sunlight/lamplight (in Greece?!!), so the reflective thingy is not a concern.

I had some of this surprices to.. so that is why I know.. but to come back on topic, the pageturns are slower for epub rather than kepub so that is why I try to convert the epubs to kepubs now, but it isn't that dramatic, it isn't "on instant" but i tried to time it, it is just around and sometimes less then exactly 1 second.
It is just the time it need to turn a page at a real book.
Having said that, it was yesterday one of that days that it was over 30 degrees in the netherlands, I always notice that with direct sunlight or high temperatures it tooks longer to build a page, there should and will be an explanation for it, but tried the same book with same firmware on a normal Glo which has really difficulties with turning pages in temperatures like this and direct sunlight... The normal Glo was slower then the Glo HD, it looks like it doesn't even bother being in the sun...
The glare was really a bit shocking to me..but with that temperatures you will normal read under an umbrella (whats the name.. sun umbrella ??? ) I was just to lazy to put it up...

[rgeorg]

I've been trying to find the correct thread or wiki entry, but am searching...
Perhaps someone can just point me to the most recent (and easiest!) explanation of how to create collections/folders for books on the Glo HD device?

I never did figure it out for the Glo. I use Calibre to organize my books, so that should help. I'll just skip it if it is too troublesome, but I get up to 50+ pages of unread book titles pretty quickly. Then I cannot find anything and have to delete everything and start over! Obviously, not very efficient.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

I've been trying to find the correct thread or wiki entry, but am searching...
Perhaps someone can just point me to the most recent (and easiest!) explanation of how to create collections/folders for books on the Glo HD device?

I never did figure it out for the Glo. I use Calibre to organize my books, so that should help. I'll just skip it if it is too troublesome, but I get up to 50+ pages of unread book titles pretty quickly. Then I cannot find anything and have to delete everything and start over! Obviously, not very efficient.

Lol. Ditto. I've yet to work it out either. I added tags to the books in Calibre but they all got dumped in one collection in the Kobo library.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Lol. Ditto. I've yet to work it out either. I added tags to the books in Calibre but they all got dumped in one collection in the Kobo library.

Have you followed all the steps here?

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo...nd_Collections