Kobo Touch questions

[ng7apoc]

Hi,

I'm new around here to go easy if I'm asking questions that have been gone over before!

I bought a Kobo Touch recently, typically great timing now the new ones now announced lol but no matter I'm pretty happy with it, however I do have a few questions.

- I signed out of my account while still getting used to the settings etc. only to find that I had to then connect it back to computer to sign in again with the Kobo desktop software before I could use it again. This was even though there were plenty of epubs stored on the device (that were not from the Kobo book store). Is this correct or have I missed something? seems a real design flaw if correct.

- I went a bit crazy with downloading all the free public domain classics (new toy syndrome! ) and noticed the device slowed down quite considerably. I now have cut it down to around 140 books and its reasonably fast again. I guess my question here is how many more books can I add before I see the slowdown again?

- Not having a power adaptor in the box is slightly annoying but not a huge deal. The Kobo says 5vDC 0.8A on the bottom of the device can I use the USB power adaptor from my phone even though it says 5v 1A on it?

- And lastly lighting! I bought my Kobo Touch from WHSmith in the UK, where they also sell an official Kobo branded light, which is a rebadged LightWedge Verso and despite having many plus points - Its very lightweight, its very small and it clips on both securely without overlapping the screen and with a soft rubber in the clip so it doesn't mark the Kobo, all the features you would expect from an accessory branded by Kobo, of course. But, and there's always a but isn't there! It does have one drawback and in many ways I actually feel a little silly for thinking this of a light but its actually too bright! I have to angle it away from the screen and not on it - or at it simply so the light doesn't catch my eyes.

Fortunately I rarely have use for a light but I guess the question here is then, is there a light available that offers the same benefits as the Verso but thats not as bright?

Thanks for any input, as a newbie here I appreciate any help.

[Mrs_Often]

Hi ng7apoc, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new Kobo Touch! If you would actually prefer a Kobo Glo, perhaps you could return your Touch to WHSmith? It would solve your light problem

1. Signing out of your account from your Touch shouldn't be a problem, you should be still able to read sideloaded epubs (that you put on separately yourself). But I'm not 100% sure as I've never done that myself. But to sign back in, you most definitely shouldn't have to go through the Desktop, you should be able to sign back in from the Touch itself within settings.

2. What firmware version are you using? The 'regular' 2.0.0 that is available for automatic download/update? It has a few (or more than a few) issues with all sorts of things, slowing down with more than 140 books might be one of them. There's many people out there with LOADS of books, including a micrso SD card full of them, without many slowing down issues. How long did you wait before you got tired of the slowness and took the books off again? I recall that firmware version 2.0.0 takes a long time to "do stuff" with the books only the first time you look at your library: the touch makes cover images etc. for each book that it loads to the page, which only happens the first time you load that page. So if you have lots of books, it could take ages to look through your library the first time. If you try to be patient and get through it all slooooowly, the second time round all the cover images will be there and the touch should be faster.

3. Yes, you can plug the cable into any USB socket for the Touch to charge, so the adapter you have will be fine too.

4. Yep, I know the problem! I tried 3 different lights before I realised lights are just too bright. You need a light that you can change the intensity of because really, you're never in the same ambient lighting and for darker rooms you need lights that are less bright than in a room that is quite light but just too dark for easy reading... So eventually I bought a light that has three separate intensities, and it works great. Unfortunately I haven't seen those that sit nicely and perfectly on top of the Touch like yours dose. My light is an E-luminator touch booklight (http://www.medgestore.com/products/k...natortouch.psp) that slides nicely into the side of my M-edge cover. The down side is that I can't read my book with a light without the cover, and I find reading without the cover more comfortable...

Hope that helps!

[ng7apoc]

Thank you for your reply.

Returning the Touch and getting a Glo is something I'd certainly consider, prefer even but I am unaware of WHSmith's return policy for in-store purchases (their website has only policy for online orders) and I was kinda put off even trying after reading this thread and this link. If anyone can clarify this I'd love to know for sure if it was possible.

I'm using the 2.0.0 firmware as was auto downloaded on setup. the slowdown was in browsing library etc. long after all books were processed after being transferred. The lag made it pretty much unusable and that was only with roughly 300 books.

good to know about the charger but that said i'm very impressed with battery life so far

Thats exactly my problem also! all the best lights seem to be with or for cases but I'd much rather without one in use then put it away in its sleeve when i'm finished reading.

thanks again

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by ng7apoc

I'm using the 2.0.0 firmware as was auto downloaded on setup. the slowdown was in browsing library etc. long after all books were processed after being transferred. The lag made it pretty much unusable and that was only with roughly 300 books.

thanks again

You're welcome!

But the processing of the books: yes, it does other things when processing at startup when you've put new books on. The actual making of the cover images happens the first time you browse the library. So it will be slow. If you browse every page of your library you'll force the touch to make the images (I know it will take long), but after that, it won't take long any more.

Another option is to put the books in in batches. So you've browsed everything you have on the Touch now, if you add another 140 now and do the same, and after that another 140 or whatever, you won't have to be AS patient

Originally Posted by ng7apoc

Returning the Touch and getting a Glo is something I'd certainly consider, prefer even but I am unaware of WHSmith's return policy for in-store purchases (their website has only policy for online orders) and I was kinda put off even trying after reading this thread and this link. If anyone can clarify this I'd love to know for sure if it was possible.

How long have you had your Touch? The first thread seems to say WHSmith has a return policy up to 30 days after you bought it, the second thread seems to say none at all. My conclusion is it's not fixed for all WHSmith branches and/or their personnel don't know what they're talking about. If I were you, I'd just factory reset your Touch, pack it up nicely in its original packaging and bring it back with a friendly face and just tell them you'd like to return it please. See what happens from there. (And ask for the manager if the answer you get is not satisfactory.)

Good luck!

[robko]

Originally Posted by ng7apoc

Hi,
- I signed out of my account while still getting used to the settings etc. only to find that I had to then connect it back to computer to sign in again with the Kobo desktop software before I could use it again. This was even though there were plenty of epubs stored on the device (that were not from the Kobo book store). Is this correct or have I missed something? seems a real design flaw if correct.

I think they should actually rename that from sign out of account to something else. What it basically does from my understanding is forces a rebuild of your library database on your Kobo. This is a less drastic step than a full scale factory reset which reloads the firmware that runs your Kobo and a reload of your library. It would also let you change users without completely wiping the device. I can't remember if you can redo this wirelessly (should be able to), but yes it does require a complete redownload of your library.

Originally Posted by ng7apoc

- Not having a power adaptor in the box is slightly annoying but not a huge deal. The Kobo says 5vDC 0.8A on the bottom of the device can I use the USB power adaptor from my phone even though it says 5v 1A on it?

Most people are doing that (I have since I got it on day of release) and it works fine, so go nuts.

[ng7apoc]

Thanks for the input everyone

Tomorrow I will phone my nearest WHSmith branch and ask about their return policy. I live in a rural area with no store for miles so would only make the trip if advised they will refund.

[paulsalter]

Cant see if this applies to all items, seems to read that within 30 days you can return anything

WHSmith store refunds
Bought something in store and need to return it? Send it in the post or bring it into any WHSmith store - within 30 days of receipt. Refunds are made onto your card, not in cash.
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/support/Hel...icy.aspx#store

[ng7apoc]

I did manage to get WHSmith to give me a refund today, wasn't as easy as it should have been though.

I phoned the store this morning after they opened to enquire about returns policy and the lady I spoke to wasn't sure if there was an exception on items like ereaders or not after asking a colleague she said they should "probably" be able to accept it.

So I made the journey in anyway even with a nagging doubt that it would be a waste of time.
Once there the lady at the till said it was no problem after she had looked it over and saw that the manual/warranty cards & charger cable were still sealed (I used an existing USB cable).
She did however say she had to get supervisor to confirm and this is where it got interesting as even though she had moved away from the till through the back - I could overhear them (the store was unusually quiet) the supervisor said no as it wasn't sealed but the other staff member argued it was ok because the cable etc. hadn't been opened. The supervisor eventually agreed with her and she came back out to process the refund.

So I'm pleased I got a refund and have already pre-ordered a Kobo Glo - 3 weeks to go without an ereader! but definitely a word of warning on WHSmith's customer service and returns policy. It seems to vary wildly not just from store to store, but even between different staff members in any given store.

[Mrs_Often]

Whoopee

Well done for getting your refund! Now I'm all excited for you to get your Glo! And I'm jealous!

Good luck with the three week wait

[ng7apoc]

The three week wait is a strange one because the Touch was the first ereader I have ever had, and only for twelve days at that. Yet I had taken to using it so well I do really miss having it!

Still I'm sure the wait will be well worth it!

Must thank you all again for the help, some very useful information here. Interesting to note how robko explains that signing out is more than that certainly explains a few things