My Kobo Works Great / Or Not

Orochi · 05-30-2010, 07:21 AM

There has been lots and lots of posts about some of the problems that people have had with the KOBO, so I thought I would start a poll to see how bad / or good things really are.

Note: I just started this on an impulse and realized after I may have left out something. Guess we`ll see how it goes.

Stinger · 05-30-2010, 08:52 AM

I voted for "Works GREAT" only because there it was the closest to how I feel about the Kobo.

I've experienced some of the problems listed, but at this stage in the Kobo lifecycle, they don't really bother me; I'm confident a firmware update will eventually fix most of them, and in the meantime the workarounds are pretty simple and easy.

I purchased the Kobo knowing full well it was a barebones device without the bells and whistles touted by the Kindle and the like. With that in mind, I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

terifili · 05-30-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

I voted for "Works GREAT" only because there it was the closest to how I feel about the Kobo.

I've experienced some of the problems listed, but at this stage in the Kobo lifecycle, they don't really bother me; I'm confident a firmware update will eventually fix most of them, and in the meantime the workarounds are pretty simple and easy.

I purchased the Kobo knowing full well it was a barebones device without the bells and whistles touted by the Kindle and the like. With that in mind, I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

Just curious as to how many page clicks you get out of a charge?

Stinger · 05-30-2010, 09:27 AM

I really couldn't say with any accuracy.

I've been plugging it in for short periods pretty frequently, so I haven't experienced a full-to-empty lifecycle yet.
Plus, the page numbering is kinda funky, so judging how many page flips you had by using the total pages in the couple books you read on a single charge isn't worth much.

I wrote a post that might explain why you're not getting the advertised 8000 pages:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=60

Bismar · 05-30-2010, 10:25 AM

I did not think they deserved the 'Works Great' option, as they thus far would not admit that the battery life is a problem, and their only response to fixing it has either been, bring it in and wait a week while we get a replacement, or press the reset button.

A truly great company, would admit that they are having battery issues, giving an appropriate reason as to why its happening, rather then letting everyone take wild stabs at it, and hoping the problem will go away.

Even the content locked problem with apostrophe's are not to be found on their helpdesk, but rather, it is up to forums (go mobileread!) such as this to find out why its broken and how to fix it. In fact they still list that its impossible to remove the 100 free books, while great folks here, have figured it out in less then a week.

Another fun fact, bookmarks disappearing when you sync. Seriously, how did this get pass quality control?

As such, i feel that while the hardware is pretty solid (being actually designed by netronix), the firmware is an utter piece of junk, and that kobo should hire better qualified quality control, programming, and support staff.

Stinger · 05-30-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

A truly great company, would admit that they are having battery issues, giving an appropriate reason as to why its happening

alas we can dream

I don't believe there is a single corporate entity in existence today that I would file under your truly great category. Maybe I'm just jaded...

Just out of curiosity, what are a couple companies you would call truly great?

EDIT:
I guess it depends on how you look at this question. Are we talking about the whole package? Kobo the eReader, the PC desktop software, customer support, their online store, and everything else as a whole?

The only point you made that is related to the device itself is the content locked message caused by apostrophe's in file names. Which to me isn't a huge deal if you only consider that problem, not the fact that Kobo have not acknowledged it.

I explained my thoughts on the battery life issue in this post:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=60
which I think is more of an issue with "false advertising" if you want to call it that, rather then a problem with the device itself.

I agree that the desktop app is a hunk of crap and the sync bug boggles my mind too. But I'll never ever use the desktop app unless they push firmware updates through it. Any books I buy will have DRM removed and added to Calibre. And again, this isn't really a problem with the device itself.

I guess I'm used to kludge solutions and not relying on 'official' means to get usefulness out of my hardware...
*EXIT* proprietary 'official' software
*ENTER* community created awsomeness

SensualPoet · 05-30-2010, 11:54 AM

Since multiple choices are allowed, I selected both "Works great" and "font problems".

There's really quite a lot that is good about the Kobo -- price, portability, screen legibility, simpleness, elegant design.

Quality control, alas, is not a strong point but -- at this point -- I am willing to chalk that up to an unseasoned executive team. Every pain point I've experienced is fixable which is why I remain optimistic and continue to respond favourably to the Kobo "vision".

I don't have battery issues; the font problem is "random" and on many books it's not an issue so where I experience it I read something else in the meantime; the lack of clear set-up instructions disappears after you figure out how to use it; the inability to remove or prune the 100 free books is a pain but fixable.

The most damning thing is the unresponsiveness of the team to acknowledge the problems / concerns and take immediate steps to address them. Yah, I know: they are in the throes of an international launch, but really, take ownership of the issues and fix the easy stuff right away. Having an active presence on this forum would be a nice start. Reputation of a start-up is fragile; it would be a shame to screw this up.

Ghoda · 05-30-2010, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

I voted for "Works GREAT" only because there it was the closest to how I feel about the Kobo.

I've experienced some of the problems listed, but at this stage in the Kobo lifecycle, they don't really bother me; I'm confident a firmware update will eventually fix most of them, and in the meantime the workarounds are pretty simple and easy.

I purchased the Kobo knowing full well it was a barebones device without the bells and whistles touted by the Kindle and the like. With that in mind, I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

Why say it again when Stinger already said it so well? Put me down as a big ditto.

Thrasher · 05-30-2010, 02:38 PM

My Kobo does not work great, but I can overcome most of the problems just fine. We know how to fix the font sizing problem and I can even read foreign fonts by adding internal fonts inside the ePub. It is not working great, but everything is fixable for now in terms of ePub...
And ever since I am not turning off my device I am getting great battery life (at least according to the battery indicator). I have not charged my Kobo for 7 days now...

sunami88 · 05-30-2010, 04:24 PM

I had the font resizing issue, but fixed it easily enough (at first by nuking the CSS entirely, then by using the app found in this forum). Also, my first charge went by awfully quick, but since then seems to be a lot better.

All in all I'm satisfied with my purchase. I've bought/read a few books already, and I think it'll soon come time to work my way through the "included classics".

I wanted an affordable eReader, I got an affordable eReader (and thankfully, not a lemon!).

chlmccann11 · 05-30-2010, 07:27 PM

I'm really happy with it, although there is a problem with small font on two of the books I bought. In fact, I plan to buy more! I'm getting one for my daughter and one for my son.

So far I've purchased three books from the bookstore and downloaded two free books from there as well. Other downloads include three free books on buddhism from Project Gutenburg and two documents on non-destructive testing from the Government of Canada. The documents are 30-60 pages long.

I'm currently reading nine books.

ava0775 · 05-31-2010, 10:01 AM

I voted works great, no problems. The only thing I find cumbersome is the desktop software. It's the one thing that is stopping me from recommending the device to my mother. If I am fairly tech savvy but have to stop and think about how to make this work, including using either Calibre or ADE, there is no way my mother could manage it.

Perhaps this poll could be a sticky?

SeptemberWasp · 05-31-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

I voted for "Works GREAT" only because there it was the closest to how I feel about the Kobo.

I've experienced some of the problems listed, but at this stage in the Kobo lifecycle, they don't really bother me; I'm confident a firmware update will eventually fix most of them, and in the meantime the workarounds are pretty simple and easy.

I purchased the Kobo knowing full well it was a barebones device without the bells and whistles touted by the Kindle and the like. With that in mind, I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

I'll do the same as Ghoda and quote Stinger.

Quite enjoying it, great price point.

LazyReaper · 05-31-2010, 08:29 PM

My first Kobo froze completely when I was just using it normally, only after 2 days too. I haven't had battery issues, but I've always had font issues with both my first Kobo and the current one that I got as its replacement.

baker · 05-31-2010, 09:46 PM

I've had my Kobo since launch weekend in Canada. I've read 5 or 6 books and have enjoyed it. The Kobo has its quirks which I'm sure they'll sort out. I haven't had pdf probs as I have only bought books from Kobo. Insofar as charging I find it a bit quirky but what works for me is to put it on a charge...initially for a while no light goes on then the red goes on and I leave it charging until the red light goes off and then I leave it on the charger( I use my cell phone charger). The charge seems to hold for a lot of reading(the last charge gave well over a thousand turns and was only down a 1/4) and I generally put it on the charger when it shows 3/4 on the display. The charge seems to last longer all the time. Overall works great with a few quirks.....the pluses far outweigh the negatives..no regrets buying it.

View Poll Results: How's you Kobo Working?
Works GREAT - no problems!	50	56.82%
My Battery won't hold a decent charge.	20	22.73%
I'm having trouble with FONT sizes.	33	37.50%
The Kobo won't display my book!	3	3.41%
My Kobo froze	10	11.36%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 88. You may not vote on this poll

05-30-2010, 07:21 AM	#1
Orochi Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 5138 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo, Ipod Touch	My Kobo Works Great / Or Not There has been lots and lots of posts about some of the problems that people have had with the KOBO, so I thought I would start a poll to see how bad / or good things really are. Note: I just started this on an impulse and realized after I may have left out something. Guess we`ll see how it goes. Last edited by Orochi; 05-30-2010 at 07:29 AM.

05-30-2010, 10:25 AM	#5
Bismar Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 928 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Down Under Device: Kobo eReader	I did not think they deserved the 'Works Great' option, as they thus far would not admit that the battery life is a problem, and their only response to fixing it has either been, bring it in and wait a week while we get a replacement, or press the reset button. A truly great company, would admit that they are having battery issues, giving an appropriate reason as to why its happening, rather then letting everyone take wild stabs at it, and hoping the problem will go away. Even the content locked problem with apostrophe's are not to be found on their helpdesk, but rather, it is up to forums (go mobileread!) such as this to find out why its broken and how to fix it. In fact they still list that its impossible to remove the 100 free books, while great folks here, have figured it out in less then a week. Another fun fact, bookmarks disappearing when you sync. Seriously, how did this get pass quality control? As such, i feel that while the hardware is pretty solid (being actually designed by netronix), the firmware is an utter piece of junk, and that kobo should hire better qualified quality control, programming, and support staff. Last edited by Bismar; 05-30-2010 at 10:48 AM.

05-30-2010, 11:54 AM	#7
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Since multiple choices are allowed, I selected both "Works great" and "font problems". There's really quite a lot that is good about the Kobo -- price, portability, screen legibility, simpleness, elegant design. Quality control, alas, is not a strong point but -- at this point -- I am willing to chalk that up to an unseasoned executive team. Every pain point I've experienced is fixable which is why I remain optimistic and continue to respond favourably to the Kobo "vision". I don't have battery issues; the font problem is "random" and on many books it's not an issue so where I experience it I read something else in the meantime; the lack of clear set-up instructions disappears after you figure out how to use it; the inability to remove or prune the 100 free books is a pain but fixable. The most damning thing is the unresponsiveness of the team to acknowledge the problems / concerns and take immediate steps to address them. Yah, I know: they are in the throes of an international launch, but really, take ownership of the issues and fix the easy stuff right away. Having an active presence on this forum would be a nice start. Reputation of a start-up is fragile; it would be a shame to screw this up. Last edited by SensualPoet; 05-30-2010 at 11:56 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pen bought from Amazon works great with the 800	HansTWN	iRex	6	07-26-2010 04:53 AM
Dicken's Hand written manuscript available as a PDF. Works great on my DX!	Roy White	Amazon Kindle	2	12-11-2009 12:41 PM
PDFReader 1.8.2 works great with Kindle	quantamix	Kindle Developer's Corner	24	07-23-2009 07:45 AM
From PDF to LRF via Mobipocket Creator and BD - works great :-)	shen	Sony Reader	16	05-10-2009 12:19 AM
Accessories This light works great for me	snape	Amazon Kindle	22	04-10-2009 05:57 PM

05-30-2010, 08:52 AM	#2
Stinger Asha'man Posts: 335 Karma: 844 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	I voted for "Works GREAT" only because there it was the closest to how I feel about the Kobo. I've experienced some of the problems listed, but at this stage in the Kobo lifecycle, they don't really bother me; I'm confident a firmware update will eventually fix most of them, and in the meantime the workarounds are pretty simple and easy. I purchased the Kobo knowing full well it was a barebones device without the bells and whistles touted by the Kindle and the like. With that in mind, I'm extremely happy with my purchase.

05-30-2010, 09:27 AM	#4
Stinger Asha'man Posts: 335 Karma: 844 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	I really couldn't say with any accuracy. I've been plugging it in for short periods pretty frequently, so I haven't experienced a full-to-empty lifecycle yet. Plus, the page numbering is kinda funky, so judging how many page flips you had by using the total pages in the couple books you read on a single charge isn't worth much. I wrote a post that might explain why you're not getting the advertised 8000 pages: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=60

05-30-2010, 02:38 PM	#9
Thrasher Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 1003934 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Nook Wifi	My Kobo does not work great, but I can overcome most of the problems just fine. We know how to fix the font sizing problem and I can even read foreign fonts by adding internal fonts inside the ePub. It is not working great, but everything is fixable for now in terms of ePub... And ever since I am not turning off my device I am getting great battery life (at least according to the battery indicator). I have not charged my Kobo for 7 days now...

05-30-2010, 04:24 PM	#10
sunami88 Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 1434 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ontario Device: Kobo	I had the font resizing issue, but fixed it easily enough (at first by nuking the CSS entirely, then by using the app found in this forum). Also, my first charge went by awfully quick, but since then seems to be a lot better. All in all I'm satisfied with my purchase. I've bought/read a few books already, and I think it'll soon come time to work my way through the "included classics". I wanted an affordable eReader, I got an affordable eReader (and thankfully, not a lemon!).

05-30-2010, 07:27 PM	#11
chlmccann11 Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: KOBO	I'm really happy with it, although there is a problem with small font on two of the books I bought. In fact, I plan to buy more! I'm getting one for my daughter and one for my son. So far I've purchased three books from the bookstore and downloaded two free books from there as well. Other downloads include three free books on buddhism from Project Gutenburg and two documents on non-destructive testing from the Government of Canada. The documents are 30-60 pages long. I'm currently reading nine books.

05-31-2010, 10:01 AM	#12
ava0775 Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I voted works great, no problems. The only thing I find cumbersome is the desktop software. It's the one thing that is stopping me from recommending the device to my mother. If I am fairly tech savvy but have to stop and think about how to make this work, including using either Calibre or ADE, there is no way my mother could manage it. Perhaps this poll could be a sticky?

05-31-2010, 08:29 PM	#14
LazyReaper Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	My first Kobo froze completely when I was just using it normally, only after 2 days too. I haven't had battery issues, but I've always had font issues with both my first Kobo and the current one that I got as its replacement.

05-31-2010, 09:46 PM	#15
baker Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto Device: kobo wifi, itouch 4th gen, Sony S tab	I've had my Kobo since launch weekend in Canada. I've read 5 or 6 books and have enjoyed it. The Kobo has its quirks which I'm sure they'll sort out. I haven't had pdf probs as I have only bought books from Kobo. Insofar as charging I find it a bit quirky but what works for me is to put it on a charge...initially for a while no light goes on then the red goes on and I leave it charging until the red light goes off and then I leave it on the charger( I use my cell phone charger). The charge seems to hold for a lot of reading(the last charge gave well over a thousand turns and was only down a 1/4) and I generally put it on the charger when it shows 3/4 on the display. The charge seems to last longer all the time. Overall works great with a few quirks.....the pluses far outweigh the negatives..no regrets buying it.

Advert

Advert