Sage Kobo Sage opinions

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant, why include USB-C on a device at all if you only ship it with a USB-C to USB-A cable? Kind of pointless in that case.

Lenovo does that and includes an ordinary USB-A charger.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant, why include USB-C on a device at all if you only ship it with a USB-C to USB-A cable? Kind of pointless in that case.

Faster charging. Faster file transfer. Less confusing when inserting the USB-C connector. It is the new standard.

I think, I am no expert on USB stuff.

[MGlitch]

Neither of the videos I’ve seen for the Libra 2 (which I presume would ship with the same cable) explicitly mention what the cable is, but in this one she does show it plugged in to a computer and I’d have to guess it’s USB C to USB C. She might mention it but I don’t speak her language and the captions never show USB which I’d assume is going to be the term used regardless of language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIe1OpAzIYU&t=4s

There’s another one where it almost looks like the guy is going to do a proper unboxing but stops at the Libra 2.

[NiLuJe]

FWIW, the Elipsa ships with an A -> C cable.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

Faster charging. Faster file transfer. Less confusing when inserting the USB-C connector. It is the new standard.

I think, I am no expert on USB stuff.

Something like an ereader might not be faster anything.
A tablet may or may not have faster charging. No faster if Android MTP.

The reason is it's the latest thing. Only some things need it, like a Video screen with only USB-C. Then the laptop needs not only USB-C, but the video out on it also. Not all laptops with USB-C have the video signal.

Also only the programmable chargers for things that need more than 5V use the USB-C power signalling. USB-A to micro-USB chargers can do 2A, but laptop ports rarely more than 1A, the DC voltage and/or resistors on the host charger USB-A tells the device what current is available, the device doesn't program voltage or current on USB-A.

Also USB-C ports on a gadget can be USB 1.1 (or slower), USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 speed.

You can't tell what a USB-C port on anything does without an analyser or the things specification. This was true for micro-USB too, looking at the port didn't tell if it charged at 100mA or 2A and what settings in the USB-A meant what current (because different makers used different schemes above 0.5A). Or if it could be a host instead of slave (USB2go), or if as slave: Serial, mass storage, photo or MTP, if a master if it supported MTP, mass Storage, HID, Serial or whatever.

USB-C optionally adds video, optionally adds more than 5V power and optionally adds serial port for power control and optionally adds swapping Host and Slave mode. In Slave mode an Android tablet with USB-C might be still MTP (slow) and same charge time as the prior model with micro-USB, and no video out in Master mode, if it even has a master mode at all.

I'd hardly expect a Libra2 with USB-C to be much different to micro-USB Libra. Just as many gadgets with Mini-USB were much like the next model with Micro USB.

I have things that are USB-B, USB-B 3.0 (extra pins, but works with USB-B plug), mini-USB, micro-USB, Micro-USB 3.0 (extra pins) and USB-C. All work with the USB-A 2.0 Host ports on laptop. The 7200 RPM SATA HDD in a USB case using USB-B with a separate power cable is really fast. Anything with MTP is slug slow.

A brand new Lenovo Yoga ARM tablet has USB-A to USB-C cable and a USA-A charger just like a micro-USB Lenovo tablet charger 3 years ago. Same 2A & 5V.

[NiLuJe]

Yup, the docs @Semwize linked to earlier explicitly mention that the best you can hope for is a 2A adapter.

[Semwize]

I'm wondering where and why the Beta features disappeared

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant, why include USB-C on a device at all if you only ship it with a USB-C to USB-A cable? Kind of pointless in that case.

Not pointless. How often do you remove the cable from the USB A end of a USB wall charger? I leave them in 99% of the time so it's still way easier to plug in the device than micro or mini USB. Plus you can share chargers more easily across devices, my laptop has USB C for charging, my tablet does too, my headphones etc. It's easier for traveling as I don't need multiple chargers or 3 cables anymore.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant, why include USB-C on a device at all if you only ship it with a USB-C to USB-A cable? Kind of pointless in that case.

I can think of 2 reasons/benefits...

1. no longer having to orient the cable will make attaching the cable much easier. There is no more need to closely ecamine the end of the cable and the port to figure out proper orientation, or needless damage done to port with repeated trial and error.

2. Sicne USB-C is the new standard for *everything*, why would anyone sill be making micro-usb ports? It's probably less expensive now to make devices with a Usb-C port.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Semwize

I'm wondering where and why the Beta features disappeared

Attachment 189575

Interesting. My Forma still shows Beta Features with 4.28.18220. I do have developer options enabled. If I check Beta Features, I have 8 items from Web Browser to Word Scramble to choose from.

[Semwize]

Originally Posted by DNSB

My Forma still shows Beta Features

I don't see them in the screenshots of Sage/Libra 2. It turns out like this the browser and games were removed.

link
https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-Kobo-Libra-2

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant, why include USB-C on a device at all if you only ship it with a USB-C to USB-A cable? Kind of pointless in that case.

USB-A is more or less the standard on the end that plugs into a computer or charger. My PC has an Asus motherboard and has at least a half dozen USB-A sockets on the back on the motherboard; most are high speed with the blue thing. The case has 2 USB-A sockets on the front that are data and power, and a 3rd one that's power only. My computer monitors have built in USB hubs and those sockets all USB-A (except for the master input USB which connection is the less common kind you'd find on USB printers).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by hobnail

USB-A is more or less the standard on the end that plugs into a computer or charger. My PC has an Asus motherboard and has at least a half dozen USB-A sockets on the back on the motherboard; most are high speed with the blue thing. The case has 2 USB-A sockets on the front that are data and power, and a 3rd one that's power only. My computer monitors have built in USB hubs and those sockets all USB-A (except for the master input USB which connection is the less common kind you'd find on USB printers).

USB-A is no longer the standard with many modern laptops. Perhaps it still is with desktops; I don't know. I don't have a desktop and actually don't even know anyone who has. Most folks use only laptops these days, at least where I live.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

USB-A is no longer the standard with many modern laptops. Perhaps it still is with desktops; I don't know. I don't have a desktop and actually don't even know anyone who has. Most folks use only laptops these days, at least where I live.

On desktops the uptake has been much slower excluding Apple's lineup. Even very high end $1000 PC motherboards will only have a couple USB C ports. Low end boards will often omit it entirely. The PC I built last year has one in the back on the motherboard and my case has one in the front. I had to pick the motherboard specifically because it had a USB C front header for the port in the case as most of the cheaper boards did not have it.

Even still plenty have laptops both A and C ports. I also think typical users of eReaders don't sideload very often so connecting to their PC isn't as important as working with that old phone charger lying around.

[Calenorn]

Originally Posted by Semwize

I don't see them in the screenshots of Sage/Libra 2. It turns out like this the browser and games were removed.

link
https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-Kobo-Libra-2

Very strange. I doubt they would delete an accessibility feature like "Large Print Mode". Have the Beta Features been moved to another menu item?