Wonderfull new "Home Page"

[Quoth]

Firmware 4.32.19501

Even if you have registered you can put SideloadedMode=true in ".kobo/Kobo/Kobo ereader.conf

When I got my original H2O originally I liked that you could change the home page to have ONLY the books you are reading. The My Books has that now if you select Book on top line of Books | Authors | Series | Collections, and for Filter: Readng, and Sort: Recent

The official home page isn't ever needed. If you do buy or browse Kobo store you are better to use PC and browser. If you want web articles you are better using copy/past to Wordprocessor, format, Save As docx and convert with Calibre. Far better experience and private.

If in doubt copy the file to your PC and edit that rather than editing on the mounted Kobo storage.


I really like having "My Books" as the Home page and never used any of the things that get hidden.

So far done on two original Kobo Libra and Kobo Sage N778.

The new SideloadedMode=true makes My Books your home page by removing Home. It also removes the pointless "Rewards" under Activity and totally removes Discover.

Some settings under More may also go.

Choice
You don't have to do it and reversion is simple by deleting the entry.

example

[ApplicationPreferences]
AIRPLANE_MODE=true
SideloadedMode=true

Don't use any editor on Windows that can't do Unix line ends. Mac and Linux are OK.
Make a renamed backup first.
Notepad++ (NOT traditional Notepad) recommended for Windows.
On Mac and Linux you need to "show hidden folders/directories"
On Windows change explorer to show file endings. A stupid idea to hide by default.

[Quoth]

Oddly "My Articles" for Pocket is still under "More", I guess it uses a separate account. I've not used Pocket for years and never on Kobo.

Also gone from "More" is My Wishlist and "Activity", but "Activity" (without Rewards) is moved to main screen menu instead of "Discover".

"More" -> "Settings" loses "Syncing and Updates". AFAIK Sync only works with Kobo ecosystem / books bought from Kobo. However Sync & Update still works from main screen Top Menu Icon bar. "Sync complete. Sign in for extra features." Note, I didn't sign out / deregister, the extra setting makes it behave the same as unregistered.

Updates still work via Calibre or direct download to PC and unzip to .kobo

Various FW
https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html

[gogu1904]

Great remark.

Interesting: in More > Accounts, the Kobo ereader account appears Signed out. If you click there the device reverts to the original mode, signed in. What I do not see is how to change back from the menu interface. It may be possible to be done only via the settings file.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by gogu1904

in More > Accounts, the Kobo ereader account appears Signed out. If you click there the device reverts to the original mode, signed in. What I do not see is how to change back from the menu interface. It may be possible to be done only via the settings file.

So reversion is easy if you don't like it. There are other very useful things that can only be added via the configuration file.

See https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kob...ration_Options

Screenshot needs a sleep cover and doesn't seem to work on my Libra.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

So reversion is easy if you don't like it. There are other very useful things that can only be added via the configuration file.

See https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kob...ration_Options

Screenshot needs a sleep cover and doesn't seem to work on my Libra.

But this wiki page is not up-to-date. It's not listing what works under 4.32.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But this wiki page is not up-to-date. It's not listing what works under 4.32.

That's true. I tried a couple of times to register so as to update stuff, but I couldn't.

The context menu to export bookmarks, highlights and notes as a text file works and is needed if you don't use calibre (like you have no PC and use an adaptor to connect ereader to Android phone or tablet).

[davidfor]

For the record, sideloaded mode was added in firmware version 4.31.19086. I described most of the features at that time in https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...19#post4191419. And there has been a lot of discussion about it since.

[Calenorn]

I set the "large print mode" (in beta features) to 140%. The only book icons that display on the home screen are (up to) three that I currently have open. Four text tiles ("Find your next great read," etc.) persist at the bottom. But even with those, it's a much cleaner look. Works fine on Clara and Libra H2O.

More options to customize the readers' appearance would be very nice, but I imagine would be quite a headache for developers. For example, I can use the Libra H2O to read in landscape mode, but the home screen stays in portrait. That's annoying.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by davidfor

For the record, sideloaded mode was added in firmware version 4.31.19086. I described most of the features at that time in https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...19#post4191419. And there has been a lot of discussion about it since.

Yes, except 4.31 was a bit buggy, I reverted from it to 4.28 on one Kobo. I know it was discussed extensively at the time. I'm just sharing my own experience as at the time I thought the loss of a home screen that you could dismiss all the tiles from except currently reading was terrible.

I certainly appreciate all your work on Annotations, Kobo Utilities and your comments on new firmware releases. I had one Kobo still on ancient FW and updated it this morning as I was so pleased with the UI change caused by SideloadedMode=true which I only added to the Kobos here with current FW a few days ago.

There was enthusiasm from some people that disliked or avoided registering. I never had any issue with registering the Kobos at initial unpacking, so I'm purely interested in the default "main screen", not the registration aspect.

[ZodWallop]

I like the home screen. Not as much as the old tiled one, but I do like it.

They should get rid of the My Books 'collection' in the bottom left since there is now a permanent My Books button at the bottom of the screen.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I like the home screen. Not as much as the old tiled one, but I do like it.

They should get rid of the My Books 'collection' in the bottom left since there is now a permanent My Books button at the bottom of the screen.

I loved the "classic" screen with its tiles. I wish there was a way to bring it back, but I don't think the code for it even exists in the firmware at this point. The updated home screen looks prettier in marketing photos but is overall less functional in my opinion.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

I loved the "classic" screen with its tiles. I wish there was a way to bring it back, but I don't think the code for it even exists in the firmware at this point. The updated home screen looks prettier in marketing photos but is overall less functional in my opinion.

I dumped the two text links at the bottom and enlarged the covers via patch.

Not as functional or unique as the tiles. But it works. And to my eye it looks better than the Kindle or Nook home screens.