Avoid KOBO Wi fi due to hardware problems

David444 · 06-04-2012, 08:50 PM

I purchased 4 of these units for in December of 2010 for family members.

I had to replace all 4 at least once, one of them 5 times and at this point only 2 are useable.

The problems all appear to be hardware design or manufacturing with 2 consistent problems on the units that we purchased and on the replacement units provided during the warranty period: 1- Much too short battery life and 2 - cracks developing next to the D button that is used to navigate.

In all I have received over 10 units during the one year from purchase (multiple replacements). Of the 4 people who got them in our household only 2 people now have units that are useable and only one of them comes reasonably close to meeting the specifications that Kobo indicates should be received on this unit.

Please note that I found the units usable other than this but having to replace one unit 5 times during the first year was ridiculous. My personal one again has a crack next to the D button and the battery lasts less than 12 hours. I called Kobo and they advised that as it is now out of warranty they will do nothing.

I will be throwing mine away and given the consistency of problems with the units I recommend that you avoid this product. I will be avoiding Kobo completely.

I hope that you find this information to be useful.

taming · 06-05-2012, 12:11 AM

We have two Kobo WiFi in our family that have worked flawlessly since purchased--that would be the first week they were made available. No hardware problems at all. The software/firmware updates made the device really, really a great product.

estelle58 · 06-05-2012, 09:38 AM

Mine still works perfectly fine after one year of almost every day use

spatula · 06-05-2012, 10:22 AM

I have had a wifi for a year and a half now. Reading it on a daily basis. I have not had any problems with it.

RareBird · 06-05-2012, 10:53 AM

My wife has had hers for over a year and never had a problem with it.

Cdesja5 · 06-05-2012, 12:18 PM

I got my BFF one almost 2 years ago for her birthday and she's had zero problems with it.

Suzanna · 06-05-2012, 02:29 PM

I'll add my voice to the mix. DH and I purchased Kobo WiFis the day they were released and they're still going strong (we passed them on to our daughters when we upgraded to the Touch model.)

ltr · 06-05-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

I had to replace all 4 at least once, one of them 5 times

That's certainly an amazing run of bad luck.

I gave one to my daughter-in-law two years ago and still no problems, and I bought myself one at the same time and admit the D-pad button rubber pulled away after about a year, but that fault has no effect on how it works.

The battery life (as long as the Wi-Fi is turned off) is amazing.

ltr

ErinLindsey · 06-11-2012, 12:24 AM

I bought my Kobo last summer when Borders was having their going out of business sale. My Kobo is great! I have two e-ink Kindles (a K2 and a K3) and a Kindle Fire, and lately I've been doing more reading on my Kobo than the other three readers. (I download fanfiction in epub format from the internet, and have been reading fanfic more than commercial books lately)

I havent had a problem yet with the page turn button cracking or anything. I make sure not to use my fingernails to press the buttons. Little worried that my fingernails will damage the buttons. My Kobo has always had a cover (learned that lesson from the Kindles). The Kobo might ride around in my purse a lot, but it's held up just as well as the Kindles have.

My only issue is battery life. I charge my Kindles every couple of months. (the Fire gets charged more often, every few weeks, more often if I use it a lot)

The Kobo gets charged every couple of weeks, but I realized that it's battery life lasts longer if I turn the Kobo off completely when I'm not using it. It's not quite like the Kindle 3 where I can leave the Kindle on screensaver with the wifi turned off for nearly a month and still have a decent charge. If I'm parking the Kobo for any length of time, it gets turned off completely. I try to make sure to leave the wifi off on all my e-readers.

blastyrant · 06-11-2012, 02:39 AM

@David444: from my understanding the battery will gain more charge the more you charge it. when put into sleep mode i can read comfortably at night for 2 weeks before the unit requires a charge. if i turn it off i can read for 2-3 months. you failed to mention how you charged it, the issue with your battery burning up so quickly could easily be due to a faulty charger or an over-powered USB port. also you did not mention if you left wifi on, as that would also help to eat up the battery much quicker.

as for the d-pad issue, its a known problem. the glue can come loose after some time, on some units. it's a design flaw as far as i am concerned, but a very minor one. i've yet to experience it, but from what i have read a small dab of super glue applied with a toothpick will solve the problem.

i'm sorry, but the d-pad rubber lifting from the case is not enough of a reason to not recommend the kobo wifi. until you prove otherwise your battery issues remain yours alone, yet to be fully debugged.

06-04-2012, 08:50 PM	#1
David444 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	Avoid KOBO Wi fi due to hardware problems I purchased 4 of these units for in December of 2010 for family members. I had to replace all 4 at least once, one of them 5 times and at this point only 2 are useable. The problems all appear to be hardware design or manufacturing with 2 consistent problems on the units that we purchased and on the replacement units provided during the warranty period: 1- Much too short battery life and 2 - cracks developing next to the D button that is used to navigate. In all I have received over 10 units during the one year from purchase (multiple replacements). Of the 4 people who got them in our household only 2 people now have units that are useable and only one of them comes reasonably close to meeting the specifications that Kobo indicates should be received on this unit. Please note that I found the units usable other than this but having to replace one unit 5 times during the first year was ridiculous. My personal one again has a crack next to the D button and the battery lasts less than 12 hours. I called Kobo and they advised that as it is now out of warranty they will do nothing. I will be throwing mine away and given the consistency of problems with the units I recommend that you avoid this product. I will be avoiding Kobo completely. I hope that you find this information to be useful.

06-11-2012, 02:39 AM	#10
blastyrant Member Posts: 11 Karma: 288 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: KOBO WIFI	@David444: from my understanding the battery will gain more charge the more you charge it. when put into sleep mode i can read comfortably at night for 2 weeks before the unit requires a charge. if i turn it off i can read for 2-3 months. you failed to mention how you charged it, the issue with your battery burning up so quickly could easily be due to a faulty charger or an over-powered USB port. also you did not mention if you left wifi on, as that would also help to eat up the battery much quicker. as for the d-pad issue, its a known problem. the glue can come loose after some time, on some units. it's a design flaw as far as i am concerned, but a very minor one. i've yet to experience it, but from what i have read a small dab of super glue applied with a toothpick will solve the problem. i'm sorry, but the d-pad rubber lifting from the case is not enough of a reason to not recommend the kobo wifi. until you prove otherwise your battery issues remain yours alone, yet to be fully debugged. Last edited by blastyrant; 06-11-2012 at 02:59 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Where did my 100 Kobo ebooks go (and other Kobo problems)	Katdragon	Kobo Reader	5	03-22-2011 09:59 PM
Is there any Kobo firmware/hardware up for beta testing right now?	The Terminator	Kobo Reader	29	03-17-2011 09:09 PM
Kobo future Hardware feature request thread	Psyke	Kobo Reader	1	01-07-2011 06:09 PM
Has anyone NOT had problems with their Kobo?	trogdor	Kobo Reader	73	12-18-2010 07:44 AM
My Kobo due beginning of July	plumboz	Kobo Reader	5	06-11-2010 09:42 PM

06-05-2012, 12:11 AM	#2
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	We have two Kobo WiFi in our family that have worked flawlessly since purchased--that would be the first week they were made available. No hardware problems at all. The software/firmware updates made the device really, really a great product.

06-05-2012, 09:38 AM	#3
estelle58 Cat lover Posts: 487 Karma: 1149782 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: iPhone, Kobo Vox, Kobo Glo, iPad mini, Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Aura	Mine still works perfectly fine after one year of almost every day use

06-05-2012, 10:22 AM	#4
spatula Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kobo Wifi	I have had a wifi for a year and a half now. Reading it on a daily basis. I have not had any problems with it.

06-05-2012, 10:53 AM	#5
RareBird Addict Posts: 377 Karma: 770002 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Windsor, Nova Scotia Device: Kobo Aura	My wife has had hers for over a year and never had a problem with it.

06-05-2012, 12:18 PM	#6
Cdesja5 Wizard Posts: 1,117 Karma: 2094306 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: Lots and lots of electronic gadgets...	I got my BFF one almost 2 years ago for her birthday and she's had zero problems with it.

06-05-2012, 02:29 PM	#7
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	I'll add my voice to the mix. DH and I purchased Kobo WiFis the day they were released and they're still going strong (we passed them on to our daughters when we upgraded to the Touch model.)

06-11-2012, 12:24 AM	#9
ErinLindsey Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: K-Fire, Kindle 2, Kindle 3, Kobo, iPad3, iPad Mini, HTC Evo	I bought my Kobo last summer when Borders was having their going out of business sale. My Kobo is great! I have two e-ink Kindles (a K2 and a K3) and a Kindle Fire, and lately I've been doing more reading on my Kobo than the other three readers. (I download fanfiction in epub format from the internet, and have been reading fanfic more than commercial books lately) I havent had a problem yet with the page turn button cracking or anything. I make sure not to use my fingernails to press the buttons. Little worried that my fingernails will damage the buttons. My Kobo has always had a cover (learned that lesson from the Kindles). The Kobo might ride around in my purse a lot, but it's held up just as well as the Kindles have. My only issue is battery life. I charge my Kindles every couple of months. (the Fire gets charged more often, every few weeks, more often if I use it a lot) The Kobo gets charged every couple of weeks, but I realized that it's battery life lasts longer if I turn the Kobo off completely when I'm not using it. It's not quite like the Kindle 3 where I can leave the Kindle on screensaver with the wifi turned off for nearly a month and still have a decent charge. If I'm parking the Kobo for any length of time, it gets turned off completely. I try to make sure to leave the wifi off on all my e-readers.