Forma Power Button

[93terp]

Just received my Forma and it's gorgeous! Super lightweight and the screen is lovely. However, no matter how hard I press the power button it won't wake up from sleep mode. Any suggestions? Is this normal behavior? Is there a certain sweet spot on the button for waking up/putting to sleep?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by 93terp

Just received my Forma and it's gorgeous! Super lightweight and the screen is lovely. However, no matter how hard I press the power button it won't wake up from sleep mode. Any suggestions? Is this normal behavior? Is there a certain sweet spot on the button for waking up/putting to sleep?

My Forma's power button is a bit stiff so a moderately hard press is needed. Does your power button work to turn on the Forma if it was shutdown? Does it do a forced shutdown if you hold the power button for ~10 seconds?

AFAIK, the only time you can't wake from sleep by pushing the power button is when you have enabled screenshots where the only power button option is to hold it long enough to trigger the forced power off. In your Kobo eReader.conf do you see Screenshots=true under the [FeatureSettings] section?

[93terp]

Originally Posted by DNSB

My Forma's power button is a bit stiff so a moderately hard press is needed. Does your power button work to turn on the Forma if it was shutdown? Does it do a forced shutdown if you hold the power button for ~10 seconds?

AFAIK, the only time you can't wake from sleep by pushing the power button is when you have enabled screenshots where the only power button option is to hold it long enough to trigger the forced power off. In your Kobo eReader.conf do you see Screenshots=true under the [FeatureSettings] section?

No amount of pressure applied will wake/sleep/power off/reset/shutdown the device. I reached out to Kobo and they are sending a replacement unit.

[Strether]

Originally Posted by 93terp

No amount of pressure applied will wake/sleep/power off/reset/shutdown the device. I reached out to Kobo and they are sending a replacement unit.

Try plugging it in to a wall charger and then depressing the button. FWIW, that button is always a problem for nearly everyone, I think.

Jim

[93terp]

Originally Posted by Strether

Try plugging it in to a wall charger and then depressing the button. FWIW, that button is always a problem for nearly everyone, I think.

Jim

No joy. It's packaged up and about to head over to the UPS store to drop it off.

If the replacement unit is equally as troublesome then I'm going to give up on the Forma. Which I really don't want to because, for me, it's fairly close to being a perfect reader. The screen size, screen quality, 32GB, page turn buttons, extremely comfortable to hold, and very lightweight. I don't understand why Kobo made the design change for the placement/location of the power button for the Forma....

[patrik]

FWIW, one thing that adds value to an e-reader, for me, is a sleep cover. It makes it so easy to use. You just open it, and start to read, and when you're done, close it. It also makes it more like a book.

So, even though I agree the power button is not a joy to use, I (almost) never do. I don't need to.

The cover also protects the screen. And it barely weighs anything.

[NiLuJe]

On the other hand, I think adding any kind of cover on a Forma is a waste of one of its best qualities: how light it is.

(Naked devices forevah'!).

(Also, not having a working power button is still highly problematic, because you won't be able to fix it if it deadlocks).

[Strether]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

On the other hand, I think adding any kind of cover on a Forma is a waste of one of its best qualities: how light it is.

I agree, but I have cursed that power button many a time.

Jim

[NiLuJe]

Yeah, I got used to it (hell, dare I say, I kind of like it, given its position?), but it's certainly... surprising at first ^^.

[MGlitch]

I either adjusted so quickly I’ve forgotten or my Formas power button never had issues. I’m leaning toward the button not being an issue because even on my second Forma (USB port started flaking out on the first) was just like the first.

I think given the design of the Forma the placement and stiffness makes sense. It’s out of the way for most accidental presses and just stiff enough to avoid accidental presses the way I hold it.

I’m also a fan of the naked Forma, I’ve tried the sleepcover from Kobo and while it’s fine and serves a purpose long term use pushed me back to just the Forma.

[rashkae]

The power button on my Forma definitionally lost it's stiffness with use over the years. I remember when I first got the device, it was a problem that if I was not careful to press the power button in the center, the button would rock without pressing in. Not only does that never happen anymore, but I all too often hit it by accident.

[93terp]

Originally Posted by patrik

So, even though I agree the power button is not a joy to use, I (almost) never do. I don't need to.

That's all well and good until you have to do a reset, which involves the power button....

[93terp]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

On the other hand, I think adding any kind of cover on a Forma is a waste of one of its best qualities: how light it is.

(Naked devices forevah'!).

(Also, not having a working power button is still highly problematic, because you won't be able to fix if it deadlocks).

Usually I'm a proponent of having a case on my readers, but recently I discovered the love of naked device reading on my Aura One. Wow what a difference being caseless makes! It's so light, and I daresay more comfortable to hold/read without the case.

[Thargor]

Cannot stand the power button myself and I've never seen a reliable sleep cover that lets me put a reader in my backpack and not have it wake up and start flipping pages\wasting half the battery unintentionally so that's the first thing I switch off on a new reader. I prefer a naked device anyway.

Just have to get used to having to hurt your finger every time you want to wake the device up, no idea how such a crappy piece of design made it onto an otherwise near perfect reader.

[93terp]

Received my replacement Forma yesterday and I got a much better unit; the power button is much more responsive than the first one I had. While it's still a bit stiff for my liking, at least the unit quickly responds appropriately when I press it.

After reading for a few hours on the Forma yesterday, I just have one word - WOW! For me, it's the perfect screen size. The page turn buttons are very responsive and quiet. Page turns are very quick and overall the unit seems very responsive to touches/page turns, with very little "lag". Additionally, it's incredibly comfortable to hold, much more so than the Oasis 3, IMHO. From an ergonomic perspective, I like the implementation of the page turn buttons much better on the Forma than the Oasis. The raised side just works. And it seems much lighter to hold than the Oasis (sans case/cover). I've been using my Aura ONE LE for the past few weeks and while doing so it quickly became my "go to" reader. But now the Forma is quickly becoming my new favorite. Well done Kobo!