To sync or not to sync

[Quoth]

WiFi is for syncing of books from the store

buying a book, fresh adverts or downloading a book stored in Cloud Library is not a definition of Sync commonly used elsewhere. Sync is to update reading status between apps/devices or possibly reading status of a library book.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

In your opinion, unless you work for Kobo.

Yes, in my opinion. And in the opinion of Kobo when I asked about it.

You make a lot of Kobo friendly assumptions.
In reality if Kobo had retailed this to me direct they would be breaking SOGO in EU as they have changed and damaged functionality of my property after I bought it. Without permission.
I'm sceptical that Kobo is GDPR compliant any way.

If I remember rightly, you bought the your Kobo device in the middle of last year. If so, Kobo has made no changes with respect to syncing in that time. It is worked exactly as when you bought it. Or for quite some time before that.

As to the rest, I have no idea, and little interest in discussing the legal situation in other countries.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

buying a book, fresh adverts or downloading a book stored in Cloud Library is not a definition of Sync commonly used elsewhere. Sync is to update reading status between apps/devices or possibly reading status of a library book.

So, exactly how do you get the book on the device if it isn't part of the "sync"? And as I've been commenting, read the manual and see what Kobo says about sync. Hint: It includes downloading books.

And yes, I forgot about the shop. Yes, another reason for the WiFi, and another reason to sync after buying a book.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

buying a book, fresh adverts or downloading a book stored in Cloud Library is not a definition of Sync commonly used elsewhere. Sync is to update reading status between apps/devices or possibly reading status of a library book.

You might be interested in how the add-on reader KOReader uses WiFi.

There is a "Progress Sync" function that lets you read an ebook over all your devices running KOReader.

There are some functions that might be called a "sync", by other software. At least two for copying ebooks from your calibre library. There are also the functions that support OPDS, FTP, and Cloud Services. You can also wirelessly copy a book you are reading to another device running KOReader, using a "Zsync" function.

There is also: Send2Ebook lets you send articles found on PC/Android phone to your Ebook reader (using ftp server).\n\nMore details: https://github.com/mwoz123/send2ebook\n\nDownloads to local folder: %1')

There is the Evernote plugin, I guess you could call what it does as syncing.

The Newsdownloader might be considered a sync as well.

Almost forgot the timesync plugin.

Not sure how the "goodreads" plugin works, it might be one too.

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; Forgot the new "Wallabag" plugin.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by davidfor

It doesn't explicitly state a sync will be done, but the only mention of WiFi is related to syncing. That has probably changed and the manual needs to be updated a little bit.

Exactly. It doesn't explicitly state the behaviour as i noted. It is implicit. So much so that many users apparently did not initially make the correct inference, myself included. Hence, turning on the wifi should not really be considered an "explicit invocation" to automatically update as the person to whom I was responding suggested. At least, not until one has realized that is the behaviour which the device engages in when wifi has been enabled.

Originally Posted by davidfor

And of course, the function of any device is up to the manufacturer. If you want to use it in some other way, then you have put up with the restrictions placed on it by the manufacturer, or convince them to change things. Or, get a different device.

Nothing to disagree with there. I quite like both my Kobos and, now that I know how they behave, I am quite happy to never connect them to the internet via wifi. I use a different ereader when I want to connect to the internet.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

In reality if Kobo had retailed this to me direct they would be breaking SOGO in EU as they have changed and damaged functionality of my property after I bought it. Without permission.
I'm sceptical that Kobo is GDPR compliant any way.

A rather inflammatory statement. Exactly what functionality have they changed and/or damaged? Their sync implementation has not changed in years so it predates your purchase.

As for being GDPR compliant? Last time we (corporately speaking) looked at GDPR, the keywords seemed to be "reasonable level of protection for personal data".

Given that Kobo does not collect your health and genetic data, biometric data, racial or ethnic data, political opinions or sexual orientation, this pretty much leaves basic ID information such as your name, address and ID numbers (for Canadians, your Social Insurance Number (SIN)) and web data information such as location, IP address, cookies and RFID.

I haven't noticed any need to give a real name, address, ID information and/or email address to register a Kobo device and the information collected does not seem to be being resold elsewhere (the only emails I've received at my test address for Kobo devices are from Kobo in contrast to the multiple messages I receive at several other test email addresses). If you start purchasing books from Kobo using a credit card, that falls under PCI DSS in this area and even stricter regulation. If you want to stick with gift cards and manual downloads, you can avoid even that level of potential exposure.

I feel asking what evidence do you have that Kobo is not offering a "reasonable level of protection for personal data" is not an unreasonable question. So, what evidence do you have?

The Google Analytics stuff might be iffy given that Google was recently hit with a 50 million euro fine in France. OTOH, if Kobo has "IP Address Anonymization" enabled, there covers most of the possible privacy concerns.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

buying a book, fresh adverts or downloading a book stored in Cloud Library is not a definition of Sync commonly used elsewhere. Sync is to update reading status between apps/devices or possibly reading status of a library book.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” -- Lewis Carroll

Given the multiple meanings of synchronization, your attempt to cherry pick one meaning is risible. A rather general definition I've seen for computer/data processing would be the process of making two or more data stores or programs either in the same or different computers to have the same information at a given time.

So, contrary to your opinion, downloading a library book from the library server to my ereader would be synchronization. The same for an ebook purchased from Kobo. Ditto for sending my current reading information to Kobo.

Heck, even my alarm clock automatically correcting it's time from NIST is termed synchronization though if the Trump administration has it's way and shuts down WWV, WWVB and WWVH, that functionality will be lost.

[Quoth]

I agreed that the library processing is probably synchronising. Though NOT the initial picking of a book to read.
Buying a book when you only have one device is not.
Yes, correcting a local clock automatically from a remote one is synchronisation. Most systems allow you to turn that off from Internet (My satellite box, Android Phone, Linux and Windows allow it to be turned off. My Android TV might be able to disable it, it's such a mess of a GUI it's hard to say. The TV and sat box gets it from broadcast)

Downloading adverts, forcing new firmware automatically, uploading reader stats (illegal in EU) and copying other user behaviour (illegal in EU) is not synchronisation.

different computers to have the same information at a given time.

I agree with that. But Kobo knows I have only one device, no app and and have never bought anything from them. So there is nothing to synchronise by any reasonable definition. Even if there was, what looks like an "off" should be off.
Even MS Roaming profiles can be disabled.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

uploading reader stats (illegal in EU) and copying other user behaviour (illegal in EU) is not synchronisation.

Illegal without agreement. Did you read the agreement when you signed up? Though, I have no idea where you are, so I don't know if it is illegal where you are.

Of course, you could just turn the usage reporting off.

I agree with that. But Kobo knows I have only one device, no app and and have never bought anything from them. So there is nothing to synchronise by any reasonable definition.

And at any moment, you might start buying books from Kobo. Without syncing, the device doesn't know this.

Even if there was, what looks like an "off" should be off.

Then make sure you tell Kobo that you want the option. But, remember the function hasn't change since well before you bought the device. As you disagree so vehemently with the function, why did you buy the device?

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

The only use I have for WiFi is to look up Wikipedia or google for a word or phrase in a book.
I have nothing at all that needs Sync: NO Overdrive, Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo device. Sync should ONLY sync stuff. Kobo would know my device account has no related Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo eReader, so therefore any SYNC related to Kobo is wrong.
I've no idea how Overdrive works, it's for libraries? The libraries here (this part of Ireland) don't have eBooks at all and audio books are on CD.

Do you have to log in with a Kobo account when you set up the device? I don't know if I had to, but I did because I already had Kobo books even before I got a Kobo device. I also don't know if it's different outside of the US/Canada. At any rate, if you are signed into a Kobo account, how would the device know that you haven't bought a Kobo book on the website or added another device/app unless it checks your online account?

Obviously you know that you haven't and have no intention of doing any of those things. So you would prefer to be able to leave wifi on for looking stuff up, but disconnect completely from all ebookstore functionality. Maybe sync the time and keep the firmware up-to-date? That's probably pretty low on the list of possible software options for any ebookstore affiliated ereader. My impression is that Kobo prioritizes selling ebooks over ereaders. Maybe less so than Amazon.

Yes, Overdrive is for library books. I believe they only partner with libraries in the US and Canada.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

And, thankfully, Google allows me to turn off automatic updates of apps.

Ok, you got me there. That's something I like about Android and really dislike about Windows 10.


Just for the record, I can see why people would want the option. And I would have no objection to Kobo adding it. As you said, options are good.

But I'm not surprised at the way it currently works or that Kobo might not be in a big rush to change it.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I agree with that. But Kobo knows I have only one device, no app and and have never bought anything from them. So there is nothing to synchronise by any reasonable definition. Even if there was, what looks like an "off" should be off.
Even MS Roaming profiles can be disabled.

Kobo and their servers may know that you haven't purchased anything, borrowed a library book, etc. How does your device know that you haven't done so? Perhaps by synchronizing with Kobo's servers?

As for disabling MS roaming profiles? Have you ever actually looked at what gets synchronized between your Windows device and AD? Disabling roaming profiles may stop that 4GB video file on your desktop from following you around but given your worries about Kobo, you should look at what other information is still being swapped.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Yes, Overdrive is for library books. I believe they only partner with libraries in the US and Canada.

Add the UK, Australia and New Zealand to the list of countries where Kobo ereaders can use Overdrive.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Downloading adverts, forcing new firmware automatically, uploading reader stats (illegal in EU) and copying other user behaviour (illegal in EU) is not synchronisation.

Illegal in the EU? Have you chatted with a lawyer in your jurisdiction? The only discussion I've seen was a couple of years back from a German forum where end was "it all depends". Did you read the terms of use and privacy policy you agreed to? I suspect the number of people who actually read those documents are few and far between.

If you are suffering from insomnia, you can check Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Rakuten Binding Corporate Rules (english) PDF, etc. as they are a great cure for insomnia.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Add the UK, Australia and New Zealand to the list of countries where Kobo ereaders can use Overdrive.

Oh, good! I know I've had someone from the UK ask me what it was. Maybe it's not as ubiquitous as it seems to be here in the US. Until recent years, it was pretty much the only way that my libraries provided ebooks (in a few different US locations.)