Perhaps the most ridiculous 'Feature Request' you've ever read

Dr. Drib · 06-02-2013, 12:09 PM

I love the form factor of my nook touch....in other words, I like to hold it. No: I love to hold it.

I wonder if there is any conceivable way to take the guts out of my Kobo Glo and successfully install them in a Nook body?

Of course, the on/off switch and everything else would be out of whack.

What a ridiculous desire. You have permission to flog me.

Hey, call me crazy. OK: I'l do it:

Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.

Don

davidfor · 06-02-2013, 07:24 PM

I think it's a trap. He asks us to call him "crazy", but that would be a personal attack and the moderators would come down on us!

I haven't seen any Nook devices in the flesh. I had to have a look at the pictures and I can see why it might be good to hold. Looking at it, it would be pretty hard. The power switches and the SD cards slots are in completely different spots. Either they would have to be moved, or holes cut in the case to match them. Not an easy looking job.

TechniSol · 06-02-2013, 09:52 PM

I don't know... If he is crazy, calling him that can't really be construed as an attack, can it?

Adding to the "crazy", it seems that if one rotated the Kobo board & display180 degrees the SDHC slot might be near lining up... Considering the Nook STR case would be just as comfortable to hold inverted, the power button at the bottom would be no big deal, but you would now have a "U" button(former "n" button) at the top.

A microswitch could be positioned under the "U" button and wired to the light button contacts on the pc board, if you could find room to position the switch and a way to mount it. Hot glue or epoxy might serve for the mounting. Or it may just be easier to make a hole and find a way to press the light button already on the Kobo board.

The same or similar might be done for the power switch.

The big question then becomes whether you can transplant the display and IR plastic lens system and how you'll mount that whole assembly and the pc board. Again, you might be able to build mounting points with 5 minute epoxy or powdered plastic and solvent for the screws designed to mount the Kobo board. Or perhaps all you need is double sided tape between display and bezel and the board just mounts to the display with screws. Been a while since I cracked my Glo open and paid much attention, even longer since I worked on one of my Nook STRs.

It might be do-able, but I'd be very careful with the guts of my Glo and maybe buy a broken nook for the case so if it didn't work I'd still have two working readers in decent cases -assuming, of course, the Nook STR works now.

davidfor · 06-02-2013, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TechniSol

I don't know... If he is crazy, calling him that can't really be construed as an attack, can it?

Good point. That might make it safe.

Quote:

Adding to the "crazy", it seems that if one rotated the Kobo board & display180 degrees the SDHC slot might be near lining up...

I thought about that, but then the USB socket wouldn't line up. Or at least I think I saw it in the bottom middle on the Nook. But transferring that would be a lot easier.

Quote:

Considering the Nook STR case would be just as comfortable to hold inverted, the power button at the bottom would be no big deal, but you would now have a "U" button(former "n" button) at the top.

A microswitch could be positioned under the "U" button and wired to the light button contacts on the pc board, if you could find room to position the switch and a way to mount it. Hot glue or epoxy might serve for the mounting. Or it may just be easier to make a hole and find a way to press the light button already on the Kobo board.

The same or similar might be done for the power switch.

The big question then becomes whether you can transplant the display and IR plastic lens system and how you'll mount that whole assembly and the pc board. Again, you might be able to build mounting points with 5 minute epoxy or powdered plastic and solvent for the screws designed to mount the Kobo board. Or perhaps all you need is double sided tape between display and bezel and the board just mounts to the display with screws. Been a while since I cracked my Glo open and paid much attention, even longer since I worked on one of my Nook STRs.

The screen might not be that much of a problem. Someone replaced their screen in a Kobo Touch or Glow with one from a Nook recently. That might make mounting easier.

Quote:

It might be do-able, but I'd be very careful with the guts of my Glo and maybe buy a broken nook for the case so if it didn't work I'd still have two working readers in decent cases -assuming, of course, the Nook STR works now.

I am definitely not volunteering my Glo. But, if someone does it, I want to see pictures.

TechniSol · 06-03-2013, 12:24 AM

Heck, if they do it, I want step-by-step photos. I have four non-functional Nook STRs that I picked up for parts for a few sheckles on Ebay before I went Kobo. Hard to find them with good displays, but it's easy to find working motherboards and batteries. I thought it a good investment against obsolescence, but found Kobo's adjustable weight fonts and discovered a need for lighting, so the Nooks aren't cutting it.

Reflecting on this further, I wonder if it'd be worth trying to rotate the case. The Nook and its board are wider and the Kobo sdhc socket might not end up anywhere near the case edge. I think one might just have to leave the sdhc in place. It's only a minute's trouble to pop the power switch cover off with an Xacto knife and find the right bit to remove the single Torx screw holding the sliding case together.

I like the Nook case, but to me the Glo, and even moreso the Touch, are cleaner, thinner, classier designs. I can see how people like the feel of the nook case.

I wish they'd shaped the back cover for the Glo like the Touch instead of giving it such rounded radiused edges. The rear cover design of the Touch actually gave the illusion of a much thinner device.

All the above said, I wonder what it'd be like to have a very thin aluminum or magnesium alloy case for the Glo, shaped like the Touch with gently sloping edges and a coating of whatever paint they used on the Lenovo X41T and similar laptops? The finish is a very thin rubber like material similar to the surface of the Touch and Glo. My main concern would be durability and less chance of the device being flexed. Perhaps the same or better will be achieved with the new flexible e-ink displays.

Dr. Drib · 06-05-2013, 12:03 PM

It's that sculpted Nook back that makes it easier to hold - for me.

I also like the wider beveled edges.

The case certainly is larger, which is a point of detraction for some who prefer a smaller body.

I won't be prying apart my Kobo Glo, but I was just wondering.....

Thanks, everyone.

Don

Breid · 06-05-2013, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I love the form factor of my nook touch....in other words, I like to hold it. No: I love to hold it.

I wonder if there is any conceivable way to take the guts out of my Kobo Glo and successfully install them in a Nook body?

Of course, the on/off switch and everything else would be out of whack.

What a ridiculous desire. You have permission to flog me.

Hey, call me crazy. OK: I'l do it:

Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.
Crazy.

Don

I think you might be crazy but I am not 100% sure....I have never seen or owned a Nook. I had a look online and, I must confess, I was not very enamoured with the shape of the Nook. But, perhaps, it an object of beauty, style, and comfort to hold, which is superior to all other ereaders. If that is true, then you are not crazy at all.....those of us who have not discovered this amazing fact are barking mad

Breid · 06-05-2013, 04:05 PM

Snarl..double post.....sorry

simplyparticular · 06-05-2013, 04:20 PM

Well, if you're crazy, I'm certifiable. I'd love the Sony firmware, on the Kobo Glo's screen + light, inside the Nook ST case.

TechniSol · 06-05-2013, 07:27 PM

I don't think there's anything particularly crazy about it.

I have two working Nook STRs, and 4 parts models, and I bought them because they seemed quite reliable, the form factor seemed OK, and because I was interested in rooting them and maybe being able to run a few android apps.

I bought a Nook with Glowlight before my Glo, but did not care for their version of front lighting and returned it the next day and drove another 40 miles to buy my Kobo Glo. I have to admit I find the Glo a bit lighter and sleeker, and long term I'd rather hold the lighter reader. Also, I prefer a bolder font since the front lighting tends to knock the contrast down a bit. If the Nooks had better lighting and adjustable weight fonts it'd be a much harder choice, but I think Kobo still wins the physical race for now -at least for me.

domani7 · 06-05-2013, 08:12 PM

Yes that would be amazing. But the buttons need to be functional page turning buttons and the home screen button should also be functional. Actually now that I think about it its not a home button its more like a menu button. Which is superior.

domani7 · 06-05-2013, 08:13 PM

I'm 100% with you with the physical superiority of the Nook Touch.

TechniSol · 06-06-2013, 03:15 AM

Well, a simple case swap is not going to add functional page turn or menu buttons to a Glo since it doesn't have those inputs. That's why I suggested the "n" button might serve as a Light button.

Of course, if we're talking fantasy devices I can see why some would appreciate the page turn buttons and used them myself on the Nook. Unfortunately, they are mechanical and far too likely to fail well in advance of the IR or capacitive touch based solutions. Pursuing an IR or capacitive alternative for buttons would interest me.

If I had an ideal, it'd be similar to a Kobo Glo in physical design, but with the Kobo Touch's sloped back and lightweight, use their front lighting or similar and the higher resolution 6" e-ink screen or the new flexible screens with IR touch input and possibly a thin layer of gorilla glass just in case, have a small speaker and voice output or at least 1/8" audio jack or Bluetooth for those times when reading is out, but listening is possible, be based on Android JB so one wasn't stuck with a particular reader application, have a replaceable battery, capacitive or IR based "buttons" on the 3/8" or so wide bezel that could be selectively disabled and set for which provided which input, and about a 1GHz processor should be fine. I'd also like multiple ADE formats supported so one could browse and buy from whichever bookstore and format was cheapest. Ability to sideload through WiFi and USB would be great, and android versions of Calibre/Sigil and the like wouldn't hurt.

Top that off with an optional sculpted rear cover shaped like the back of the Nook that you can place/snap the reader in, complete with wider bezel and you'd have something. Basic case for some, comfort for others. It kind of amazes me that no one has done this. It's pretty obvious and gives you another revenue source with personalization and color choices.

It'll probably never happen as all the players are concentrating on the bookstore end, which from an ongoing income standpoint makes sense, and allowing others and their bookstores on your device is probably not the best idea unless you're the highest volume lowest cost alternative. Amazon and Google are you listening? My guess is that they figure the color LCD just makes more sense overall in terms of sales on an Android platform, can't blame them for that.

06-02-2013, 12:09 PM	#1
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Perhaps the most ridiculous 'Feature Request' you've ever read I love the form factor of my nook touch....in other words, I like to hold it. No: I love to hold it. I wonder if there is any conceivable way to take the guts out of my Kobo Glo and successfully install them in a Nook body? Of course, the on/off switch and everything else would be out of whack. What a ridiculous desire. You have permission to flog me. Hey, call me crazy. OK: I'l do it: Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Don

06-02-2013, 09:52 PM	#3
TechniSol GranPohbah-Fezzes r cool! Posts: 1,056 Karma: 3151024 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook STRs, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo	I don't know... If he is crazy, calling him that can't really be construed as an attack, can it? Adding to the "crazy", it seems that if one rotated the Kobo board & display180 degrees the SDHC slot might be near lining up... Considering the Nook STR case would be just as comfortable to hold inverted, the power button at the bottom would be no big deal, but you would now have a "U" button(former "n" button) at the top. A microswitch could be positioned under the "U" button and wired to the light button contacts on the pc board, if you could find room to position the switch and a way to mount it. Hot glue or epoxy might serve for the mounting. Or it may just be easier to make a hole and find a way to press the light button already on the Kobo board. The same or similar might be done for the power switch. The big question then becomes whether you can transplant the display and IR plastic lens system and how you'll mount that whole assembly and the pc board. Again, you might be able to build mounting points with 5 minute epoxy or powdered plastic and solvent for the screws designed to mount the Kobo board. Or perhaps all you need is double sided tape between display and bezel and the board just mounts to the display with screws. Been a while since I cracked my Glo open and paid much attention, even longer since I worked on one of my Nook STRs. It might be do-able, but I'd be very careful with the guts of my Glo and maybe buy a broken nook for the case so if it didn't work I'd still have two working readers in decent cases -assuming, of course, the Nook STR works now. Last edited by TechniSol; 06-02-2013 at 10:18 PM.

06-05-2013, 04:05 PM	#8
Breid Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 161452 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ireland Device: Kobo Aura HD; Kobo Glo; KPW	Snarl..double post.....sorry Last edited by Breid; 06-05-2013 at 04:11 PM.

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06-02-2013, 07:24 PM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I think it's a trap. He asks us to call him "crazy", but that would be a personal attack and the moderators would come down on us! I haven't seen any Nook devices in the flesh. I had to have a look at the pictures and I can see why it might be good to hold. Looking at it, it would be pretty hard. The power switches and the SD cards slots are in completely different spots. Either they would have to be moved, or holes cut in the case to match them. Not an easy looking job.

06-03-2013, 12:24 AM	#5
TechniSol GranPohbah-Fezzes r cool! Posts: 1,056 Karma: 3151024 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook STRs, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo	Heck, if they do it, I want step-by-step photos. I have four non-functional Nook STRs that I picked up for parts for a few sheckles on Ebay before I went Kobo. Hard to find them with good displays, but it's easy to find working motherboards and batteries. I thought it a good investment against obsolescence, but found Kobo's adjustable weight fonts and discovered a need for lighting, so the Nooks aren't cutting it. Reflecting on this further, I wonder if it'd be worth trying to rotate the case. The Nook and its board are wider and the Kobo sdhc socket might not end up anywhere near the case edge. I think one might just have to leave the sdhc in place. It's only a minute's trouble to pop the power switch cover off with an Xacto knife and find the right bit to remove the single Torx screw holding the sliding case together. I like the Nook case, but to me the Glo, and even moreso the Touch, are cleaner, thinner, classier designs. I can see how people like the feel of the nook case. I wish they'd shaped the back cover for the Glo like the Touch instead of giving it such rounded radiused edges. The rear cover design of the Touch actually gave the illusion of a much thinner device. All the above said, I wonder what it'd be like to have a very thin aluminum or magnesium alloy case for the Glo, shaped like the Touch with gently sloping edges and a coating of whatever paint they used on the Lenovo X41T and similar laptops? The finish is a very thin rubber like material similar to the surface of the Touch and Glo. My main concern would be durability and less chance of the device being flexed. Perhaps the same or better will be achieved with the new flexible e-ink displays.

06-05-2013, 12:03 PM	#6
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	It's that sculpted Nook back that makes it easier to hold - for me. I also like the wider beveled edges. The case certainly is larger, which is a point of detraction for some who prefer a smaller body. I won't be prying apart my Kobo Glo, but I was just wondering..... Thanks, everyone. Don

06-05-2013, 04:20 PM	#9
simplyparticular Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 1395952 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New York Device: Oasis 3 & GlowLight 4	Well, if you're crazy, I'm certifiable. I'd love the Sony firmware, on the Kobo Glo's screen + light, inside the Nook ST case.

06-05-2013, 07:27 PM	#10
TechniSol GranPohbah-Fezzes r cool! Posts: 1,056 Karma: 3151024 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook STRs, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo	I don't think there's anything particularly crazy about it. I have two working Nook STRs, and 4 parts models, and I bought them because they seemed quite reliable, the form factor seemed OK, and because I was interested in rooting them and maybe being able to run a few android apps. I bought a Nook with Glowlight before my Glo, but did not care for their version of front lighting and returned it the next day and drove another 40 miles to buy my Kobo Glo. I have to admit I find the Glo a bit lighter and sleeker, and long term I'd rather hold the lighter reader. Also, I prefer a bolder font since the front lighting tends to knock the contrast down a bit. If the Nooks had better lighting and adjustable weight fonts it'd be a much harder choice, but I think Kobo still wins the physical race for now -at least for me.

06-05-2013, 08:12 PM	#11
domani7 Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 89450 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: nook	Yes that would be amazing. But the buttons need to be functional page turning buttons and the home screen button should also be functional. Actually now that I think about it its not a home button its more like a menu button. Which is superior.

06-05-2013, 08:13 PM	#12
domani7 Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 89450 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: nook	I'm 100% with you with the physical superiority of the Nook Touch.

06-06-2013, 03:15 AM	#13
TechniSol GranPohbah-Fezzes r cool! Posts: 1,056 Karma: 3151024 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook STRs, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo	Well, a simple case swap is not going to add functional page turn or menu buttons to a Glo since it doesn't have those inputs. That's why I suggested the "n" button might serve as a Light button. Of course, if we're talking fantasy devices I can see why some would appreciate the page turn buttons and used them myself on the Nook. Unfortunately, they are mechanical and far too likely to fail well in advance of the IR or capacitive touch based solutions. Pursuing an IR or capacitive alternative for buttons would interest me. If I had an ideal, it'd be similar to a Kobo Glo in physical design, but with the Kobo Touch's sloped back and lightweight, use their front lighting or similar and the higher resolution 6" e-ink screen or the new flexible screens with IR touch input and possibly a thin layer of gorilla glass just in case, have a small speaker and voice output or at least 1/8" audio jack or Bluetooth for those times when reading is out, but listening is possible, be based on Android JB so one wasn't stuck with a particular reader application, have a replaceable battery, capacitive or IR based "buttons" on the 3/8" or so wide bezel that could be selectively disabled and set for which provided which input, and about a 1GHz processor should be fine. I'd also like multiple ADE formats supported so one could browse and buy from whichever bookstore and format was cheapest. Ability to sideload through WiFi and USB would be great, and android versions of Calibre/Sigil and the like wouldn't hurt. Top that off with an optional sculpted rear cover shaped like the back of the Nook that you can place/snap the reader in, complete with wider bezel and you'd have something. Basic case for some, comfort for others. It kind of amazes me that no one has done this. It's pretty obvious and gives you another revenue source with personalization and color choices. It'll probably never happen as all the players are concentrating on the bookstore end, which from an ongoing income standpoint makes sense, and allowing others and their bookstores on your device is probably not the best idea unless you're the highest volume lowest cost alternative. Amazon and Google are you listening? My guess is that they figure the color LCD just makes more sense overall in terms of sales on an Android platform, can't blame them for that.

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