Differences Tolino & Kobo

[SusanReads]

I know that Kobo owns Tolino now and so the new Tolino devices are Kobo clones except for the software, but I'm trying to figure out in what way they are different.

Like, does Tolino have a header/footer? And can you change the information that is shown? Does Tolino calculate the reading time left of a book? Does it show the adobe pages or does it change with the font size like Kobo devices do now?

The home screen, what does it show? Does the new firmware have the same homescreen as the older firmware? (I tried to look up youtube videos but there aren't that many, and all of them are of older devices)

Can you add your own fonts? How are the line spacing and the margins?

I tried the Kobo Libra but wasn't happy with the lighting. Now I know that Tolino devices might have that same issue, but I'm willing to try the Tolino Vishion 5. Except I don't know anything about the software/reading features.

So if anyone would be so kind to tell me a little about the Tolino reading experience I would really appreciate it.

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

I know that Kobo owns Tolino now [...]

Kobo is the technology partner of Tolino. So they just produce devices for them. The brand "Tolino" itself is owned by serveral book chain stores in Germany, Austra and Switzerland which are cooperating as the Tolino Alliance.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Like, does Tolino have a header/footer? And can you change the information that is shown?

The header shows a bookmark graphic, which is obviously there to bookmark a page. The footer shows the page your are on and how many the book has.
You cannot change that. It's not even possible to turn them off.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Does Tolino calculate the reading time left of a book?

No.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Does it show the adobe pages or does it change with the font size like Kobo devices do now?

I dont really know what you mean by that.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

The home screen, what does it show?

The half above shows the last three books you have opened or newly added to your device. The first book of them always shows the book you opened the last time.
The bottom half shows, if connected to a book shop, recommendations for further reading. If you are not connected to a book shop, it tells you there that you should do that, but unlike with Kobo, you dont need to.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Does the new firmware have the same homescreen as the older firmware?

The homescreen stayed the same for years.

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Can you add your own fonts? How are the line spacing and the margins?

You can add your own fonts, but you just have three or four different options for line spacing.

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by AnimalOfArt

Kobo is the technology partner of Tolino. So they just produce devices for them. The brand "Tolino" itself is owned by serveral book chain stores in Germany, Austra and Switzerland which are cooperating as the Tolino Alliance.

Sorry, poor choice of words. You're right. I just meant to say that the hardware of the Kobos and the Tolinos is the same.

The options actually sound quite limited tbh.

What do you like about it? I want to hear the positive things about it.

[rcentros]

I think AnimalofArt answered all the questions except...

Originally Posted by SusanReads
Does it show the adobe pages or does it change with the font size like Kobo devices do now?

Yes, it shows the Adobe page numbers and doesn't change with the size of the font.

Here are a few screen shots. Very simple and feature "sparse." (Which is one reason why I like my Tolinos — but it's not for everyone.) It should be mentioned that it's relatively easy to root a Tolino and load your own apps for reading. I like what's built-in, but a few here have mentioned "jail breaking" their Tolinos.

You can display your book cover, or a custom image in sleep mode (also the standard Tolino is Sleeping, etc., images).

Oh, and you can take screenshots just by holding the on/off button down for three seconds and choosing Screenshot. The book page I chose is the introduction of a chapter, which is why it's all italic. This is a custom font, Constantia, the one I usually use.

Meant to add... with firmware 13.1.0 (which comes with the three new Tolinos, and is supposed to come to the others soon) you also get to choose the "Inverted Mode" option (white text on black).

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Sorry, poor choice of words. You're right. I just meant to say that the hardware of the Kobos and the Tolinos is the same.

The options actually sound quite limited tbh.

What do you like about it? I want to hear the positive things about it.

really no problem at all!!

indeed, they are very limited! Not to mention the dictionaries!

Well, the one and only reason I bought an Tolino Epos instead of a Kobo Aura One, was because here in germany I got an official certified refurbushed device for about 140€.
I couldn't get my hands on a refurbished Kobo Aura One. For a new device I had to pay over 200€, so I decided to go with the limitations!

From my point of view, there is just one thing better with a Tolino. If you register your device with a book store, you get 25GB free cloud storage for your books forever!

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think AnimalofArt answered all the questions except...

Yes, it shows the Adobe page numbers and doesn't change with the size of the font.

Here are a few screen shots. Very simple and feature "sparse." (Which is one reason why I like my Tolinos — but it's not for everyone.) It should be mentioned that it's relatively easy to root a Tolino and load your own apps for reading. I like what's built-in, but a few here have mentioned "jail breaking" their Tolinos.

You can display your book cover, or a custom image in sleep mode (also the standard Tolino is Sleeping, etc., images).

Oh, and you can take screenshots just by holding the on/off button down for three seconds and choosing Screenshot. The book page I chose is the introduction of a chapter, which is why it's all italic. This is a custom font, Constantia, the one I usually use.

Meant to add... with firmware 13.1.0 (which comes with the three new Tolinos, and is supposed to come to the others soon) you also get to choose the "Inverted Mode" option (white text on black).

Thank you so much! I actually like how it looks when looking at the screenshots.

And I do like that it shows the Adobe page numbers. That's a thing I hate about the new Kobo firmware.

Does anyone know if the devices are actually made in the same factory as the Kobos? I just want the lighting to be different from that of the Kobos, but I'm not sure if that will be the case.

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by AnimalOfArt

really no problem at all!!

indeed, they are very limited! Not to mention the dictionaries!

Well, the one and only reason I bought an Tolino Epos instead of a Kobo Aura One, was because here in germany I got an official certified refurbushed device for about 140€.
I couldn't get my hands on a refurbished Kobo Aura One. For a new device I had to pay over 200€, so I decided to go with the limitations!

From my point of view, there is just one thing better with a Tolino. If you register your device with a book store, you get 25GB free cloud storage for your books forever!

Nice, I like the sound of free storage.

Thank you for answering a lot of my questions! Not a lot of Tolino information to be found on the internet.

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Does anyone know if the devices are actually made in the same factory as the Kobos? I just want the lighting to be different from that of the Kobos, but I'm not sure if that will be the case.

The only thing I can tell you about this is that the lighting of the Tolino Shine 3 was different in a better way, than of its Kobo twin, the Clara HD. I don't know about the new devices!

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Nice, I like the sound of free storage.

Thank you for answering a lot of my questions! Not a lot of Tolino information to be found on the internet.

I forgot one thing: Because the Tolinos run on Android you can "free" them and add more apps to it.

[SusanReads]

So basically if I don't like the reading options I can add a reading app so I have more options/change the look?

It sounds very good to be able to 'jailbreak' it and make it my own in every way. Does anyone have any experience with this?

What are the things you could alter with a freed device? Only the reading app? Or things like the home screen as well?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Thank you so much! I actually like how it looks when looking at the screenshots.

And I do like that it shows the Adobe page numbers. That's a thing I hate about the new Kobo firmware.

Does anyone know if the devices are actually made in the same factory as the Kobos? I just want the lighting to be different from that of the Kobos, but I'm not sure if that will be the case.

You can easily get Adobe page numbers. just stop reading KePub and read ePub. problem solved. Don't sync. Side load ePub. It's what I do most of the time and I get the better typesetting and Adobe page numbers.

The Tolino firmware is closer to Kindle firmware in it's limitations.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

So basically if I don't like the reading options I can add a reading app so I have more options/change the look?

It sounds very good to be able to 'jailbreak' it and make it my own in every way. Does anyone have any experience with this?

What are the things you could alter with a freed device? Only the reading app? Or things like the home screen as well?

When Kobo, you can add KOReader if you want. No need to root Android. Most Android eBook reading apps are garbage and you have to find one that respects the CSS and works well enough on eInk.

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When Kobo, you can add KOReader if you want. No need to root Android. Most Android eBook reading apps are garbage and you have to find one that respects the CSS and works well enough on eInk.

What is different with KOReader?

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Most Android eBook reading apps are garbage and you have to find one that respects the CSS and works well enough on eInk.

With Tolino, you can use a specific app, that will refresh your whole screen every time it changes.

@SarahReads:

I did it once with a Tolino Shine 2HD. I had no problems doing this, but I am a software engineer, so it was kinda an easy task for me. I don't know how good you are in handling technically step by step instructions and unfortunately there are only german tutorials about how to do this!

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Tolino firmware is closer to Kindle firmware in it's limitations.

I would agree to that, but I still would say that the Tolino FW has some more limitations.