Forma or Libra -- Current State of these units? (I want one)

[jgbout]

Hi everyone, thanks for the add.
The short.., I've had a few older Kobos, never really used much. My fault, not the Kobo (I actually really like the product & the idea.)

I want to really embrace the idea of the ereader environment now. Especially since I saw the Forma and Libra.

Where I am, it would cost me around $235 for a Libra and $345 for an 8gb Forma.

It's the upper upper end of where I want to be, but willing to make the commitment.

I've been back and forth on which one...

HOWEVER...............

I've seen a number of issues posted since the Forma was released, and now I'm SERIOUSLY WORRIED about going Kobo.

----FIRSTLY-----

Can someone(people) tell me, if buying a Forma or Libra now, Feb 2021, are there still known issues that WILL or most likely to show up ?

From my understanding the Libra is pretty much solid, yes?
The troubles are Forma?

One very popular reviewing website replied to me that there are no more Flicker or Strip issues in the newer Formas (it was just the earlier ones.) But, some posts suggest it's continuing.

I'm not sure if I'd be buying from Chapters, Amazon or Kobo direct, if it makes a difference.

• Problems I've read:
• Battery Drain (problem...fixed related to sleep?)
• No going to sleep (fixed?)
• Screen Flicker (this would annoy me, on all, hit or miss, fixed?)
• Light Strip/Ban (not so big a deal if not too strong, common to all, hit miss, fixed?)

----SECONDLY----

I saw the Libra called 7" but measures 6.7" What exactly is it? (does anyone know the width/length measurement?

And, compared to popular Mass Paperback sized book, does the Libra replicate the paging or still too small?

Lastly, can you still one hand read the Forma with sleepcover in bed ? or too big

SORRY for the Qs, but it's a lot of money, and a lot of concern, but very hopeful.

Thanks

(ps- is this a device one should be buying a warranty for)

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jgbout

HOWEVER...............

I've seen a number of issues posted since the Forma was released, and now I'm SERIOUSLY WORRIED about going Kobo.

If the issues you have mentioned concern you that much, then DO NOT GET A KOBO device.

And I'll note that while you searching has found issues, every issue that you have found has been discussed here intensively and all except one has solution. Is there any reason to ignore that?

----FIRSTLY-----

Can someone(people) tell me, if buying a Forma or Libra now, Feb 2021, are there still known issues that WILL or most likely to show up ?

From my understanding the Libra is pretty much solid, yes?
The troubles are Forma?

One very popular reviewing website replied to me that there are no more Flicker or Strip issues in the newer Formas (it was just the earlier ones.) But, some posts suggest it's continuing.

I'm not sure if I'd be buying from Chapters, Amazon or Kobo direct, if it makes a difference.

• Problems I've read:
• Battery Drain (problem...fixed related to sleep?)
  

• The only battery problems that I know of is related to bad books on the device. Reading one can sometimes leave a process behind that drains the battery. Restarting the device will reset this.
  
  There are other occasional issues that seem to be as much related to environment, such as magnets where the device is put down, as anything.
  

  No going to sleep (fixed?)

  The only real sleep issue I can think of was fixed in the previous firmware release. And was a fairly unusual situation. Again, there can be issues related to the environment.
  

  Screen Flicker (this would annoy me, on all, hit or miss, fixed?)

  There is no such thing. The whole PWM issue is absurd. The only way you can see this is with a high speed camera. No one has reported seeing a problem under anything that is remotely similar to normal reading conditions
  

  Light Strip/Ban (not so big a deal if not too strong, common to all, hit miss, fixed?)

This is a design or manufacturing defect and is still there.

----SECONDLY----

I saw the Libra called 7" but measures 6.7" What exactly is it? (does anyone know the width/length measurement?

I've never bothered measuring mine, but, it is probably a matter of where you are measuring versus where the screen manufacturers measure. Just as with all other screens. And I'm completely sure that the Oasis will have exactly the same dimensions to the screen.

And, compared to popular Mass Paperback sized book, does the Libra replicate the paging or still too small?

No, and no device does. Because the simplest answer to this question is: Which edition should it match? And "Mass Paperback sized book" is meaningless. There are different sized pages, different margins, different font sizes. The words and lines per page is probably different for each paperback. How can the device match this?

Unless you are using PDF, then all devices use some sort of "fake" page number. This can be the screen is treated as a page, the Adobe RMDSK calculation or something else. Any match to a paperbook is a fluke.

Lastly, can you still one hand read the Forma with sleepcover in bed ? or too big

Probably. It will depend on exactly how you hold it and whether you find it comfortable. And if you think that is a silly answer, there was a recent thread were we discussed how we held the ereaders. Look at that before you judge.

[John F]

Originally Posted by jgbout

...

I saw the Libra called 7" but measures 6.7" What exactly is it? (does anyone know the width/length measurement?

...

Have there been reports of the Libra being 6.7"? The H2Os were said to be 6.8, but I thought the Libra was always reported as 7"?

[Quoth]

The Libra is 7" @ 300 dpi
The Original Aura H2O was 6.8" at a lower resolution, but still quir high

[jgbout]

Yeah, I've been confused about Libra, as I've seen it at reviews and official sites listing it from 6.7, 6.8 and 7"

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by John F

Have there been reports of the Libra being 6.7"? The H2Os were said to be 6.8, but I thought the Libra was always reported as 7"?

The screen diagonal is 7". The screen measures 5.6" by 4.21" for a diagonal of 7.0 inches according to my handy dandy ruler.

I also checked Kobo's site and they list it at a 7" diagonal.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Quoth

The Libra is 7" @ 300 dpi
The Original Aura H2O was 6.8" at a lower resolution, but still quir high

In addition to the lower resolution, it also had a lower dpi.

And I believe the H2O2 used the same screen as the H2O.

[jgbout]

Thank you for the clarification !

[Prepper]

Originally Posted by jgbout

Hi everyone, thanks for the add.
Where I am, it would cost me around $235 for a Libra and $345 for an 8gb Forma.

Are you outside the US, because I just bought the Forma about a month ago for $249 from Walmart?

Some notes to answer your other questions:

My wife and I had Aura HD's since 2013. In October I decided I wanted to upgrade and found an Aura One brand new on Ebay for around $200 and grabbed it. I loved it (I don't take notes or make annotations so the only time the touch accuracy bothered me was when I was trying to check battery percentage of play with the fonts and it would hit the wrong thing -- but for just reading it was awesome).

Unfortunately my wife decided she wanted to try it one night and then insisted I upgrade her as well. I couldn't find another one so I gave her that one and bought the Forma. I like the Forma in that I can hold it and read with it all with one hand while lying in bed. The screen "flicker" is not visible at all but the slight light strip on the button side is there but after the first night I don't even notice it anymore because I am just focusing on reading before going to sleep.

Had some battery issues with both at first but then disabled Wifi and they went away (we hardly ever synch because I sideload all our books and we don't usually do any firmware upgrades because once it's set up to our liking we just read and don't need or care about any new "features")

I'm keeping an eye out for whatever this new device that Kobo is getting ready to release but unless it's 7.8/8" or larger with no bezel and improved lighting or color screen (I wouldn't mind seeing my covers in color) or some other must-have feature I doubt we will be upgrading again (why anyone would want audio on an e-reader is beyond me).

[Prepper]

Oh 2 more random thoughts: We don't have sleep covers on these devices so didn't have any battery issues with that -- we like to read without a case but I did buy some really nice felt sleeves from Emmerson Gray in the UK that we store them in when not in use.

The Forma is lighter than the Aura One because it's basically plastic but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It certainly makes reading with one hand easier.

[JSWolf]

A good sleep cover not only makes it very easy to put the Kobo to sleep, it also makes it nicer to hold.

[jgbout]

Someone was asking where I was from. Atlantic Canada.
I can't even go in a store to see a Forma... only one I found in the city, the demo doesn't work.

Wow! Since I'm not going back to the movie theatre for at least YEARS.... I have $135 in Movie Points I can cash in for an Indigo or Best Buy Gift Card !!!

That makes either reader an easy choice... so, why is that making the decision harder? hahaaa (I'm cheap and indecisive.)

QUESTION: Does Anyone Buy Extended Warranties for these ereaders, since they can be glitchy ?

I usually avoid extra (store profiting) warranties, but in this case, is it worth it?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A good sleep cover not only makes it very easy to put the Kobo to sleep, it also makes it nicer for Jon to hold.

You missed something in your post, so I fixed it for you.

That is a personal thing. Each of the ereaders I have I have used for a few days without a case before putting them in. I am always of two minds about this. Yes, they protect the device, but, they make them a lot heavier and the front gets in the way when I am reading. The lightness and thinness of the devices feels good to me.

And the covers do get in the way. It has to be folded back, with two flaps for the Glo HD and the Clara HD. And for the latter, one of the flaps covers the USB port. You can't charge the device without the cover being partly opened. Honestly, if I wasn't carrying the ereaders around to different places, I don't know if I would bother with a cover.

[jgbout]

David, good point to consider.
I thought the cover was a no-brainer for the nice sleep/wake feature (3rd party only, even here they are only $14-20)

This likely isn't being taken anywhere besides to bed or the frontroom couch. And the saved weight might be nice, especially if I go Forma.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by jgbout

QUESTION: Does Anyone Buy Extended Warranties for these ereaders, since they can be glitchy ?

I usually avoid extra (store profiting) warranties, but in this case, is it worth it?

So far the only Kobo ereader I had fail was within the first 4 months and no issues with the warranty. Most electronics tend to have "infant mortality" failures since their wear out rate is pretty minimal. Check Bathtub Curve on Wikipedia for more information.

I tend to avoid extended warranties like the plague. By the time the manufacturer's and credit card extended warranties expire, the device is at least two years old. Most of them have so much weasel wording about types of issue that are not covered that all they can be called is a money maker for the store.

One example is my son's girlfriend years back who purchased a cellphone with a replaceable battery specifically for the replaceable battery. After about 16 months, the phone stopped working and when she opened the battery cover, it was noted that the battery was swollen. Back to the place she bought it at and oooppsss. That extended warranty that covered "everything" (just bring it in and we will fix or replace your phone was the salesperson's verbiage) for 3 years did not cover the battery since it was a "user replaceable" part. Nor did it cover the keyboard, display, case damage, etc. Evidently the salesperson giveth and the fine print taketh away.