Forma Just ordered new Kobo Forma

[Maikax]

Question for those who already have the kobo form, is the time visible? Can I see the time while I'm reading?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Maikax

Question for those who already have the kobo form, is the time visible? Can I see the time while I'm reading?

When you are reading, tap the screen to bring up the top and bottom menu bars. The time is displayed in the top menu bar. After four or five seconds, it changes to show the percent read in the book. This is the same for all the Kobo devices.

[Maikax]

Yes I know. But it would be nice if the time stayed fixed while you read.

Thank you very much for your answer.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Barcey

A second minor bug was with it coming out of sleep mode on it's own. I didn't purchase the sleep cover but when I pressed the button to put it to sleep I would set it down and a couple minutes later it came out of sleep on its own. I disabled the sleep cover setting and haven't had the problem since.

I have that same bug on my One, ever since I got it. Any magnet in the area would wake it

[pickyaxe]

Has anyone who ordered from Chapters Indigo received a shipping notice yet?

edit: just received a shipping notice on my order.

[jafmaw]

Barcy: The screen clarity is very good. Side by side comparison with the H2O I would say they are equivalent. I would say the screen crispness is better on my Aura One but it's a very slight edge.

How does the Forma battery life compare to the H2O and A1?
The reported crappy battery life is what kept me from getting an A1. With my H2O, I go about a week between charges, reading about 3 to 6 hours a day. If I would have to charge every couple days, that's barely better than a tablet, and not worth the premium price.

[forster01]

Originally Posted by jafmaw

How does the Forma battery life compare to the H2O and A1?
The reported crappy battery life is what kept me from getting an A1. With my H2O, I go about a week between charges, reading about 3 to 6 hours a day. If I would have to charge every couple days, that's barely better than a tablet, and not worth the premium price.

what crappy battery life on a1?? i have KA1 and battery life is almost the same as on my aura HD and i didnt notice anything.

Those missinformations you got from haters are a pure crap... i charge my every 3 weeks, and it still has a juice in battery. (i.e.i use only sideloaded epubs)

still if you have extensive reading time as you do (i read about 2-3hrs a day) you should watch your settings no matter what e reader you use.

[jafmaw]

Originally Posted by forster01

what crappy battery life on a1?? i have KA1 and battery life is almost the same as on my aura HD and i didnt notice anything.

Those missinformations you got from haters are a pure crap... i charge my every 3 weeks, and it still has a juice in battery. (i.e.i use only sideloaded epubs)

Is the every 3 weeks charging you do done under heavy usage? 3 to 6 hours reading daily, with front light always on (between1% to 9%)? (I have wifi always off, and side load all my books using Calibre.)

Edit: I just noticed your edit:

still if you have extensive reading time as you do (i read about 2-3hrs a day) you should watch your settings no matter what e reader you use.

Also, I don't let the battery go below 25% before re-charging; if I let it run down lower, I'd have longer between charges.

Anyway, thanks. Your experiences give me some hope fo r the Forma.

[petercreasey]

Originally Posted by Barcey

After reading with the Forma for a couple days I'm overall very impressed with it.

Barcey etal, just curious...why would happy A1 users want to go to the Forma?

[jiminrussell]

Though I really do like my Forma, the screen size and even lighting, the very light weight of the device etc. it is likely going back as it has started freezing on me while reading. I have to hold the power button for several seconds to get it to shutdown and then restart it. I tried a full factory reset but it has frozen on me again several times since. What is really strange is that it only happens if I am holding it in one hand in portrait orientation, primarily right handed, though it freezes when holding in the left hand as well, though not as often. in one reading session on Saturday it froze on me about 6 times in a span of 15 minutes.
If I leave it flat on my desk while I read it never freezes, at least it hasn't so far, got it on Friday. I suspect something to do with the sensor used to detect the orientation of the screen is causing the freeze.
I might wait for a firmware update to see if that might fix the issue before I go through the hassle of a return, but I have my doubts it will.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

On the other hand, I just saw on Rakuten Japan site that during this year they will make possible two page view on Forma (with software update).

Yay!

Originally Posted by jiminrussell

I suspect something to do with the sensor used to detect the orientation of the screen is causing the freeze.

Does this happen with all books, or just the one you're reading? Did you report it to Kobo?

If I recall correctly, you should be able to switch off the auto-screen-rotate (and rotate it manually when you switch hands).

[jiminrussell]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Yay!





Does this happen with all books, or just the one you're reading? Did you report it to Kobo?

If I recall correctly, you should be able to switch off the auto-screen-rotate (and rotate it manually when you switch hands).

I've had the issue with kepub books, library book as well as one that I bought from kobo, I haven't as yet tried it with a side loaded epub.
As for switching off auto-screen-rotate, I am not aware that you can do that, you can lock it so that it only rotates between the two portrait orientations or lock it to the two landscape orientations but I don't see any way to turn it off altogether.
I have not reported the issue to Kobo yet. There will hopefully be a new firmware today or tomorrow for the official release of the Forma and if the issue continues after that I will try and get it exchanged for a new one.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

Barcey etal, just curious...why would happy A1 users want to go to the Forma?

I've only just set up my Kobo Forma, so I can't speak for long term reading etc.

However the Forma feels easier to hold. This is because it's markedly lighter than the Aura One, and the wedge gives you a good place to grip the device. Where the KA1s thinner bezels made me feel like I had to adjust my natural grip to one to fully support the KA1.

On the KA1 I form an L with my fingers as the | and my thumb as the _ the KA1 goes in the crook and my thumb supports it from the bottom. I found that using anything else became uncomfortable or didn't provide enough support for the KA1 (obviously this is going to vary from person to person as our hands are all slightly different as are our comfort levels, etc).

The Forma grip is harder to explain, and may vary as I have not read with it as of yet. My thumb rests on the wedge, starting in the rest between the top and bottom buttons, I can easily reach the top button and can reach the bottom if i move my thumb down (I set it so the top bottom goes forward in the book and the bottom goes backward so I do not see this being an issue). My palm and fingers provide support for the Forma, with my fingers basically pointing to the side of the Forma, maybe at a 30 degree angle we'll see.

In portrait mode (which is what I intend to read in 100% of the time) the Forma is shorter than the KA1 which I think will also help people feel more at ease holding it. I've got long fingers and the KA1 felt moderately big to me, so I can imagine folks with smaller hands having issues. Now it is wider than the KA1 in this mode, but the weight feels good, and is generally a slow slop down from the wedge. Which again I think will help with holding it long term.

I'm not going to focus on the screen size, you gain 0.2 inches. But you gain that while also getting thinner bezels all around aside from the wedge which is nice in my opinion.

A lot of reviewers seem to want to focus on the 'feel' of the device, noting it doesn't feel 'premium' because it's plastic/rubber instead of aluminum. I find this a stupid point, aluminum is heavier, and slicker than the plastic/rubber used in the Forma. That same 'smooth premium' feel is going to be a pain in long term reading, especially if you get the device wet. Which shouldn't be the case for the Forma.

They've also said it feels like it wouldn't do well in a bag without a case. Which is generally true of every single ereader out there. I have no reason to believe the change in design and materials will alter this for the Forma. Nor do I think that the Forma will need a case if it's going to just be in a jacket pocket, unless you're doing something which puts you at risk of a heavy mass hitting you where the pocket is (again this is true for every ereader). I am sure the Mobius substrate will help a bit, but I wouldn't want to test that theory by exposing the Forma to blows.

The only thing I am not sold on right away is the material on the back. It feels slicker than the KA1, not slick in particular, just in comparison. The KA1s backing was more textured.

Again the above are strictly initial impressions. As noted i have not read on it yet, i have spent longer writing this up than I have actually holding the Forma. I would say if you are happy with the Aura One, stay with it. I upgraded from the A1 but I did so because I was looking for a better grip, the lighter device, bigger screen, etc were strictly perks in addition to the wedge.

[Barcey]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

Barcey etal, just curious...why would happy A1 users want to go to the Forma?

I personally don't think there is a justification for a happy A1 user to get the Forma unless you really prefer the page turn buttons versus the screen tap/swipe.

[John F]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

Barcey etal, just curious...why would happy A1 users want to go to the Forma?

With the plastic substrate, you won't have to listen to JSWolf telling you you must get a cover.