What is the best firmware for my KA1 in regard to battery drain & text highlighting

[Telemachus]

4.3.8945 is my current installed firmware, automatically updated (my region is the UK and I have stuck with the default affliate 'Kobo')
I count at least 5 newer firmware updates since my current version.
4.4.9349
4.4.9344
4.4.9298
4.3.9084
4.3.8966
Battery drain and text highlighting/selection are my main concerns.
Would I benefit from sideloading a newer version or should I wait for an automatic update?
Thanks Mick (Telemachus)

[DNSB]

I haven't seen any battery drain issues with any of the firmware revisions I've used on my Aura One. It seems to be a issue limited to a few units but I haven't seem any reports that indicate specific hardware or battery issues.

For highlighting, I mostly highlight errors for later correction so I'm not highlighting masses of text for later reference. I've seem some differences between highlighting with firmware revisions, currently I'm quite happy with the highlighting. If you need to highlight masses of text, using kepubs would be recommended so you can highlight over page boundaries.

As for sideloading? I tend to keep my devices on the newest firmware. Sometimes, that does lead to life on the bleeding edge.

[jfreudenthal]

I'm also stuck on 4.3 something (in Sweden). Why are updates pushed to certain markets but not others?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by jfreudenthal

I'm also stuck on 4.3 something (in Sweden). Why are updates pushed to certain markets but not others?

The updates seem to depend on the affiliate for the most part. Changing the affiliate.conf file in the .kobo directory to set bestbuyca as the affiliate seems to get the newest firmware. For Mac or Linux, you can use pretty much any text editor, for Windows use a text editor that respects end of line (Notepad++ is my choice there).

[General]
affiliate=KoboIndigo <== this is the value to replace

after editing:

[General]
affiliate=bestbuyca

The other option is to sideload the newer firmware. To do this, download the firmware.zip file for your hardware version, open it and copy the upgrade directory, KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files into the .kobo directory. After the safely eject from your computer, the update should start automatically as long as your battery is over 20% charged though I prefer to have the battery over 30%.

[Telemachus]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I haven't seen any battery drain issues with any of the firmware revisions I've used on my Aura One. It seems to be a issue limited to a few units but I haven't seem any reports that indicate specific hardware or battery issues.

For highlighting, I mostly highlight errors for later correction so I'm not highlighting masses of text for later reference. I've seem some differences between highlighting with firmware revisions, currently I'm quite happy with the highlighting. If you need to highlight masses of text, using kepubs would be recommended so you can highlight over page boundaries.

As for sideloading? I tend to keep my devices on the newest firmware. Sometimes, that does lead to life on the bleeding edge.

Thanks, I'll probably try sideloading 4.4.9349 if the black on black screen bug has been resolved (have to check up on that...it's a job to keep abreast of all the developments on here at times)
Another reason I wish to upgrade is I don't like the current home screen on 4.3.8945, I understand there's been some changes made to that.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Telemachus

Thanks, I'll probably try sideloading 4.4.9349 if the black on black screen bug has been resolved (have to check up on that...it's a job to keep abreast of all the developments on here at times)
Another reason I wish to upgrade is I don't like the current home screen on 4.3.8945, I understand there's been some changes made to that.

AFAIR, the black on black was an issue with 4.4.9344 on initial release. All the bad copies should have been flushed so either 9344 or 9349 should not have the black on black issues... hmmm.... famous last words there.

[Telemachus]

I synched today and 4.4.9349 was pushed to my KA1.

[JSWolf]

Kobo is now pushing the latest firmware along with a lot of other affiliates.

[petercreasey]

Hmmm, maybe I'll finally get an upgrade using the standard sync provided upon purchase by kobo.com.