Kobo Bug thread

[erlendur]

Kobo Glo

Beginning with FW 4.4.9298, and still with 4.4.9344 :

- Light doesn't turn off when entering sleep mode (by switch, by time, by sleepcover - all the same)
- Configured Auto-Power-Off doesn't work (reader stays in sleep mode)
- much more battery discharge during sleep mode (about 20-25% power loss per day in sleep mode)

--> flashed back to 4.3.9084 and everything is ok again...

[James R]

Originally Posted by erlendur

Kobo Glo

Beginning with FW 4.4.9298, and still with 4.4.9344 :

- Light doesn't turn off when entering sleep mode (by switch, by time, by sleepcover - all the same)
- Configured Auto-Power-Off doesn't work (reader stays in sleep mode)
- much more battery discharge during sleep mode (about 20-25% power loss per day in sleep mode)

I have a Kobo Aura HD and have noticed the same set of problems following the 4.4.9344 update.

I signed out of my Kobo account and then back in again, and that may have resolved the issue. At least the light seems to turn off when the reader goes to sleep.

I'll see how it goes. Unfortunately, my side-loaded books all disappeared from my collections when I signed out, so not a solution method I'd want to repeat in a hurry.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by James R

I'll see how it goes. Unfortunately, my side-loaded books all disappeared from my collections when I signed out, so not a solution method I'd want to repeat in a hurry.

If you used Calibre to side load, connect your Kobo to Calibre and it should fix the collections as long as you are set for automatic management.

[Bobbe]

Originally Posted by erlendur

Kobo Glo

Beginning with FW 4.4.9298, and still with 4.4.9344 :

- Light doesn't turn off when entering sleep mode (by switch, by time, by sleepcover - all the same)
- Configured Auto-Power-Off doesn't work (reader stays in sleep mode)
- much more battery discharge during sleep mode (about 20-25% power loss per day in sleep mode)

--> flashed back to 4.3.9084 and everything is ok again...

I've experienced the same bug. Really annoying: auto power off was set to power off in 60 minutes. I went to sleep after reading, battery was at 70%. When starting to read this morning I noticed a battery drain: during the night it drained to 40%. I discovered that the light keeps on in sleep mode, and the device was in sleep mode and had not powered off. I turned the light to 0%, put the device in sleep mode and put the kobo on a wall-charger. After connecting it to the wall charger the light went on again, even though the kobo was in sleep mode.

This morning I reset the device to factory settings. Sleep mode seems to power the light off now. But I really don't like this.
Now I don't trust the device anymore and have to check everytime if the light is really turned off. Really completely unacceptable for such an expensive toy.

Device: brand new Kobo H2O edition 2
firmware: 4.4.9344

[sk2003]

Ok, I figured something out. Pressing the Light button once at 1% brightness completely disables the brightness. The icon disappears until I press the button again. It's been a while since I used an eReader so I forgot all about the Light button. Still sad that I can't go to 0% via the slider or icons.

As for the sleep and no touch upon waking issue, I'll have to test that out a bit more. I hope it's not a problem and that it was just me not touching the screen properly last night. :S In any case this Kobo is going to my grandma who doesn't read at night, and I'm getting my H2O back.

PIN locking is a fantastic feature that I might update the H2O for... but the software issues are worrying so I'm gonna hold off for now.

[helour]

Strange spaces appear after Slovak/Czech opening quotation mark when paragraph justification is set to the justify (whole). This problem is obvious when the spaces between the words are large. Please look at the red rectangles in the attached picture. The selected parts of the source text (e̶p̶u̶b̶ kepub) from which the screenshot was taken is also attached.

[sk2003]

Another weird bug to report on 4.4.9344: charging the Kobo Aura HD with an Apple adapter causes the "connect to computer" dialogue to pop up. Doesn't pop up when charging it via a generic USB hub... what's going on, Kobo?

Don't have this issue on my Kobo Aura H2O with 3.19 installed.

[PeterT]

Actually that book is kepub and not ePub. What happens if you don't convert to kepub?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[milady133]

Originally Posted by sk2003

Another weird bug to report on 4.4.9344: charging the Kobo Aura HD with an Apple adapter causes the "connect to computer" dialogue to pop up. Doesn't pop up when charging it via a generic USB hub... what's going on, Kobo?

Don't have this issue on my Kobo Aura H2O with 3.19 installed.

I don't think it's firmware version related, it's been happening to me with all my Kobos, at least three years back, it happens with some adapters, the ones with more amperage. Maybe it hasn't been happening in the last firmware versions and now is back, I can't tell for sure.

[compurandom]

Originally Posted by sk2003

Another weird bug to report on 4.4.9344: charging the Kobo Aura HD with an Apple adapter causes the "connect to computer" dialogue to pop up. Doesn't pop up when charging it via a generic USB hub...

I think low end chargers negotiate power level passively with a resistor.

Higher end chargers have a bit of active digital communication and negotiate a higher charge rate but the kobo sees them as computers.

[helour]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Actually that book is kepub and not ePub. What happens if you don't convert to kepub?

Thanks for your comment. The book is really in the kepub not epub format.

Weird spaces do not appear in epub format, everything looks normal. Problem is only for books in the kepub format.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by helour

Thanks for your comment. The book is really in the kepub not epub format.

Weird spaces do not appear in epub format, everything looks normal. Problem is only for books in the kepub format.

The kepub renderer has some problems with justification. It tends to add extra space around some punctuation when it shouldn't. The main times I see it is around emdash and endash. Your screenshot seems to suggest that there is a problem with other characters. The only lines with extra spaces after the quotes are lines that have a lot of extra spaces added by the justification. I doubt there is anything you can do except turning off justification. And reporting the bug to Kobo.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by sk2003

Another weird bug to report on 4.4.9344: charging the Kobo Aura HD with an Apple adapter causes the "connect to computer" dialogue to pop up. Doesn't pop up when charging it via a generic USB hub... what's going on, Kobo?

Don't have this issue on my Kobo Aura H2O with 3.19 installed.

The methods for informing the device that a charger and not a computer are connected are not very standard for USB 2. Two of the most common are Apple which uses specific resistors on the data pins to set the current from the charger (in one charger I dismantled, there were two voltage dividers, one was +5V-43K-|-51K-gnd connected to the data+ pin while the other was +5V-75K-|-51K-gnd connected to the data- pin allowing a 1A charging rate). The other common technique is to simply to short the two data pins with no other connection (floating) often referred to as the China standard. Sony used the same voltage divider technique as Apple but with different resistors in the dividers. Then we add in the USB Battery Charging specifications 1.2 and it's added fillips.

The problem is that depending on the design of your charger, you can have any of the above or yet another method to specify that a charger is connected and what charging current is supported. Mix this with the chip on the device that is attempting to detect what is connected and confusion is pretty much guaranteed.

[Quoth]

Resistors to set what power is available from host is standard on USB2.0, nothing to do with Apple. The host PC/Laptop (or phone / Tablet USB2Go in Host mode) doesn't know or care what the current is used for, it may or may not be used for "charging". A charger basically looks like a Host mode but with no data.

There is a problem with USB2Go, the system that allows EITHER a host (or charger) OR a peripheral (current consumer, can be a light or HDD or USB memory stick or radio receiver, keyboard, camera etc). The problem is that very few tablets or phones can allow a peripheral AND charging on the same port (it needs a special cable too).

Anyway, even if eInk Readers actually have a USB2Go port, it's programmed to be only a slave. Thus a peripheral is ignored. Only a charger or PC/laptop (or phone/Tablet USB2Go port in HOST mode) will work.
Not all USB peripherals (which is what all eInk Readers I've seen are) actually sense the current setting resistors. They generally don't bother if only 100mA or less.
Apple was first to "Break" USB 2.0 spec by having an optical drive that took more than 500mA, so many newer chargers and hosts can supply 1A. Previously things like early 3G modems, DVD writers and early 4G modems used a Y USB cable, were one connector was data and power (500mA) and the second an additional 500mA.

Apple also adds circuitry so Apple devices "know" a PSU or cable etc is Apple approved. This is not part of USB spec.

USB is insecure. So potentially a rogue charger can use the host data pins too and infect a tablet / phone etc. If the Apple charger has suitable circuit on the two data pins, then most non-apple devices will think a laptop/PC is connected.

Also the host is insecure, so a mouse or keyboard (or a memory stick) can use HID driver to infect a tablet/phone with USB2Go, or a laptop/PC. Disabling USB storage autorun or having AV is no protection from HID based attack. Don't "check out" the nice USB stick you found in car park beside your car.

I find my Sony Ericsson charger is fine for everything, though the iPhone4s complains one of the cables is an "unrecognised" device (charges anyway). The Amazon Kindle charger ordered did have a CE mark and is rated 240V, but I don't use it as
1) I think a USA 2 blade connector is illegal and unsafe on 230V
2) Massive radio interference. A similar shape of Tesco bought charger with UK 3 pin plug was also unusable due to radio interference.

There is almost no IN market after approvals testing in USA or Europe now.

Only use genuine Apple stuff with Apple stuff, but Apple is overpriced anyway, by x2.

Do not buy a charger online, but from a local shop. Most fires and Radio Interference are chargers/SMPSUs now, so if it messes AM radio OR gets hot take it back. In Europe, you are 100% entitled to refund if the design is not fit for purpose, for TWO years. If it burns your house down, the retailer is liable for six years.
Manufacturer's warranty is irrelevant in EU and many related (customs union etc) countries. It's two years RETAILER, even if that was the maker via online.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Only use genuine Apple stuff with Apple stuff, but Apple is overpriced anyway, by x2.

Most of the time when I charge my iPhone or iPad, I'm not using an Apple charger. When I charge them, I am not using a lightning able from Apple. So no, you don't have to buy cables and USB chargers from Apple to get good quality chargers and cables.

I bought the cables online and some of the chargers online. So yes, you can buy online.