Touch Kobo Touch Firmware 1.9.16

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by therealjoeblow

KOBO:

*Please* don't waste time and resources adding crap like Pulse or any more to do with social integration. In case you missed some significant life-lessons along the way growing up, reading a book is NOT a social experience, it's exactly the opposite. It's an individual, solitary experience. If people want a social experience, they go to see movies...

Please spend your time and resources to make this a better eReader instead, by adding proper library management features (collections, display of metadata, etc), and fix the bloody functionality issues like double page turns and non-registered screen taps.

*PLEASE*!!!

Thank you
TRJB

Pulse isn't in the Beta yet, so it won't happen too soon. If you have been following the Kobo Plug-Ins thread you can see that that collections are already implemented, just not activated yet. They are waiting until collections can be on every Kobo platform.

[FJames]

After reading for the last few weeks with 1.9.16, I would say that the frequency of double-page-turns is unchanged from previous firmware versions. I don't think that Kobo is doing anything at all to affect it through all these firmware versions that people have been complaining about it. Again I have to say that it has got to be the simplest thing in the world to clear the touch buffer after 0.5 sec. The only explanation I can think of for Kobo not fixing it is that the flaw is in the IR touch screen driver and Kobo doesn't have access to the source code.

[murg]

Originally Posted by dioioib

- Give me the ability to sync with my sd card when I want to not when the device thinks it should.

Yup

Originally Posted by dioioib

- Give me the ability to use multiple sd cards in the device. This will require you to change the SQL structure and change the way your device thumbnails images for each cover.
- keep the covers on each sd card. but also give me the option to use cover images.
- in your sql file don't use a "device:/dir/file.extension." Do something like "device:volume label:/dir/file.extension"

The Kobo Sqlite database has all kinds of things in it.

Really, the Kobo should keep the SD card's contents in a separate Sqlite database on the SD card. A quick web search results in conflicting opinions on if this is possible (two Sqlite databases being referenced in the same query).

Originally Posted by dioioib

- let me sort my library into collections.

Some better way of grouping books needs to happen. Once you get past 20 screens of books (120 books), it gets unwieldy. And Searching is not really an option.

Originally Posted by dioioib

- let me use the device without connecting to your desktop application, because in all honesty its a completely useless program unless you buy your books directly from the kobo store which I don't.

The only time I use the Kobo supplied PC program is when I want to upgrade the firmware. Otherwise, I just connect it to my PC and reference the drives directly.

[dioioib]

Originally Posted by murg

Yup

The Kobo Sqlite database has all kinds of things in it.

Really, the Kobo should keep the SD card's contents in a separate Sqlite database on the SD card. A quick web search results in conflicting opinions on if this is possible (two Sqlite databases being referenced in the same query).

This would be possible. But you really only need to do one of two things. Make another database table or generate a query that handles the location of the file correctly. If you add a data column to indicate the drive label you have solved the issue then you just do a query on that value.

x = "SELECT * FROM books_table WHERE drive='sdCard' AND cardLabel='" + <get the label programatically for the inserted microSD card> + "';" //your query string.

Originally Posted by murg

Some better way of grouping books needs to happen. Once you get past 20 screens of books (120 books), it gets unwieldy. And Searching is not really an option.

Agreed I use the device for hundreds of data-sheets for electronic parts, pdf manuals, journal articles, etc. I don't read literature on it just technical manuals. It's nice to hold onto all my documents, essentially my entire technical library where ever I go. But searching page by page is horrible. And with the suggested books being mixed into my search I may as well just throw the reader against the wall trying to find anything useful. This is why I would rather see a directory tree and pick the book myself from a folder managed by me. It is the same issue I had with iTunes it started managing my content and destroyed my easy to navigate directory architecture. If I could access my documents the way they are found on my computer it would be a lot more convenient. Additionally, when I used Sony's MiniDisc they had horrible proprietary software called SonicStage. My current Kobo experience is reminding me of all the issues I experienced with MiniDisc.

Originally Posted by murg

The only time I use the Kobo supplied PC program is when I want to upgrade the firmware. Otherwise, I just connect it to my PC and reference the drives directly.

Agreed. But I usually just connect to WiFi and it updates automatically. Which until this 1.9.16 version was not an issue.

I did get a fantastic 4 months with the reader, I would just like to be reading on it and not carrying around binders of documents.

[SF&F Reader]

Oh boy. . .

So, after finishing a book last night I went to power down. I haven't kept track, but I think this was the third or fourth time that my KT did not power down correctly (since 1.9.16) and the home page was left visible. I powered it back up only to be greeted by the setup page. Since I was just turning it on to get it to turn off properly I just skipped the setup. My books are still on there but the settings have all reverted to factory original. Apparently this also included turning off the airplane mode, connecting to my wi-fi (which it must have remembered), and downloading a bunch of recommended book advertisements. I know this because I have specifically not synced my KT since the last FW upgrade to avoid them (when the FW came out I didn't even have the recommended tab on the website). Of course, it also switched the bottom bar from my shortlist to their recommended list.

This is especially strange since I skipped setup and therefore it should no longer be linked to my account, right?

Whatever. So frustrating!

I'm going to do a Factory reset and reload a minimum library. Might not even load the latest FW.

[JD Gumby]

Reading the last few pages (I only check in occasionally :P) have made me more glad than ever that I've not let my Touch upgrade past 1.9.14. I paid $156 (after tax for it) and will NOT accept advertising on my device or allow everything I do on it to be sent through Google Analytics ever again. (also will never be buying a Kobo again because of all this, once it's time to upgrade, but that's a concern for another day)

[dioioib]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Reading the last few pages (I only check in occasionally :P) have made me more glad than ever that I've not let my Touch upgrade past 1.9.14. I paid $156 (after tax for it) and will NOT accept advertising on my device...

Good point, I hate advertising on a device I paid for. Every one under the sun is making garbage EULA's on hardware and claiming they are only licensing the hardware to you. My PS3 for instance removed a feature a few years back that I used to decide to make the purchase decision. Not the device I paid for. Now the Kobo follows suit. Disappointing... And who in their right mind wants to pay for ad-ware. Your making me pay so you can show me ads, total garbage. This is the same reason I use ad-blocking scripts in my web browsers, and don't watch cable. I enjoy READING! because there are no adds in a book.

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

...or allow everything I do on it to be sent through Google Analytics ever again. (also will never be buying a Kobo again because of all this, once it's time to upgrade, but that's a concern for another day)

The recent shift of Google's privacy policy and move to commodify its aggregated data has me shifting all of my use to other search engines and email providers. Any device that uses anything google is now of no interest to me. I'm sick of people snooping my traffic and attempting to craft ads that they assume I will be interested in based on my usage metrics.

If things keep going sideways I am just going to put a linux distro on it and use it for a development platform, this is the second time I have shipped mine back and I obviously don't have the control of the device that I need. Roll a version with xPDF or something. So irritated.

[Polyhive]

First post so be gentle please.

I have a few issues myself.

1. Why on earth cannot a book be deleted off the Kobo directly? So obvious an omission?

2. The touch screen esp when trying to access the library needs (at worst) several dozen touches to get it to respond. Rubbish performance.

3. I go to Library and before I can decide whether to search or browse, a book opens all by it's self! Rubbish performance again.

4. touch the screen to turn a page... nothing happens. Try again.... nothing happens...

This is my 2nd machine the first cracked, have I got a lemon or is this level of non performance normal? I am on the whatsit 16 upgrade.

Polyhive

[John F]

Polyhive, welcome to the forum.

Originally Posted by Polyhive

1. Why on earth cannot a book be deleted off the Kobo directly? So obvious an omission?

I think you can, at least for side loaded content.

Go to Library, click on the options button for the book. There should be an option to delete the book.

It takes a while to delete the book. And the book may not appear to be deleted; the screen may not refresh until you tap it again.

2. The touch screen esp when trying to access the library needs (at worst) several dozen touches to get it to respond. Rubbish performance.

3. I go to Library and before I can decide whether to search or browse, a book opens all by it's self! Rubbish performance again.

I think these are related problems. I experience them also. If you train yourself, you can work around them, but they are frustrating.

4. touch the screen to turn a page... nothing happens. Try again.... nothing happens...

Many people also have this problem.

This is my 2nd machine the first cracked, have I got a lemon or is this level of non performance normal? I am on the whatsit 16 upgrade.

Polyhive

I would say it is normal. I've had mine for over two months in the hopes a firmware fix. It is very frustrating.

[TheBard]

Originally Posted by John F

And the book may not appear to be deleted; the screen may not refresh until you tap it again.

The book is deleted from the Short List, but seems to remain on the Kobo. Connect the Kobo to your computer, and view the file titles for confirmation.

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Reading the last few pages (I only check in occasionally :P) have made me more glad than ever that I've not let my Touch upgrade past 1.9.14. I paid $156 (after tax for it) and will NOT accept advertising on my device or allow everything I do on it to be sent through Google Analytics ever again. (also will never be buying a Kobo again because of all this, once it's time to upgrade, but that's a concern for another day)

Sorry to break it too you, but the Kobo has always had Google Analytics in it........

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by The Terminator

Sorry to break it too you, but the Kobo has always had Google Analytics in it........

Yes, which is a VERY scummy thing for them to do and which I only found out about in the last few months.

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Yes, which is a VERY scummy thing for them to do and which I only found out about in the last few months.

I'm pretty sure you can remove it though.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by TheBard

The book is deleted from the Short List, but seems to remain on the Kobo. Connect the Kobo to your computer, and view the file titles for confirmation.

Deleting from the device definitely works for me. As mentioned, the library list doesn't get updated immediately, which isn't great, but it definitely removes the books from the device - the files are gone, it is out of the library list and when I looked in the database, it wasn't there either.

You mention the "Short List" here, if I view the short list, and the menu for a book, there are "delete" and "remove from shortlist" options. The latter would do what you describe (remove from the short list, but still have book file on the device). But, the book should still be in the library.

[John F]

Originally Posted by TheBard

The book is deleted from the Short List, but seems to remain on the Kobo. Connect the Kobo to your computer, and view the file titles for confirmation.

I don't use the Short List. Using the steps I mentioned, books appera to be deleted from the device. I used File Explorer to verify the files were deleted. I don't see the ePub file on the device, they don't show up in the UI (on the device anywhere), so I think they are deleted.