New Tolino Shine 3 - a Kobo Clara clone?

[taos]

It seems there's a new Tolino 6'' model: https://mytolino.com/tolino-shine-3/ebook-reader/. Just going by the pictures and specifications, it looks very similar to the (relatively) new Kobo Clara. If those models also actually share their internals this might be another chance to get either a Linux system running on the Tolino or Android on the Kobo...

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by taos

It seems there's a new Tolino 6'' model: https://mytolino.com/tolino-shine-3/ebook-reader/. Just going by the pictures and specifications, it looks very similar to the (relatively) new Kobo Clara. If those models also actually share their internals this might be another chance to get either a Linux system running on the Tolino or Android on the Kobo...

The size and weight specs are identical. I wonder if they've got the light bleed problem solved in this one?

EDIT: It looks like the software version is 12.0 on the update page — something completely new.

[davidfor]

Yes, it does look like the Clara HD.

And there is an interesting thing with the photos. The photos of the open book in the gallery looks like the tolino - bookmark icon at the top and page as "n/y". But, the page shown in the 360 view looks like the Kobo kepub reader - title at the top and the page shows as "Chapter - Page x of y".

I don't know if we should take that as a sign, or if tolino should hire someone new for their photos.

[k_men]

Well, last year Rakuten-Kobo entered the Tolino Alliance, with Kobo taking over their hardware production. In turn, Kobo retired their own ereaders from the German market. In short: Tolinos are Tolinos, but they are now produced by Kobo.

This is, indeed the Kobo Clara HD screen and body - but with Tolino's firmware (Android-based). Interestingly, it's a tad cheaper than the Clara. Someone should check whether the firmwares are interchangeable.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Yes, it does look like the Clara HD.

And there is an interesting thing with the photos. The photos of the open book in the gallery looks like the tolino - bookmark icon at the top and page as "n/y". But, the page shown in the 360 view looks like the Kobo kepub reader - title at the top and the page shows as "Chapter - Page x of y".

I don't know if we should take that as a sign, or if tolino should hire someone new for their photos.

You're right. But this "hands-on" review shows the traditional Tolino page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-JQpSMaRQ

[beedaddy]

@davidfor About the photos... Well, now that you say it... That's a really funny detail.
(But just in case someone doesn't know: Kobo is the technical partner of the tolino alliance.)

[DaleDe]

I have created a Tolino Shine 3 wiki page that shares the Kobo Clara page.

Dale

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by beedaddy

(But just in case someone doesn't know: Kobo is the technical partner of the tolino alliance.)

And I think Longshine has been making readers for both companies from the beginning. (At least that's the way it looks when see tear-down pictures of Kobos and Tolinos.)

And the Longshine Shinebook looked a lot like the the original Kobo / Kobo Wireless. The size and weight specs are close (but not exact).

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by rcentros

And I think Longshine has been making readers for both companies from the beginning. (At least that's the way it looks when see tear-down pictures of Kobos and Tolinos.)

And the Longshine Shinebook looked a lot like the the original Kobo / Kobo Wireless. The size and weight specs are close (but not exact).

That's because both the original Kobo and the Shinebook use a really old Netronix design. Bookeen also used it in 2007-2010, and so did Foxit and other companies.

FYI: All of the hardware we are talking about in this thread was made by Netronix, a Taiwan company.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

That's because both the original Kobo and the Shinebook use a really old Netronix design. Bookeen also used it in 2007-2010, and so did Foxit and other companies.

FYI: All of the hardware we are talking about in this thread was made by Netronix, a Taiwan company.

Okay, so where does Longshine come in? They're also based in Taiwan and are listed as the manufacturer of the Tolinos in the German Wikis for the devices? In Germany and Italy, Longshine also services the Tolinos. Does this mean that Longshine is a "go-between" for Netronix and Tolino? Maybe they're the ones who develop the firmware?

I was able to find a Netronix EB-600 (and even a Pocketbook 301+), an eSlick Foxit (and many others) — I wonder how many there were based on this design? it looks like Netronix still builds modern eReaders under their name as well.

Sorry to ramble.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Okay, so where does Longshine come in? They're also based in Taiwan and are listed as the manufacturer of the Tolinos in the German Wikis for the devices? In Germany and Italy, Longshine also services the Tolinos. Does this mean that Longshine is a "go-between" for Netronix and Tolino? Maybe they're the ones who develop the firmware?

I was able to find a Netronix EB-600 (and even a Pocketbook 301+), an eSlick Foxit (and many others) — I wonder how many there were based on this design? it looks like Netronix still builds modern eReaders under their name as well.

Sorry to ramble.

I am not quite sure the relationship between Longshine and Netronix, but I do know that Netronix makes both Kobo and B&N hardware.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I am not quite sure the relationship between Longshine and Netronix, but I do know that Netronix makes both Kobo and B&N hardware.

Doing a little research I saw that one of the bigwigs at Netronix also has some kind of position at Longshine. But that could just be coincidence, I would imagine businessmen in Taiwan routinely sit on several corporate boards — like they do in the U.S. I'm guessing Longshine is probably the company that writes the firmware for the Tolinos. It might not even be the main company, it might just be their German branch, Longshine Technologie GmbH.

https://www.longshine.de/index.php/en/tolino-eng-reader

[JSWolf]

Why would we want a Reader that doesn't understand indents?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would we want a Reader that doesn't understand indents?

I don't know about your Tolino but my Tolino epos understands that the first paragraph in a chapter is not indented and the remaining paragraphs are indented. Ooopppssss... actually that is set by the stylesheet and here I was thinking it was reading my mind.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would we want a Reader that doesn't understand indents?

It handles indents fine. I don't know why they're showing a book without them or without spaces between the paragraphs.

Here's a hands-on review. Definitely shows indents. (You have to get about half-way through the video before the reviewer finally turns it on.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-JQpSMaRQ