Questions about the Vox as an eReader

[Haesslich]

Originally Posted by V10

Now are we talking about the default reading app that is built in, or third-party apps? And what happens when there's a hiccup and I need to do a factory reset, are they still there, or do I need to download them again? Can they be sideloaded independent of a wireless connection?

The default Kobo reading app can read sideloaded files by default, and can be loaded as the 'home' screen by checking "start into Library" in the Settings. Otherwise, you can clear the home screen widgets and set up links to whatever apps you're interested on the first page and use it that way.

If you do a factory reset, anything in the main program storage and the 5gb of 'main' memory is gone. Anything in an external SD card is fine, however - if something goes sideways, you can import books kept on the external SD card (which will sit in the slot in the side) again. Just don't let Kobo delete them from that external SD card when done.

Originally Posted by V10

Would that I can find a store that does. I doubt they're terribly keen on people uploading their own files to their store demo models, installing apps, and so forth, to put it through its paces.

At first glance, the Vox looked to be exactly what I was looking for, a replacement for my barebones Kobo Wifi (gifted away when I expected to buy a new one). All that additional power, I figured that surely it would support fully-functional eBooks, how could it not? Disappointed as hell that really nothing has changed, 2 generations of devices later.

It fully supports ePub books and kePub books - it's just the reading app which is buggy (or maybe it's something with the firmware) and that's caused me to have lockup issues. Those are problems which can be fixed without taking the whole unit into the store or having to RMA it back to Kobo.

If you're only reading novels or the like, I highly recommend the Kobo Touch, especially now a lot of the bugs are worked out of the firmware. Plus the eInk screen is far superior for reading non-color text... and it's smaller, and lasts longer on its battery. The only downside is that you have to plug it into a computer to set it up.

Originally Posted by V10

I work out of construction and resource camps that make the Middle of Nowhere look like a metropolis, for weeks on end. Hauling around dozens of physical books in a ruck with my work gear isn't practical, chief.

Then go with a Kobo Touch, or maybe a Sony PRS-T1, both of which support external storage and side-loading. And they're nice and compact to boot, which is easier on the suitcase/duffel bag.

Originally Posted by V10

I am interested in the steps to set such things up. My concern is whether I have to set it up every time I turn on the device, and how to accomplish it without an ever-present wireless signal.

No, you don't have to set it up every time you turn on the device - only the first time (when it has to update firmware), or else if you manually kill the existing Kobo setup, after which you need to enter your Kobo credentials again. It'll sideload books fine, so long as the books are on the SD card that you plug in (aka: extsd to the file system), and so long as you don't do a factory reset where you have to kill everything and start from scratch.

You don't need to run the setup ever again, unless the Kobo app goes belly-up due to a bug, and even then I don't recall if it needs to connect to the Internet to verify you exist.

But, given your situation, I don't recommend the Vox as the primary reader. Stick with the Kobo Touch, which is more in line with your needs, or try a Sony T1, which is finally priced at almost the right level (versus the $400 of the PRS-600/650 when they came out, compared to the $149 Kobo WiFi or Kindle).