Touch Poll: what's more important, new features or fix current bugs?

[SCION]

Originally Posted by Psyke

While I understand the logic, you need to understand that different device/company/OS = different implementation of rendering. I mean, you get this all the time. you used to see this a lot with Web browsers (still do to an extent) where depending on which browser you used, a web page might come up very differently, or very buggy looking. In most cases, it was because a) the standards used by the browser developer were not standard, or b) the website developer only developed it for one browser.

As a prime example in regards to the KT; a sideloaded book downloaded directly from kobobooks will work flawlessly in the KT in terms of formating. However, If I buy the same book from Amazon, de-drm it, run it through Caliber to convert it to epub, Formating options will be flakey, if not non-functional; I know, I've done it. Now, is this Kobo's problem because they can't render something that I've done outside the norm? Personally, I don't believe so.

again, just my opinion

Care to elaborate on why they can't get endnotes to work on sideloaded ePubs? Again, I take the same content and put it on other devices and it works. What's the purpose of having Kobo formatted books and regular DRM ePubs. Why not just have regular DRM ePubs from day one. Kobo books work and regular Adobe DRM stuff doesn't? The NOOK has no problem with books that aren't purchased from B&N. The Kobo bookstore is significantly lacking. It's not like they're Amazon where you can get anything you want. With Kobo you have no choice but to shop elsewhere for content.

[p_a_smith]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Particularly features that existed on the previous generation the company released. I've seen Kobo owners post here and wish for the ability to have multiple bookmarks, or an in-book search function. Unless I've misunderstood, the options to sort and organize the library are very limited, as is the ability to have multiple books open at the same time.

Currently you can only have one bookmark per book and some users have wanted multiple bookmarks for each book. As far as I know (and have experienced) you can have a bookmark in every single book that you have on your kobo at the same time. Right now that means I have upwards of twenty bookmakrs in use (i.e. 20 books which have the last page I looked at noted).

As to the library the Kobo touch has a nice search function which when you type in a letter/partial word/word shows you the relevant books/authors on your Kobo. If you know the title/author or even a few letters you can easily find the book. The last five books you opened are on the front page for easy access and you can put favorite books there as well (a function I have never used).

Currently to browse the library you can arrange them by title or author and scroll through the books (either one at a time if you want to see a full cover or faster if you take a thumbnail). The request that many people are making is to allow the browse function to sort via meta data so you can have collections, genres, etc.

What is missing is the ability to search within a book which some people feel is important and the option to make notes within a book and export that file.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Psyke

Now, is this Kobo's problem because they can't render something that I've done outside the norm? Personally, I don't believe so.

Actually, if other brands of eReaders can do it right, and Kobo is the only one that can't, then it is their problem. But only then.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

But when I see complaints that a device is lacking in features, that makes me sit up and take notice. Particularly features that existed on the previous generation the company released. I've seen Kobo owners post here and wish for the ability to have multiple bookmarks, or an in-book search function. Unless I've misunderstood, the options to sort and organize the library are very limited, as is the ability to have multiple books open at the same time.

And not having any of those very basic features makes me pause, and start looking at other brands for a back-up reader.

I don't believe there have been any features on previous gen kobo's removed from the KT(apart from bluetooth connectivity that the original had). Multiple Bookmarks are possible, but in a way people don't immediately realize (highlights), nor do I think it was actually intended as such. As for in book search, it really is coming.

That said, with the exception of multiple bookmarking, which is advertised on their site, if anyone is picking up the kobo expecting features that are not included with it, then they didn't do their homework prior to purchasing it and really have no right to b$tch and complain. Seriously. They can be disappointed with KOBO and decide to go with another device instead that has everything they want, but as soon as they plunk down the cash, they've lost that right because they should have known what they were getting. People who have legitimate problems (ie - poor battery life, constant corruption issues with NATIVE epub and kepub books, freezing, etc), have every right to complain and demand a properly working device.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Actually, if other brands of eReaders can do it right, and Kobo is the only one that can't, then it is their problem. But only then.

*grin* and to an extent, I'd have to agree, but one I've seen just skimming the forums is that where one reader may do something another reader can't do properly, you'll usually have the opposite happen for another issue.. as one of the developers mentioned earlier today on another board, you're never going to be able to please everyone . But I honestly believe they are trying.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by p_a_smith

*long helpful description of Kobo Touch features*

Thank you for that run-down, that's very helpful!

And what is missing are a lot of features I can't imagine being without in an eReader, unfortunately. In fact, several of them I consider so basic I'm wondering if the people that decided to leave them out have ever used an eReader as their primary way of reading books. I'll keep watching the forum and see if they get added via firmware updates, but for now, I will have to look elsewhere for a back-up reader.

I'll leave it at that. I don't want to hi-jack the thread or come off as troll-baiting anyone.

Originally Posted by Psyke

That said, with the exception of multiple bookmarking, which is advertised on their site, if anyone is picking up the kobo expecting features that are not included with it, then they didn't do their homework prior to purchasing it and really have no right to b$tch and complain.

Whoa there. Down boy! Down!

This is my homework. I don't have a Kobo Touch, because I wanted to find out if it has the features I want before buying one.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Having followed this thread, and the Kobo forum in general, I'm starting to reconsider whether I really want a Kobo Touch (I want a back-up reader for my Sony).

Bugs are annoying but a forum filled with complaints about them won't stop me from considering a device. I work in computer tech support. I know that 98-99% of customers have no problems with their device and that's why they stay silent. They're not going to come here and post ecstatically about how they are thrilled that their new eReader works as advertised. The population posting here is not representative of the entire Kobo-using population, and to think that the user experiences posted here are typical is a mistake.

But when I see complaints that a device is lacking in features, that makes me sit up and take notice. Particularly features that existed on the previous generation the company released. I've seen Kobo owners post here and wish for the ability to have multiple bookmarks, or an in-book search function. Unless I've misunderstood, the options to sort and organize the library are very limited, as is the ability to have multiple books open at the same time.

And not having any of those very basic features makes me pause, and start looking at other brands for a back-up reader.

I own both the prs-650 and the Kobo touch. I've long since switched to the Kobo as my primary reader, despite the .... flaws. As far as some features, such as Bookmarks, annotation and text search, the Sony is miles ahead, no doubt. However, there are 2 (or 3 things) the kobo does really well that I find matter more when rading books. They are:

1. Much larger selection of font sizes. With the Sony, it was feast or famine. Small size on several books was just too small. Bump up the text size by 1 (of only 5 available sizes.) and the text was way too large. Before I realized it, I was actually scaling the font sizes on Calibre to make them look good on the Sony (rather than using the Sony to make any sized text book comfortable reading). This is no longer a problem on the KT, with 17 possible font sizes to choose from.

2. Tap to turn pages. As cool as swiping can be, over hundreds of pages, it does not compete to simply moving my thumb up for a tap.

3. Choice of font. And KT is the ony reader that I know of that lets you load any font of your choice on the device in case you don't like any of the defaults.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by SCION

Care to elaborate on why they can't get endnotes to work on sideloaded ePubs? Again, I take the same content and put it on other devices and it works. What's the purpose of having Kobo formatted books and regular DRM ePubs. Why not just have regular DRM ePubs from day one. Kobo books work and regular Adobe DRM stuff doesn't? The NOOK has no problem with books that aren't purchased from B&N. The Kobo bookstore is significantly lacking. It's not like they're Amazon where you can get anything you want. With Kobo you have no choice but to shop elsewhere for content.

Honestly, I don't know the logic to it. For all intents and purposes if it works on one, it should work on the other, but, I'm not a programmer, being a hardware person myself.

And personally, I would like to see them to drop down to epubs only too; it would make it a lot easier on themselves to try and support one form of epub rather than two. However, I think it actually has to do with Adobe's DRM; with the KEPUB's, they can offer direct downloads to your reader, where as with DRM epubs, they have to go through the Adobe software to download the book, and then transfer it to your device. I don't know how nook operates so I really couldn't comment on them and how they compare to kobo, but I believe they do have a proprietary format too, no?

[HistoryWes]

I have all the reading apps on my iPod, but I usually don't use the Kobo app. The primary reason is "the social aspects of reading." I don't want or need to broadcast what I'm reading or how fast. I don't mind giving feedback on a book or a rating, when I'm done, if I feel like it. I generally don't like the social aspects of things that are inherently social, and I really don't need them in my books.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Whoa there. Down boy! Down!

This is my homework. I don't have a Kobo Touch, because I wanted to find out if it has the features I want before buying one.

lol sorry, that didn't mean to come out as aggressive at it seemed, but I think I've been letting peoples feelings of self entitlement get to me on some game boards I read, and it kinda just exploded here

[ScalyFreak]

And that's why there's lots of eReaders. We have different priorities and preferences. I don't mind any of the three you listed, and if I did I can easily take care of two of them by installing PRS+ and booting the custom firmware instead. And install any font I want.

But I can't imagine living without the multiple bookmarks or collections feature, or the ability to switch between sorting by title, author, date added, date read, or file name.

To each their own, and all that.

Originally Posted by rashkae

I own both the prs-650 and the Kobo touch. I've long since switched to the Kobo as my primary reader, despite the .... flaws. As far as some features, such as Bookmarks, annotation and text search, the Sony is miles ahead, no doubt. However, there are 2 (or 3 things) the kobo does really well that I find matter more when rading books. They are:

1. Much larger selection of font sizes. With the Sony, it was feast or famine. Small size on several books was just too small. Bump up the text size by 1 (of only 5 available sizes.) and the text was way too large. Before I realized it, I was actually scaling the font sizes on Calibre to make them look good on the Sony (rather than using the Sony to make any sized text book comfortable reading). This is no longer a problem on the KT, with 17 possible font sizes to choose from.

2. Tap to turn pages. As cool as swiping can be, over hundreds of pages, it does not compete to simply moving my thumb up for a tap.

3. Choice of font. And KT is the ony reader that I know of that lets you load any font of your choice on the device in case you don't like any of the defaults.

@HistoryWes

I feel the same way. Reading is not a social activity. Talking about reading is, but not the reading itself. When I installed the Kobo app I told it to stay away from my Facebook account, and its never asked me again. So since I was able to turn off that part, I still use the Kobo app.

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Sound

I don't know why people make polls like this. Just think for a second, people mostly come to forums to troubleshoot issues or vent/complain. What do you think those people are going to vote for? The sample is grossly skewed.

They also come here to chit-chat about their favorite devices, and pretty much anything related to e-reading.

[Psyke]

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

I have all the reading apps on my iPod, but I usually don't use the Kobo app. The primary reason is "the social aspects of reading." I don't want or need to broadcast what I'm reading or how fast. I don't mind giving feedback on a book or a rating, when I'm done, if I feel like it. I generally don't like the social aspects of things that are inherently social, and I really don't need them in my books.

this is actually something I don't get, and it was brought up a couple months ago by someone else; regarding the social aspects of the of the software, no one is forcing you to use it, ie - you can turn it off. So why would something you don't have to use make you not use the rest of the application; from what I understand, the Ipod/ipad version of the application is actually pretty top notch.

I personally don't care for the social aspect either, although I will use it from time to time to share a quote I really liked. But I'm not going to stop using the app due to the presence of it. If they were forcing me to use it, that would be another matter, but then that would also be a privacy issue against the company

[SCION]

Originally Posted by Psyke

...but I believe they do have a proprietary format too, no?

Yes, they do; that's my point. When you sideload books that aren't proprietary they work equally as well. With Kobo it's, "Well, you wouldn't have this problem with our proprietary format."

Bottom line, the Kobo should not be recommended for folks who will be sideloading content. Whether it's calibre tweaked or Adobe DRMed. I think if this were disclosed there would be less frustration and outright disappointment.

People who don't own a Kobo follow this sub-forum and steer folks away from the device.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by Psyke

Honestly, I don't know the logic to it. For all intents and purposes if it works on one, it should work on the other, but, I'm not a programmer, being a hardware person myself.

And personally, I would like to see them to drop down to epubs only too; it would make it a lot easier on themselves to try and support one form of epub rather than two. However, I think it actually has to do with Adobe's DRM; with the KEPUB's, they can offer direct downloads to your reader, where as with DRM epubs, they have to go through the Adobe software to download the book, and then transfer it to your device. I don't know how nook operates so I really couldn't comment on them and how they compare to kobo, but I believe they do have a proprietary format too, no?

B&N uses their own DRM format. But underneath, it's still just simply an epub format book. I have no idea why Kobo felt compelled to create their own proprietary changes to epub and are now stuck have two support two reader code paths. (I'm sure it made sense at the time, but surely there must come a time when it will make more sense to give it up and just go with epub)