VOX vs Touch

[ellell]

Loved the kobo touch. So, just bought the Vox yesterday to have expanded use of my ereader. But disappointed that a few good ereading features that were on the Touch seem to be missing on the Vox.

1) built in dictionary that provided definition upon highlighting word in book. With the Vox, the reader has to open dictionary and type in word - not the smooth seamless process I was used to, with the Touch.
2) no 'favourites' section in the Vox library, as there was in the Touch version, meaning no way to personally organize your books?
3) Vox has no 'find in book' feature...I really enjoyed that feature on the Touch version, as i could keep characters straight, especially on books with complex plots and many characters, particularly found it useful if i had put the book down for a few days and had forgotten....

Are there others who notice these features removed from the vox? I'm thinking of returning it - just sticking with the original Touch version for now, but wondered if anyone's heard of potential updates to the vox?

[Jesslynne]

The no 'favorites' section is what bothers me most about the Vox kobo app. I want the ability to organize them the way I like.

The rest I don't mind at all.
No new updates mentioned yet.

[taming]

They weren't "removed" they have not been developed yet for the app. It's a different operating system, different hardware, and the work will be done by a different development team, standing on the shoulders of what has been developed for other platforms.

[Michael Sherman]

The dictionary interface issue was also my first and so far most serious complaint I have had with the Vox. I have been assured by a Kobo Software Development contact in Toronto that this is in development and will become available soon. I was ready to return it just for that reason, but decided to wait a bit and I'm glad I did. The eReader performance is better and the numerous additional benefits are great, as you will see if you hang on to it.

[perambulator]

FWIW, I have been following this forum for about a week now. I've played with the Vox in stores. I actually had a Vox in hand and was ready to buy when a final doubt caused me to hesitate. I am ready for an ereader -- I have been for about a year. I am tired of reading my ebooks on my macbook and ipod. I have decided to go with the Touch.

Why? In the end end, I looked at my needs -- a device to host the myriad texts I need in my daily life as a reader, a teacher, and a writer. I already have a smart device (ipod touch and frequent access to spouse's iphone). So while the connectivity in a tablet is seductive, I am unwilling to adopt a technology that isn't quite there yet. I spent a year with a Linux-based netbook, and while the tweaking and customizing was sometimes fun, it could also be distracting. And I realized that I want a device that is readable (I like the e-inkscreen), stable (more or less), and does one thing. And that goes long periods between charging.

Thank you all for this forum -- the experiences and opinions shared here have been very valuable, and are without a doubt the best repository of Vox info on the net.

[TonyToews]

Fair enough. I don't have any kind of iPod or iPhone or indeed any smart phone. So the Vox was an experiment to see if I'd like the tablet "experience". Which I very much like. The ability to just pick it up and do some browsing is very nice. I also have the Touch and do the vast majority of my reading on the Touch.

[TonyToews]

I'm with taming. There are lots of little things that should be in the Kobo reader app that just aren't there yet compared to the Touch. But I suspect we'll see those arrive in the next few Vox updates.

[easterncoyote]

Well, I find myself agreeing with everyone (now that's rare for me!). I am disappointed that the Vox (Kobo's premier e-reader) does not have a built-in dictionary, or a search function, especially as these are offered even on ipad app versions. On the other hand, I am really liking the Vox as an e-reader, and for all its myriad other uses.

[taming]

Originally Posted by easterncoyote

Well, I find myself agreeing with everyone (now that's rare for me!). I am disappointed that the Vox (Kobo's premier e-reader) does not have a built-in dictionary, or a search function, especially as these are offered even on ipad app versions. On the other hand, I am really liking the Vox as an e-reader, and for all its myriad other uses.

Interesting POV about the "premier e-reader". I'm betting that I am not the only person with both a Vox and a Touch who does not consider the Vox as the first choice for reading--and not because the app isn't fully developed yet.

[easterncoyote]

Originally Posted by taming

Interesting POV about the "premier e-reader". I'm betting that I am not the only person with both a Vox and a Touch who does not consider the Vox as the first choice for reading--and not because the app isn't fully developed yet.

I agree with you on this point as well. I too own both a Vox and a Kobo Touch, and I prefer the reading experience on the Touch. By "premier e-reader", I was just referring to how Kobo itself seems to be marketing the Vox as such.

[taming]

I have actually been very relieved to have heard Kobo say several times that they are continuing to emphasize/develop their eInk line and the Vox. The Vox is new, so of course it is being marketed like crazy just now.

[moolyn]

Originally Posted by perambulator

FWIW, I have been following this forum for about a week now. I've played with the Vox in stores. I actually had a Vox in hand and was ready to buy when a final doubt caused me to hesitate. I am ready for an ereader -- I have been for about a year. I am tired of reading my ebooks on my macbook and ipod. I have decided to go with the Touch.

Why? In the end end, I looked at my needs -- a device to host the myriad texts I need in my daily life as a reader, a teacher, and a writer. I already have a smart device (ipod touch and frequent access to spouse's iphone). So while the connectivity in a tablet is seductive, I am unwilling to adopt a technology that isn't quite there yet. I spent a year with a Linux-based netbook, and while the tweaking and customizing was sometimes fun, it could also be distracting. And I realized that I want a device that is readable (I like the e-inkscreen), stable (more or less), and does one thing. And that goes long periods between charging.

Thank you all for this forum -- the experiences and opinions shared here have been very valuable, and are without a doubt the best repository of Vox info on the net.

You are wise, perambulator! I've spent almost four weeks with my Vox and have come to the same conclusion and will be returning it. I quite like it as an ereader with benefits but really don't need those benefits because my iPod Touch does them too, albeit in minature, and I can even use it as a phone thanks to an app called Line 2.

The Kobo Touch has the things I want in an ereader right now, such as an integrated dictionary and the ability to get rid of the excess margin. I also much prefer e-ink for reading. Reading on the Vox hurts my eyes after a while but reading on the Touch doesn't! I also prefer the weight of the Touch and the longer battery life too.

I will miss my Vox, in spite of all the frustrations I had getting it organized and working, and appreciate all the kindness and advice received on this forum. But since my priority has always been ereading, I reluctatly have to admit that, in my case too, the tablet aspect of the Vox isn't good enough yet to outweight the ereading features of the Touch.

However, after getting a taste of playing Angry Birds on a bigger screen, I strongly suspect that there will be a tablet at some point in my future!

[LauraPony]

Originally Posted by moolyn

However, after getting a taste of playing Angry Birds on a bigger screen, I strongly suspect that there will be a tablet at some point in my future!

If you use Chrome as a browser, you can get an Angry Bird app for it and play full screen. I could never play Angry Birds on my (now dead) iPhone, but now at least I have SOME hope in hell.

[moolyn]

Originally Posted by LauraPony

If you use Chrome as a browser, you can get an Angry Bird app for it and play full screen. I could never play Angry Birds on my (now dead) iPhone, but now at least I have SOME hope in hell.

On a PC?

I just may have to keep my Vox because my Touch doesn't recognize the books I sideloaded from Calibre on my SD card like the Vox did. (I want to store them on the card rather than the device or a cloud.)

[Hunibal]

Originally Posted by moolyn

On a PC?

I just may have to keep my Vox because my Touch doesn't recognize the books I sideloaded from Calibre on my SD card like the Vox did. (I want to store them on the card rather than the device or a cloud.)

I have the WiFI Kobo.
I also put the books on the SD card - but have a problem. After about 100 I can't put any more on it. Get an erro message.
Could it be a Windows Vista problem?
I don't know how to work around it.