Touch Ubuntu/Android on Kobo Touch?

TheArtfulDodger · 11-30-2013, 12:30 PM

Hello, all:

I am extremely happy that I located this forum - I've been thinking about putting the Adventure Games (Zork - many others) on the Touch (seems like a perfect application) and I've seen a few threads here that talk about this but they all seem to wander off the path of a newbie trying to install preferably Ubuntu (obviously a much reduced version - no sound, no video required).

Is there such a checklist (files to download & where to find them - instructions on where & how to use them, etc) to follow?

Thanks in advance for all of the good work all of you have done so that we, the uninformed, can benefit!

Sparky

MarekGibek · 11-30-2013, 01:38 PM

You need to:

1. Have another SD card (8GB for Linux, 2GB for Android).
2. Have card reader in your PC (can be cheap USB card reader).
3. Download Win32DiskImager application.
4. Download new image:
a) For Android:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wtl9oshdxq..._Kobo_Touch.7z
b) For Linux:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=220350
5. Write it to your SD card using Win32DiskImager.
6. Open your Kobo's back cover and replace SD card. There are no screws.

That's all. If something goes wrong, you can replace SD card to original one. For safety reasons don't ever write images to the original SD card.

The Linux is much harder to configure and use. You need to install gargoyle (adventure games interpreter) with "sudo apt-get install gargoyle" command from terminal.

I suggest to try Android version. The nice interpreter for Android is this one:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...dglk.hunkypunk
but there are others.

[EDIT] My images may or may not work on N905B model. I have tested them on N905C model.

swamp thing · 12-01-2013, 07:00 PM

Brilliant stuff. Tried the Android image on Touch (N905C) and it worked right away.

Now I'm going to cut a window in the back cover so I can swap cards more easily -- it's already three weeks old anyway, so..

Ken Maltby · 12-01-2013, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamp thing

Brilliant stuff. Tried the Android image on Touch (N905C) and it worked right away.

Now I'm going to cut a window in the back cover so I can swap cards more easily -- it's already three weeks old anyway, so..

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...18&postcount=1

Luck;
Ken

lohtse · 12-02-2013, 01:41 AM

would this work for the touch original(n905) as it has no internal memory due to being built in

hawhill · 12-02-2013, 04:01 AM

In theory you could rewrite your internal memory (it _is_ internal memory, it just isn't a changeable microSD) and test, but in fact, you probably do not want to - the risk of bricking is high and the hopes for being able to recover is low.

Making it able to boot from external microSD would require a custom version of uBoot - I don't see this happen soon, unfortunately. This, and probably a modification to the Android image, too.

Will99 · 12-10-2013, 06:11 PM

Hi all
I could use a little help. I've loaded MarekGibek's Android image on my Kobo Touch 905B. Android starts up OK. It loads and it scans the SD card and even finds installed books, but the touch screen does not work. It doesn't respond to touch. The hardware button works fine. The device is not bricked because I reinstalled the original Kobo OS microSD card and the touch screen worked fine again with the Kobo OS.
Can anyone suggest anything I could try to get the Android OS working on my 905B ? Thanks .

Will

MarekGibek · 12-11-2013, 01:26 PM

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=228209

Will99 · 12-11-2013, 05:37 PM

Hi Marek
Apologies...I should have found that thread myself ! Thanks for pointing me to it. I followed the instructions and they worked great. Android is now working on my Kobo Touch 905B.
Thanks for all the work you did on developing the android image for Kobo and for taking the time to help newbies like me to get it installed. Much appreciated.

rgds
Will

11-30-2013, 12:30 PM	#1
TheArtfulDodger Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 155110 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ashford, Kent, England Device: Kobo Clara, Kobo Touch, Kindle, Nook Touch	Ubuntu/Android on Kobo Touch? Hello, all: I am extremely happy that I located this forum - I've been thinking about putting the Adventure Games (Zork - many others) on the Touch (seems like a perfect application) and I've seen a few threads here that talk about this but they all seem to wander off the path of a newbie trying to install preferably Ubuntu (obviously a much reduced version - no sound, no video required). Is there such a checklist (files to download & where to find them - instructions on where & how to use them, etc) to follow? Thanks in advance for all of the good work all of you have done so that we, the uninformed, can benefit! Sparky

11-30-2013, 01:38 PM	#2
MarekGibek Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 34471 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Cracow, Poland Device: Kobo Touch N905C	You need to: 1. Have another SD card (8GB for Linux, 2GB for Android). 2. Have card reader in your PC (can be cheap USB card reader). 3. Download Win32DiskImager application. 4. Download new image: a) For Android: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wtl9oshdxq..._Kobo_Touch.7z b) For Linux: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=220350 5. Write it to your SD card using Win32DiskImager. 6. Open your Kobo's back cover and replace SD card. There are no screws. That's all. If something goes wrong, you can replace SD card to original one. For safety reasons don't ever write images to the original SD card. The Linux is much harder to configure and use. You need to install gargoyle (adventure games interpreter) with "sudo apt-get install gargoyle" command from terminal. I suggest to try Android version. The nice interpreter for Android is this one: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...dglk.hunkypunk but there are others. [EDIT] My images may or may not work on N905B model. I have tested them on N905C model. Last edited by MarekGibek; 11-30-2013 at 01:45 PM.

12-01-2013, 07:00 PM	#3
swamp thing Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo Touch	Brilliant stuff. Tried the Android image on Touch (N905C) and it worked right away. Now I'm going to cut a window in the back cover so I can swap cards more easily -- it's already three weeks old anyway, so.. Last edited by swamp thing; 12-01-2013 at 07:02 PM.

12-10-2013, 06:11 PM	#7
Will99 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2013 Device: Kobo Touch	Android on Kobo Touch 905B Hi all I could use a little help. I've loaded MarekGibek's Android image on my Kobo Touch 905B. Android starts up OK. It loads and it scans the SD card and even finds installed books, but the touch screen does not work. It doesn't respond to touch. The hardware button works fine. The device is not bricked because I reinstalled the original Kobo OS microSD card and the touch screen worked fine again with the Kobo OS. Can anyone suggest anything I could try to get the Android OS working on my 905B ? Thanks . Will

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12-02-2013, 01:41 AM	#5
lohtse Groupie Posts: 197 Karma: 38050 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Anywhere I am sent!!! Device: Kobo Touch	would this work for the touch original(n905) as it has no internal memory due to being built in

12-02-2013, 04:01 AM	#6
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	In theory you could rewrite your internal memory (it _is_ internal memory, it just isn't a changeable microSD) and test, but in fact, you probably do not want to - the risk of bricking is high and the hopes for being able to recover is low. Making it able to boot from external microSD would require a custom version of uBoot - I don't see this happen soon, unfortunately. This, and probably a modification to the Android image, too.

12-11-2013, 01:26 PM	#8
MarekGibek Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 34471 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Cracow, Poland Device: Kobo Touch N905C	https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=228209

12-11-2013, 05:37 PM	#9
Will99 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2013 Device: Kobo Touch	Hi Marek Apologies...I should have found that thread myself ! Thanks for pointing me to it. I followed the instructions and they worked great. Android is now working on my Kobo Touch 905B. Thanks for all the work you did on developing the android image for Kobo and for taking the time to help newbies like me to get it installed. Much appreciated. rgds Will

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