various sync & tablet app questions

[cybmole]

I have the aura HD as my main reader. I have also been tryin the Kobo app on my larger screen Kindle fire HDX which is quite tasty but there's no obvious official approved way to have put that app onto the KF ?

( I found a way to grab the install file for any free app on google play, then sideload that to KF - but there's no assurance that such a method will always be available in future, e.g. for any app upgrades - so suggestions for alternative routes gratefully received . I checked kobo web site but they do not offer a direct download o the .apk file ?

OK questions:
1. sync. i'd like to test if kobo on KF will sync with my aura, but as I understand it I cant have sync enabled on aura without also allowing forced firmware upgrades - is that the case ?

2. sync again: I guess it will anyway only track bookmarks, annotatatons etc.? it is up to me to manually put the same sideloaded books on both devices I assume. and do bookmarks etc for side loads even sync anyway or is that only for kobo store bought books ? Are reading stats synced/ merged ?

3. Upgrades: I read lots about the frequent & not always welcomed firmware changes to kobo readers, but how often if at all do they upgrade the android tablet app ?

4. I do see some differences between tablet app & e-reader e.g. on the aura e-reader for a sideloaded epub I see page numbering based on entire book, but on the tablet I see pages remaining in current chapter. In both cases I see no way to toggle that setting ?

5. does anyone know how kobo manage app upgrades to tablets - either to their own Kobo arc or to other makes - to they push out upgrades automatically

6. I assume the likelihood of amazon ever adding the kobo app to the amazon app store is nil ? Are there threads/discussions/petitions anywhere re this ?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by cybmole

OK questions:
1. sync. i'd like to test if kobo on KF will sync with my aura, but as I understand it I cant have sync enabled on aura without also allowing forced firmware upgrades - is that the case ?

Correct.

2. sync again: I guess it will anyway only track bookmarks, annotatatons etc.? it is up to me to manually put the same sideloaded books on both devices I assume. and do bookmarks etc for side loads even sync anyway or is that only for kobo store bought books ? Are reading stats synced/ merged ?

Correct again. Only information about the purchased kepubs being read is synced to the Kobo server. Nothing about any sideloaded books is synced.

The information synced is reading status and bookmarks/annotations.

3. Upgrades: I read lots about the frequent & not always welcomed firmware changes to kobo readers, but how often if at all do they upgrade the android tablet app ?

4. I do see some differences between tablet app & e-reader e.g. on the aura e-reader for a sideloaded epub I see page numbering based on entire book, but on the tablet I see pages remaining in current chapter. In both cases I see no way to toggle that setting ?

On the Aura, there is a way to turn off the page pre chapter feature for kepubs, but not the other way round

5. does anyone know how kobo manage app upgrades to tablets - either to their own Kobo arc or to other makes - to they push out upgrades automatically

The iOS app gets updated automatically. I assume Kobo handle the Android app/device in the same way.

6. I assume the likelihood of amazon ever adding the kobo app to the amazon app store is nil ? Are there threads/discussions/petitions anywhere re this ?

I think you are right there

For the rest of the Android questions, I'd look in either the "Kobo Tablets" or the Android sub-forum.

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The iOS app gets updated automatically. I assume Kobo handle the Android app/device in the same way..

Just to clarify the iOS side of things.

The automatic update functionality is a system level thing and not specific to the Kobo app.

If you are running iOS 7 or later, and happen to have the ability to automatically update apps enabled, then yes, when a new update of the Kobo iOS app - or in fact any app update - is released, and the device sees there is an update, it will automatically update it.

If you have the automatic app update functionality disabled then you would need to manually update the app by going into the App Store app, selecting the Updates item and then downloading the update.

[cybmole]

the update question as more about frequency, i know that apps downloaded form the relevant store will auto update on the correct device, but I am unsure if that is true for sideloaded apps on Kindle Fire that Amazon does not support.

so if I need to check manually, I wondered about the historical update frequency for the Kobo app. ( or take a works fine so why update approach ? )

PS I did read on one site that you can get the .apk file officially from kobo site but that is not no longer? ) the case, you are directed from there to Google play store