Aura Question for Kobo Aura users (screen shadows)

[LuisG]

I'll first drop the question and I'll explain the purpose after.

Does your Kobo Aura presents a shadow around the bezel (inside the screen) when frontlight is on?

The shadows are just like the ones shared in this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=255074


I recently got my Kobo Aura replaced under warranty by a new one.

After trying the new Kobo, I noticed some shadows and I was intrigued about them because I didn't remember at all seeing them in my first Kobo. I googled about it, found the thread I mention above and taking in consideration the opinions in the thread about the shadows not being considered normal (mainly the opinion from Anak), I decided to return the Kobo back to the store. They accepted my explanation and gave me a new one - no questions asked.
(Before I leaved the store, I remembered to check the Kobo Aura in exhibition and it also presented the shadows ).

Unfortunately the Kobo they gave me presented the same shadows around the screen and honestly I was almost by then questioning if my first Kobo had the same shadows but I never noticed them... Fortunately the thread above reminds me that I'm not suffering any kind of hallucination and there must be some explanation.

Now the thing in common about this "shadowed" Kobos (which differentiates them from my first and "clean" Kobo) is that they all came with factory 2.8.0 firmware installed (even the one in exhibited in the store, which I checked), whereas my first Kobo had the 3.15. So maybe this could indicate that they fixed this issue and the most recent Kobos don't present this problem any more.

Or maybe it doesn't mean anything and I was just lucky with my first Kobo...

[Ksquared]

I see the same shadow on my Aura. I had an Aura replaced for a different reason; My first Aura had this too, and I would say it was slightly worse than on my current unit.

For me it is not a problem - I see it but it does not detract from my reading. The front light is otherwise very even, and the shadow is outside of the reading area.

My initial firmware was 3.15 and now I am at 3.17.3.

I hope you either get used to it or can find one that does not have this issue.

[LuisG]

Hi Ksquared. Thank you for your feed back.

I must say that it's been really hard to find a Kobo without this shadows. I already tried 4 Kobos and they all had shadows. The last one (in the image) is the worst.

I must have been very lucky with my first Kobo as it had a really clean and uniform frontlight.

Unfortunately I have to resign myself to the fact that I hardly will find another as the first.

Even though what you shared proves my firmware theory (about this shadow issue being solved in 3.15 firmware models) wrong, it still intrigues me the fact (because the opposite makes more sense) that a Kobo bought in February had installed the firmware 3.15 while all the currently available ones come with the 2.8.0.

Well... since I can't find one Kobo that does not have this issue, I don't have other way but get used to it.

[Ksquared]

The photo looks a lot worse than mine. If you can return it for one that looks better, you should. As I said, mine is faint and not in the actual text of the book, so it does not bother me.

The firmware you listed might indicate that the Aura's available in Portugal are from the first batch since this is from the time of the Aura release. See this link - https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=185660

I would expect the firmware to update to the latest version as soon as you sync with Kobo for the first time.

Good Luck!

[soulfuldog]

That line along the top was what stopped me from buying an Aura when they were first released, the screen looked ok but for that. I agree with Ksquared though, the screen on your Aura looks particularly poor and if you can return it, you should. Preferably in exchange for the Glo HD if it's available in Portugal!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by LuisG

Even though what you shared proves my firmware theory (about this shadow issue being solved in 3.15 firmware models) wrong, it still intrigues me the fact (because the opposite makes more sense) that a Kobo bought in February had installed the firmware 3.15 while all the currently available ones come with the 2.8.0.

Unless there is a hardware update for a model, the factory firmware should be the same for all the devices made. Every Aura should come with same firmware no matter when it was made and update to the latest available during the setup. 2.8.0 sounds about right for what should be on an Aura at the start.

[LuisG]

I've already been is four different FNAC's in hope to find an Aura with more soften shadows but with no luck. Quite the opposite, as this last one is even more visible than all the previous! =/

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

That line along the top was what stopped me from buying an Aura when they were first released, the screen looked ok but for that. I agree with Ksquared though, the screen on your Aura looks particularly poor and if you can return it, you should. Preferably in exchange for the Glo HD if it's available in Portugal!

The Glo HD is already available for sale in Portugal but not yet in FNAC stores. I guess Kobo strategy could be trying first to run out their Aura 6" stock before launching the Glo HD in FNAC stores (to which they are associated).

Anyway, although the HD resolution and a whiter background are very attractive upgrades, I really resist to give up the flushed screen design (which by the way, prevents the shadow cast in the screen) and regress to an indented screen.

Originally Posted by davidfor

Unless there is a hardware update for a model, the factory firmware should be the same for all the devices made. Every Aura should come with same firmware no matter when it was made and update to the latest available during the setup. 2.8.0 sounds about right for what should be on an Aura at the start.

davidfor, I don't have the knowledge to discuss what you're saying but I do know that my first Aura 6" had the 3.15 installed and It wasn't as if it was updated later, because the factory reset always restored to 3.15.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by LuisG

davidfor, I don't have the knowledge to discuss what you're saying but I do know that my first Aura 6" had the 3.15 installed and It wasn't as if it was updated later, because the factory reset always restored to 3.15.

That isn't what I expected. It doesn't do an update when you setup the device?

[LuisG]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That isn't what I expected. It doesn't do an update when you setup the device?

It as nothing to do with it updating or not.

You said every Aura should come with same firmware no matter when it was made. So I'm just explaining that my first Aura came with factory firmware 3.15, whereas all the four Auras I tried recently (which all had the strong shadow lines) had 2.8.0 factory firmware installed.

This shows that not all Aura 6" models come with the same firmware. Whether that indicates hardware updates or not, I do not know... But the fact is my Aura (3.15) didn't have shadow lines and all four Aura's (2.8.0) I tried had shadow lines.

[Care]

I have that as well but I thought it was normal from the front light. Since I have been out of the loop for so long I didn't realize this wasn't supposed to happen. This is the least of my screen issues with my aura.

[LuisG]

Originally Posted by Care

I have that as well but I thought it was normal from the front light. Since I have been out of the loop for so long I didn't realize this wasn't supposed to happen. This is the least of my screen issues with my aura.

It wasn't supposed to happen but I guess it's accepted among users. I took back my Aura four times and every new one I got came with the same issue. So in the end, I need an eReader, I really enjoy the Aura, already spent too much time back and forth trying to solve with this situation, so I will bare this shadow issue...