Seriously, kobo?? Brand new and already dead?

nnf · 06-01-2010, 03:46 PM

Ok you guys, I'm really upset right now. I've been following the threads on kobo, I knew what I was getting into, what the flaws were, etc etc. To be honest, it didn't really bother me all that much that the fonts were a little messed up or whatnot. I assumed a fix would be coming soon.

So, I got my first reader ever yesterday evening. I really liked the design, the portability, the fact that it already had 100 books on it (seems like I'm in the minority here haha but I'm actually into classics and I haven't read the majority of them

) .... Anyways, I uploaded a book that I'd already bought and couldn't wait to try out my brand new device. I read in bed for maybe an hour before falling asleep.

This afternoon, I decided I might as well add 2-3 books from the public domain to my reader, just to see what pdfs would look like on the kobo. Well, I never got to experience that, because as I opened up the books menu, the blue light just turned itself off and the screen froze.

I tried everything to revive it, but even the reset button won't work!

I seriously thought I would at least be able to finish ONE book before I'd encounter problems... Guess I was wrong. I mean, I haven't even used the thing for a whole day! I've opened the box less than 16 hours ago!

I'm definitely returning this baby this week

Ahhh sorry, just needed to vent, this was my belated birthday present from my parents and they were really happy to have found something that I liked.

Would you guys suggest exchanging my kobo for another one? I feel like no other device fits my needs at this price point (and living in a mid-size town in Canada, there isn't much of a selection to choose from), but I don't want to run the risk of getting another lemon

Has anyone here gotten more than one faulty kobo?

Also, sorry if my message isn't super clear, English isn't my first language

AnemicOak · 06-01-2010, 03:49 PM

Did you charge the battery fully? I have no experience with the Kobo, but the behavior sounds like other eInk readers behavior when the battery dies.

nnf · 06-01-2010, 03:52 PM

My kobo was fully charged when this happened. I had just ejected it from the computer, the light was red and all... Maybe it stayed plugged in too long? I left it connected to my pc for a few more minutes after the light came on...

AnemicOak · 06-01-2010, 04:00 PM

I don't think you could leave it plugged in too long. You usually want to charge a new device 8-10 hours to be sure it's fully charged.

Of course maybe what you've experienced is some known issue with the Kobo. Hopefully some folks who have one will be along soon to comment.

nnf · 06-01-2010, 04:04 PM

The thing is, even if I leave it plugged in, the light won't turn itself on. My computer detects the device and it shows up in calibre. But the screen is nonresponsive. It sounds like the issue others haev had to deal with

Thanks for your help though. I'll have to wait and see as to what others will recommend. I'm just really bummed, I was so excited to finally be able to read on a mobile device

Turt99 · 06-01-2010, 04:05 PM

Does anything happen when you plug your KOBO into a computer?

What is on the screen?

How long has it been Frozen?

EDIT:

Did it freeze right after you loaded a book?

nnf · 06-01-2010, 04:07 PM

Yes, my computer detects it and it also shows up in calibre.

What's on the screen is my book library, listed by title. It's stuck on the letter A ... at least it's alright, it's nothing too embarrassing haha, Adventures of Huck Finn, Alice in Wonderland, etc

I guess it's been frozen for a good hour now.... maybe a little more.

Edit: it froze after I browsed the library, I wanted to open one of my new books, but I never got the chance. I hadn't tried to open anything yet. But yes I had just added 2 pdf books. I got a loading screen before browsing the book list and it seemed alright.

Turt99 · 06-01-2010, 04:10 PM

Can you browse the folders on your computer? if you can find the documents you added maybe you can delete them and restore your kobo?

nnf · 06-01-2010, 04:15 PM

Hey thanks, I just tried that. Doesn't seem to change a thing though... screen's still nonresponsive

and no lights will turn on.

Anarel · 06-01-2010, 05:08 PM

Have you thought about a Kindle? It works internationally, and of course, in Canada.

It is more expensive but you get what you pay for and with the Kindle (as well as the Nook and Sony models) you get a lot.

Stinger · 06-01-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Have you thought about a Kindle? It works internationally, and of course, in Canada.

It is more expensive but you get what you pay for and with the Kindle (as well as the Nook and Sony models) you get a lot.

Do you work for Kindle by chance?? This suggestion is like telling someone whose having trouble with their Ford to just go out and buy a Mercedes...

nnf · 06-01-2010, 05:22 PM

LOL, well I would love a mercedes

TBH, I don't like the kindle very much. I like the nook and sony readers better. It's a different price point however.

PeterT · 06-01-2010, 05:26 PM

My experience has been if it seems to freeze like that; leave it plugged in over night.

A lot of the issues seem to be related to very bad battery status updates back to the unit.

I have also experienced a condition with a dead battery where when you do plug it it, it appears to flash on and off. (In fact, in hindsight, the unit I returned after having it one day was probably just experiencing a totally dead battery).

Bureaucromancer · 06-01-2010, 05:27 PM

Have you tried the reset hole on the back? The menu shouldn't be showing while the device is plugged in...

Stinger · 06-01-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nnf

Would you guys suggest exchanging my kobo for another one? I feel like no other device fits my needs at this price point (and living in a mid-size town in Canada, there isn't much of a selection to choose from), but I don't want to run the risk of getting another lemon

I've read a couple posts where people experienced the same problem as you; the screen just stuck, but the device is accessible via USB. In one instance it was just a dead battery, since the Kobo doesn't seem to let you know in any clear way that the battery is dead (like changing the screen to a "Charge Me" message or something? But this doesn't seem to case with you.

I would definitely go exchange the unit, there isn't much else you can do at this point.

06-01-2010, 03:46 PM	#1
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	Seriously, kobo?? Brand new and already dead? Ok you guys, I'm really upset right now. I've been following the threads on kobo, I knew what I was getting into, what the flaws were, etc etc. To be honest, it didn't really bother me all that much that the fonts were a little messed up or whatnot. I assumed a fix would be coming soon. So, I got my first reader ever yesterday evening. I really liked the design, the portability, the fact that it already had 100 books on it (seems like I'm in the minority here haha but I'm actually into classics and I haven't read the majority of them ) .... Anyways, I uploaded a book that I'd already bought and couldn't wait to try out my brand new device. I read in bed for maybe an hour before falling asleep. This afternoon, I decided I might as well add 2-3 books from the public domain to my reader, just to see what pdfs would look like on the kobo. Well, I never got to experience that, because as I opened up the books menu, the blue light just turned itself off and the screen froze. I tried everything to revive it, but even the reset button won't work! I seriously thought I would at least be able to finish ONE book before I'd encounter problems... Guess I was wrong. I mean, I haven't even used the thing for a whole day! I've opened the box less than 16 hours ago! I'm definitely returning this baby this week Ahhh sorry, just needed to vent, this was my belated birthday present from my parents and they were really happy to have found something that I liked. Would you guys suggest exchanging my kobo for another one? I feel like no other device fits my needs at this price point (and living in a mid-size town in Canada, there isn't much of a selection to choose from), but I don't want to run the risk of getting another lemon Has anyone here gotten more than one faulty kobo? Also, sorry if my message isn't super clear, English isn't my first language

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06-01-2010, 03:49 PM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Did you charge the battery fully? I have no experience with the Kobo, but the behavior sounds like other eInk readers behavior when the battery dies.

06-01-2010, 03:52 PM	#3
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	My kobo was fully charged when this happened. I had just ejected it from the computer, the light was red and all... Maybe it stayed plugged in too long? I left it connected to my pc for a few more minutes after the light came on...

06-01-2010, 04:00 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I don't think you could leave it plugged in too long. You usually want to charge a new device 8-10 hours to be sure it's fully charged. Of course maybe what you've experienced is some known issue with the Kobo. Hopefully some folks who have one will be along soon to comment.

06-01-2010, 04:04 PM	#5
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	The thing is, even if I leave it plugged in, the light won't turn itself on. My computer detects the device and it shows up in calibre. But the screen is nonresponsive. It sounds like the issue others haev had to deal with Thanks for your help though. I'll have to wait and see as to what others will recommend. I'm just really bummed, I was so excited to finally be able to read on a mobile device

06-01-2010, 04:05 PM	#6
Turt99 Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 14 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Does anything happen when you plug your KOBO into a computer? What is on the screen? How long has it been Frozen? EDIT: Did it freeze right after you loaded a book?

06-01-2010, 04:07 PM	#7
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	Yes, my computer detects it and it also shows up in calibre. What's on the screen is my book library, listed by title. It's stuck on the letter A ... at least it's alright, it's nothing too embarrassing haha, Adventures of Huck Finn, Alice in Wonderland, etc I guess it's been frozen for a good hour now.... maybe a little more. Edit: it froze after I browsed the library, I wanted to open one of my new books, but I never got the chance. I hadn't tried to open anything yet. But yes I had just added 2 pdf books. I got a loading screen before browsing the book list and it seemed alright.

06-01-2010, 04:10 PM	#8
Turt99 Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 14 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Can you browse the folders on your computer? if you can find the documents you added maybe you can delete them and restore your kobo?

06-01-2010, 04:15 PM	#9
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	Hey thanks, I just tried that. Doesn't seem to change a thing though... screen's still nonresponsive and no lights will turn on.

06-01-2010, 05:08 PM	#10
Anarel Evangelist Posts: 424 Karma: 61399 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: K1, GKDX, K3	Have you thought about a Kindle? It works internationally, and of course, in Canada. It is more expensive but you get what you pay for and with the Kindle (as well as the Nook and Sony models) you get a lot.

06-01-2010, 05:22 PM	#12
nnf Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS 600 :)	LOL, well I would love a mercedes TBH, I don't like the kindle very much. I like the nook and sony readers better. It's a different price point however.

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06-01-2010, 05:26 PM	#13
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,270 Karma: 78869092 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	My experience has been if it seems to freeze like that; leave it plugged in over night. A lot of the issues seem to be related to very bad battery status updates back to the unit. I have also experienced a condition with a dead battery where when you do plug it it, it appears to flash on and off. (In fact, in hindsight, the unit I returned after having it one day was probably just experiencing a totally dead battery).

06-01-2010, 05:27 PM	#14
Bureaucromancer Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	Have you tried the reset hole on the back? The menu shouldn't be showing while the device is plugged in...