Kobo standalone? (never want to connect to Kobo, or activate)

[DNSB]

At that point in the setup, connect it to your computer using a USB connection instead of connecting to WiFi. Add SideloadedMode=true under the ApplicationPreferences header. Safely eject.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Jane Eyre

Hi. But, is anyone able to use kobo as a generic stand alone ereader? I attempted today but I really could not. In the beginning, I logged out, then I restarted it by a factory reset but in both cases the first thing kobo did was asking me my WiFi key in order to connect itself to my account
Has it fooled me around?...

Connect to your WiFi, input input your account details, and once done, turn off WiFi. Done!

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Connect to your WiFi, input input your account details, and once done, turn off WiFi. Done!

Or put fake email and password at new setup. You can still buy ebooks on Kobo (or anywhere), download to PC, remove DRM and copy via USB.

Or connect USB and start reset and make SideloadedMode=true in the config.

[juliuss]

Originally Posted by DNSB

At that point in the setup, connect it to your computer using a USB connection instead of connecting to WiFi. Add SideloadedMode=true under the ApplicationPreferences header. Safely eject.

That worked on Kobo Clara Colour.

For other users, the file DNSB is refering to is `.kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf`.

I'm still not sure whether you have to connect it to wifi first.

[juliuss]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You still have to register. That won't do for someone that paranoid.

There is nothing to be paranoid about.

Kobo could allow you to download the book on your PC and transfer to your e-reader via USB.

The fact they need an account is to collect user data and track you.

Or they could at the very least allow you to opt out of registration.

For someone who already has his own ebooks and only wants to read that.

Instead no, you are forced to register an account.

If you are in Europe, send a GDPR access request to a company you registered an account with. You would be astonished by the amount of data they collect.

I bet the OP has a cell phone, computer, streaming service and/or TV service and they are all registered. So why not register the Kobo?

My cell phone does not have a Google account attached to it. Most of my apps are from F-droid.

My PC runs Linux and does not require a registration to be used, in contrast with Microsoft Windows which requires a Microsoft account to be used.

This new concept that you need an online account to use your device is completely broken and out of mind.

There is absolutely no need to have an online account. You can download firmware updates without an online account. That's how all linux distributions work, that's how Microsoft Windows worked for decades before introducing compulsory online registration.

Yes, it's technically possible. You can download a file from the web without registering an account to that website. I assure you. Seems strange. Seems weird. But it is possible. Check it out.

[Quoth]

I have no online registration on Win10 and it updates. Local account only.

You can use fake email @ fake domain. Kobo doesn't check. Or most Kobo FW now allow setting "SideloadedMode=true" in config if you boot with USB cable connected.

So you are inaccurate.

[juliuss]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I have no online registration on Win10 and it updates. Local account only.

You can use fake email @ fake domain. Kobo doesn't check. Or most Kobo FW now allow setting "SideloadedMode=true" in config if you boot with USB cable connected.

So you are inaccurate.

What I mean is that there is no "official" way to skip registration.

There is no "I don't want to register" button.

Of course there are hacks and workarounds (see my previous posts).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by juliuss

There is nothing to be paranoid about.

Kobo could allow you to download the book on your PC and transfer to your e-reader via USB.

The fact they need an account is to collect user data and track you.

Or they could at the very least allow you to opt out of registration.

For someone who already has his own ebooks and only wants to read that.

Instead no, you are forced to register an account.

If you are in Europe, send a GDPR access request to a company you registered an account with. You would be astonished by the amount of data they collect.



My cell phone does not have a Google account attached to it. Most of my apps are from F-droid.

My PC runs Linux and does not require a registration to be used, in contrast with Microsoft Windows which requires a Microsoft account to be used.

This new concept that you need an online account to use your device is completely broken and out of mind.

There is absolutely no need to have an online account. You can download firmware updates without an online account. That's how all linux distributions work, that's how Microsoft Windows worked for decades before introducing compulsory online registration.

Yes, it's technically possible. You can download a file from the web without registering an account to that website. I assure you. Seems strange. Seems weird. But it is possible. Check it out.

You give more information to have a bank account then you do to register with Kobo. You cannot say you've not given your information to companies who are less secure then Kobo. So it's wrong to say you should not have to have an online account as you do have to have some.

Yes, it is paranoia and privacy is a fallacy.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by juliuss

That worked on Kobo Clara Colour.

For other users, the file DNSB is refering to is `.kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf`.

I'm still not sure whether you have to connect it to wifi first.

You connect to your computer over USB instead of connecting to WiFi. No connection to WiFi is needed.

[VA1DER]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, it is paranoia and privacy is a fallacy.

Privacy disappears in inverse ratio to your willingness to fight for it. If you don't fight for it, you don't get it. More than that, it's not up to you to tell other people that they shouldn't strive for it.

I just bought a used Kobo GLO HD to replace one that won't USB-connect any more. I used the sqlite method and inserted a row to give me access without registering. I used DB Browser for SQLite for the editing.

The best thing this buys you isn't even the privacy, it buys you a MUCH better firmware. The current firmwares are nothing but ads all over the front page. I have firmware 3.19.5761 on mine. My home screen is a thing of beauty. Books I'm reading, collections I've accessed, books I've just finished. Not an ad anywhere.

And even better, it has a removable sdcard so I can back up my entire firmware and collection.

[Aleron Ives]

You can eliminate the Home screen entirely on current firmware by enabling sideload mode, and you don't need to do any database editing.

[Sirtel]

Ads and recommendations can also be removed from the home screen via patching. I have no ads on my home screen with the latest firmware.

[Apollyon202]

Or one can use KOReader, so there is no kobo spying (if any) at all. I also block my kobos from the internet, so they can only reach the internal network.
You can say this is paranoid, but you could be surprised if you knew how many actual attempts there are on a daily basis when bots and other harmful entities try to get in.

Maybe it is not that important today if the government knows what kind of books you read. But there are examples in history when owning a specific book was illegal.
Just sayin'

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Apollyon202

Or one can use KOReader...

KOReader is not to everyone's taste. I've tried it and found it lacking in some areas important to me - no library manager (I've heard they're planning to add it) and very slow with large multi-volume omnibus editions, of which I have many. No, I don't want to split them up. So I use the stock reader instead of KOReader. Patched stock does everything I want and I'm not worried about someone seeing what I read - my reading tastes are boring. They're (whoever they are) welcome to my lowbrow genre fiction collection.

Yes, I've lived under a government that banned some genres and many books. If history ever repeats itself, then I'll behave accordingly. At the moment it's not necessary.

[Aleron Ives]

Sideload mode isn't really about security. It just cleans up the UI and removes the unnecessary Home screen.