Vox Alternate OS for KOBO VOX?

[RODJ]

I have a question about the KOBO VOX. Can it be loaded with an alternate OS (some flavour of Linux)?
Reason I ask is that my Vox reset itself and now won't complete the setup process (connection error-web page not available). I don't really need it as a reader any more, so if I could use it as a tablet, that would be useful.
Has anyone tried this?

Thank you.

[Rob557]

RODJ, hopefully someone has some thoughts on how to get functionality out of the Vox in the context that the setup process blocks that functionality. The following are my related comments in another thread.

Originally Posted by Rob557

May 12, 2019 - My VOX (obtained at a yard sale) has gone through a factory reset, and I'm trying to figure out how to make it functional. In the 2nd step in the setup process, it connects okay to my wifi then briefly checks (apparently unsuccessfully) to find software updates. In the 3rd step, I set the date and time. But in the 4th and final step when it tries to either locate (or create) my Kobo account, the VOX setup process stops with a "connection error" message, apparently because of a "web page not available" message for a website link that no longer exists (https://partner.kobobooks.com/ ...). Any thoughts how to get around the setup process and just use the basic functionality of the VOX as an e-reader/tablet?

As noted above, my circumstances are similar to yours. ....Rob557

[RODJ]

I sure hope someone finds a way to "unbrick" the Kobo Vox. I don't know of any other manufacturer who essentially vandalizes their customers devices once support is ended. I consider Kobo's treatment deplorable.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by RODJ

I sure hope someone finds a way to "unbrick" the Kobo Vox. I don't know of any other manufacturer who essentially vandalizes their customers devices once support is ended. I consider Kobo's treatment deplorable.

Can you explain how Kobo "vandalized" the device?

And are you trying to say that there are no other devices out there that dial-home during setup and the home server no longer exists?

[Quoth]

LOADS of gadgets don't work properly or at all when the seller loses interest:
Tesco Hudl Tablet: Do not factory reset or it's bricked.
Pebble watches
MS "Plays for Sure". Zune?
MS Watches (early ones used FM Radio subcarrier MS abandoned)
Intel Watches
Office 2002 activation?
Various products when Google/Alphabet took over. Google also notorious for shuttering and disabling software.
Various Archos personal media players.
Various Logitech products (remotes & speakers?)
Various Sonos Products.
Kindle DXG may have problems if factory Reset.
Lose a Kindle, report it to Amazon, find it and Amazon won't re-enable it for registration. Collections will never work. Never publicly expose Kindle Serial number.

Not at all an exhaustive list. Silicon Valley & USA companies are the worst. Kobo is Canadian owned by Japanese owner of popular Viber secure (maybe) chat.

The history of gadgets relying on "phoning home" after a reset or for DRM (about CONTROL, not Copyright) is a disaster. Don't have or enable gadgets that rely on "Cloud" such as home control, door locks, Speakers etc. They are (a) usually exploitive and (b) doomed to fail.

At least with Kindle you can use a gift cert to bypass the credit card demand and a fake email on current Kobo setup.
No gadget should insist on a sign-up process. I expect that will soon be illegal in EU, if it isn't already under GDPR, though some EU countries don't allow an anonymous phone SIM citing Terrorism and Criminality. Actually any smart criminal or terrorist will use fake ID and/or utility bills for the SIM or opening bank accounts. Forsyth's 'The Day of the Jackal' was only one simple loophole still open in many countries.

All of these things are to try an commercially capture customers and endanger people in many countries with less people friendly governments.

I agree it's wrong of Kobo (and all the others). However it's common and something to expect when buying ANYTHING that connects to Internet/WiFi/Cellular etc.
There are phones on sale here in local shops that are GSM only. Under EU Sale of Goods act they must work at least 2 years from purchase. The Regulator here allows Mobile (Cellular) operator to change GSM (2G) to 3G / 4G (or probably 5G eventually, it doesn't exist yet, stuff advertised as 5G is a sort of 4G enhanced) with only six months notice to Regulator and none needed to users!

[RODJ]

Self evident what I mean about being vandalized. The unit is "bricked" and no present way to make it operate as advertised.
And I didn't say there are no other similar situations. I said I don't 'know' of any. I am not the oracle of all things electronic, nor do I wish to be.
What I did say is that it is deplorable that a company (any company) would do that to a customer.
Imagine if the car you are travelling in, or aircraft, operated in the same fashion?
I won't be making this mistake again.

[Quoth]

737 NG and 737 Max?

Unless you buy something with no software and designed by a small company that cares you will end up buying something that "bricks".

[DanielOSM]

Hey, I need some help !!!
A friend of mine factory reset (actidentally) her Kobo Vox and now it has an error in the initial configuration.
Do you think that if I restore it with a previous image, it can fix the problem?
And if so, can someone give me the link for one?

[oldyellr]

Some time ago it was announced that a factory reset would brick the Vox. That's a very irresponsible path to take by the manufacturer (or whoever owns it now). What's wrong with just leaving it alone and let the user decide it's too old and slow?

Some time after that my Vox malfunctioned and reset and I thought it was done. However, I managed to get it working again after several tries, but all my apps were gone. Some I was able to replace, but many Google Play would not do because the Android version was too old. The most critical one was Dropbox, who is very adamant about not supporting older operating systems. It took me weeks to find an old Dropbox app that worked. I still use my Vox as an e-reader because it has such a nice screen. But it's deathly slow and under-powered.

As far as finding another OS, that would be a major undertaking involving rooting it and I suspect futile anyway due to the slow processor.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by oldyellr

Some time ago it was announced that a factory reset would brick the Vox. That's a very irresponsible path to take by the manufacturer (or whoever owns it now). What's wrong with just leaving it alone and let the user decide it's too old and slow?

The call home must use a secure connection. SSL and TLS 1.0 are no longer considered secure and should no longer be used. If you happen to allow use of credit cards on your site, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards no longer allow the use of SSL or TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 is discouraged and will be disabled by the end of 2019 (maybe). See Migrating from SSL and Early TLS for more on this. Note the Android 4.4 (KitKat) or earlier do not have native support for TLS 1.2 or higher.

[cpringle]

My Kobo Vox has just reset and so has bricked - has anyone found a way to unbrick or an alternate use for a Vox?

[Will_cain]

I'm trying to resurrect a VOX. It downloads an update and then tells me it can't install it.

Looking at all the threads the solution seems to be to throw it away, which is sad. I can't break into it to do anything though I can see the card from my PC.

I suspect there is an SD card behind the 12 screws and if that's so has anyone got an image that I could put on another card?

Failing that is it dead?

Cheers

[Scare!]

Originally Posted by Will_cain

I suspect there is an SD card behind the 12 screws ...

13 screws. Micro-SD.