What Can the Kobo Vox Do?

[pokee]

I am liking the looks of the Vox, but there is a few things I cannot tell by looking at the specs and I was wondering if I could get some help.

1. It looks like .avi is not suported, so I cannot load my home movies onto the Vox to play. The specs say mp4 is supported, so I would have to convert my files, I guess? I have never used a tablet or phone to play movies, so I don't know how this works. Is there going to be some sort of movie playing software preloaded, like windows media player, or will we have to download a free app from the android market?

2. Would I be able to play shows using Netflix? I know I could probably use YouTube, because I have done that on my phone, but I'm not sur if there would be enough memory on this thing to stream a hd movie?

3. It looks like .wav is supported, but would I be able to listen to audiobooks on the Vox? I know when I did this on my PC with an audiobook I borrowed from my online library, I needed to Download a special program onto my PC.

4. Will I be able to surf the web on this thing? It talks about the android market and lots of social networking type of apps, but there is no mention of being able to visit your favorite websites.

5. I love the sounds of the Pulse, but how will that work? Does that mean Big Brother is going to be spying on your every move while you read? I suspect your wifi will need to be on during your reading in order for pulse to work, making your battery drain really quickly.

6. Reading Life sounds cool, but how with this work if you are reading the books in your library from multiple sources? Could your stats be based on your Kobo library alone, or all books on your device including side loaded books? What about the books you have already read...could they be incorporated into your stats?

7. What is this 'cloud' I keep reading about? It sounds like your books are stored on their server and you synch to any reader you are using? I am not really sure what this means...

8. I am interested in magazine subscriptions for this thing. Any idea how much cheaper the online subscriptions will be vs. The regular prices of most major magazines (I am interested in US, Entertainment Weekly).

I am afraid to order this thing before I see some reviews...but I am also wondering if they'll be hard to find after the first wave of sales, like the KT was...what do you think?

thanks

[taming]

Some of these could not be answered without a device, but I will take a shot at a a few of them.

The cloud is the same cloud that your Kobo WiFi uses to sync across devices. It is only for kepub books as far as I know. I sync between my Android phone, the desktop app, and Touch now. The stats for anything I read (including sideloaded books) sync as well and are reflected in reading life.

It comes with a browser (heck even the Touch has a rudimentary one) so surfing is not an issue.

I have no idea how expensive subscriptions will be, but you can subscribe to magazines using any app that works with Android 2.3.

Since Kobo will be selling the readers as well, problems getting it should not be an issue if you are in the US or Canada.

Pulse is entirely optional, but I would expect that the data that makes it work will also be used by Kobo for their own purposes--knowing Canadian privacy protections, it will be anonymized (well unless they go for illegal).

[PeterT]

You can see the magazines (and papers) currently offered at http://www.kobobooks.com/newsstand

[p_a_smith]

I don't have a Vox in my hands but have an Andoid tablet with similar specs (running 2.3 with actually a bit less ram).

1) I would be surprised if .avi files won't be supported in the stock video player but if not there are plenty of free movie playing apps.

2) No netflix if you are canadian because the android app doesn't work for us. It does for US netflix and hopefully will in Canada at some point.

3) There will probably be a stock mp3 player but if not there are loads of free apps to play music/audio files.

4) Yes, you can surf the web through your wif-fi. No sure what the stock browser is like but there are good apps available.

5) No idea on the specifics of Pulse. From what I have seen it looks like an online way to share what you are reading and comments as you do so.

6) The Reading Life Stas on my Kobo includes sideloaded books and the totals are for across devices.

7) Books are downloaded to your device but if you delete them you can reload them from the server. The reading life stats are updated to the server when you connect.

8) There are some magazine subsciptions available via Kobo directly but I noticed in the Vox promos them mentioning zinio. (www.zinio.com for USA or http://ca.zinio.com). They have all the usual newstand magazines (US and EW among many others).

I have an account and get my reader's digest that way which btw is perfect size for a 7" tablet. You can browse and see the prices which are cheaper than print copies when you get a subscription (single issues are comporable to newstand).

[taming]

Apparently, Netflix is now available in Canada for mobile devices. See: http://www.androidincanada.ca/news/a...ndroid-market/

[taming]

This was interesting to me.

Google’s Android Product Manager Gabe Cohen and Android User Experience Director Matias Duarte have promised Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S, and hinted that all other Android 2.3 Gingerbread devices should “theoretically” get ICS as well. Here’s the official quote: “Currently in the process for releasing Ice Cream Sandwich for Nexus S. Theoretically should work for any 2.3 device.”

http://www.pcslatetablet.org/tag/android/

Running a "pure" Android 2.3 could be very, very nice.

[p_a_smith]

Originally Posted by taming

Apparently, Netflix is now available in Canada for mobile devices. See: http://www.androidincanada.ca/news/a...ndroid-market/

That is so sweet. I have downloaded the app and have been playing around with it on my archos 70 IT tablet . Very nice.

I don't see why the Vox wouldn't run it nicely as well.

[digiSara]

Anyone know any places in Canada to legally download films/tv shows, similar to iTunes or Amazon US that will theoretically work on the Vox? I assume Netflix steaming will work as above but wondering about offline downloads for travelling? I usually use iTunes...

[ronin688]

Vox related question here too.

Will the 'Bookmark Sync across devices" work with sideloaded epubs? Or only kepubs bought directly from Kobo? The Vox will be staying home mostly and I'll be using my android phone for on the go reading still.

It's not a dealbreaker for me if they don't, but it'd be nice if it worked.

[taming]

If you like that kind of thing, I use the National Film Board of Canada App. We have Shaw cable at home, so I can use the VOD App from them.

[digiSara]

Originally Posted by digiSara

Anyone know any places in Canada to legally download films/tv shows, similar to iTunes or Amazon US that will theoretically work on the Vox? I assume Netflix steaming will work as above but wondering about offline downloads for travelling? I usually use iTunes...

Partially answering my own question - discovered Android Market has its own video rental (http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/09/21/an...ble-in-canada/). But we'll have to wait and see if you can get the app for Vox or not.

[pokee]

Originally Posted by digiSara

Partially answering my own question - discovered Android Market has its own video rental (http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/09/21/an...ble-in-canada/). But we'll have to wait and see if you can get the app for Vox or not.

I was sort of wondering the same thing, since I am not an Apple/iTunes person. Renting movies would be a great idea (download for 24 hours before air travel, or something like that). I hope we'd be able to get something like that on the Vox.

[pokee]

Originally Posted by p_a_smith

1) I would be surprised if .avi files won't be supported in the stock video player but if not there are plenty of free movie playing apps.

3) There will probably be a stock mp3 player but if not there are loads of free apps to play music/audio files.

6) The Reading Life Stas on my Kobo includes sideloaded books and the totals are for across devices.

8) There are some magazine subsciptions available via Kobo directly but I noticed in the Vox promos them mentioning zinio. (www.zinio.com for USA or http://ca.zinio.com). They have all the usual newstand magazines (US and EW among many others).

Hey pasmith - just a few follow-up quesitons for you, if you don't mind...

1) The .avi is not a supported file type when I look at the specs. But...that just means that they don't have pre-loaded software that supports it, correct? So, in theory, I should be able to download a free app to play any of my .avi files?

3) Will there be something I can use to play library borrowed audio books that are .wma files (I had to download 'Overdrive Media Console' to listen to a book I borrowed recently on my PC).

6) I didn't realize you could use Reading Life right now...can I do that with my Kobo WiFi?

8) That zinio website for magazines looks great, but it doesn't have Entertainment Weekly or People in Canada It's kinda pricey though...I can get a discounted paper subscription for most of those for much cheaper. I do like the capability of buying single back-issues to mags I don't subscribe to, though! That's cool! But...can you keep them forever or do they expire?

Thanks again for all the info!!!

[ronin688]

Originally Posted by pokee

Hey pasmith - just a few follow-up quesitons for you, if you don't mind...

1) The .avi is not a supported file type when I look at the specs. But...that just means that they don't have pre-loaded software that supports it, correct? So, in theory, I should be able to download a free app to play any of my .avi files?

3) Will there be something I can use to play library borrowed audio books that are .wma files (I had to download 'Overdrive Media Console' to read a book I borrowed recently on my PC).

6) I didn't realize you could use Reading Life right now...can I do that with my Kobo WiFi?

8) That zinio website for magazines looks great, but it doesn't have Entertainment Weekly or People in Canada It's kinda pricey though...I can get a discounted paper subscription for most of those for much cheaper. I do like the capability of buying single back-issues to mags I don't subscribe to, though! That's cool!

Thanks again for all the info!!!

I can answer one of those. I was actually just searching the getjar app store to see if the apps I use for media are there.

1) Getjar has the 'Rockplayer Lite' which is what I use on my android phone to play .avi and other formats not supported in the base software. I know for certain there are at least a couple more popular options but I've found Rockplayer does a decent job for me.

I use Winamp for music because it will sync through Wi-Fi with my PC and phone. I know it will play .wma but I'm not sure about the versions/drm imposed by a library loaned audiobook.

[digiSara]

Originally Posted by pokee

3) Will there be something I can use to play library borrowed audio books that are .wma files (I had to download 'Overdrive Media Console' to listen to a book I borrowed recently on my PC).

I think you have to download Overdrive if it's for library books. It's available on GetJar so hopefully will work for Vox.

6) I didn't realize you could use Reading Life right now...can I do that with my Kobo WiFi?

Not on the Wifi (as far as I know) but on any of the mobile apps you can - and it may recognize books you've read on the Wifi if you sync with the store.

8) That zinio website for magazines looks great, but it doesn't have Entertainment Weekly or People in Canada It's kinda pricey though...I can get a discounted paper subscription for most of those for much cheaper. I do like the capability of buying single back-issues to mags I don't subscribe to, though! That's cool! But...can you keep them forever or do they expire?

I think you can keep forever - I get a magazine currently using Zinio and the app on the PC is nice, but I'd love to have a more magazine like device. Some magazines are reasonably priced and some are really expensive.

I wish they had more international magazines available too. If you look at Pressreader, which is the other app Kobo says will come pre-installed - it is a newspaper subscription service but seems to allow interantional subscriptions too.