Using a Tolino in the US

[4691mls]

Based on a recent conversation with rcentros in a thread in the Kobo forum I now have a used Tolino Shine 2 on the way to me from a US eBay seller.

Rcentros reports that the Tolino can get Overdrive library books in the same way Sony readers used to before Overdrive changes rendered them obsolete. Hopefully that won't happen to Tolino anytime soon but this was a cheap purchase so not a big issue if it doesn't last.

I'm curious whether the Tolino has the ability to obtain books directly from bookstores I have access to in the US, such as Kobo or Google Play. I know I won't be able to purchase from the European bookstores the Tolino is intended to work with. This is not a deal breaker issue - as long as I am able to use it for library books I will be ok with side loading the occsional purchased book.

Now I need to find a cheap cover to order. The ones on eBay mostly seem to come from Germany - has anyone bought one of those? Did it arrive within the estimated shipping time?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I'm curious whether the Tolino has the ability to obtain books directly from bookstores I have access to in the US, such as Kobo or Google Play. I know I won't be able to purchase from the European bookstores the Tolino is intended to work with. This is not a deal breaker issue - as long as I am able to use it for library books I will be ok with side loading the occsional purchased book.

Does Kobo allow you to download ePub books directly, or do you have to go through the Kobo application? I think I tried downloading directly from Google and it didn't work for some reason (can't remember why — may try it again). I did, however, test Feedbooks tonight and was able to download a DRM ePub directly to my Tolino Shine 2HD. It's a Harper-Collins eBook, something by someone named Robin Hobb. (I've been wanting to know if I could this for a while, just never set up an account on Feedbooks before.)

I just tried downloading a book from Kobo via my Shine's web browser and it came back with a "book may be damaged" error. I'll look into it a bit more. It did try, however.Second try on a different book (not the 9 book series I tried earlier) and it worked fine. So, yes, it looks like Kobo books will download directly to the Tolino. That's good to know. (Still plan to retry Google.)

EDIT: Tried Google again. No luck. I can login, see my books (even read them online) but you don't get the little dots that would open the menu to download them. If the Tolino used a newer web browser you could probably tell it emulate the desktop version of Chrome, but I can't see any way to do that with the browser that comes with the Tolino.

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Now I need to find a cheap cover to order. The ones on eBay mostly seem to come from Germany - has anyone bought one of those? Did it arrive within the estimated shipping time?

The Shine 2 is almost the same size as the Kindle Paperwhite (before the newest one). My Shine is in a folio cover made for the Paperwhite (Poetic brand) which has no straps on the top, so the top keys are free. Exact makes the same kind of cover (might be the same company). But I don't know how easy it is to find either of them. (No auto-off/on though).

[4691mls]

Thanks. Good to know it can get books from a couple of stores.

There's a cheap sleep cover on eBay that ships from the UK - I might try that one.

I wonder if mentioning that I will have to use the reader without a case until I can get one shipped will attract a certain Mobileread member to the Tolino forum with fire warnings

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Thanks. Good to know it can get books from a couple of stores.

I'm guessing any store that has Adobe DRM eBooks and you can log on to it with the old Tolino browser, it should work.

Well, the only three eReaders I had that were "current" no longer are. Tolino just updated their Page to a Page 2, their Vision 4 to a Vision 5 and their Epos to an Epos 2. (All Kobo hardware clones now, well maybe not the Page 2, but its specs are basically Aura 2 specs, except twice the memory, 8GB).

Ah well.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm guessing any store that has Adobe DRM eBooks and you can log on to it with the old Tolino browser, it should work.

Well, the only three eReaders I had that were "current" no longer are. Tolino just updated their Page to a Page 2, their Vision 4 to a Vision 5 and their Epos to an Epos 2. (All Kobo hardware clones now, well maybe not the Page 2, but its specs are basically Aura 2 specs, except twice the memory, 8GB).

Ah well.

Some new acquisition goals for you

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Some new acquisition goals for you

No. I liked the old Tolino designs, though I kind of figured this "Kobo-ization" Of Tolino was going to happen sooner or later after the Clara/Shine 3 model (and the fact Kobo bought Tolino). And I like 6" readers. I've been trying to like my Epos but, so far, I don't "get" the attraction. Too big and too heavy — and what size font should you use? Either I have fonts that are too big, or really long lines of text. Also I like the Vision's flush screen, which you lose with the Vision 5/Libra. And I need another eReader like I need a kick in the head.

(Yeah, maybe, down the line, in a few years.)

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by rcentros

No. I liked the old Tolino designs, though I kind of figured this "Kobo-ization" Of Tolino was going to happen sooner or later after the Clara/Shine 3 model (and the fact Kobo bought Tolino). And I like 6" readers. I've been trying to like my Epos but, so far, I don't "get" the attraction. Too big and too heavy — and what size font should you use? Either I have fonts that are too big, or really long lines of text. Also I like the Vision's flush screen, which you lose with the Vision 5/Libra. And I need another eReader like I need a kick in the head.

(Yeah, maybe, down the line, in a few years.)

6 inch readers seem like the right size to me. I don't have a need to try anything bigger. I read on a pretty small font so I get enough text on a page.

My used Shine 2 is supposed to get here tomorrow - looking forward to trying it out. I downloaded the user manual from the Tolino website and looked through it a little. I was amazed that the manual appears to have been written by someone who actually speaks English. So many electronic devices come with manuals that are so-so translations from the language of the country where the device was manufactured.

[4691mls]

My used Shine 2 came today. It was definitely worth the cheap price. I was able to download all my current Overdrive library books and also copied from my PC via USB a bunch of books I already owned. I haven't yet tried buying from a store directly on the Shine.

My Kobo Clara is better for reading in the dark - the Shine needs another light setting between two of the existing ones.

I think I will probably use the Kobo when I am at home. I will use and the Shine if I will be out and expect to want to download a new library book. It can also be my travel reader (not that I travel a lot) since if it got lost or stolen, at least it didn't cost much.

I ordered a cheap sleepcover from an ebay seller in the UK so it may not get here until early November. But I had an old Gecko cover for my Sony PRS-T1 that is almost the right size. It does partially block the buttons at the top of the Shine but wouldn't interfere with actual reading, and will at least keep the reader safe.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

My used Shine 2 came today. It was definitely worth the cheap price. I was able to download all my current Overdrive library books and also copied from my PC via USB a bunch of books I already owned. I haven't yet tried buying from a store directly on the Shine.

My Kobo Clara is better for reading in the dark - the Shine needs another light setting between two of the existing ones...

Glad to hear it came and that you (basically) liked it and (especially) that it worked on Overdrive for you. I guess the Shine 2 is "old" technology — the Shine 3 is actually a Clara with Tolino firmware, so your two eReaders are "kind of" related. I think I read with the light a little brighter than most at night, so I've been okay with the Shine 2 for night reading — though the Vision 4, with its warm light, is nicer.

[danicca]

How does it work on overdrive? Via the browser or is there some special setting?
I'm definitely tempted and it looks like it's little cheaper than libra

[4691mls]

Via the browser. It's just like using Overdrive on your PC. Of course it's a lot slower. If I want to browse I usually do that on my PC (or my phone when away from home). Then I go to the Overdrive library Loans on the e-reader and download.

Kobo also has the ability to obtain library books but the exact same edition has to be available in the Kobo store. I've come across a few books that I checked out on my phone or PC that couldn't be synced on my Kobo (you can use Adobe Digital Editions to copy those to a Kobo via USB but obviously this isn't useful if you are away from home.)

[danicca]

Thanks! Can you at least bookmark library site or stay logged in?
The overdrive and buttons are main reason I'm looking for upgrade.

[4691mls]

You can bookmark the site. I didn't see an option to stay signed in (I do remember having that option on my old Sonys). I don't know if this is any different on newer Tolinos - maybe Rcentros will know?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by danicca

Thanks! Can you at least bookmark library site or stay logged in?
The overdrive and buttons are main reason I'm looking for upgrade.

Originally Posted by 4691mls

You can bookmark the site. I didn't see an option to stay signed in (I do remember having that option on my old Sonys). I don't know if this is any different on newer Tolinos - maybe Rcentros will know?

As far as I know, all Tolinos (except for the original Shine 1) use the same firmware (12.2.0) — but the just announced ones may have newer firmware. The original Tolino Page (which doesn't have a front-light) will even pretend to turn off and on the light from the screen now (a new feature in 12.x, I believe — you used to use the top button or navigate via the Main Menu, which you can still do).

As for bookmarks, yes you can use them (as "4691"mentioned), but clicking the "stay logged in" on the Overdrive site doesn't seem to "take." Also like "4691" mentioned, staying logged in used to work on my Sony T2 and T1 (when Overdrive still supported them).

[danicca]

I suppose I can live with that. One more question. How nice Tolino plays with Calibre? All my collections are there.