First Impressions

marleyfan · 07-09-2010, 02:07 AM

Ok I got my Kobo today (the black version). It was a birthday present from my daughter ordered from Chapters online on June 30 and arrived today July 8 (my birthday...perfect timing). Packaging was very nice and well presented. I opened it up and charged the battery using my phone's wall wart for about an hour until the blue light glowed. I then plugged it into my computer and loaded the desktop application, although I didn't end up using it. Using Calibre I then converted a few ebooks (to epub)that I had previously downloaded and sent them to my Kobo. The books had been in various formats including .lib, .pdf, and a .rtf file. They all converted and loaded smoothly. Each of the books (I havent tried the converted .rtf book yet) opened with no trouble.

The screen is clear and bright and is amazing outside under natural light, with virtually no reflection. Page turns are quicker than I had expected. Overall the reading experience is very pleasant. My family are all quite impressed with the Kobo. They thought I was nuts wanting an ebook reader, but I think they have changed their minds.

My only complaint so far is the boot up and load times. I know that Kobo has resolved to work on shortening boot up time so I trust it will be addressed fairly quickly.

It's early, but so far it's a keeper. Keep in mind that I have never had another ebook reader and so have no basis for comparison. Still....I like what I see so far.

clintbradford · 07-09-2010, 02:12 AM

Congratulations on receiving your new eReader! That's a special daughter ... (grin)

You are going to enjoy your Kobo.

I just played with the Barnes & Noble WiFi and WiFi/3G units. And although the WiFi-capable unit is the same retail price as my Kobo, I am still pleased with my Kobo.

Clint Bradford
Mira Loma CA US

marleyfan · 07-09-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clintbradford

Congratulations on receiving your new eReader! That's a special daughter ... (grin)

You are going to enjoy your Kobo.

I just played with the Barnes & Noble WiFi and WiFi/3G units. And although the WiFi-capable unit is the same retail price as my Kobo, I am still pleased with my Kobo.

Clint Bradford
Mira Loma CA US

I considered getting the nook but the hassle of crossing the border to get one, and no support for us Canadians made me decide on the Kobo. Wifi would be nice but it's not that big a deal to grab a cable. I still may take a drive down and look at one before my return period expires but I doubt I will change my mind.

PS. Sorry for staring another first impressions thread....I didn't see that one already existed.

dreams · 07-09-2010, 02:24 AM

Welcome to MR, marleyfan, and congratulations on your great birthday gift! (I agree with Clint, you do have a special daughter

)

Have fun with your new Kobo!

SensualPoet · 07-09-2010, 01:23 PM

Good heavens ... what's a Marley fan doing in Surrey?!?

Since you have an HTC Hero, you might want to try the Kobo Android app ... and experiment with syncing your Kobo with your mobile phone via Bluetooth. The app is free and here: http://www.kobobooks.com/android

Did your version come with the 1.4 software or did you need to do a manual update?

Also, your local public library supports Kobo through Overdrive: http://www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Informat...io/default.htm
or
http://downloads.bclibrary.ca/118686...en/Default.htm

Cheers, and welcome to Mobileread!

Mickey330 · 07-09-2010, 01:25 PM

marleyfan:

Congrats on your new ereader, welcome to MobileRead, and -

Happy Birthday!

Good one this year, I'm betting!

Marilyn

marleyfan · 07-09-2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Good heavens ... what's a Marley fan doing in Surrey?!?

Since you have an HTC Hero, you might want to try the Kobo Android app ... and experiment with syncing your Kobo with your mobile phone via Bluetooth. The app is free and here: http://www.kobobooks.com/android

Did your version come with the 1.4 software or did you need to do a manual update?

Also, your local public library supports Kobo through Overdrive: http://www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Informat...io/default.htm
or
http://downloads.bclibrary.ca/118686...en/Default.htm

Cheers, and welcome to Mobileread!

Thanks for all the info. I actually have the mobile app on my htc but haven't tried the bluetooth yet. I've made use of the library too but wish I could find a way to extend the borrowing period since I usually have several books on the go at once and it often takes me longer than 2 weeks to read a book. I know I can just borrow it again but then I suspect I would lose my bookmarks.

As for being a Marley fan....there's lots of us out here. He's a cute dog.

Just kidding. Strangely enough it was my mom (who is 73 and lives in Ont.) who was a Bob Marley fan before me. My mom's pretty cool.

And thanks Mickey for the birthday wishes.

SameerH · 07-09-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marleyfan

Thanks for all the info. I actually have the mobile app on my htc but haven't tried the bluetooth yet. I've made use of the library too but wish I could find a way to extend the borrowing period since I usually have several books on the go at once and it often takes me longer than 2 weeks to read a book. I know I can just borrow it again but then I suspect I would lose my bookmarks.

As for being a Marley fan....there's lots of us out here. He's a cute dog.

Just kidding. Strangely enough it was my mom (who is 73 and lives in Ont.) who was a Bob Marley fan before me. My mom's pretty cool.

And thanks Mickey for the birthday wishes.

Unfortunately you can only sync via BT using a Blackberry right now. Android support for BT hasn't yet been provided.

But if you read on your Android phone, and then Update Library > Sync on the desktop / eReader, you'll get all your bookmarks.

thekidintheclock · 07-15-2010, 04:36 PM

went in to borders and took a look - wow the kobo is really great. still saving up a bit more. but i can tell this little machine is perfect.

i've used the nook and the kindle and the sony touch reader - all borrowed from friends. the touch reader was the best one - i thought - because it was lighter. all i really care about is the size. i don't read pdfs or anything.

the sony reader i used for a week and read three books on it. my biggest problem was that the next page button was this thin little silver. really love the kobo's big blue button - sorry - i do.

love how all the other kobo buttons are out of the way.

the kindle - it kind of repulsed me. i hated the keyboard.
the nook - again. way weird. heavy. didn't like that the whole side was a button.
sony touch - not bad. eh. cool dictionary.
the kobo - in love. feels like a soulmate. can't wait.

don't care if i have to charge it a lot. don't care if i have to stick a nickel in the side of it every half hour and shake it vigorously. it's just too nice to hold. saving huck finn so i can read it the first week. after that - the trial. nice work, kobo guys.

SensualPoet · 07-24-2010, 09:32 PM

So, Marleyfan ... the honeymoon is over ... and it's time to stop celebrating that birthday!

How's the Kobo working out for you now? Have you tried grabbing a library book or too? Have you bought any actual books at the Kobo store? What's your most favourite experience using your Kobo?

marleyfan · 07-26-2010, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

So, Marleyfan ... the honeymoon is over ... and it's time to stop celebrating that birthday!

How's the Kobo working out for you now? Have you tried grabbing a library book or too? Have you bought any actual books at the Kobo store? What's your most favourite experience using your Kobo?

I'm loving the kobo. I have downloaded one library book but haven't read it yet. I have yet to purchase any books. I have gotten some books from "other sources" so far. I convert to epub with Calibre and have had no problem reading anything yet. One or two of the books are pdf and they load fine too. My usage is the worst for battery life. I read for about an hour and put it down for an hour or two and then read for a while again. So far I am into week two since my last charge and have read 5 books during that time. Average number of pages about 600 per book so however many page turns that works out to. Almost due for a recharge now. I have absolutely no regrets.

I am visiting family in Ontario and my niece found out I have an ereader. She is interested in getting one too and had already narrowed it down to the kobo and the nook. I think she is now sold on the kobo. Do I get a commission??

SensualPoet · 07-26-2010, 07:51 PM

Well, I recommend you try something (commercial) from the Kobo store just to try out how it works. Much of the Agatha Christie novels are available at $4.99 from Harper Collins. If you like police procedurals, Peter Robinson's Aftermath is currently FREE. (He writes the Inspector Banks stories that have also been seen on PBS.)

Glad the battery works.

I tried the Blackberry charger recently and that worked fine (rated for the Blackberry Bold 9000, outputs 5V, 0.5A); now I can bring one charger for two devices. I'm in heaven!

Glad to hear, after the dust is settling in this forum, that folks are back to reading and enjoying the Kobo!

sabredog · 07-26-2010, 08:01 PM

I might try my AC USB adapter. It rates around the same as the bold and works well for my PRS-300 and you can plug in almost any USB cable.

07-09-2010, 02:07 AM	#1
marleyfan Member Posts: 21 Karma: 22 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Surrey, BC Device: kobo, htc hero, comfy chair	First Impressions Ok I got my Kobo today (the black version). It was a birthday present from my daughter ordered from Chapters online on June 30 and arrived today July 8 (my birthday...perfect timing). Packaging was very nice and well presented. I opened it up and charged the battery using my phone's wall wart for about an hour until the blue light glowed. I then plugged it into my computer and loaded the desktop application, although I didn't end up using it. Using Calibre I then converted a few ebooks (to epub)that I had previously downloaded and sent them to my Kobo. The books had been in various formats including .lib, .pdf, and a .rtf file. They all converted and loaded smoothly. Each of the books (I havent tried the converted .rtf book yet) opened with no trouble. The screen is clear and bright and is amazing outside under natural light, with virtually no reflection. Page turns are quicker than I had expected. Overall the reading experience is very pleasant. My family are all quite impressed with the Kobo. They thought I was nuts wanting an ebook reader, but I think they have changed their minds. My only complaint so far is the boot up and load times. I know that Kobo has resolved to work on shortening boot up time so I trust it will be addressed fairly quickly. It's early, but so far it's a keeper. Keep in mind that I have never had another ebook reader and so have no basis for comparison. Still....I like what I see so far.

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07-09-2010, 02:12 AM	#2
clintbradford Older ... slower ... Posts: 450 Karma: 1924 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jurupa Valley CA US Device: Kobo, Kindles 2/3/Keyboard/Fire/Fire HD, HDX.	Congratulations on receiving your new eReader! That's a special daughter ... (grin) You are going to enjoy your Kobo. I just played with the Barnes & Noble WiFi and WiFi/3G units. And although the WiFi-capable unit is the same retail price as my Kobo, I am still pleased with my Kobo. Clint Bradford Mira Loma CA US

07-09-2010, 02:24 AM	#4
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,110 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Welcome to MR, marleyfan, and congratulations on your great birthday gift! (I agree with Clint, you do have a special daughter ) Have fun with your new Kobo!

07-09-2010, 01:23 PM	#5
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Good heavens ... what's a Marley fan doing in Surrey?!? Since you have an HTC Hero, you might want to try the Kobo Android app ... and experiment with syncing your Kobo with your mobile phone via Bluetooth. The app is free and here: http://www.kobobooks.com/android Did your version come with the 1.4 software or did you need to do a manual update? Also, your local public library supports Kobo through Overdrive: http://www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Informat...io/default.htm or http://downloads.bclibrary.ca/118686...en/Default.htm Cheers, and welcome to Mobileread!

07-09-2010, 01:25 PM	#6
Mickey330 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1107420 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Western New York state (USA) Device: Kindle Oasis & the Kindle app on iDevices	marleyfan: Congrats on your new ereader, welcome to MobileRead, and - Happy Birthday! Good one this year, I'm betting! Marilyn

07-15-2010, 04:36 PM	#9
thekidintheclock Member Posts: 22 Karma: 8040 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	went in to borders and took a look - wow the kobo is really great. still saving up a bit more. but i can tell this little machine is perfect. i've used the nook and the kindle and the sony touch reader - all borrowed from friends. the touch reader was the best one - i thought - because it was lighter. all i really care about is the size. i don't read pdfs or anything. the sony reader i used for a week and read three books on it. my biggest problem was that the next page button was this thin little silver. really love the kobo's big blue button - sorry - i do. love how all the other kobo buttons are out of the way. the kindle - it kind of repulsed me. i hated the keyboard. the nook - again. way weird. heavy. didn't like that the whole side was a button. sony touch - not bad. eh. cool dictionary. the kobo - in love. feels like a soulmate. can't wait. don't care if i have to charge it a lot. don't care if i have to stick a nickel in the side of it every half hour and shake it vigorously. it's just too nice to hold. saving huck finn so i can read it the first week. after that - the trial. nice work, kobo guys.

07-24-2010, 09:32 PM	#10
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	So, Marleyfan ... the honeymoon is over ... and it's time to stop celebrating that birthday! How's the Kobo working out for you now? Have you tried grabbing a library book or too? Have you bought any actual books at the Kobo store? What's your most favourite experience using your Kobo?

07-26-2010, 07:51 PM	#12
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Well, I recommend you try something (commercial) from the Kobo store just to try out how it works. Much of the Agatha Christie novels are available at $4.99 from Harper Collins. If you like police procedurals, Peter Robinson's Aftermath is currently FREE. (He writes the Inspector Banks stories that have also been seen on PBS.) Glad the battery works. I tried the Blackberry charger recently and that worked fine (rated for the Blackberry Bold 9000, outputs 5V, 0.5A); now I can bring one charger for two devices. I'm in heaven! Glad to hear, after the dust is settling in this forum, that folks are back to reading and enjoying the Kobo!

07-26-2010, 08:01 PM	#13
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	I might try my AC USB adapter. It rates around the same as the bold and works well for my PRS-300 and you can plug in almost any USB cable.

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