Kobo research team is asking for feedback on Reddit

[lumping-sugar66]

Hello folks,

There's this post over at Reddit by the "Kobo Research Team" asking for participation on a 10 minute survey to collect some data. I think our community may want to contribute to the survey.

The post is available here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...bos_future_by/

(Note: I have no ties with Rakuten, I'm just sharing the post)

r/Kobo community, help shape Kobo's future by sharing your thoughts in our 10-15 minute survey!

Survey - Approved by Mods

Hello Kobo Reddit Community,
We are the Kobo Research Team, consisting of a few designers and researchers, reaching out to you here on this subreddit for the first time with a new survey.

We invite you to spend 10-15 minutes on our survey and would be delighted if you could help us better understand your needs and preferences. Our goal with the insights from this survey is to enhance your experience, particularly with content management and interaction on our platforms.
Your responses will be completely anonymous and confidential. Your participation is more than just feedback; it's an opportunity to shape Kobo's future together and make your reading lives better.

Please Click Here to Take Our 10-15 Minute Survey
https://kobo.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/f...?source=Reddit

Thank you sincerely for your time and for your continued support!
Our warmest regards,

- Kobo Research Team

PS. Please feel free to also leave any feedback on this survey experience in the comments! Your suggestions are highly appreciated! Thank you again!

[Sirtel]

Took the survey, thanks for notifying.

[hobnail]

Almost done ... What's the difference between non-binary and two-spirit?

[DNSB]

Two-spirited was invented by gay and lesbian Indigenous people to describe Indigenous people. It is not be used for anyone not of Indigenous ancestry as it was chosen to distinguish and distance Native American/First Nations people from non-Native peoples.

And yes, it has been decried as racist, divisive, etc.

[Terisa de morgan]

Taken the survery, thank you.

[Cootey]

Very important survey.
Thanks for sharing.

I see Kobo is feeling the bite from Remarkable. I also appreciate that they want to know how important sideloaded book and annotation syncing across devices is to their users.

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by Cootey

I see Kobo is feeling the bite from Remarkable. I also appreciate that they want to know how important sideloaded book and annotation syncing across devices is to their users.

That, and the way people are using Kobo and electronic reading in general. Plus I learned something about already available tooling by others as Bionic Reading. Never would have known that.

[JSWolf]

I took the survey and in the question about what else could be done to make reading better, I said to make a more powerful processor and a more powerful battery.

It would be good if everyone could do the same.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

That, and the way people are using Kobo and electronic reading in general. Plus I learned something about already available tooling by others as Bionic Reading. Never would have known that.

I answered the Bionic Reading question with a have tried it and it's awful. It is awful and Kobo need to know this. I do not want it in the firmware. Bionic Reading does not work.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Cootey

Very important survey.
Thanks for sharing.

I see Kobo is feeling the bite from Remarkable. I also appreciate that they want to know how important sideloaded book and annotation syncing across devices is to their users.

I doubt reMarkable are any threat to anyone. Dire spec, loads of hype. USB only via networking, only native PDF. About 6 G storage. No on device handwriting conversion. No metadata browsing, only a file system. It's obviously a much better screen than the DX/DXG, but to actually browse books or copy to/from it, it is worse. I gave it away. The reMarkable is a one trick pony and a niche in a niche. I expect them to go bust.

[Quoth]

They seem curious about so called "cloud" based stuff, I suppose fashionable, but really your own laptop makes more sense for notes/annotations (one use of cloud, especially reMarkable's) and the other "cloud" thing is sync, but most people only have one device which makes it irrelevant.

Unusually well designed survey. Most are rubbish.

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do not want it in the firmware.

Well, that's up to Kobo I guess. Just like they added the OpenDyslectic font. Luckily Kobo lets me still choose whether to use it or not. And as long as they do that, I do not mind a bit. And perhaps, somebody might actually like it and find it helpful, who knows.

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by Quoth

They seem curious about so called "cloud" based stuff, I suppose fashionable, but really your own laptop makes more sense for notes/annotations (one use of cloud, especially reMarkable's) and the other "cloud" thing is sync, but most people only have one device which makes it irrelevant.

Cloud backup make sense to to avoid losing your stuff. But I guess it's here more meant to be "additional services" for which they can charge you a fee.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DrChiper

Cloud backup make sense to to avoid losing your stuff. But I guess it's here more meant to be "additional services" for which they can charge you a fee.

Yes, "Cloud" means services on someone else's server that you pay for forever. The return of 1960s computer services, but with a prettier interface, access via insecure internet instead of secure dedicated line (though faster) and more opaque contracts.

Cloud is not at all a good backup solution:
1) Too slow (though incremental for an ereader would work).
2) No assurance of privacy
3) Opaque security
4) How do they backup (many don't!)?
5) Needs internet.

Having everything also on laptop/desktop/tablet etc and backing that up to a USB drive (or two), even leaving a copy at someone else's house.

I have my own near unlimited hosting and I don't use it for backups. I make backups of that!

P.S. the new Avatar looks like someone smart

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Cloud is not at all a good backup solution:
1) Too slow (though incremental for an ereader would work).
2) No assurance of privacy
3) Opaque security
4) How do they backup (many don't!)?
5) Needs internet.

I use cloud for encrypted backups and have unlimited storage (terrabytes) just for current changes. Speed is irrelevant as it is just backup of changes.

Originally Posted by Quoth

Having everything also on laptop/desktop/tablet etc and backing that up to a USB drive (or two), even leaving a copy at someone else's house.

I make local backups too on 2 (1 backup is no backup!) external SSD's regularly.

Originally Posted by Quoth

P.S. the new Avatar looks like someone smart

That is just me