Kobo vs Sony

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Kobo vs Sony

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1sandragon
Okt. 20, 2010, 12:48 pm

I'm trying to decide between the Kobo reader w/ Wi-Fi and the latest Sony touchscreen reader. I've read comments about the Sony but can anyone here tell me their experiences with the Kobo?

2MyriadBooks
Okt. 20, 2010, 12:55 pm

Nothing firsthand, I'm afraid, but the website Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has been blogging extensive reviews of different e-readers. In the latest one (here, of a Sony model), it mentions that a review for a Kobo model is in the works. You might find it helpful to keep tabs on the site for that review.

3pinkozcat
Okt. 20, 2010, 9:29 pm

I have a kobo and have few problems with it. My only complaint is that footnotes are all at the end of the book and there is one per page. It is not possible to look at the footnotes as they present and they are meaningless at the end of the book. For the kobo to mark a book as 'finished' I have to plough through right to the end page - through all the meaningless footnotes and all.

This would be a real annoyance with Terry Pratchett's books as the footnotes are an integral part of the story.

I am not sure if this is the case with other e-readers but the kobo is much cheaper than the sony so maybe the electronics are not as sophisticated.

4reading_fox
Okt. 21, 2010, 4:43 am

Plastic vs steel case for the Sony - so the Sony is heavier but more robust.

www.mobileread.com is as always the place to compare e-readers.

5sandragon
Bearbeitet: Okt. 21, 2010, 7:36 pm

Thanks for the replies, and thanks MyriadBooks and reading_fox for the links. I'll do some research this weekend. I can already feel myself leaning towards a Sony. I've used and trust Sony products, whereas I've never heard of Kobo before. The Kobo's Wi-fi is nice but not really necessary. I'm already used to hooking my mp3 player to the computer to downloand audiobooks. I don't imagine hooking an ereader up will be very different.

6Emidawg
Nov. 19, 2010, 3:41 am

Hooking an ereader up to download things from your computer is fairly easy. I think the biggest problem Ive had is that some sites that you purchase from require you to install different programs to allow you to sideload. I.E. If I buy eBooks from Fictionwise I have to sideload through Adobe digital editions software in order to unlock the DRM on the files.

7PaulFoley
Bearbeitet: Nov. 19, 2010, 5:41 am

What the heck is "sideload"?

Edit: I googled it and read the Wikipedia page...not sure it brought much enlightenment...is it just transferring a file from your computer to your ereader (or vice versa? Or either way? In which case, what's wrong with "upload"/"download" for that???)

8Emidawg
Nov. 19, 2010, 10:18 am

I tend to use upload download for things going to and from a server on the web... sideload for transferring things via USB or other means to another device. Just a computer nerd term I guess .. sorry ^_^

9reading_fox
Nov. 19, 2010, 10:41 am

#7 - sideload in this case is that from the Fictionwise site, you can't just click download. You have to go download, and then enable Adobe Digital Editions, and save the file from there, before you can read it.

10speciallisa
Nov. 25, 2010, 5:52 pm

just to let u know i have an i pod, and can get a range of different sites from amazon kindle to i books etc and its good, the apps are free and i got a lot of classic books for free on kindle. you can hold loads of books depending on the one u buy xx

11cdhtenn2k10
Jan. 5, 2011, 1:47 pm

I have a Kobo and enjoy it. It is an extremely basic reader. There are no frills here, folks. It's light, sturdy, and inexpensive. I didn't want to pay a lot for an Ereader, and I wasn't interested in lots of features I wouldn't use. I only use the Kobo for reading, and I only read books on it that don't have pictures. The kobo, to my knowledge, doesn't do pictures. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of nonfiction off my Kobo, but I get those at the library anyhow. The wifi is nice if you NEED it. It's major drawback is that the wifi drains the battery. You can, however, shut the wifi off. A nice thing about the Kobo is the battery life. I recharge mine between books, not while I'm reading. Recharging only takes a couple hours and then you're good to go. One complaint I have is not with the reader itself, but the spotty service from Borders.com. Sometimes you can't get the desktop program to let you purchase a book, it doesn't take gift cards, and the selection is not the same as what is on the regular Borders site. Borders needs to get it's act together. Also, the Kobo does not read proprietary formats, like those from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
All in all, I've found the Kobo to be a excellent basic Ereader with clear, easy to read text, excellent battery life, plenty of built in storage, and an affordable price tag for an emerging technology.

12lilithcat
Jan. 14, 2011, 8:46 am

> 11

Just what I need to know! Kobo is, for a few days, with a coupon, under $100, which I've always said would be the price point at which I'd seriously consider an eReader.

It's also compatible with Overdrive, which is the program my library uses for downloadable media. Kindle isn't, which crossed it off my list immediately!

13cdhtenn2k10
Jan. 14, 2011, 9:35 am

Kobo just released an update of the firmware that supports pictures and adds a dictionary. HOWEVER I also just learned from Kobo about some problems with Borders and their desktop app. It's no secret that Borders is screwed, and if anybody has been to their website lately, or tried to use the desktop app, you've see the evidence first hand. Both have had lots of problems, which messed up my Kobo. Thanks, Borders. The solution, however, was very simple. I called Kobo on the phone and talked directly to a HUMAN BEING. I will say this about Kobo: the reader may not have all the bells and whistles of some readers, and the Borders end might suck, but Kobo customer service is FIRST RATE. They fixed me up and explained how the problem was with the Borders app. I did what they said and it's all sunshine and rainbows.

Before you buy, call Kobo. The number is on the website in the contact section. Ask them about the problems with Borders and what they recommend. I actually like using Adobe Digital Reader to organize and load my books better than the Borders app. And I still buy books from Borders.com, just not with the faulty desktop app.

I love my Kobo.

14PaulFoley
Jan. 15, 2011, 6:18 am

"Just released"? I have an older Kobo (pre-wifi), and it supports pictures just fine; always did.

15lindawilkinson
Jan. 19, 2011, 2:28 pm

Hi, I´m a Kobo new user and just love it! I received it as a gift and was sceptical about it but Im enjoying it a lot, is great have all your book in such an small and light device!

16cdhtenn2k10
Jan. 19, 2011, 3:44 pm

From what I understand, older Kobo OSs could show photos and such in the text of ebooks. that's what they told me at Kobo.

17lilithcat
Jan. 19, 2011, 4:38 pm

Well, I'm not getting a Kobo. I actually did buy one, got it home and realized that my OS is too old (10.4.11, and it needs 10.5). So I think the next step is upgrading my computer!

18sandragon
Jan. 19, 2011, 5:07 pm

I decided to go with the Sony. Mostly because I've had Sony products before and they seem to last decades. I like the heft of it as well. I'm not one of those people that want the smallest and lightest gadget. They seem too fragile to me then.

Other things I'm happy with, that I think Kobo has as well:
access to a dictionary at my fingertips and the lovely search feature. So often when I'm in the middle of a book, a phrase or word or event sounds somewhat familiar and I KNOW I've come across it earlier but I can't remember when. Now I don't have to flip through pages, skimming passages, hoping I can find it again, because it's going to niggle at me until I do. I just type in the words in the search feature and I'm brought right there. Love it.