Yesterday Kobo released an update for the Kobo Touch ereader, firmware version 2.0, as well the Kobo desktop software, version 3.0.
As you would expect, the updates add some new features and fixes some bugs. Here’s the list of the most prominent changes with the new software:
Kobo Touch:
- Revamped home screen makes finding books easier
- Pin books to a Wishlist so you can buy them later
- Create custom book shelves
- Get personalized book recommendations
- “Find books similar to the ones in your library
- French dictionary
- Improved font clarity
- Make text sharper with custom Font Tuning
- Change accounts on your eReader
Desktop:
- Revamped home screen makes finding books easier
- Find books similar to the ones in your library
- Get personalized book recommendations
- Fixed issues with navigating to search results
- Pin books to a Wishlist so you can buy them later
It’s good to see that Kobo cleaned up the homescreen on the Kobo Touch; nobody liked the recommended reading titles clogging up the page. It’s like an ad without calling it an ad.
Creating custom bookshelves is another big plus, and is something Kobo needed to add seeing as how all the other ereaders have it.
I haven’t gotten a chance to try it out yet, but the custom font tuning sounds like an interesting new feature. The Kindles and Sony PRS-T1 have a similar feature and it comes in handy sometimes for darkening fonts to make them look bolder, although it tends to make them look more jagged and rough around the edges.
@Nathan hopefully the “improved font clarity” will work hand-in-hand with the “font tuning” option. My Kobo Touch had the blurriest text out of all the eReaders I have ever used, so it is good to see them making these much-needed improvements.
OK, I’ve installed this and played with it for a few minutes.
First impressions are that the reader seems to be a lot more responsive than before (or maybe it’s just because the battery is at 100% at the moment, LOL).
But the new bookshelf feature is indeed very nice. I can group books in a given series or theme rather than hunt them down one after another by author/title.
I also find the menus to be a lot more intuitive that before, so this upgrade gets two thumbs up from me.
I’ll be especially pleased if the new-found, zippy speed is actually the result of the update and not the recharged battery!
@Damon how does your text look now? Do you notice sharper, clearer text?
@Andrew
It could be just the “power of suggestibility” at work here, but I do think the screen is sharper than before.
I’m using a smaller font size than before and it looks great to my eyes. Much happier with the device than with the earlier firmware, for sure.
The update can be done via wifi or the Kobo desktop program, by the way. I used the desktop program which was the first time in awhile I’d launched that (normally I use Calibre for library management).
Everything went pretty smoothly once I’d logged in.
I was wondering if someone could help me! I am not that good with computers and upgrades but I am usually good enough to download new ones when prompted! I have tried numerous times to update my Kobo desktop app – however everytime I click yes to updating it goes through all the steps until the very last where you must replace the old app with the new one – I then attempt to open the Kobo app and it either doesn’t open and says theres a problem or it will open to the old version and come up with the little screen saying I need to update to the new version!! I’ve also tried deleting the kobo app off my computer and downloading it from the site but it still does the exact same thing! What do any of you suggest I do??
That sounds like a major headache. I would suggest contacting Kobo support for that one.
Go to http://www.kobosetup.com. Click on the setup button and it will update the desktop and the reader. Make sure your reader is connected via usb when you do the setup. That should do it.
Bonjour Kelsey,
J’ai le même problème que toi, situation identique et j’attends moi aussi une réponse de Kobo depuis trois jours mis à part l’accusé de réception de mon courriel…
I buy a lot of books from Kobo.com since they use standard Adobe DRM and my favorite new feature with the software is the wishlist feature. I don’t know why they don’t have a wishlist feature on the website as well.
my download isn’t working either? Did you figure anything out?
The download has completely frozen my Kobo touch and the same with my niece in Australia. I have tried a basic reset but it does not work. The Kobo customer service person in Australia suggested to perform a factory reset, which I will have to do but this deletes everything. You can get your books back but not all your settings which will have to be redone. The Customer service person there suggested that they were going to block the upgrade because of the problems it was causing.
My Kobo froze after downloading the update. To get is working again I did a factory reset as described on the Kobo website (hold the home button and push a paperclip into the reset button on the back – mine reset after the third of fourth attempt). This brought life back to the eReader but when the books came back I couldn’t get past the cover page so I did another factory reset from the eReader (Touch ‘Home’ on the home page, settings, device information, factory reset). While the eReader was doing the reset I uninstalled Kobo from my computer, restarted the computer & then reinstalled Kobo (as if it was a first time install). When I signed into my Kobo account all the books I’d bought came back. Also, I had to put my wireless network details back into the eReader. Not sure if there is a quicker way of doing it. When the Kobo first froze I contacted Kobo customer care & other than sending me an ‘incident number’ & I haven’t heard from them in three days.
Forgot to mention I had to reauthorise Adobe Digital Editions
The update has completely frozen my Kobo also. Basic & factory resets not working. Have been waiting over 1 week for Kobo support to get back to me (other than the “incident number”). I think this faulty upgrade is beyond Kobo at this stage and their silence is not reassuring.
I really dislike how the font now looks with the update. I can’t get it back to look the way it use to me. Now also words are being split at the end of the pages and I hate it! I wish there was a way to un-install this update… the font setting are very annoying.
Where’s the shortlist in 2.0? I can still add books to the shortlist, in the library, but I can’t see the shortlist on the home page.
Also: creating shelves doesn’t work. I go through the steps, create the shelf and add books, but then when I view shelves, there aren’t any. Would be useful if it worked!
You are not alone, I have the exact problem (shortlist offered but not displayed and a bug with the shelves). I haven’t gone thru the effort of erasing or factory reseting yet because so many others seem to have worse problems. I can still read whatever book I load, so I’m kind of counting my blessings
I updated today and my Kobo has frozen as well with the ‘Connected and Charging’ screen. When I connect it, Kobo Desktop doesn’t acknowledge it. I have tried the reset button numerous times and reset with the home button as suggested by michael. Nothing at all. Now i will contact Kobo, but I am not feeling optimistic after reading about their lack of response to several of you. I have had my Kobo just over a year and this is the first time I have had any trouble. My husband has had trouble with his quite often (freezing) but it eventually comes around. Come on, Kobo. Help us out here, please.
Please do not add so many new features to Kobo Touch. Leave it solely as a device for reading downloaded ebooks, as it originally was meant to be.
I really like this update. Creating custom bookshelves is really a HUGE improvement. The sleeker home screen makes the interface much nicer. I love what they’ve done with Sudoku in this version. The fonts for preset and selections are much more distinctive, and you can leave Sudoku and return to the same game later.
KOBO updates just keep getting worse and geared to selling you books.
I use the library and HATE the previews, etc on my device in any form and I have no choice.
KOBO is not worth it!
Shame on them imposing themselves on oneself
Agreed that the updates are primarily geared to selling books. I can’t stand it. I’ll probably stay with the old firmware until they get all the marketing trash off the home screen, and will never, ever buy a book from Kobo until they do get rid of it.
Just spent the last hour getting my kobo back after version 2.0 completely messed it up!
Now it’s working fine. Factory reset worked eventually. Then after installing update again and re-installing calibre ebooks it’s working better than ever.
Kobo upgrade is not accepted and the same upgrade box appears and my ccmputer is locked. I must hit CTL-ALT and delete to unlock my computer.This appears to be the same problem other people are having. Why should we have to go to Kobo Help and pay to attempt to fix a problem caused by Kobo?
Not a very good on a computer but finally got the current update
running. Good for 1 week and now I have a continuous loop of Update appears. Have tried Kobo’s instructions again after update came out with no success. Interested in more details from Ken re CTL-ALT & delete. Have a Mac and have no idea how to to do this. When the update appears…when it is downloading?????? Any help would be appreciated. Kobo is no help.
Ken …. additional info would help me a lot. Have a Mac and I am not very good on computers. I got new update up and running for 1 week & now I have a continuous loop telling me to update. When & how do you hit CTL-ALT & delete..when update appears..when it is downloading. Kobo just keeps sending me back to the video they released…reinstalling does nothing. It is already there. Thanks.
Mary,
I am experiencing the same thing and also have a Mac. My sister also had this problem but has a pc. All she had to do was find a file and change the name of a file. Here is what they told her:
We are very sorry that you have experienced difficulties with the Kobo Desktop App due to the 0cx000007b error. Please follow these steps to resolve the issue:
1. Please press the Windows button + E and go to C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder
2. Find the libusb0.dll file and rename it to libusb0.OLD.dll
3. Uninstall the Kobo Desktop App and reinstall it
The Kobo Desktop App should launch properly now.
Hope this helps someone.
Thank’s Laura..appreciate the help. All Kobo sent me was the video again. Will let you know.
My reference to Control Alt Delete When Held down together unlocks
my computer but does not relieve the Kobo problem.I can do other things but when I return to Kobo the update notification reappears and when I try to update my computed freezes again, I have Windows Vista.I am not a computer Geek and would like help.I can,t buy any more books so someone should be worried.
Thanks for your help. Sorry about the double message. Same situation here. I will not attempt to buy anymore books because I have no way of syncing them. Will try kobo again.
It was working just fine before he update – now it’s a continuous loop of requiring the update downloaded — i’ve tried trashing and then re-loading new version with no success — KOBO — just leave things as they are and then maybe I’ll be able to buy more books – in the meantime, I can do nothing unless someone offers a fix (which should be KOBO) … brutal !!!!
Just installed the update on my Kobo Touch. Verdict: FAIL.
The shelves do not work, not for PDFs, and not for epubs.
I created a shelf and added books to it but it did not stay, it simply vanished. I did this for both PDFs and epubs on my device. Shelves vanished with both types of files I added.
The useful shortlist has disappeared.
To add insult to injury – now when I turn a page on a pdf, a piece of the last page remains on the screen obscuring the view of the page I have turned to.
Utter utter crap.
i have the same update loop. kobo opens, says i need to install update, i go through the whole install process, and then when i open it it does the same thing again! tried uninstalling it altogether and re-installing to no avail.
i have the same issue in that i’m sent into a continuous update loop…i have a mac…anyone out there have the answer?
I have the same issue as many of you. When turning pages in a PDF file, the right third of the previous page is still visible. Shelves do not save–and I actually think trying to make a shelf before giving up and reading a book is what’s causing my Kobo to freeze. And when it freezes, it takes more than one restart to get it back into usable condition. Touch response lags and sometimes it doesn’t appear to be as sensitive as it was the last update (it could be due to glitches in response to shelving). Shortlist is basically nonexistent, and when I added books to my shortlist, turned off Kobo, and returned, they were no longer a part of the shortlist (not that it matters since it’s nonexistent, but, similar to the shelves in that it gives the illusion it works).
I do appreciate the new sharp text adjustment. The home screen does look a little better. I’d like having the time/date on the home screen rather than as a part of the settings. But I do like that airplane mode is gone.
I’ve refrained from factory reset–thankfully it’s not unlivable.
I still love Kobo, and I want to get a Vox. I know every device has difficulties and glitches, but does that one have that many problems?
I plug my kobo touch into my computer to sync but my computer app says there is an important new update. I HAVE DOWNLOADED IT THREE TIMES NOW! I can’t do anything else with the kobo app and I would like to sync my new books on for vacation!
The ‘upgrade’ to 2.0 was hardly worth the TEN tries before it worked without crashing everything, just minor tweaks that didn’t make any difference to reading a book. Crashed completely a week later. Helpdesk totally useless. OK device wrecked by pointless bad software. Reverted to previous OS. Can’t let it connect to the net because it insists on trying to ‘upgrade’, so many of it’s facilities are no longer there. Fed up with this, bought a Kindle
Contacted Kobo and they sent the same reply video as before. Tried contacting by phone with no success. The update loop continues. Anyone have any suggestions???
Since the recent update, my fonts are all different sizes. I have contacted kobo numerous times to be told teir 2 would respond by email. I have send 3 emails now with the ticket no they gave me – no response. Kobo should be in the vacuum business. They suck.
Update loop has disappeared. Sync working. Book purchase and Download working.
I have no idea how.
Since update 2.0 problems syncing saying network failure and I’m sat right next to the internet hub.
With the new update my sync button no longer shows up on my kobo. Went to the kobo site which told me to go to kobo.com/desktop but het an error message every time. Went back to main kobo page, chose help and looked through the topics. Responses do not relate to the new look on my kobo screen. Chose the button for other ways to contact them and got another error message. Typed in a question and was referred to the response in the FAQ that I told them in my question that it didn’t look like that on my screen anymore. What the h-e-double hockey sticks!!!!
KOBO 2.0 = FAIL
It took a really long time to update. It wasn’t frozen. Like everyone else; the shelves just don’t work! But I have a really annoying problem, none of my side-loaded PDFs are showing in the library. I didn’t see anyone else with this issue, yet. Is it just mine or does it happen to anyone else?
Don’t the Kobo folks test their updates before they go out on the market? Seriously, what kind of crappy QA do they have over there? The main office is just minutes from my house, I have a good mind to walk right in the front door and making them fix my reader.
WTH!?!?
Updated to v.2 today, and kobo locks up when trying to open books, restarts itself continuously. CANNOT READ MY BOOKS! what is going on with this upgrade. My kobo is BORKED!
This update has screwed up my Kobo as well! A bunch of my books completely disappeared from my Kobo but when I plug it in, they are still in the computer folder. Nothing seems to want to work..grrr!!!
I am looking for advice on my e reader, i bought a Kobo touch in april 2011, i performed the upgrade yesterday 2/09/2012 and have been unable to use my e reader since
After the upgrade of the reader and myremoving and readding software on the desktop the ereader turned back on and after resyncing with the desktop it all seemed fine. I started moving booking on to shelves and it froze, requiring a manual factory reset and starting again. Once this had been done again all seemed to be fine, i skipped organising to shelves and tried to read a book, again it froze needing a manual factory reset, attempt number three seemed to be going well, downloaded a new book via the kobo desktop but once ejecting from the computer the “processing content” message has never gone away from the screen over 12 hours has passed!!
Any suggestions would be greatly recieve
This may help some of you.
My sister brought her new kobo over yesterday and that’s when I saw v2.0.
I thought it looked really good so after several tries I got mine updated as well. However the shelves didn’t work (My wife’s did though after her update).
I found something that worked for me on another site.
Sign Out of your account and then go through the steps as if you just got your kobo.
After all was done and re-signed in the shelves work.
Ta Da,
Hope this works for some, can’t help with the freezing, sorry.
Bill
Help! I’ve had my Kobo Touch for well over a year and have rarely had problems that weren’t from my lack of understanding but now my screen is frozen on the loading on page. It all started when a book froze as I finished it. I switched off the e-reader and as turned back on it froze. No lights,nothing just the smiley face and the first loading square in black. It’s been like this for hours.I’m suffering from withdrawal!! Help!!!!!!!
I bought my Kobo Touch in Canada when it first came out, two years ago. In July this year I upgraded to o/s 2.0 and my Kobo promptly froze.
I eventually got it working again by factory resetting the device several times, then re-installed and re-synced. However now I have an “advertising” version, that displays one of a rolling set of ads whenever the device is powered down or put into sleep mode. This is what you get if you buy the cheaper, ‘ad supported’ Kobo version, not the full price version I have. Also my internal serial number was reset to 11.22.33.44.55.66.
I contacted Kobo support, who essentially told me I’d obviously bought the (cheaper) ad-supported device, and was therefore lying. So I sent them scanned copies of my original purchase documents and a scan of the serial number on the box it came in, as proof I’d bought my Kobo before they had even released an ad-supported version.
In response, Kobo then said they’d look at my problem again. Three weeks later I’ve heard nothing. They’ve obviously written me off. Is there any means of reverting to an earlier o/s version?
I am tempted to just factory reset to my base o/s and never sync or buy a book from Kobo.com again. I have lots of free books that at least don’t shove unwanted advertising in my face. Suggestions?
I tried reading through all the comments and I think only 1 person had the same problem as myself…
After the update, none of my books would open. That is, I’d touch the cover to open the book I was reading prior to the update and it restarted the kobo. Kobo restarted each time I tried to open a book.
What I’ve worked out though was that books loaded after the update work fine!
So, the (painful) solution is to remove all my files from my Kobo onto my computer, unplugged it to process content, put all the files back again and books are once more in working order.
Btw, you might want to work on the files bit by bit and not all of them at the same time. Too many files to process will probably freeze your Kobo.
Cheers!
I’m having the same problem after a 2.0 update, so will follow your tips and fingers crossed it works! Thanks
Can someone with a kobo touch or glo tell me if it will read folders. I have a Bebook and as I have about 500 books on the sd card I worted them into folders on my desktop before loading them onto the bebook. It has no trouble reading the folders even though there are 3 levels. With this many books it is necessary to be able to find anything. Can anyone out there help me before I splash out the cash?
Unfortunately like most ereaders, Kobo doesn’t do folders. It will read them in the folders but everything will just be thrown together in one long list. You can then create collections, or use Calibre to make it easier.
I’ve stoppped using KOBO desktop because of the mandatory updates EVERYTIME I opened it. What makes it particularly annoying is the lack of choice with the updates. It worked fine without the update but causes problems after requiring a system restore. Calibre works seemlessly with my Kobo thus the problem is solved from my point of view.
I had problems when I used Adobe Digital Editions 4.0 so I uninstalled it and v3.0 which works with the Kobo Touch. When my Kobo did the same things you mentioned I held the home button while resetting with a pin on the back of the Kobo. It started a restore process and after doing a new setup I was fixed up.