Disappointed in the Kobo Forma: Two years is too short for an e-reader to last
The Kobo Forma is the first e-reader I’ve ever owned that I’ll be replacing because the hardware died, rather than replacing it with better technology. This is rather disappointing since the Forma had everything I wanted and wasn’t even two years old.
Meg got me the Forma for Christmas in 2020. Unlike my first generation Kindle and its immediate successors, the Forma saw light duty. Thanks to the pandemic, it’s the first e-reader I’ve owned that’s never been on a plane. It didn’t have to travel the world, get stuffed in an overcrowded backpack, or even see as much normal use as my previous e-readers. Sad to say, I spent far less time reading the past two years than usual.
A few days ago I picked it up and the battery was unexpectedly drained, despite having had it on the charger the day before. After charging it again, it simply refused to wake from sleep. The notoriously mushy side button didn’t rouse it at all. All attempts to restart or reset it have failed.
Since it was a gift, I’m not sure what Meg paid for it, but Kobo devices come at a bit of a premium. I’m really disappointed in the build quality and lifespan. My previous Kobo I got second-hand and it still works fine. My first Kindle was still working, for a new owner, well past its expected lifespan.
I’m honestly surprised at having to replace the reader this soon due to failure. I can’t recall the last device I had to replace due to failure rather than lusting after new tech or damage. (I still miss the Chromebook I lost to a coffee spill… Can’t fault Google for that one, though.) Since it’s right at the two year mark I have little hope that Kobo would replace it.
Not too eager to jump back into the Kindle ecosystem, but I’m also reluctant to drop cash for a Kobo reader at this point, too. Any good alternatives out there that have solid build quality? Ability to connect to Overdrive for library books is a must.
As someone who was also disappointed in the build quality of the Kobo Forma I actually gave them a second chance with the Libra 2. The page turn buttons are as good as they get and the build quality is much more solid like a eReader should be. With the Forma always hated that the turn button button was mushy and the then with the way the screen was attached I never could find a way I felt it was properly protected. They just tried to make way to premium of a device while the Libra 2 is both cheaper and everything feels properly protected.
Maybe I’ll give them a second chance. I’ve actually reverted to the older Kobo I had before getting the Forma. It’s built like a tank, but has a fairly small screen and no page turn buttons at all. But it has the distinct advantage right now of being available without spending more money during the holiday season…
I found your blog post because I was trying to figure out how to resuscitate my wife’s frozen Kobo Forma. I’m also having no luck, and about to give up. I got as far as opening it up (with difficulty, the case can be popped open with with fingernails starting at the thick side) and measuring to find that there is zero voltage coming from the battery. I was hoping I’d be able to temporarily disconnect the battery to force a reset, but no luck. Not sure if the battery has actually failed, or just tripped some internal protection circuit. If anyone else is doing this, I’ll mention that the battery wires are soldered on, and cannot simply be unplugged. I just looked, and we bought it Dec 2018, so we got 4 years out of it. Also disappointing, but I guess only half as bad as your situation. She was very satisfied with the form factor, and often frustrated with difficulty downloading things from Overdrive. It wasn’t certain if this was the Forma’s fault or the libraries. Not sure which one we’ll buy next.