Kobo can run apps now

For the unaware, there is an existing solution that integrates with Kobo's native software (Nickel).

It has been maintained for years, and it supports every Kobo AFAIK.

It's called NickelMenu, and it's great. I'm in the Kobo ecosystem because of NickelMenu and Plato.

One note if you're thinking about getting a kobo due its relative openness: consider getting a two-core device. I did not do my homework and got a Clara BW because I don't want the color display. Later I found out that color is the only one with the two-core CPU.

This is something I've considered wanting, and I'm glad it exists, but after some thought it's absolutely not at all what I want my Kobo to do. Much like how I wouldn't bring headphones or a Bluetooth speaker with me on a hike, or a laptop with me camping, I don't even want the option of games or anything other than a good reading experience when I'm using my e-reader. I'd assume this is a redundant take, but I don't even know if my Kobo can produce sounds, and I'd like to keep it that way.

What's tricky is that although I don't want it to be an unconstrained app platform, I do want the ability to integrate with services that host my things to read. Karakeep, RSS, Google Play Books or Internet Archive, etc.. but I think that could be handled in a more narrow fashion.

I still use my Kobo Glo. I must been working at least 10 years now. I have finished countless books on it.

I like that is a durable single use device. I wouldnt use it as general use computer at all.

Even my old kobo has experimental features like wifi and a web browser. They have been trying to break in to that market since forever.

FWIW, some Kobos can run PostmarketOS. I built this UI for my Clara - https://www.github.com/bjesus/air . It runs Firefox, Syncthing, KOReader, and basically anything else you can run on Linux.

>These are photographs of the device, not simulator captures

Thanks for the clarification Claude

Wow. This is rad, well done. I've been trying to find an alt OS for my Clara Colour and this looks great. Being able to author apps means I can finally add a way to review my highlights/quotes and search them with ease.

Edit: damn, just saw the BW note. It looks like the Clara Colour would be blocked by Cobalt...

It would be very cool to have an Obsidian viewer or something.

On many occasions I have compiled notes, sometimes manually created sometimes LLM curated, and put them into a .epub file to send to my kindle so I can read as I am out walking.

It would be cool to skip a few steps there, and have "live" documents at the ready, particularly in markdown if possible, without having to sync/publish etc

Isn't the whole point of Kindle (or other ebook readers) being able to read books without distractions?

For most of the use cases I would need an app for, koreader's plugin system works just fine for it. You'd be surprised the gems you can find for koreader.

If someone made a Libby client for this, it would essentially be perfect for my uses.

I suspect it won't be long before we have Anna's / Z-Library fully integrated

As a Kindle owner; I'm very jealous.

I am enjoying the recently trendy Xteink e-readers that can't do anything but read books. An app store and the internet would just make an e-reader feel like a "worse phone" to me.

Very cool and definitely useful. I'm not the audience but I'll say: I like my ereader to just have books that sync. That is all. It's my library room and peace time, the last thing I need is Claude to distract me.

So cool. I have this exact model. Might try to build something

I find LLM copywriting revolting, especially Claude's and it is pretty obvious that it is Claude, and even though I might find the software interesting since I own a Clara 2E, it puts such a sour taste in my mouth that I don't want to touch this thing with a 10 foot pole.

If your software is mostly written by the slop machine, fine. I don't have to be upset about it unless I think about contributing and then notice the uncanny nature of the source code. But a website and a README is directly user facing and it is a major disservice, and in my opinion, lack of respect, to generate your website copy with an LLM.

Previously I built something using NickelHook

https://github.com/Podginator/KoboOmnivoreConverter

It took a lot of messing around trying to figure out how nickel fit together. This is much more … impressive.

This is incredible and super useful. More reasons to use my e-reader around the house instead of my phone.

> Install it once over USB. Every app after that installs, updates and removes on the reader itself, over Wi-Fi. A reboot returns to the stock Kobo reader.

Jesus christ folks. Is it really a big effort to have a human proofread the first paragraph in your product launch?

Noting again that postmarketos exists and works on some kobos (and potentially could be ported to more?)

ButWhy.jpg

Very cool project, will try to make it run on my device

I vote for Zotero integration!

Vibecoded, from what I see in the git log.

Just bought a kobo bw after reading this article

I need OTP for loging to ssh and meshtastic

Amazing. Hopefully Kobo don't ruin this by locking it down.

an e-reader running apps feels like putting a treadmill in a library. next thing you know it's nagging you with a notification badge for 'you haven't read in 3 days'.

poob has it for you

Would this also work on a Tolino?

can it run Doom?

now if something like this released for amazon kindle i would dust it off and start actually using the device again

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