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Bought a 2nd-hand Kobo Aura. Was it a mistake, or can it be liberated to run Linux? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by evenwicht@lemmy.sdf.org to c/kobo@discuss.online

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I haven’t tried to connect to it yet. But I see that there is a “Kobo Desktop” which is the official way to manage the Kobo. But that app is not linux and hacks to make it work on linux are apparently gone?

But then I find this thread saying that it simply attaches as a mass storage device. I’m glad to hear I can expect that to work. So is there any reason to want to get the Kobo Desktop working, which I assume would entail emulating Windows?

Some Kobos can be liberated to run PostmarketOS, but looks scary for the Aura, which apparently does not even boot.

In cases where a Kobo can be liberated, someone mentions that you have a choice between staying with the vendor kernal or switching to the mainline. But you lose the ability to run some of the vendor apps if you go mainline. So I wonder what it means in the end to liberate it but to keep the vendor’s kernel.

Has anyone fiddled with liberating the Kobo Aura, w/PostmarketOS or others?

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[–] LastoftheDinosaurs@reddthat.com 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I use a calibre container to manage my Kobo on Linux, if that helps you any

[–] evenwicht@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Thanks. I noticed some Invideous videos covering that, so I’ll have a look for sure since I already have calibre installed.

I noticed some folks have figured out how to make a Kobo an external display. In principle, I would love to have an android phone running OSMand drive a Kobo display, so I can navigate in bright daylight.

[–] redxef@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

No, there is no reason really afaik. Firmware updates can be installed with the desktop software, but they can also be installed either OTA or by dropping the update file onto the sdcard. The Kobo devices are really easy to hack, but I have heard that newer ones come with secure boot.

I only ever tried adding custom software onto their devices, like KOReader and Syncthing, I never switched out the whole OS.

I've had and modded both the Kobo Clara and Kobo Clara Colour and never used their desktop software or even created an account to log in on the device.