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A few weeks ago, I bought a kobo e-reader because my favorite Borders store was going out of business (sad face) and the kobos were discounted. I’d always assumed I’d get a nook because the ability to check books out of the library was a major sticking point for me. You can’t do that with a Kindle. Nook has more of the market share than Kobo, but you know me. I can’t pass up a good deal.

I also liked that the kobo had one hundred classics preloaded onto the device. The books are in the public domain, so I can get them free anyway, but I’m lazy. I’m all about less work for Jamie. A few of my favorites, like Anne of Green Gables, were included, along with some I’ve always meant to read, but never got around to like Pride and Prejudice.

But that’s not really the point of this post.

The point is to talk about how much I love the Internet and how it kept me from throwing the kobo across the room after I bought it.

So. I plug the kobo into the computer and it starts charging right away. Great. But I can tell that the computer isn’t recognizing the e-reader.  There’s a nifty starter’s guide that tells me what to do when the computer recognizes the kobo, but nothing on how to get the computer to recognize it. I unplug it and plug it back in. Still charging, but no recognition.

Sigh. Off to the Interwebs I go. I type in “computer not recognizing Kobo.” Turns out I’m not the only one to experience this problem. The fix was really quite simple. Apparently, I’m just supposed to know that I have to press “Manage library” on the device’s screen to get the computer to recognize the Kobo.

Alrighty then. It would have been nice for them to include this in the instructions, but whatever.

I do that and all is right with the world. The included instructions now actually work and the Borders app is downloaded onto my computer.

Next step: library usage. After a little drama with getting my library card renewed (why can’t things ever be simple?), I go to the city’s library website and follow the instructions to download Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). When I do this and set up my ADE account, ADE is supposed to recognize the kobo and I have to log on to kobo through ADE, so they’re linked to the same account. Or something like that. I notice there are no instructions on how to do this on the library website or on the kobo website (even though they both say this is an important step), but I’m determined. No machine is going to beat me!

Anywho, I downloaded a book from the library. Very easy. My automatically kobo shows up in ADE. I find that a little strange, but I tell myself, “Maybe it’s not that hard. Everything doesn’t have to be hard.” I drag the book to the kobo symbol in ADE like the instructions say. “That’s it?,” I think to myself.

I turn on the kobo, which recognizes the book. I select the book and it starts to open it. But wait, what’s that? “The contents you are trying to view are blocked.”

What the frickety frack?!

 I knew it was too good to be true.

I try to copy the book to the kobo again, but no luck.

I know it has something to do with ADE and the kobo not being linked to the same account, but I was never given the option to link them to the same account. ADE automatically recognized the ereader when I opened the program.

Double sigh. Off to the Interwebs I go again. I type in “kobo locked.” Turns out I’m not the only one to experience this problem. One person suggested checking the settings on the device to make sure the date and time were correct. I check and sure enough the date is wrong. That’ll fix it, right? Wrong. Still locked. The next person suggested restoring the kobo’s factory defaults, syncing it through the Borders app, and then opening ADE.

I did this and voila, what does ADE do? It asks if I want to link my Kobo to the ADE account. Why yes, yes I do.

I’m feeling good now. I copy the book to the Kobo, unplug the ereader, and try to open the book. And it works!

Eureka!    

The Internet saved a kobo’s life. It deserves a medal.

P. S. Despite the setup troubles, I really like the kobo. It’s so light and thin. I have a small, but junky purse. The ereader slid right on in with no problems unlike books. Also, reading on it is easy and so is navigating the device.

I'm not ready to abandon print books, but I do think the kobo is a nice companion to the print books.

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Saturday, I ended up at Walmart. I’d originally gone to Target to get the new Mariah Carey Christmas CD, but Target wanted $11.99 for it. Not gonna happen because I knew Best Buy had it for $9.99. Why not just go to Best Buy? Best Buy is farther away, and I was feeling lazy. Walmart is down the street from Target, so I figured what the hey?

I don’t go to Walmart a lot because it tends to be a stressful, hectic situation. There are so many people in there crammed in the aisles.

But I’ll give Wally World this. This store, at least, has been remodeled. They’ve widened the aisles, so I don’t feel like a canned sardine. Anyway, when I arrive, I make my way to the entertainment section only to get completely sidetracked by the books aisle. Something else Walmart has going for it – they have a large book section and a sizeable African American author section, which isn’t always the case at other retailers.

Hugs…
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I start perusing the books when another woman joins me. Let’s call her Reba Reader. She starts talking to me. She loves to read and asks me if I’ve read such and such books and authors. She loves Mary B. Morrison and Carl Weber. She shows me the books she’s recently read. According to Reba Reader, books are like movies and a lot of times better, because there’s so much action, but you just keep turning the pages. I love her and her enthusiasm. As a fellow lover of books and an aspiring author, it did my heart proud. I’m so introverted. I wish I could be an extrovert like her. Later, I thought I should have gotten her name and number, so she can do my PR if/when my books comes out. Except that would have been creepy, but you understand what I’m saying.

Anyway, I pick out the books I want (because I am a weak individual with no willpower). No, I didn’t get the Mariah CD because it was $11.88 and I’m cheap like that. I head to the checkout counter also known as the worst place to be at Walmart. For whatever reason, people think they have to buy the entire store at that one time. To avoid the typically mammoth lines, I look for a self-checkout lane, but Walmart has taken those out apparently.

However, I do see an express lane, 10 items or less, so I get in that lane. There are three people in front of me, but it’s the express lane. How long can they possibly take? Oh, let me tell you.

Bugs…
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When I step in the lane, I notice a guy ahead of me. Let’s call him Cowboy Roy. Cowboy Roy looks like he just stepped off a ranch. He has the hat, the plaid shirt, belt buckle, jeans, and boots working for him. Now I live in Texas. I won’t say it’s uncommon to see cowboys, but it’s not something I see every day, especially in this part of town. But frankly, I don’t care that he’s a cowboy. What I do care about is how many items are in his cart.

He starts unloading the cart. Um, he has more than 10 items, probably close to 20. I look up to make sure that I am, indeed, standing in the express lane. Yep, it says right there – 10 items or less. I want the cashier to call him out and tell him to go wait in the regular line, but she doesn’t. Strike 1 for Cowboy Roy.

And THEN…

 He asks the cashier to fetch him some cigarettes. Are you kidding me? Strike 2 for Cowboy Roy.

And THEN…

He pays for his items and the cashier hands him his receipt. You know what that means, right? Transaction over. Except Cowboy Roy wants to stand in his exact same spot and study the receipt. Um, hello there’s someone behind you who needs to get to the credit card machine to pay for her stuff. Also, even if there is a problem, you’re going to have to go to the customer service desk anyway. MOVE. Strike 3 for Cowboy Roy. You’re out.

I was done with him. D-U-N done.

So that was my Walmart adventure. How do you feel about Wally World?


P.S. I did get the Mariah CD…from Best Buy. I ordered it online and picked it up yesterday.

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