Heres a quick hack I did that saved me $100+. Over the last year I became a stickler for anything that can diminish my melatonin level, so I eliminated my exposure of blue light after sunset to virtually zero. One casualty of that was my trusty old Kobo hardly used that I never got to enjoy, because (even at 1% brightness) it's a major eyesore that keeps me up for hours squinting in the dark, instead of dozing me off which is what reading in bed is supposed to do. I was about to toss it out and upgrade to a Clara HD/Forma
until I reasoned I could just retrofit it with better lighting functionality. So here it is
how to hack up Korn on the Kobos "Poor Mans ComfortLight Pro":
1. Buy a clip-on LED book reading light accessory. Usually $10 but if you search well enough you can score one for $1 (usually as samples for corporate swag/merch suppliers). Extra brownie plus points if its RED! If not, you can get artsy-craftsy and convert it easily by drawing over the lamp layer with a red marker/sharpie, let it dry, apply again, then scotchtape over to protect it. Clip onto your old Kobo and position the lamphead over the screen.
2. Connect the Kobo (in my case a 1st-gen Aura) to your computer, navigate its drive to KoboeReader/. kobo/ Kobo and open the file "Kobo eReader. conf with Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Show hidden files/folders in your file manager if you dont see them. Change the setting FrontLightLevel=(number) to =0, save (save anyway if version lock errors), eject/disconnect, unplug
3. Power off and on in the dark to test that the screen doesnt emit any light anymore. Turn on red led whenever you use it.
4. Read The Primal Scream under the covers and sleep like a baby cuddling your ancient Kobo in your arms, relishing in the fact that you have gamed and triumphed over the Lords of Planned Obsolescence.
Why this is better than white-on-black Nightmode hacks:
- Improved battery-life*
- Prolonged lifespan of screen*
- Less EM radiation*
- Easier on the eyes
- Red light promotes optimal biorhythms
* EPDs (electrophoretic displays = eink screens) work opposite of LCDs in that they consume energy to display black. This DIY jig saves them from struggling to keep the bubbles of almost the entire display charged to keep the pigment visible on top while you mindlessly tap Klondike cards.
1. Buy a clip-on LED book reading light accessory. Usually $10 but if you search well enough you can score one for $1 (usually as samples for corporate swag/merch suppliers). Extra brownie plus points if its RED! If not, you can get artsy-craftsy and convert it easily by drawing over the lamp layer with a red marker/sharpie, let it dry, apply again, then scotchtape over to protect it. Clip onto your old Kobo and position the lamphead over the screen.
2. Connect the Kobo (in my case a 1st-gen Aura) to your computer, navigate its drive to KoboeReader/. kobo/ Kobo and open the file "Kobo eReader. conf with Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Show hidden files/folders in your file manager if you dont see them. Change the setting FrontLightLevel=(number) to =0, save (save anyway if version lock errors), eject/disconnect, unplug
3. Power off and on in the dark to test that the screen doesnt emit any light anymore. Turn on red led whenever you use it.
4. Read The Primal Scream under the covers and sleep like a baby cuddling your ancient Kobo in your arms, relishing in the fact that you have gamed and triumphed over the Lords of Planned Obsolescence.
Why this is better than white-on-black Nightmode hacks:
- Improved battery-life*
- Prolonged lifespan of screen*
- Less EM radiation*
- Easier on the eyes
- Red light promotes optimal biorhythms
* EPDs (electrophoretic displays = eink screens) work opposite of LCDs in that they consume energy to display black. This DIY jig saves them from struggling to keep the bubbles of almost the entire display charged to keep the pigment visible on top while you mindlessly tap Klondike cards.