Kobo e-readers can now run apps: Cobalt brings a signed App Store and Rust SDK
Kobo can run apps now
Cobalt is an open-source application platform for Kobo e-readers, turning them into app-running devices. It includes a launcher, a signed App Store, a Rust SDK, and a runtime that isolates each app in its own unprivileged process. Install it once over USB; after that, apps install, update, and remove over Wi-Fi. A reboot returns to the stock Kobo reader. The platform ships with apps like arXiv, Hacker News, and a terminal, and supports third-party app contributions via pull requests.
Every app is a static ARM binary running as its own unprivileged process on stock hardware.
- the-grump
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.
- brailsafe
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.
- yoavm
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.
- wbxp99
>These are photographs of the device, not simulator captures
Thanks for the clarification Claude
- rglover
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...
- Artgor
Isn't the whole point of Kindle (or other ebook readers) being able to read books without distractions?
- mawise
Has anyone built a dedicated OPDS client for the Kobo?
I've experimented some with the Kobo ecosystem since I got my Clara BW, I've played with NickleMenu, Plato, and KOReader. KOReader has a built-in OPDS client, but KOReader is a bit heavyweight and it would be really nice to have a dedicated stand-alone client (especially one that supports credentialed OPDS feeds like calibre-web exposes)
- arialdomartini
I’ve got only 1 big complain about Kobo: there’s no way to control the tickness of the pencil when writing on PDFs, and the size is too tick to take notes. There’s for epub but not for PDF.
Suppprt told me they are not going to fix that.
Do you know of any alternative?