It’s nice that they have it but strange that it’s hidden.

It would be better if it was an option on the setup screen, and even better if it was the default option and if the login screen was in the parameters.

Because as an hidden option I always fear that they remove it and that we have to find an alternative. And so far DIY e-reader do not seem great.

I do agree, but I am glad the option exists, in contrast with competing readers on the market. And I am very glad that it is an option that requires zero talking to activation servers or other infra.

The way they implemented this means that these Kobos can always avoid being e-waste even if Kobo disappears. Assuming they don't maliciously remove it, that is, but seeing as it was added fairly recently and is fairly obscure, I doubt they would bother doing so for current and past devices.

> And so far DIY e-reader do not seem great.

Being generous and expanding DIY to mean any "open" or "modifiable" reader, this ecosystem has actually be rapidly improving in quality and selection recently. A few new devices were announced recently, and I'm particularly interested in the new M5Stack offering since it has a frontlight and LoRA.

https://liliputing.com/lilbits-more-phone-sized-e-ink-gadget...

I wish I could recommend any Android-based readers, but the software ecosystem for them is quite poor. I would immediately purchase one if they offered a verifiably-clean AOSP or LineageOS option.