Kobo eReader
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We have collected 4 reviews of the Kobo eReader. Experts rate Kobo eReader 6/10. Reviewsor.com helps you find reviews, best prices, user reviews of the Kobo eReader and Kobo eBook reader.
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Kobo eReader Reviews
Kobo Reader
A few months ago when the Kobo Reader first hit the scene, its $149 price made it one of the most attractive 6-inch eReaders in the market. Yes, the device is pretty basic, but being more than $100 cheaper than the competition meant a few sacrifices. As long as the reading experience was up to snuff, right? But then the competition pulled the rug out from under Kobo: Barnes & Noble introduced a Wi-Fi-only version of the Nook for the same price, and Amazon announced a Wi-Fi-only Kindle for $139. So can this novice-friendly eReader still stand up to fuller-featured rivals?With its minimalist design, Kobo's offering definitely looks the part of a budget eReader, but the device doesn't looks cheap. Instead, it gives the impression that it's easy to use, which will appeal to consumers who aren't as comfortable with technology as early adopters. Picking up the Reader, it's surprisingly light, just 7.8 ounces to the Nook's 12.1 ounces. Kobo's Reader measures 7.2 x 4.7 x 0.4 inches, only a little smaller than Barnes & Noble's device (7.7 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches). It's also comfortable to hold due to the light weight, rounded edges, and rubber-esque, quilted back.
Kobo eReader
Not to be left out of the fast-growing e-reader and e-book arenas, Borders now has its own e-reader, the $150 Kobo eReader. With it, you can read e-books purchased from Borders' online store, which is powered by Kobo Inc. As the price suggests, the Kobo, which has the same-size 6-inch e-ink display as the Kindle and the Nook, is something of a no-frills e-reader: it's got no Wi-Fi or 3G wireless connectivity (and the screen has 8 levels of gray, not 16). However, it does offer a Bluetooth connection for "wirelessly syncing with select smartphones and updating your reading list on the go." It comes with 1GB of internal memory, and there's an SD card expansion slot for adding more (up to 16GB). Needing sort of a hook to make its presence felt in the e-reader space, Borders came up with the strategy of going with an affordably priced e-reader to try to gain a competitive advantage. Late in 2009, the company took a stake in Kobo Inc., which was originally called Shortcovers, a spin-off of Canada's Indigo Books & Music (Indigo remains the largest investor in the company). Alas, shortly after the Kobo shipped in June 2010, both Barnes & Noble and Amazon lowered the price of their e-readers to $199 and $189, respectively, and Barnes & Noble released a $150 Wi-Fi-only version of the Nook.
Kobo eReader
Somewhere between the premium e-readers and the bare-bones, low-cost models lies the Kobo eReader. Kobo has its sights set on delivering a satisfying e-reading experience, without the cost premium of blue-chip competitors like Amazon and Sony. In this mission, Kobo only partly succeeds. At $150, the Kobo eReader is almost half the price of an Amazon Kindle 2, and one of the least-expensive E-Ink devices available (price as of June 7, 2010). However, in spite of its refreshing interface, its usability suffers from sluggish performance and stiff buttons. The Kobo eReader is brought to market by a division of the big-box bookseller Chapters-Indigo in Canada, though the north-of-the-border connection is not evident anywhere on the surface. Instead, readers are greeted by a well-thought-through user experience that marries the Kobobooks.com online store--home to 2 million plus e-books--with a value-priced e-reader. You can access your account via the Web, or via an app you can install off the e-reader. Unfortunately, that's where my bumps started with this product. It's not clear from the included start guide that there even is an app to install, and the app lacks an autolauncher or other clear means of installation.
Kobo eReader
The e-book reader market just keeps growing, with all sorts of products - some of which are too expensive for mainstream buyers. The Borders-backed Kobo eReader is different. It rings in at a reasonable $149.99 (direct), which puts it $110 below the Amazon Kindle ($259, ) and the Barnes & Noble Nook ($259, ), and $50 below the Sony Reader Pocket Edition (PRS-300) ($199.99, ). And the Kobo eReader also comes with 100 preloaded classic titles to get you started, like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Moby Dick. If you don't need over-the-air book purchases, it's a solid low-cost choice. Measuring 7.2 by 4.7 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighing 7.8 ounces, the Kobo eReader is smaller than the Nook and the Kindle 2, and slightly bigger than the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300, though the latter has a smaller, 5-inch display. The Kobo's e-ink screen is 6 inches, and can display eight shades of gray. Some competing models, like the Kindle, can display 16 shades, though that really only comes into play when displaying photos, or if you're really particular about the way the unit renders book covers. There's nothing in the box aside from the reader, a USB cable, and a foldout guide for getting started.
Prices
| Retailer | Information | Prices | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Kobo eReader - Black - Wi Fi Wireless - With 100 Free eBooks | $76.25 | See it |
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Kobo N905-kbo-l Kobo(r) Touch (lilac) | $99.68 | See it |
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Kobo Wifi eReader | $99.99 | See it |
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