Judging books by their covers is now extra enjoyable

Kobo isn’t the primary on the color-ereader scene; Boox and Pocketbook have had shade ereaders and tablets for years. Each of these firms make stunning, premium units which are extremely succesful and customizable — however they don’t supply the plug-and-play ereader expertise of a Kindle or Kobo. Of all of the ereaders I’ve tried over the previous yr, I’ve discovered Kobos do the most effective job of mixing a user-friendly interface with high quality {hardware}. And now that {hardware} has a brand new trick with a shade display on the Clara Color.

It’s noteworthy that Kobo beat Kindle to the punch in getting a shade ereader out the door. To be honest, Amazon is busy doing, properly, every part, but it surely’s secure to guess {that a} shade Kindle might be coming quickly. For now, although, Kobo’s Clara Color is the consumer-friendly shade ereader to beat. A beefier processor makes it zippier than its already-fast predecessor, and the addition of shade appears beautiful, with out detracting from the crisp and easy-to-read textual content. I’ll admit, I’m not an ereader diehard; I typically return to my old flame, print. However a couple of weeks with Kobo’s newest has me extra excited than ever about studying on this cozy, easy machine.

Design and show

Most e-paper units depend on a show made by E Ink. The Clara Color makes use of the corporate’s new Kaleido 3 panel, which provides a printed Colour Filter Array (CFA) layer on high of the present black-and-white microcapsule layer. The colour layer can show round 4,000 colours, with a decision of 150 dpi. To be clear, a full shade web page on the Clara Color appears nothing like what you’d get from probably the most primary LED display. E-paper colours are muted and saturated, reminiscent of ‘70s comic book covers. But, also unlike LED, E Ink color panels actually look better under bright light.

The monochrome microcapsule layer creates sharp, 300 dpi text, same as the previous generation. But set side-by-side with the Clara 2E, the Clara Colour’s web page does look much less sharp. Get near the display and also you’ll discover noise within the white components of the web page. The nice and cozy entrance mild is extra amber, too. That’s the character of the colour filter array: because it’s at all times there, any textual content you learn is filtered by that layer. I’ve to emphasize that it’s solely one thing I observed as a result of I’m penning this evaluation and digging deep into the efficiency as in comparison with the earlier technology. On the subject of truly studying, I discovered I most well-liked the softer, hotter impact of the Color. It jogs my memory of the pulpy mass-market Stephen King and Anne Rice paperbacks I grew up studying.

Kobo’s customization choices aren’t overly concerned, however they grant sufficient management so you possibly can change issues just like the typeface, font measurement, line spacing and margin width, in addition to brightness and lightweight heat. On the skin, the Kobo Clara 2E and the Clara Color look almost an identical. The display is barely extra recessed on the Color mannequin and the soft-touch plastic is extra textured, which is definitely a profit as a result of it exhibits fewer fingerprints. The centimeter-wide bezels are simply sufficiently big to your thumb, which, together with the textured again, makes the reader simple to carry from completely different positions. It’s sufficiently small I can grip it across the again, however I’ve bigger palms, so which may not work for everybody.

With an IPX8 ranking, the Clara Color can deal with full submersion in water. I haven’t gone that far with this evaluation unit, however I did survive after I by accident splashed water on it when washing my palms within the rest room. Why was it within the rest room? As a result of I stash my ebook close to the bathroom so I don’t sit there and stare at my telephone. It’s the tactic that bought me studying once more after I had a child and was briefly satisfied I’d by no means end one other ebook. I heartily suggest it, notably with a studying gadget like this one that may deal with the watery surroundings of a restroom.

Studying expertise

The Clara Color’s new chip makes loading menus, performing searches and flipping pages a contact quicker than with the earlier technology. The pace improve doesn’t quantity to a drastically completely different expertise, however faster web page turns maintain the motion going. Like if Murderbot is defending its people from HostileSecUnit1 and abruptly there’s one other SecUnit on the backside of the web page, you have to know as quick as technologically attainable what goes down subsequent. Looking for a brand new ebook and testing previews is speedier, too, one thing I respect when every part on my dutifully curated TBR checklist appears like broccoli and I need ice cream.

The UX is identical as all Kobos that don’t assist stylus enter, with simply 4 choices alongside a backside menu bar: House, My Books, Uncover and Extra. Uncover takes you to the Kobo retailer, the place you possibly can search for ebooks, audiobooks and titles from KoboPlus, the corporate’s month-to-month subscription for limitless entry to a choice of books (aka Kobo’s reply to Amazon Limitless).

Uncover’s suggestion part has a working checklist of titles known as Only for You and, below Associated Reads, suggests books you would possibly like based mostly on works you’ve completed. The connective threads between the titles isn’t something stunning, however they provide a very good place to start out when you’re noodling on what to learn subsequent.

Kobo’s deep integration with OverDrive helps you to borrow any title your native library has accessible with just some seconds of setup and a library card. Clicking the three dots close to the Purchase button on any ebook brings up the choice to borrow (or place a maintain on) the book out of your library. I love how deeply Kobo helps the characteristic, putting one thing free and public on par with paid books and subscriptions.

Different options are good to have, like gathering your Pocket articles from the net so you possibly can learn them later within the extra targeted surroundings of your Kobo. There’s additionally a beta net browser that I used to search for the Wikipedia entry on the Mason-Dixon line after I learn Percival Everett’s James and the one for rook (the chook) when studying Tana French’s The Hunter. The browser’s not geared up for heavy browsing, however that’s a very good factor. The additional effort it takes to browse retains me on course with my studying. On the identical time, I’m completely happy to dig up a bit background information with out selecting up my telephone, the place the distractions are plentiful and compulsive.

The competitors (aka Kindle vs Kobo)

There’s no escaping the truth that a Kobo ereader isn’t a Kindle. However the benefits Kindle has over Kobo are largely within the availability of titles, not in {hardware}. The Kobo Clara Color is most immediately corresponding to the usual Kindle. They’ve the identical primary form, the identical measurement display with 300 dpi textual content and 16GB of storage. However the Kindle is $50 cheaper.

Nonetheless! Amazon’s gadget will serve you advertisements on the lockscreen and it prices $20 further to take away them. It’s additionally not waterproof and has no heat mild. No Kindle has a shade show but, however there are many rumors suggesting that transfer is (fairly clearly) on the horizon. For now, although, shade is one other level in Kobo’s favor.

That stated, when you’ve spent the previous decade amassing a small library on Amazon, you gained’t be capable to entry it on a Kobo with out some main, quasi-unlawful finagling. I solely have a couple of Kindle titles from my previous, so beginning over with Kobo didn’t really feel like a loss.

Amazon’s book retailer is bigger than Kobo’s, boosted by Kindle Direct Publishing exclusives and self-published books. Kobo has its personal self-publishing program, but it surely’s far smaller. That stated, each in-print ebook from a serious writer will present up in each the Kindle and the Kobo retailer. Each title I’ve looked for within the Kobo retailer was available.

Amazon’s subscription program, Kindle Limitless, is greater too, with 4 million mixed audio- and book titles accessible. Comparatively, Kobo Plus presently claims 1.5 million ebooks and 150,000 audiobooks. Kobo’s plan is a tad cheaper at $10 per 30 days to each learn and pay attention, or $8 for ebooks solely. Kindle Limitless is $12 month-to-month and provides you entry to each codecs. Neither subscription consists of bestselling titles from main authors, however there’s nonetheless lots to select from.

Nonetheless, Kobo’s book entry does outmatch Kindle’s in two methods: the flexibility to buy third-party retailers and a better OverDrive expertise. Amazon makes use of its personal digital rights administration (DRM) expertise, whereas most everybody else depends on Adobe’s DRM. Meaning when you purchase a ebook from most main publishers on a third-party web site (like ebooks.com or Google Books), you gained’t be capable to learn the ePub file in your Kindle. There are a few further steps for studying these titles on a Kobo, but it surely’s simple sufficient. As for OverDrive, studying public library books on a Kindle isn’t onerous, however it’s important to first go to OverDrive’s or your library’s web site, discover your ebook and choose “read on Kindle” because the supply choice. With a Kobo, you click on the three dots subsequent to Purchase, choose Borrow and begin studying seconds afterward the identical gadget.

Wrap-up

The large query is whether or not the addition of shade makes the Kobo Clara Color higher and definitely worth the $10 over the earlier technology. The quicker processor alone makes up for the value hike and the waterproof construct, heat entrance lights and lack of advertisements makes for a extra premium ereader that justifies the $50 value disparity between the Clara Color and the essential Kindle.

As for the colour display, it doesn’t make a lot distinction once you’re studying a typical book. And the additional layer does add some noise to the whitespace and provides every part a hotter glow. However I didn’t thoughts the minute drop in readability and really most well-liked the softer, cozier look of the web page. Colours look beautiful on the ebook covers in my assortment and really useful titles draw me to them with their muted blues and washed out reds.

You’ve most likely heard of that trick the place you turn your telephone’s display to grayscale to cut back its attraction. It appears to truly work, so I’ve to think about the alternative is true, too. Something that makes studying materials extra engaging — and higher in a position to compete with the technicolor onslaught of digital distraction — is a win in my ebook.