Introducing the Innovative Kobo Aura: A New Era of eReading Tech
As reported a few days ago, Kobo held a press conference last night to present the new generation of devices. Three new tablets and an eBook reader were introduced.
The new eBook reader is called the Kobo Aura and follows, in terms of name and design, the Kobo Aura HD introduced a few months ago, as a smaller replica. However, the actual predecessor of the Kobo Aura is the Kobo Glo.
Kobo Aura with New-Old Screen Technology
The Kobo Aura features a 6-inch eInk Pearl display with a resolution of 1,014×758 pixels. As usual, it can display 16 shades of gray. The real innovation is in the so-called “Low-Flash Waveform” technology used by the Kobo Aura. This technology aims to provide almost ghost-free reading without the need for regular full-screen refreshes. It should suffice to refresh the screen fully at the start of each new chapter to eliminate any potential ghosting. It will be interesting to see if this promise holds up in everyday use.
The new Pearl technology is said to have been developed in close cooperation with E Ink Holdings and is only available in limited quantities. This is probably why the Kobo Aura will be priced at 149 euros, slightly more expensive than the Kobo Glo and the current illuminated eBook reader competition.
The Kobo Aura, of course, with front lighting
Also included is front lighting, which can be adjusted continuously. Here, Kobo almost grandiosely claims that it offers the best and most even front lighting. Once again, real-world use will determine whether Kobo can live up to this promise. Kobo is taking a new approach with the touchscreen, as the Kobo Aura uses capacitive touchscreen technology that extends over the housing. This makes the device look more like a tablet than previous generations of eReaders.
Kobo Aura: Evolution Instead of Revolution
The big innovations and surprises in hardware are therefore absent. Otherwise, the Kobo Aura offers typical eBook reader technology: the internal storage has grown to 4GB (Kobo Glo: 2GB), which can be expanded by up to 32GB with a MicroSD card, and as usual, you can access the internet and the integrated eBook store via Wi-Fi.
At 150 x 114 x 8.1 mm, the Kobo Aura is slightly smaller than the Kobo Glo (157 x 114 x 10 mm), and the weight has also been reduced to 174 grams (Kobo Glo: 185 grams).
In terms of software, you will also find little new on the Kobo Aura, which is mainly because Kobo has continuously provided updates for older eBook readers, allowing users to enjoy new software features regularly. However, the Kobo Aura does introduce at least one new feature: the ability to send texts and articles from the internet to the device via Pocket (or Read it later). Similar features are already known from Sony and Amazon, and are definitely a plus in terms of better mobility.
Additionally, it will be interesting to see if there are any improvements in the PDF viewing capabilities. Previously one of the biggest weaknesses of Kobo devices, the new Pinch-To-Zoom function along with the almost ghosting-free screen promises better usability.
The Kobo Aura is expected to be available starting September 16, although it’s unclear whether this is a global launch date or only for North America. In the past, Kobo has often struggled with new product launches, facing delivery issues and delays repeatedly. But perhaps this will change this year with Rakuten as the new owner.
As soon as we get our hands on the Kobo Aura, ALLESebook.de will of course provide a detailed review.
