Kobo Glo HD vs. Tolino Shine 2 HD: Inside Look and Disassembly Comparison
Over a year ago, when the first Tolino Vision hit the market, I noticed that the hardware of the eReader was very similar to another in many parts. I’m talking about the Kobo Aura, which is no longer available. Despite different display generations (Pearl vs. Carta), the two competing models had a lot in common. You can find all the information about it in this article.
Today, we’ll further compare the inner workings of the two current models: Kobo Glo HD and Tolino Shine 2 HD. These two competitors are quite similar on paper: Both have a 6-inch display with E-Ink Carta technology. The screen resolution is 1448×1072 pixels with a pixel density of 300 ppi. The lighting in both models looks quite similar—hardly any differences can be discerned with the naked eye. But what do they look like under the hood?
Similar hardware setup…
As described in the guide on expanding the storage of the Tolino Shine 2 HD, it’s quite difficult to remove the back of the new eReader. In contrast, it’s much easier with the Kobo Glo HD—you just need a strong fingernail.
With the Shine 2 HD I managed to get the cover off with only light damage, while the Glo HD came apart without any marks. For tinkerers, the latter is much more practical since the internal storage can also be expanded on the Kobo eReader.
Back cover removed – Kobo Glo HD right, Tolino Shine 2 HD left
Once the back covers of both devices are off, some similarities are immediately noticeable. Not only are many of the same components used, but they are often located in the exact same positions. It’s clear that both models are based on the same reference design.
The eBook readers also have the same battery, with the part number “285083”, albeit with slightly different configurations of the connected electronics. Both have a capacity of 5.55 Wh, or 1500 mAh.
…and a few differences
However, there are some differences, partly due to the different button arrangements. For instance, on the Kobo Glo HD, the WiFi antenna is located where the lighting button is on the Tolino Shine 2 HD. There are also a few larger differences that have nothing to do with these smaller discrepancies.
Circuit boards removed
The most noticeable becomes apparent when you remove the circuit boards from the casing. With the Shine 2 HD, it was easy to do by unscrewing four screws, whereas with the Glo HD, you had to maneuver the board out (and back in) of the casing due to a small foam notch at the USB slot.
On the back are the infrared sensors for the touchscreen. The Kobo Glo HD has 54 of them, exactly 50 percent more than the Tolino Shine 2 HD, which has 36. Consequently, the plastic conductor for the touchscreen, which sits on the side, is also different.
The Kobo Glo HD (right) has 50 percent more infrared sensors
The back covering of the display is also different. On the Kobo eReader, it is made of plastic, while on the Shine 2 HD, it is (presumably) made of magnesium.
Different materials – Tolino left, Kobo right
Software not interchangeable, no Android on the Glo HD
I was particularly curious beforehand to see if the memory cards of the two eBook readers could be easily swapped. After all, this had already worked with the Tolino Shine 1 and Kobo Glo (non-HD). When you inserted the Shine’s memory card into the Kobo eReader, the device ran practically without restrictions with Tolino software.
Thanks to root access, the “Kobo Shine” device could then be loaded with all sorts of apps. More information can be found here. Since you can also root the Tolino Shine 2 HD, corresponding compatibility would again be interesting for Kobo owners here too.
As previously mentioned, both HD models have removable internal microSD cards. After removing them from their holders and swapping them, the moment of truth arrived.
The Tolino Shine 2 HD started flawlessly with the Kobo firmware. The eReader quickly reached the home screen and operated smoothly. However, one aspect didn’t work: the lighting. No matter what lighting level was set, the LEDs refused to turn on. The control between the Glo HD and Shine 2 HD is obviously different. This probably stems from the fact that the Kobo eBook Reader lacks a hardware button for activation. The Glo (non-HD) has a button just like the Shine 1 and 2 HD.
Android on the Kobo Glo HD isn’t likely anytime soon
On the other hand, the situation was even worse. The Kobo Glo HD with the Shine 2 HD memory card wouldn’t start at all. Although the Tolino logo appeared on the screen after pressing the power button, it went no further. The Glo HD stalled at this point.
The Kobo board is connected with the Shine 2 HD screen (right), the Tolino board with the Glo HD’s screen (left).
Finally, I reversed the setup. Instead of swapping the memory cards, I connected the boards with the respective other display unit. This worked perfectly in both cases—except that the touchscreens didn’t work because the plastic conductor couldn’t match the different sensor arrangements, making operation impossible. This final attempt shows that incompatibility in memory card swapping is clearly due to different software control, while the hardware is fundamentally compatible.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the two competing models are not only quite similar in technical data but also under the hood. The hardware of the devices is largely the same, but there are more differences than there were with the Kobo Aura and Tolino Vision.
This means the memory card cannot be easily swapped, which suggests that, unlike its predecessor, the Kobo Glo HD is unlikely to enjoy Android as an operating system anytime soon. At least not the version that runs on the new Tolino models.
Still, it’s always interesting to see how similar many eReaders are. Tolino and Kobo, in particular, seem to increasingly rely on common design sources. In our case, this is not a disadvantage, as the two compared competitors are excellent reading devices with great displays.
