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Kobo announces color e-readers

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Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#71

Post by aeturnum »

chme wrote: post #51
dustincoates wrote: post #25

I have very little to add about the color aspect, but I can say that I love my Kobo. I've had three Kindles before buying the Kobo, which I got because it has a "better" integration with my local library (better in quotes, because I still have to do with the Adobe DRM, which is so bad on Linux that I borrow my wife's computer just to transfer). The Pocket integration is fantastic, as are the physical page turn button…

I owned a Kobo Glo and Pocketbook Touch, and I preferred the Pocketbook, because it allows to install koreader as a application into the stock firmware, while on Kobo you need to quasi dual-boot your system into koreader or stock firmware via a menu. In my experience koreader integrates much better with calibre and allows managing my library with a filestructure. So that is a requirement for me. Also the stock firmwa…

IMO Kobo is absolutely built to be a "better managed library experience" than kindle - but as you say other platforms are better if you have a large non-drm'ed library. Unless you plan to buy books from publishers / use the overdrive (now Libby) system, I do think a more user-focused offering like Pocketbook will be better.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#72

Post by mguerville »

teroshan wrote: post #4

Know that while useful in some scenarios, I'd avoid buying a color e-ink display if you're still going to primarily be using it for B&W colors. To quote the eBook Reader Blog [1]: > The main drawback with color E Ink screens is they look darker than regular B&W screens because of a color filter layer that is applied over the top of the screen, which makes the contrast appear lower. Kaleido color screens are really ju…

I have a Boox Ultra Tab C (color) and while true I don't find it problematic in the slightest. I went down the rabbit hole of watcing video comparison etc. but in practical terms once I started using it I never once felt that I wanted a brighter/lighter screen. YMMV.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#73

Post by criddell »

jerojero wrote: post #46

I do like 6 inch e-readers, I think I would have to see IRL how the screen looks. For my usage color is not necessary, I don't even read manga on my device because I haven't found a good reader. I had bought an android based one for this purpose but I didn't like how the screen looked. I guess I'm fairly picky. I think the only reason I'd get a colour one is simply to see book covers in color. It's minor but it might…

I like 6” for fiction and general reading, but I really want a 13” (A4 or letter) for textbooks and PDFs. I think Sony used to have one, but discontinued it.

Right now I’m using a 13” iPad Pro and it’s fine, but I’d rather have a simple ereader with an eInk display and no apps.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#74

Post by otherme123 »

amelius wrote: post #58

Give me high refresh rates before giving me color. What I don't get is that people say that e-readers are easy on the eyes, but you still get this epilepsy-inducing flicker all the time when changing pages.

Your ereader might be broken. I don't see any flickering when page turning, other than obviously replace current text for the next. Some ereaders take a bit longer than others to change the text, but even then no flickering.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#75

Post by fuzztester »

mcpherrinm wrote: post #33
dustincoates wrote: post #25

I have very little to add about the color aspect, but I can say that I love my Kobo. I've had three Kindles before buying the Kobo, which I got because it has a "better" integration with my local library (better in quotes, because I still have to do with the Adobe DRM, which is so bad on Linux that I borrow my wife's computer just to transfer). The Pocket integration is fantastic, as are the physical page turn button…

Just to join in the kobo love thread: One reason that I love my Kobo is perhaps very tech-specific in a way this audience may appreciate. It's great for plain text files. In particular, it's pretty good at reading plain RFCs. I have to choose a font size so the hard-wrapped RFCs fit right, and it doesn't ship with a monospaced font (but you can install and use your own fonts, so that's a minor speed bump). Reading ve…

The Kobo software cannot reflow the hard-wrapped lines?

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#76

Post by spxneo »

how far are we from seeing magazine quality e-ink with animation? the colours always look bland and animations still isn't very good. I don't know why progress here is so much slower than other tech

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#77

Post by criddell »

aeturnum wrote: post #71
chme wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I owned a Kobo Glo and Pocketbook Touch, and I preferred the Pocketbook, because it allows to install koreader as a application into the stock firmware, while on Kobo you need to quasi dual-boot your system into koreader or stock firmware via a menu. In my experience koreader integrates much better with calibre and allows managing my library with a filestructure. So that is a requirement for me. Also the stock firmwa…

IMO Kobo is absolutely built to be a "better managed library experience" than kindle - but as you say other platforms are better if you have a large non-drm'ed library. Unless you plan to buy books from publishers / use the overdrive (now Libby) system, I do think a more user-focused offering like Pocketbook will be better.

I think this is a place where some regulation could do a world of good. I wish I could buy any ereader I want and shop at any bookstore I want. I wish publishers were forced to respect first sale doctrine on digital goods.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#78

Post by grep_name »

teroshan wrote: post #30
ashton314 wrote: post #18

I've had a kindle for years now. A while back I jailbroke it and stuck KOReader which has been so awesome. (Custom fonts? Yes please! Gestures for going to the TOC or bookmarks or back in history? Absolutely!) Problem: it was a lot of work getting my kindle to this state. I'm terrified to turn on WiFi for fear Amazon will send an OTA update and nuke KOReader from orbit. So, when this kindle dies, I am thinking I'd li…

Have been using various Kobo's for years with KOReader now, it's basically as simple as copying files on the device to install it. There is no need to jailbreak it; it's an open device. Also, I haven't heard any mention of covert update to worry about. So yes, I would absolutely recommend a Kobo for your use case. A few months ago, I attempted to do install KOReader on a kindle, and the experience is definitely not f…

> it's an open device

I actually also own a kobo and have been running KOReader on it for a couple years now, but my memory is that when I first got it I booted it up and it requested to be connected to the internet, then wouldn't allow me to progress without logging in through a 3rd party (there were many offered, walmart.com was the first option listed). I remember having to do something weird to bypass that (removing a .db file I believe after connecting via commandline?), and then ending up in a state where I don't need to connect to some company's cloud login but I also can never connect this device to wifi, ever, or it will do that again.

Are they more open these days?

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#79

Post by kstrauser »

selykg wrote: post #59
kstrauser wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love my Kobos (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39993062 ). When they die, I'll replace them with another Kobo. It's so easy to get things onto them. For my Libra, plug it into a computer (or iPad) with a USB cable and it shows up as a drive I can drag files onto. The Elipsa supports Dropbox and Google Drive so I can add files those ways, too. It also has built-in Libby integration that lets me reserve and…

I have an Oasis 2 (2017 or so timeframe). What would be a good option that's similar to it? I love the screen size, the flush screen (I understand the Oasis is glass rather than plastic), and the page turn buttons are all pretty important to me. KOReader sounds interesting and the built in Libby support is kind of rad sounding.

I think that'd be the Libra 2. The screen's the same size, although not flush, and it has the nice page turn buttons. I can't vouch for their other models.

KOReader sounds cool but I've been happy with the built-in software. I know me, and I specifically don't want other knobs I could be playing with instead of just reading the thing.

Re: Kobo announces color e-readers

#80

Post by user_7832 »

amelius wrote: post #58

Give me high refresh rates before giving me color. What I don't get is that people say that e-readers are easy on the eyes, but you still get this epilepsy-inducing flicker all the time when changing pages.

MIP (memory in pixel) LCDs might offer what you're looking for. They're popular in watches like Garmins and some Amazfits.
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