Rakuten Kobo today announced the launch of Kobo Clara 2E, Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Nia, a range of eReaders that introduces Kobo’s digital reading offering to the readers in India. The device offers Bluetooth wireless technology so you can read eBooks or listen to Kobo Audiobooks all in one device.
Kobo Libra 2: Features, Price, Availability
The Libra 2 e-reader by Rakuten Kobo comes with added storage and a fast E Ink screen. Dark Mode lets the reader choose white text on a black background and colour temperature adjustment. It sports a glare-free 7″ HD E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen for faster display and deeper contrast alongside a 1 GHz Processor and 1264×1680 pixels Resolution and 300 ppi.
Users can swipe on the touchscreen, or use the page-turn buttons to go to the next page or the previous one. The device comes with 32GB of storage to store up to 24,000 eBooks, 150 Kobo Audiobooks, or a combination of both and allows instant, 24/7 access to Kobo’s eBook store with over 7.5 million titles. The Libra 2 is also touted to be fully water-proof.
One can choose between Black or White Kobo Libra 2 devices and complement it with a SleepCover in shades like Poppy Red, Lavender, Slate Blue and Black.
Priced at Rs 19,999, the Kobo Libra 2 can be purchased on Flipkart and other leading online marketplaces. It is also available with a SleepCover priced at Rs 3,999 and a Classic Cover for Rs 2,999.
Read More: Amazon Kindle: Top 10 interesting facts
Kobo Clara 2E: Features, Price, Availability
The Kobo Clara 2E is made with 85 percent recycled plastic exterior, including 10 percent ocean-bound plastic like water bottles and CDs. It sports features like a Dark Mode and ComfortLight PRO with blue light reduction. It offers a 6-inch HD E Ink Carta 1200 glare-free touch screen with a 1448 x 1072 resolution (300 ppi). There’s 16GB of storage to store up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo Audiobooks.
Kobo Clara 2E is Kobo’s first fully waterproof 6” eReader, with up to 60 minutes of water resistance in up to two metres of water.
Kobo Clara 2E is available in a shade of Deep Ocean Blue, complemented with SleepCovers, available in hues of Black, Coral Reef Orange and Sea Glass Green – all made from recycled materials as well.
The Kobo Clara 2E is available at Rs 14,999 on Flipkart and other leading online marketplaces. The SleepCover Case can be purchased for Rs 2,999 and the basic SleepCover is available for Rs 2,399.
Kobo Nia: Features, Price, Availability
Kobo Nia comes with an illuminated screen featuring ComfortLight, with adjustable brightness levels for reading in any lighting conditions. It is packed in a 6″ Carta E Ink touchscreen with a resolution of 1024 x 758 and 212 ppi. It features a sizeable 1,000 mAh battery so that you can enjoy reading for weeks with a single charge. One can store up to 6,000 books on Kobo Nia.
Available in classic Black with three SleepCover options, in Aqua, Lemon, and Black colour, Kobo Nia is priced at Rs 10,999 and the SleepCover at Rs 2,399. They will be available for purchase on Flipkart and other leading online marketplaces.
Kobo e-readers: Competition
The main competition Kobo e-readers have in India is the Amazon Kindle paperwhite. The Signature edition of the Kindle Paperwhite is currently being offered for Rs 14,999 in India which has 32GB storage, identical to the Kobo Libra 2 which is priced at Rs 19,999. Further, the Kindle Paperwhite supports wireless charging which is another added advantage for a cheaper price tag.
However, the Amazon Kindle is only limited to the Amazon store for purchasing e-books, whereas Kobo offers more widely accessible options where you can download and run EPUB files from anywhere. However, Amazon has a larger selection of e-books available when it comes to first-party offering. For a cheaper price tag, we feel the Kindle Paperwhite offers similar if not better value than the Kobo Libra 2.