I’ve all the time been an avid reader, but it surely took me some time to modify over to e-reading gadgets. For one, I really like the appear and feel of a bodily guide. For one other, I borrow a variety of library books — however on the uncommon event I purchase one, I take notes and spotlight throughout it. Still, as soon as e-ink (the know-how that mimics ink on paper) grew to become notably convincing and a single machine might retailer my whole library, I couldn’t resist.
I’ve used Kobo e-readers prior to now on account of their affordability, however after I began downloading e-books from my library through the OverDrive Libby app, the transferring course of grew to become too tedious. (I needed to join the e-reader to my laptop computer and switch the recordsdata manually.) My techie boyfriend received me a Boox Nova Air2, which is mainly an Android pill with an e-ink show, and I’ve been utilizing that ever since.
That stated, the brand new Kobo Libra Colour posed an answer to my preliminary e-reader doubts: In addition to mimicking a tangible, bodily copy of a guide with its colourful e-ink show and skill to take notes within the margins, it additionally has OverDrive constructed proper in so you’ll be able to borrow e-books from the library. The model despatched me a Libra Colour to check out, and after just a few weeks of utilizing it, I’d advocate it to any avid reader. Below, I’ll share my experiences and clarify why I believe it’s definitely worth the funding.
SKIP AHEAD How the Kobo Libra Colour works | How I attempted the Kobo Libra Colour | My expertise with the Kobo Libra Colour | What’s the TLDR? | Why belief NBC Select?
The Kobo Libra Colour ($219.99) is an e-reader with a colourful show. The machine has each black-and-white ink that mimics textual content on paper and a vivid coloration palette for guide covers and illustrations. It’s additionally suitable with a stylus, which helps you to spotlight, scribble and take notes, additionally in coloration. The Libra Colour has 32GB of storage, helps 15 file codecs and might play Kobo audiobooks whenever you join Bluetooth headphones. It additionally has page-turning buttons, and, just like the Kindle Scribe, a separate pocket book part for writing or doodling.
In phrases of customizations, there are loads: In addition to adjusting the display screen’s brightness and coloration temperature for out of doors or nighttime studying, you too can change the font, line spacing, margins and display screen orientation.
The machine has an IPX8 score, that means it’s waterproof for as much as 60 minutes in as much as 2 meters of water, in keeping with the model. It measures roughly 6.3 inches tall and 5.7 inches throughout, which makes it wider than my Google Pixel 6a smartphone, however no taller. (For comparability, a Kindle Paperwhite is 6.9 inches by 4.9 inches.)
How the Kobo Libra Colour works
The Kobo Libra Colour has 5 tabs on the backside of the primary display screen: Home, My Books, My Notebooks, Discover and More.
- Home: Here, you’ll discover a mixture of books you’re at the moment studying, books you personal and beneficial titles based mostly in your previous reads.
- My Books: This is the place you’ll discover the books you personal or borrowed in your machine. You can kind by numerous filters, scan your record of authors, manage books by collection or create your individual collections.
- My Notebooks: This tab helps you to create separate paperwork for doodling and notetaking. Basic notebooks let you select from 20+ web page layouts, together with clean, dominated, dotted, grid and calligraphy in addition to each day, weekly and month-to-month planners. The “superior pocket book” possibility converts your handwriting into textual content and helps diagrams and math equations. However, to write down in your Libra Colour in any respect, you’ll have to buy the Kobo Stylus 2 ($69.99) individually; when you accomplish that, you too can change the colour of the pen.
- Discover: Discover helps you to browse e-books and audiobooks from the Kobo Store or borrow e-books out of your native library (when you efficiently join your library card). Since Kobo has OverDrive in-built, you’ll be able to take out e-books totally free with just a few faucets contained in the Discover tab.
- More: Here, you’ll be able to entry settings, your wishlist, Dropbox or Google Drive, studying stats, beta options or assist. You may learn articles by syncing your e-reader with Pocket.
To begin studying, faucet on a guide you obtain or borrowed. When a guide is open, you need to use your finger to get definitions, add notes with a touchscreen keyboard and spotlight textual content in yellow, pink, blue or inexperienced. If you’ve the stylus, you too can underline and write notes straight on the web page.
How I attempted the Kobo Libra Colour
Over the course of a current nine-day summer season journey, I used it on the airport, on the airplane, in two resort rooms, in an Airbnb, on a balcony (in oblique daylight), by the pool (in direct daylight) and whereas sitting in a scorching tub. (The model despatched me a courtesy pattern for testing functions.) While on trip, I learn on it for a mean of two hours on daily basis, within the morning and at evening. Thanks to its slim, compact profile, it matches in my on a regular basis bag with out subject, so I took it with me to espresso homes and to the Venice Beach skatepark. Since it’s waterproof, I additionally didn’t hesitate to learn it by the pool or whereas sitting within the scorching tub.
While testing this machine, I learn two books, highlighting and taking notes with the stylus. If I owned the books, I’ll have taken notes within the margins; nevertheless, since I borrowed them from the library, I appreciated the separate pocket book perform, which allowed me to reference my notes after the books have been returned.
My expertise with the Kobo Libra Colour
From the second I unboxed this machine, I felt drawn to its modern design. Its packaging jogged my memory of the iPhone: streamlined and intuitive — however as an alternative of Apple’s all-white branding, this field had pastel watercolor leaves, which matched the soothing coloration palette on the display screen.
Overall, I used to be thrilled with the Libra Colour’s portability, modern interface and ease of use. The display screen was eye-friendly and the textual content was clear in any setting, together with direct daylight. Below, I’ll share extra particulars about my expertise.
What I like
Thoughtful, practical design
Put merely, I really like the way in which this e-reader feels in my hand. It’s slim with light curves and intuitive controls. The proper facet is thicker than the left with an ergonomic indentation for my thumb, so I can maintain it comfortably with one hand.
There additionally aren’t many e-readers in the marketplace which have bodily page-turn buttons — however the Libra Colour has them and I really like them. Though I can flip the web page utilizing the touchscreen, the buttons stop me from unintentionally highlighting phrases or clicking hyperlinks. They’re additionally simply satisfying to press and in some methods, mimic that feeling of bodily turning a guide web page.
Intuitive studying expertise
Unlike my Boox (with nice energy comes numerous complicated apps and settings), the Libra Colour is extraordinarily intuitive. I discovered how one can browse, seek for and open books instantly, so I used to be studying very quickly. In my expertise, even the shortcuts are straightforward to grasp; you’ll be able to zoom in or out by pinching the display screen, and you may change the brightness of the backlight by dragging your finger up and down the left margin.
Colored textual content
Its colourful interface is without doubt one of the machine’s largest promoting factors. In addition to viewing the guide covers in coloration, I may spotlight and write in 4 shades. Due to the character of e-ink know-how, the colours aren’t that vivid; they’re extra like pastels, particularly when the display screen’s brightness is low. That stated, should you like color-coding notes and knowledge, this characteristic is certainly helpful.
Long battery life
A single cost provides you with 40 days of studying, in keeping with Kobo, so whereas I didn’t clock my actual utilization, I used it on a nine-day journey and didn’t cost my e-reader as soon as whereas I used to be there. It nonetheless had battery life left after I received house.
Notetaking
I’m not an enormous notetaker whereas studying — I want highlighting — however since I borrow a variety of library books, the Kobo Libra Colour’s pocket book part lets me jot down key concepts so I can discuss with them after returning the books. The stylus writes easily and I respect the characteristic that routinely turns my handwriting into textual content.
Potential drawbacks to remember
Difficulty establishing OverDrive
If you intend on utilizing your Kobo Libra Colour to borrow e-books from the library, you’ll want to attach your OverDrive account. While the e-reader itself was able to go inside minutes (the preliminary replace was seamless and my present Kobo account synced to the machine with out subject). establishing OverDrive took lots of time. The OverDrive app was discontinued in May of 2023 and changed with Libby — however since Kobo gadgets nonetheless use OverDrive, the syncing course of could also be buggy for some.
In my expertise, the machine saved prompting me to log in to OverDrive again and again, however wouldn’t acknowledge my account. I attempted by myself for about an hour. After ready on maintain with customer support for half-hour, a consultant advised a handbook manufacturing facility reset. (Settings, Device info, and Factory reset your e-reader.) From there, I arrange my Kobo once more and enter my library card info, not my OverDrive account login. I used to be then capable of borrow library ebooks and haven’t had an issue since.
Cost of equipment
The model additionally sells a $39.99 cowl (out there in black or sand beige) and a $69.99 stylus for note-taking, erasing and simpler highlighting. The model despatched me each alongside the e-reader and whereas the quilt is sweet to have, the stylus is important to expertise the complete performance of your e-reader. Without it, you’ll be able to spotlight together with your finger, however you’ll be able to’t take notes within the margins or use Kobo’s built-in notebooks part.
If you’re keen to spend the additional $110, these Kobo equipment develop your Libra Colour’s performance tenfold and make the expertise higher. The stylus costs through USB-C, comes with alternative ideas and has an eraser in addition to a shortcut button for highlighting. The case routinely places the machine to sleep when closed and has a magnetic slot to carry the stylus. In my expertise, the one factor lacking is a finger strap on the case, which might make it simpler to grip. (I’m beneath 5 toes tall, so I’ve very small fingers.)
The Amazon Kindle Scribe, an identical note-taking e-reader, features a stylus — but it surely’s additionally dearer (fashions begin at $339) and doesn’t have a coloured show. Another competitor, the Boox Note Air3 C, takes notes and highlights in additional colours than Kobo and contains the stylus and case, although it prices greater than twice as a lot at $500.
Who’s the Kobo Libra Colour greatest for?
Overall, the machine packs a punch when it comes to colourful design and modern performance, particularly given its $220 price ticket. Even after buying the stylus and case individually, it has extra options than competing primary e-readers (a colourful show, notetaking capabilities, waterproof sturdiness, and page-turn buttons) for much less cash. I’ll proceed to make use of it each at house and on the go, and I’d actually advocate it to any avid reader.
Why belief NBC Select?
Maria Cassano is a author, editor and guide who makes a speciality of e-commerce. She critiques and writes about merchandise for dozens of publications, together with Bustle, Elite Daily, Food & Wine and The Daily Beast. For this text, she tried the Kobo Libra Colour, which the model despatched her together with the Kobo Stylus 2 and Notebook SleepCover.
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