Kobo today unveiled a new ereading device lineup at its “Beyond the book” press event. It announced the new Kobo Aura 6-inch e-ink eReader as well as the Kobo Arc 10HD and two Kobo Arc 7 tablets along with some updates to the content it offers for those devices.
“Kobo remains focused on Reading; a time-honoured passion that keeps people informed, lets them escape, learn about new cultures, see things from a new perspective, travel back in time, and imagine new worlds,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO, Kobo. “With magazines joining our eBookstore, a new kids experience, and the best eReading devices possible, we will help Readers find more of what they love – taking them beyond the book.”
The Kobo Aura comes with a slightly smaller 6-inch display than its larger sibling, the Kobo Aura HD. Its display comes with front-lit ComfortLight technology and “low-flash waveform” technology to “virtually” eliminate page refresh and ghosting.
Kobo Aura eReader specifications:
- Processor: 1GHz
- Operating system: Proprietary
- Cellular connectivity: None
- Other connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
- Display: 6-inch 16-level grey scale (1014×758/212 PPI) Pearl E Ink Clarity with low-flash waveform and ComfortLight
- Internal storage: 4GB
- External storage: MicroSD cards up to 32GB
- Rear-facing camera: None
- Front-facing camera: None
- Connectors: Micro USB port
- Battery: Up to 2 months (based on 30 minutes of reading per day)
- Dimensions: 150 x 114 x 8.1 millimeters
- Weight: 174 grams
- Colors: Textured Black, Pink
Kobo also updated its tablet lineup, replacing its Kobo Arc tablet with three new devices. Its first 10-inch tablet, the Kobo Arc 10HD, will be joined by two 7-inch models, the Kobo Arc 7HD and Kobo Arc 7.
Kobo Arc 10HD specifications:
Processor: 1.8GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 4
Operating system: Google Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Cellular connectivity: None
Other connectivity: 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Display: 10-inch WQXGA (2560×1600)
RAM: 2GB
Internal storage: 4GB
External storage: Micro-SD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: None
Front-facing camera: 1.3MP HD
Colors: Black
Other: Dual stereo speakers, Miracast connectivity support
Kobo Arc 7HD specifications:
Processor: 1.7GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3
Operating system: Google Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Cellular connectivity: None
Display: 7-inch WUXGA (1920×1200)
RAM: 1GB
Internal storage: 16GB or 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 1.3MP
Front-facing camera: None
Colors:Black
Kobo Arc 7 specifications:
Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core MTK 8125
Operating system: Google Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Cellular connectivity: None
Display: 7-inch WSVGA (1024×600)
RAM: 1GB
Internal storage: 8GB
Kobo’s “Beyond the Book” event also saw the announcement of an improved Reading Life platform. The new interface offers an “uncompromised” Android experience with full Google Play Store access as well as a personalized bookshelf available with a simple swipe. Kobo has also added settings to manage email and app notifications, adjust lighting settings and improve battery life.
On the content side, Kobo now offers some 4 million titles and it has added a new magazines section and a dedicated Kids Store as well as Collections curated by Kobo and collected by themes like an author, genre, or topic of interest. It has also partnered with Pocket to allow readers to save articles and other content for later reading.
The 6-inch Kobo Aura will go on sale on September 16th for $149.99 in North America, Australia and New Zealand. The new Kobo Arc tablets will follow on October 16th. The Kobo Arc 10HD will sell for $399.99. The Kobo Arc 7HD will sell for $199.99 with 16GB and $249.99 MSRP with 32GB. The Kobo Arc 7 will sell for $149.99.
Source : Kobo