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Kobo Aura HD – E-Reader For The Most Eager Readers And Books Lovers (Part 1)

7/24/2013 11:29:01 AM

What do you receive when you require 10,000 bookworms to help build a better Kobo? Naturally, you will choose Cadillac e-book reader: a bigger, heavier and generally more advanced device than we used to know. Aura HD is a rare property in this section, built especially to aim knowledgeable users. It is launched about half of year after senior Glo of company, Aura HD is not supposed to be on display after the end of year. It is thing that is designed for the most eager readers and lovers of books.

That is a weird action for a quite small company providing two 6-inch readers, one 5-inch model, and 7-inch tablets at the moment. The company believes that such products will have small market, especially in the race reigned by two big competitors. But are there any opportunities for fans to spend more money? Let’s see!

Aura HD is a rare property in this section, built especially to aim knowledgeable users.

Aura HD is a rare property in this section, built especially to aim knowledgeable users.

Hardware

As Serbinis said, “there are many things you can do with some technical parts”. E-reader market is created by lots of companies who use similar parts: chips are designed by selective manufacturers, and screens are produced by E Ink, the name has come with these shape dimensions more or less. While Serbinis believes that the battle will take place in software field, Kobo is still keep up with 6-inch standard of this industry. At the end of last year, they supplied 5-inch pocket-sized Mini, and now they are following another way.

While Serbinis believes that the battle will take place in software field, Kobo is still keep up with 6-inch standard of this industry.

While Serbinis believes that the battle will take place in software field, Kobo is still keep up with 6-inch standard of this industry.

However, a bigger screen means that the book readers are shorter and bigger with size of 6.97x5.05x0.46 inches, bigger than 6.2x4.5x0.4-inch frame of Glo and 6.7x4.6x0.36 inches of Kindle Paperwhite. Actually, those who have time to use current reader version will recognize the difference immediately. Aura is heavier than its competitor, with 8.4 ounce – 2 ounce more than Glo and 0.7 ounce more than Paperwhite.

Now, forgetting this increasing of size, Aura HD is similar on aesthetics, compared to the predecessors and to the latest Kindle. This industry may seem fall into a designing path when providing the readers which have simple surface, no physical page-turning button, and outstanding logos. Serbinis shows off benefits of device in which “technology disappears”, and of course the great quality of this newest reader version can do that. In fact, our device is an ivory model (contrary to espresso and onyx options), probably assists that point of view. We always like design of Simple Touch line of Barnes & Noble; these devices are clearly designed with handwork.

Now, forgetting this increasing of size, Aura HD is similar on aesthetics, compared to the predecessors and to the latest Kindle.

Now, forgetting this increasing of size, Aura HD is similar on aesthetics, compared to the predecessors and to the latest Kindle.

However, there is approval of this viewpoint here, in backside of device. It is not convex backside of Nook, but Aura HD sacrifices typical gasket model of predecessors to asymmetric fold model that makes backside easy to hold by disposing fingers in the trench. We never think that we will remember the old model, but we wish company would find the way to make surface less slippery, even by plastic patterns or kind of soft backside on Kindle and Nook. This device is really slippery. If you always sweat when reading long books, be sure that you are reading in places where many carpets have.

On the top the device, you can see a specialized button for preinstalled front light. It borrows light technology of Glo – the best ComfortLight technology in the group really makes us surprised when it was launched in the first time, there is equal distribution all over the screen that in some cases Barnes & Noble and Amazon can only dream. It is interesting that the light flickers a little bit at first but once lighting, it is hard to defeat.

Next to button is bright red power switch adding some colors for a monochrome design. On the bottom, you will find one paperclip slot to restart device and one port for company’s set of charger (it really doesn’t like standard micro-USB wire that we tested – however, Kobo packed a pretty nice one here). It also has micro-SD slot so you can add more 32GB for quite big and available 4GB storage of this device (twice more than Glo). After all, this device is for knowledgeable users.

How about screen? It is the center of all device with 6.8-inch dimension, about 1 inch bigger than the 6-inch industry standard. That additional space gives you approximately 30 percent more words per page. Moreover, resolution of this reader makes many tablets be shame, at 1,440x1,080. That brings 265ppi, a big step from 212ppi of Paperwhite promises “20 percent clearer than other HD readers in the market”.

How about screen? It is the center of all devices with 6.8-inch dimension, about 1 inch bigger than the 6-inch industry standard.

How about screen? It is the center of all devices with 6.8-inch dimension, about 1 inch bigger than the 6-inch industry standard.

The result is a really sharp reader. It is almost as equal as what you expect from current generation of devices. With 10 font sizes, 24 styles, and 1 slipping scale of text weight, you can personalize everything you want. We have recognized a bit strange with the text. That is quite standard on current generation of E Ink screen, but there are nothing causing distraction here – like the leakage which you usually see on printed pages.

Of course, the natural question is if 265ppi is excessive for a black and white reader. The answer absolutely is ‘yes’ – at least for most of us. After all, those who own normal readers are not sure to spend much time watching illustrations on books and PDF. If you are finding something to read comics or children books, there are some tablets we want to introduce. Of course, we are not those who deny adding a bit resolution. Anyway, while e-link readers have supplied another wonderful choice for eyestrain caused by looking LCD screen too long, a little sharpness is useful, and just only that truly is enough to draw bookworms’ eyes on this device.

Of course, the natural question is if 265ppi is excessive for a black and white reader.

Of course, the natural question is if 265ppi is excessive for a black and white reader.

Reading is pretty fast, that bases on no small part of Freescale i.MX507 1GHz processor (speed similar to Glo’s). Everything can spend 10 second loading, but the important thing to note is that it is not quad-code smartphone processor, as well as it doesn’t show the delay that will cause anyone throw it away because of aggravation. For battery, Kobo’s life is estimated over 1 month without light and Wifi. If the light is on, company estimates it about 70 hours. Either way, you will have lots of time for reading on a single charge.

In fact, there are not many hardware breakthroughs here; Kobo has deviated from the direction to combine some top-of-the-line accessories. Between screen, processor, additional storage and front light technology, there certainly are many things to explain.

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