08-31-2010, 12:40 PM | #1 |
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Kobo prices coming down? (via TechCrunch)
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08-31-2010, 02:13 PM | #2 |
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The Kobo simply has to come down in price here in the U.S. No matter its merits, no matter Kobo's commitment to excellent customer support, no matter that it has allowed folks to efficiently read and enjoy books ...
Long live Kobo. |
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08-31-2010, 02:20 PM | #3 |
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If I'm standing in a Borders and on a budget, I think I'd rather go for the Aluratek Libre for $99.
Last edited by GA Russell; 08-31-2010 at 02:26 PM. Reason: spelling |
08-31-2010, 02:21 PM | #4 |
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I can't imagine they make it to Xmas at over 100 bucks. I'd buy today at 99. Thought I was going to get a K3, but now I think I'll end up seeing how the holiday pricing shakes out.
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08-31-2010, 03:19 PM | #5 | |
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Quote:
The reason is pretty simple. I have (close to being had) a Jetbook which is more or less identical to the Libre. I found that when I first bought the unit, I was able to get about 20 hours or so of reading from the device. In practice, this meant I needed to charge it every 3 or 4 days. The Kobo on the other hand, if it is at all similar to my wife's PRS-505 in terms of Battery Life (and since they both are basic e-Ink readers with no wifi or other battery draining features I expect it is), then you might well go two or more weeks between charges. This difference is important because Li-Ion batteries (Which both units have) generally can be recharged 300-500 times before they stop functioning well. So, if we assume a minimum reharge cycle of 3 days for the Libre versus 14 days for the Kobo, at the end of two years, the Kobo has been charged between 50 and 60 times while the Libre has been recharged well over 200 times!. In my personal experience after about 21-22 months with the Jetbook, the battery life had dropped by close to half and I was recharging every two days. Thus, I would expect to get about 3 years of life (at most) from a regularly used Libre. Now, if we looked at merely the recharge cycles, we might expect the Kobo to last 10 years or more! In practice though, Li-Ion batteries do age independent of the charge cycles. Still, I would expect that the Kobo might well last 4 or 5 years before the battery made the device unusable (maybe longer, if the length a charge lasted dropped by 90% the Libre would need to be charged every 2 hours (i.e., not great if you like to read for an extended period) while the Kobo might still last more than a day of reading. So, in the long run, if you choice is between these two devices, the Kobo might be the better value. Just my thoughts on the matter. -- Bill |
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08-31-2010, 06:01 PM | #6 |
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speaking of practical price, almost everyone is going to have to pay sales tax on a Kobo at Borders, while Kindles are tax free most places. I have a hard time thinking the Kobo is the better buy for an 8 dollar difference.
Again, I'd consider them at sub-100, but my hunch is I'll get impatient and buy the K3 on impulse before Kobo makes me an offer I can't refuse. |
08-31-2010, 06:05 PM | #7 |
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At the moment, the Borders US website offers the Kobo with a $20 merchandise credit/gift certificate--not for $20 off. I would be very, very surprised if we did not see the price drop well before the holiday season.
As you may remember, Kobo readers were discounted $20 for a weekend, in Canada, not long ago. Here we can purchase Kobo readers at WalMart, Chapters bookstores, and over the web. The discount was good no matter how people bought them. |
08-31-2010, 07:43 PM | #8 |
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Borders Australia are still charging like a wounded bull. Doubt we'll see a price cut here in Australia. I personally think $150-$160AUS would be good price from the current $199AUS (a man can order a new Kindle and have it shipped to Aus for $185AUS). Not to get into an argument over which is better (as they both have their strengths and weaknesses) but for first time ereader buyers, or someone looking for a cheap second reader will buy on price.
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08-31-2010, 07:53 PM | #9 |
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Very true. but the one advantage the Kobo has over the kindle is its availability locally. The Kobo is visible to shop customers within both Angus and Robertson and Borders. Interested customers can see, touch and use the Kobo in-store.
This is a huge advantage for Kobo to have and is something the Kindle (and the locally available Kogan) is not able to do. In that regard even at AU$199, the Kobo is still priced competitively within the Australian market. Last edited by sabredog; 08-31-2010 at 07:59 PM. |
08-31-2010, 10:52 PM | #10 | |
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Really, it comes down to the individual reader's requirements. I admit to being tempted by the kindle 3's new high-contrast screen - it's frigging gorgeous. Still, I'm a strong believer in the EPUB format and have a substantial (and growing) collection of EPUB books, so for now, I'm willing to wait and see what new devices kobo brings to market. They may be the underdogs but I like their philosophy and am willing to support them. |
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08-31-2010, 11:34 PM | #11 | |
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-- Bill |
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09-01-2010, 03:26 AM | #12 | |
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And as a practical matter, it seems far easier for an unscrupulous tax dodgin' type to get library EPUBs over to the Kindle than it is to get cheap Amazon mobis Kobo-ready. I just don't see how Kobo competes unless they cut their price to under 100. |
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09-01-2010, 03:41 AM | #13 | |
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To me, the only option I want is to read without thinking all about underlying hardware. And I do, except looking at battery indicator often. Other matter is that almost every manufacturer tries to lock you into the silo. You accept it or not. |
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09-01-2010, 04:57 AM | #14 |
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Kindles do not support ePUB in any form. Amazon uses its version of Mobipocket with DRM. Both Kindle 2 and Kindle allow display of non DRM MOBI/PRC ebooks.
So there is a glimmer of the other side through the walled garden approach Amazon dictates. |
09-01-2010, 10:11 AM | #15 | |
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-- Bill |
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