KOBO AURA HD vs the KOBO AURA and Paperwhite 1

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I got a Nexus 7 instead of an Aura HD...it is much higher definition and is 16gb. I only paid $10 more than the retail price of the Aura HD, too. I use it at home. I use my Glo on the go. (or my Mini). Love Kobo, but I'm cheap. I feel I got a lot more for my money, getting the Nexus 7 instead of the Aura HD.

I'd have to disagree with your choice. My Aura HD has a much longer battery life than my Nexus 7 (weeks compared to hours) and the display is much more comfortable for long reading sessions. I have tried text to speech with a couple of apps on my old Nexus 7 but the quality, at best, is like listening to a 1950's idea of a computer vocalizing. The new Nexus 7 is handy for watching videos when I don't want to dig out the iPad for a larger screen and the display is much better looking that the old Nexus 7 display

Then there are the odd issues I've run into with KitKat 4.4.2 and various apps. That's a issue that almost every OS has with updates but I do have to admire one sports app that decided my Nexus 7 was a phone.

Regards,
David

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I'd have to disagree with your choice. My Aura HD has a much longer battery life than my Nexus 7 (weeks compared to hours) and the display is much more comfortable for long reading sessions.

I am envious that you have both Is your Nexus 7 this year's model? (I have read of people with last year's model having issues with KitKat).

I just can't get over that price hurdle....$139 I am comfortable with, for e-ink. More than that, no.

My Nexus has 323ppi, compared to the Aura HD's 265ppi. OTOH, the Aura HD is 50 grams lighter, and has a much longer battery life.

If I could ever find one cheap enough, I would buy it, for sure. I would love to compare them side by side.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I am envious that you have both Is your Nexus 7 this year's model? (I have read of people with last year's model having issues with KitKat).

I just can't get over that price hurdle....$139 I am comfortable with, for e-ink. More than that, no.

My Nexus has 323ppi, compared to the Aura HD's 265ppi. OTOH, the Aura HD is 50 grams lighter, and has a much longer battery life.

If I could ever find one cheap enough, I would buy it, for sure. I would love to compare them side by side.

But on that note, your nexus is not an ereader but rather a functional tablet. On that note they cant be compared as they are completely two different functional devices! I bought my ereader as a reader nothing more nothing less. I find that its function is 100 percent suited to reading. Now my tablet, the asus tf300t is 100 percent suited for multifunctioning from reading to playing games, to emails word processing and makes one hell of a gps as well.!
(I use sygic btw)

regards

Jack

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I am envious that you have both Is your Nexus 7 this year's model? (I have read of people with last year's model having issues with KitKat).

I just can't get over that price hurdle....$139 I am comfortable with, for e-ink. More than that, no.

My Nexus has 323ppi, compared to the Aura HD's 265ppi. OTOH, the Aura HD is 50 grams lighter, and has a much longer battery life.

If I could ever find one cheap enough, I would buy it, for sure. I would love to compare them side by side.

I picked up the new 2013 model and donated my old Nexus 7 to a nephew. With discount it was $229 for the 32GB model. I was iffy about going with the new Nexus 7. I looked at a couple of other tablets as I would have preferred more expandability with microHDMI and uSD card connections. However I decided since I hadn't really missed them with my old Nexus 7, I didn't really need them and the Nexus 7 did offer the fastest access to new Android releases.

As a dedicated reader, I find the eInk displays are more comfortable for long term reading. After a couple of hours, I find my eyes start bothering me when reading on a LCD display.

When I compare them side by side, text on the Aura HD and Nexus 7 look equally sharp at my comfortable reading distance.

The main obstacle to adding to my device collection is with my wife's muttering about men and their toys.

Regards,
David

[DNSB]

Interesting. I edited and got a duplicate post.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Anak

The latest PaperWhite has the best overall screen. Not really a surprise as it uses the latest e-ink technology. And Kobo uses older screen tech with their latest products.

EBook-Reader im Test

I will have to respectfully disagree. I have both the Aura HD and the latest Paperwhite and the display of the Aura HD is superior without question. The Paperwhite 2 is clearly a significant improvement over the original but the crispness of the fonts is outstanding on the Aura HD while I can easily see some "jaggies" outlining the fonts on the PW. Additionally, the front lighting is is even and more pleasing on the Aura HD.

Oh, and as for the "slippery" feel of the Aura HD that some have mentioned, there is a solution for that as well. I have applied the high-quality, minimal skin in matte black by DecalGirl. Not only does it reduce the slickness of the plastic, it also eliminates fingerprints. It does not detract from the aesthetics of the Aura HD yet is extremely functional. I HIGHLY recommend the matte version, not the glossy version. There are also many colors/patterns if one so desires.

http://www.decalgirl.com/skins/18059...id-State-Black

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by CaffeBreak

I've had Kindle's since the first one, up to and including the Paperwhite 2. I got so frustrated with the new PW upgrade that I bought an Aura. I liked it so much I also bought the Aura HD. I'm a gadget freak, can't help myself. Anyway, the Kindle's now sit in a drawer. The Kobo's are simply better devices with more features and customizations. They have things Kindle owners have been asking for for years. I think you'd really like the HD if you decide to get it. There's nothing wrong with switching back and forth between them.

That's exactly my experience, apart from having the Aura HD. Although I didn't actually get a PW2, I did order one but it was faulty, as was the replacement so I still have the PW1. I didn't like the yellow screen of the PW2 plus I dread the day they introduce Cloud Collections for the PW1.

I just bought the Aura and fell in love.

[filmo]

Aura HD hack ability has been mentioned and is really first rate. While hacking the new Aura will improve, the HD has removable internal SD card that lets you upgrade internal memory and easily install saved image of known good firmware to internal memory so anyone can recover from bricking their hacked Aura HD reader. New 7" Aura memory is soldered to circuit board.

Kobo Developers Corner https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=247
Has threads on installing different reading software onto Kobo readers and adding self help improvements to Kobo firmware. While other companies try to prevent hacking of their readers Kobo doesn't.

[Joques]

One more vote for HD here; the screen is out of this world. The size is perfect, and the sharpness is just unbelievable. Peering really closely at a printed page and the HD side by side, the HD wins out every time, unless the paper quality is super high. Then they're equal.

People make much of the "glossy" bezel and that it's a fingerprint magnet. That's not my experience. It is not glossy, it's just a finer matte than on the Glo. The Glo would also get marks on the bezel. The HD doesn't get more marks, but perhaps they look slightly different. To me, the fine-matte finish on the HD feels alot better, higher-rent, than the Glo. It feels sturdier too, like it's a harder, stronger plastic.

I'm gratified to hear that the internal card can be swapped out, but since that was how the power slider on my Glo broke, I am wary of trying. We'll see when I've filled up these extra 2 GB that I now have (if I ever do)

If I have one potential gripe, it is that the weight is noticeably higher. I like the extra heft personally, but I can see how somebody might object.

In short, to me, both the build quality and the screen quality of the HD _are_ the industry pinnacle right now. I really can't see any further meaningful advances within the current eInk paradigm. What I will want before I upgrade from Aura HD is some sort of merging of tablet and ereader screen technologies. I am curious to see what Amazon will do with Liquavista and their electrowetting displays.

[drew2720]

Another vote for the Kobo Aura HD...I have the Kindle PW2 also but find myself going back to the HD for the size and resolution. Don't think I have looked at my PW twice since I got it. ) I was reading the HD at my dentist office and the woman next to me ask which ereader it was because she was amazed at how sharp and clear the writing was from a seat away! She had a Kindle Fire (1st generation). I guess that makes it two more votes...lol.

[Anak]

Kobo Aura ranks 12 out of 14 tested devices.

Low performance for a lot of money
Conclusion: The EBook Reader Kobo Aura with illuminated 5.9-inch display is crisp 758 x 1024 pixels. However, in the test of the aura disappointed with weak battery life that allows only around 13,000 page change. On top of that turning the page takes unnecessarily long.

+Low weight
+Compact design
+Illuminated display
-Short battery life
-Slow page change
-Contrast weaknesses

Overall Rating: 67.3%
Price-Performance: 67%
Mobility: 60%
Speed: 58%
Display: 89%
Features: 69%

Test date: 12/20/2013

Link (source): CHIP Online: Kobo Aura (EBook-Reader) (German)

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Anak

Kobo Aura ranks 12 out of 14 tested devices.

Low performance for a lot of money
Conclusion: The EBook Reader Kobo Aura with illuminated 5.9-inch display is crisp 758 x 1024 pixels. However, in the test of the aura disappointed with weak battery life that allows only around 13,000 page change. On top of that turning the page takes unnecessarily long.

+Low weight
+Compact design
+Illuminated display
-Short battery life
-Slow page change
-Contrast weaknesses

Overall Rating: 67.3%
Price-Performance: 67%
Mobility: 60%
Speed: 58%
Display: 89%
Features: 69%

Test date: 12/20/2013

Link (source): CHIP Online: Kobo Aura (EBook-Reader) (German)

Anak, thanks for your input and as much as I am debating getting the AURA HD I don't think the AURA is quite as bad as your post implies. I quite like it. Its small, light, snappy, discrete, a lovely little reader.

[RobertJSawyer]

With all due respect, Anak, that analysis isn't quite fair. Yes, the Kobo Aura takes fractionally longer than some other devices to change the page (although it does so very quickly) -- but it does so in a way that eliminates the annoying page flash that many people dislike in other ereaders.

Also, the Kobo Aura is the only E Ink ereader with a bezel flush with the screen.

One problem with numerical scoring is that it doesn't capture subjective realities (like, for instance, that the Kobo Aura has a much nicer feeling back than does the Kindle PaperWhite); nor does it take into account one-of-a-kind features (like the flat bezel or the flash-free page turns. (Also, "short battery life" is almost meaningless when you say it's good for "only" 13,000 page turns.)

Another problem with numerical scoring is that it makes subjective assessments seems like detailed analyses: things like "features" and "display" are personal opinions, not stop-watch timing scores.

I have a Kobo Aura; it's a fine device.

[peterwardgd]

Originally Posted by Anak

Kobo Aura ranks 12 out of 14 tested devices.

Low performance for a lot of money
Conclusion: The EBook Reader Kobo Aura with illuminated 5.9-inch display is crisp 758 x 1024 pixels. However, in the test of the aura disappointed with weak battery life that allows only around 13,000 page change. On top of that turning the page takes unnecessarily long.

+Low weight
+Compact design
+Illuminated display
-Short battery life
-Slow page change
-Contrast weaknesses

Overall Rating: 67.3%
Price-Performance: 67%
Mobility: 60%
Speed: 58%
Display: 89%
Features: 69%

Test date: 12/20/2013

Link (source): CHIP Online: Kobo Aura (EBook-Reader) (German)

suspect reviewed briefly if at all. garbage.

[Anak]

Originally Posted by peterwardgd

suspect reviewed briefly if at all. garbage.

Don't shoot the messenger. I didn't write it.
I'm quite sure that they have measured the test results under "Testergebnisse: Kobo Aura". That's what Germans do, they want hard data. Just as they do dig holes, when on the beach.
Have they actually used any of the tested devices? I doubt it.
Personally, I haven't read or seen any review where the reviewer actually used the device. Most only address a feature briefly.

Edit:
Just a clip that shows some test methods for various devices (but no ereader). It will give you an impression.
CHIP-Testcenter: Unsere Test-Methoden