10-08-2010, 06:59 PM | #106 | |
Zealot
Posts: 110
Karma: 28
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Australia
Device: Kobo
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Quote:
every time I go to the US I come home that we pay so much more for just about everything! same brands, mostly same places of origin ... at the time I bought my Kobo, it was many many $$ less than the Kindle. |
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10-09-2010, 05:37 AM | #107 | |
Addict
Posts: 254
Karma: 59872
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, USA
Device: Kindle 3 (wifi) + nokia n900 tablet phone
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Quote:
I work 10 hour shifts (4 nights a week), with commute "plus", my work day is basically 12 1/2 hours. The last thing I want to do is drive out to a store. I do have to go down to the UPS store to return the defective unit (postage paid), but I have a month to do that. |
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10-09-2010, 05:53 AM | #108 |
Geographically Restricted
Posts: 2,629
Karma: 14933353
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2
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10-09-2010, 11:59 AM | #109 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,302
Karma: 2607151
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Toronto
Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo
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In Canada, the Kobo Wifi at $149 + free shipping or in store purchase is cheaper than the Kindle 3 at $139 + shipping. There is also the intangible ... having a local bricks and mortar presence.
Finding an e-reader other than the Kobo or Sony in Canada at retail is rare. One or two Astak models showed up at the big box electronic chain for almost $300; the Aluratek (could that thing be any uglier?!?) is typically available at the $150ish mark. Sony, in it's wisdom, has only carried the 300 and 600 series; the Daily Edition 900 has not been sold here. The PRS 350 is $199 and the 650 is $249 -- neither offer wifi; both are touch screen; only the $249 model is 6". The Kobo WiFi at $149 is competitive in this market and does not need to be sold at a lower price. Nor is Amazon likely to lower the Kindle 3 in the near future -- it's already a great unit and attached to an excellent customer experience. Kobo WiFi is not intended to take notes -- that keyboard is essentially for adding a WiFi password. Maybe it is needed for search or dictionary -- I don't know; I don't have one (yet). There is no web browser so I don't think you can twitter with it ... but there is store access and access to your purchased library so I suppose the keyboard is used there, too. I have not actually browsed the Amazon store on my Kindle because the web experience is so rich; but I have used the "archived" feature to transfer purchased books onto my device. I am delighted that's been added to Kobo. Kobo WiFi differentiates from Kindle 3: local sales/support, localised bookstore content, DRM ePubs from multiple vendors, public library borrowing. And now with WiFi it can also: sync across multiple platforms; plus it has an improved screen, faster processor and more internal memory. Not to mention, Kobo support is generally pretty solid -- there when you need it. No customer support operation is perfect, but Kobo is certainly in the upper tiers of overall "goodness". So, in Canada -- $149 Kobo WiFi vs $249 Sony PRS-650 touch screen? $100 is a lot extra to pay just to swipe the screen for page turns and trade off the benefits of connectedness. Kobo WiFi isn't a Kindle 3 -- its a portal to ePub that Kindle 3 lacks. If ePub doesn't matter to you, Kobo loses a good deal of its edge. I strongly commend Kobo, and the business and product development teams for their innovative entry into the e-reader / e-book marketplace. Amazon has been in the e-reader market 3 years and Sony 4 years ... Kobo has made some very smart, savvy moves and executed pretty well (notwithstanding the original font glitchy software shipped in Canada) -- and it has only been in market four months in the US and less than six in Canada. Kobo's collaborative approach, and strong multi-platform vision, I believe provides it a decent chance to become the leading device of choice after the Kindle and it may eventually lead in some markets (thanks to ePub), especially outside of the US. |
10-09-2010, 10:15 PM | #110 | |
Evangelist
Posts: 412
Karma: 520610
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Device: Currently Kobo Clara HD and Aura One, iPad
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Quote:
I like Kobo's vision and would like to see them succeed. I do believe the lowered prices of the K3 and the Nook were in response to the original Kobo's launch, and if quite frankly, if Kobo becomes a viable competitor in lessening Amazon's current monopoly on the market, especially in non-US countries, I'd be very glad indeed. |
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