Quote:
Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan
I think Kobo is in trouble. Technologically, the US market pretty much can only take two main categories of product (Mac and PC, Ipad and Android), and the new Nook pretty much made the new Kobo eReader redundant. Nook has better technology for only $10 more. If you look at the video of Kobo in Engadget.com, Kobo eReaders seem so laggy. It took about 6 seconds to open a book. Plus, Borders is bankrupt.
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Not true. Kobo is marked worldwide and sold in brick and mortar stores world wide. The Nook and the Kindle are not. Sony has a very small point of sale presence, especially here in Australia.
Kobo is also a separate entity to Borders and no doubt be sourcing other outlets to sell their product. I went into one of Perth's surviving borders stores a month ago and the Kobo stand was very visible and surrounded by interested customers. For Australians, the physical presence of the Kobo ereader has been very good for the brand. Forget Kindle and Nook, as they need to be purchased sight unseen, online. A lot of first time ereader owners are not so keen to pay AU$180+ for a device they have not physically seen.
Sony simply are too hard to purchase. The PRS-350 is physically available most times at the Sony shop and Myer/David Jones and online at the Sony online store. The PRS-650 is rarer than rocking horse poo and the PRS-950 is not available here at all. Also, the high prices of the otherwise excellent Sony devices turn people away as well.
I have used a Kobo now for just under 12 months. They are slower to boot and the page turns are a tad slower as well. However they are fine ereaders, with each new version improving significantly on the previous version. The new touch version in particular looks excellent, especially PDF handling which has long been an issue with many users of all ereaders.
Good on Kobo for keeping the others competitive.