I have set-up and worked with the Kobo Touch for 30 minutes or so. These are some of the things I have noticed so far. There are a whole lot of other features to check out of course.
- The process to update the reader software and sync with the library was flawless. Some folks will be pleased to know that you have the option NOT to download your books, during the process. It appears to be book-by-book.
- The desktop application is much improved. Shopping in it, or browsing for new books is as good as it is on the website. The tabs include one for the book you last read (from whatever device you last did a sync I believe).
- Sync appears to just plan work on the desktop. I had five open books, and when I finished my update sync, each of them was correctly bookmarked.
- The reader itself is much thinner, much shorter, and somewhat narrower. The bezels are very small and the actual reader screen seems the same (maybe a skosh wider?). The change to the quilted back is noticeable, but doesn't seem to make any difference in terms of how it feels to hold it.
- The pearl screen really does make a difference. The background colour is not all that different, but the Touch screen has better contrast.
- It took me a few tries to get my WiFi set-up. I really don't know what was going on, but it didn't like the WPA key even though I am absolutely 100% certain I put it in correctly. The, suddenly, it worked anyway, even though I never got a message about it having successfully connected.
- The Touch remembers your WiFi networks and turning WiFi on and off is as easy as going to settings and checking or unchecking "Airplane Mode". You can also toggle WiFi on from the bottom of your home screen when you press the sync icon. No more having to choose which WiFi network each time you turn WiFi on. Apparently it can choose among several networks if, for example, you have one at work, one at home etc.
- You can specify how much time before the reader goes into sleep mode, including a choice of never, and if the reader displays a cover, or not. You can also make these kinds of choices for turning the reader off.
- The keyboard is reasonably responsive and if you have used an onscreen keyboard on another device, it should be pretty much intuitive. As an aside, I was a die-hard Palm user, and used my Palm TX to read books before I got my first Kobo. For that reason, I am pretty handy with a stylus. When I type on my cell phone's capacitive screen, I often use a Targus capacitive stylus. It's handy on the non-capacitive Touch as well.
- With the WiFi on, when you open a book, the reader checks for your last sync on the server (made by another device or the deskktop app) and asks you if you want the sync applied to what you are opening. This is a very big deal as it would let two people (or more) read the same book at the same time without screwing up their bookmarks.
- Page turning seems fast. [EDIT]When ghosting happens, and it seems to from time to time, going back a page and then forward again seems to clear it up.
- The browser works, though it is hard for me to imagine using a black and white ugly as sin browser display when I have either my cell phone or computer available.