thanks for all the responses! and to a few of you for endorsing my sanity
Interesting to hear that there are others who prefer the flush screen. It had never occurred to me before and I've never had the opportunity to see one, but I now think I would greatly prefer it.
I didn't mean to say that the K3 screen is anywhere near as good the H2O screen -- it's certainly not at all, in contrast or resolution. But I was surprised at how much I like it regardless. One reason seems to be that the Kobo fonts are all quite delicate, and perhaps that means that they somehow they look less permanent and more computer-generated because of it. I sideloaded some new fonts and adjusted the weight and it's much better now.
Still, the K3 ink just seems to be more on the surface. I'll have to find a place selling the Voyage to try it out one of these days.
I am also a big believer in the frontlit screens -- definitely a game-changer. But if that means the e-ink is deeper and less paper-like, I am in a quandry.
I'm playing with several e-readers these days, and I'm interested to see which ones I will actually stick with and use. The K3 is the one I put in my bag when I left the house this morning, for what that's worth!