[Starker]

Seems I have lucked out immensely, since I have landed almost the perfect reader right out of the gate with Aura H2O. To think that when I bought it I only really knew I wanted to sideload books on a device and read them on the fly. Here's what makes it so great:

* Koreader greatly enhances the experience. Being able to easily access and manage the folders and files alone is great, but then there are lots of small things of convenience, like being able to turn the frontlight on and off with just one finger tap and being able to adjust font size (and other things) with just one swipe.
* Being able to install my own dictionaries is crucial for my work and for reading books in languages I haven't yet brought up to a really high level. Having access to learner's dictionaries or specialist vocabulary as needed makes a really big difference.
* I can use it as a makeshift flashcard device by setting the "screensaver" on random and having all the images in the screensaver folder be things I'm currently learning. It's no substitute to Ankidroid and proper SRS, but every bit helps.
* It reads all the formats I need: epub, pdf, html, txt, cbr, CBZ.
* It has enough space to accommodate my nearly 19 GB collection (lots of pdf files and some manga).
* It's waterproof, meaning I can safely read it in bath and don't have to worry about spilling coffee or getting soaked in rain (both of which have happened).
* The IR screen means I can even read at a bus stop with my gloves on when it's cold outside.
* The text looks really crisp without there being an another layer of capacitive screen, though I suppose it's not really that big of a difference.
* The screen doesn't get fingerprints like a flush screen does and reflection is not as much of an issue either.
* The sunken screen means I can lay the reader on the table face down without worrying about the screen getting scratches and I can pack it a bit more safely.
* It's just the right size to fit in my coat pocket.
* The longer bezel at the bottom is perfect for resting thumbs on in portrait mode or for holding in landscape mode.

If I were to wish for improvements, though, here's a few niggles I have:

* Probably my biggest complaint is that the bezels have a glossy surface that smudge oh so easily -- every fingerprint, every speck of dust and dirt immediately stands out.
* I wish it was possible to rotate the screen 180 degrees in landscape mode, so I could hold it in my right hand more easily.
* It could stand to be a bit lighter. Would make a lot of difference on longer reading sessions.
* I'm satisfied with the lighting, but looking at all the newfangled comfort lighting, I wonder if it couldn't be better.

And a few more things that I'm a bit more ambivalent about:

* Having buttons. It doesn't seem that much different from doing a finger tap on the screen (or a tiny thumb swipe when holding it left-handed in landscape orientation). But it doesn't seem like it would hurt either.
* A bigger screen. 6.8" might be good enough for books, but a larger screen would make it a bit easier to read manga with a lot of text and tiny furigana. Though it would also mean sacrificing portability a bit by making it bulkier. And even a foldable screen still seems a bit unwieldy to hold comfortably.
* Playing audio. Already have my phone for that, so this is just an unnecessary feature as far as I'm concerned.
* Colour. Might be nice for reading American comic books, though probably not worth the extra cost.