MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Kobo Forma -vs- Likebook Ares (Mars as a runner up)

Quoth · 03-13-2021, 04:23 PM

The Forma is much like the Libra, but bigger. I bought a Libra as an upgrade from the original H2O (SD card slot) because the Forma was too expensive, a 100 Euro more.

Much later I got the Mars so as to have Borrowbox. You can simply add an apk (like KOreader from its site) without the Google Framework, or turn the Framework, add your existing Google account and add the Playstore apps.

I've never patched either Kobo, nor added koreader. Not needed. The Mars built reader is fine for PDFs, poor for epub, so I added koreader.

Jota (free android app) is fine for text on the Mars. There is only annotation of the ebooks on the Kobo ereaders. No apps or android. No doubt you can customise the Forma and Libra. But nothing like that needed for the Mars.

I also have 3 different Kindles, a Sony 5" PRS350 and did have a Storybook Cover, A Nook Touch and a Kobo Touch 905c.

I have 2 sizes of android phones, 7" tablet and 10" tablet. I see no point in a Forma rather than €80 cheaper Mars if you have a Libra

I bought my Mars from Amazon DE. I have a 32 G SD card in it. A 128 G card worked.

See the wiki here for screen sizes.

I know nothing about the Ares, except it seemed not as good an idea as the Mars (Android 8.x) and I have no need of handwritten notes. They are nearly useless to import to anything.

03-13-2021, 04:23 PM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,143 Karma: 105211945 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	The Forma is much like the Libra, but bigger. I bought a Libra as an upgrade from the original H2O (SD card slot) because the Forma was too expensive, a 100 Euro more. Much later I got the Mars so as to have Borrowbox. You can simply add an apk (like KOreader from its site) without the Google Framework, or turn the Framework, add your existing Google account and add the Playstore apps. I've never patched either Kobo, nor added koreader. Not needed. The Mars built reader is fine for PDFs, poor for epub, so I added koreader. Jota (free android app) is fine for text on the Mars. There is only annotation of the ebooks on the Kobo ereaders. No apps or android. No doubt you can customise the Forma and Libra. But nothing like that needed for the Mars. I also have 3 different Kindles, a Sony 5" PRS350 and did have a Storybook Cover, A Nook Touch and a Kobo Touch 905c. I have 2 sizes of android phones, 7" tablet and 10" tablet. I see no point in a Forma rather than €80 cheaper Mars if you have a Libra I bought my Mars from Amazon DE. I have a 32 G SD card in it. A 128 G card worked. See the wiki here for screen sizes. I know nothing about the Ares, except it seemed not as good an idea as the Mars (Android 8.x) and I have no need of handwritten notes. They are nearly useless to import to anything.