[SensualPoet]

I'm a Kindle 2i user since Nov 2010 when Amazon first shipped to Canada. I really like the Kindle as a device, its functionality, customer service, depth of content, and the ability to put many other kinds of books on it using dead simple conversion software Calibre. The snag: I had to buy the thing "on faith" without touchy-feeley and, at US$259, by the time shipping and taxes were added, it was Can$340, taxes and case included.

So why do I need another reader? Well, the short answer, as I have already explained to my husband, is "I don't". Still, the Kobo's price is attractive: Can$169, taxes included, no case (no mains charger either which is a pain if travelling since it plugs into a computer to charge); shipping was free (I walked to the store and back).

I have to say I am impressed. The screen real estate is identical to the Kindle 2 -- 6" and just as crisp. Ah, and a second font -- a sans serif (I like the Kindle's serif font better). The "ugly blue button", which is used for most navigation, isn't as ugly in real life as it appears in the videos and is as easy to use as the Kindle's five-way thumbstick. So far I am not having trouble pressing up, side or middle. The other four buttons, along the left side, are more confusing strictly because of my "Kindle training": the buttons are on the side, not the front; I have found myself pressing the printed word "home" on the front instead of the button on the side (I'll get over it). There two odd things: a power button (what's that for?) and the charging light (No 8 on your diagrams) which is really buried under the plastic so unless it is lit (I've seen red and blue so far), you don't know it's there.

The user interface is str8-forward; experienced e-reader users will pick it up instantly and newbies won't take too long as there isn't much you can do. The 100 books that come with it give you lots to play with and sample as you test your skills. I do find some of the default font sizing -- like the button labels or the text on the "Plugged in" screen -- pretty small. The designer obviously thinks everyone has sharp eyesight but 6 pt is still only 6 pt. I will add that many of these touches, however, make the device look smarter and well thought out. And the "quilted" back is comfy (my Kindle is in a "book open" leather case so this will be a new way to "hold" a book for me).

I know I will miss the extras I get with the Kindle 2: the built-in ever-present dictionary; the occasional use for text-to-speech; 3G wikipedia (that really rocks); and the comfort that Amazon is going to continue to upgrade the platform and has shown a willingness to add new features to existing devices with firmware upgrades. But then, life is full of trade-offs, right? The Kobo is pretty much half the price.

There are a dozen e-readers on the market that are more or less available widely through stores and mail order; the simplicity and elegance of the design is quite appealing. And the entry level features are nicely matched by an entry level price. When you consider you'd pay 3 or 4 times as much for Apple's latest gizmo the iPad, which is supposed to dominate e-reader devices in the way Apple cornered the mp3 market ... yah, well, I don't think so. The Kobo is a great example of building in all the stuff you need, and no more, and price it accordingly.

Next month Borders is supposed to get this unit and there are no other $150 e-readers in sight from a major vendor. I think B&N might actually have a run for its money, having taken the other route -- the higher end touch screen Android flavoured hybrid ... for about twice the price. And given the really basic, tried and true approach of the unit, as scale grows, it's not hard to imagine Kobo has more room to hit $125 or $99 and still have a viable device on its hands than any other widely distributed device on the market today.

So, kudos to Kobo!