Aura h20 or Clara hd; H2o in bath?

[jmw1011]

Hello! I'm new to the forum, though not to kobo. I currently have a glo hd which I love, but have decided to upgrade. I can't decide between the Clara and the Aura h20 2.

Because of some health problems I suffer from chronic pain and fatigue. The h20 would be great because I take a lot of epsom salt baths for pain. How many of you actually use the h20 in the bath? It bothers me that the usb port is exposed. Has anyone had any issues with theirs that I might need to know? Does the touchscreen work well if your hands are wet?

The main reason I'm also considering the Clara is that it's lighter. Because of my condition it can be tiring to carry my purse with too much weight in it. My glo is fine to carry in my purse. I'm wondering if anyone could tell me how noticible the weight difference between the two is? Is the h20 small/light enough to read one handed? Are there any pictures of the two devices side by side?

I'd love some insight on any other pros and cons between the two if you have it. Thank you!

[PurpleStar]

I love my Clara HD that I just bought, but if you need it for the bath, H20 is probably best. Can’t tell you how light it is though since I’ve never used one, but the Clara is light as a feather!

[Calenorn]

The Clara is a sweet reader, but it is not water-proof.

[robko]

Not to freak you out further (with regard to the USB port being exposed), but it's actually the entire innards of the device that are exposed to water (they have a waterproof coating on them which means the device doesn't need to be sealed to keep water out). I don't recall ever seeing any issues reported since the first devices with this tech used came so I wouldn't worry about it. If you're using epsom salts with it, I would rinse the device with clean water after you're out of the bath though.

[jmw1011]

Originally Posted by robko

Not to freak you out further (with regard to the USB port being exposed), but it's actually the entire innards of the device that are exposed to water (they have a waterproof coating on them which means the device doesn't need to be sealed to keep water out). I don't recall ever seeing any issues reported since the first devices with this tech used came so I wouldn't worry about it. If you're using epsom salts with it, I would rinse the device with clean water after you're out of the bath though.

Thank you for explaining that. It actually makes me feel better to know that. Good point about the epsom salts.

I love the idea of having a waterproof reader, but I love the size if my glo and would like another small reader for portability.

If a library book is checked out from a device with overdrive, would it be readable on the glo hd when I sync it?

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by jmw1011

If a library book is checked out from a device with overdrive, would it be readable on the glo hd when I sync it?

Yes, it will be in your Kobo account and will sync to any device you are logged into, until the loan period expires.

[jmw1011]

Perfect. I will get the h2o and hold on to my glo hd if I will be doing a lot if walking with my ereader in my bag. Thsnk you all for the information!

[Mrs_Often]

👍🏼 Sounds like a good plan.

[frostschutz]

The original H2O did not have waterproof coating anywhere, but a seal all around (glue for the display, hatch for the sdcard/usb slots) that would prevent water from entering the device in the first place. At least in theory - provided the glue was still good and the hatch properly closed (not easy to tell).

I have some doubts about any waterproof eReader really. If it's possible to add an extra layer of protection (like a clear ziploc bag, if it agrees with the touchscreen technology) I'd definitely do that.

Even if the device is waterproof, try to minimize the exposure to water. So read in the bath but don't dip or rinse it deliberately. Treat it like you would a non-waterproof device. And if water does get inside by accident after all, make sure it gets back out asap. (Electronics in a closed case takes ages to dry though)

And it's bad enough with clear water, but salt? Or dirty bathwater? It's fine if the device is waterproof but you don't want to grow mold inside it either.

I'd love to see a device that actually has both (a proper protection against water like the original H2O, plus additional coating inside anyway) but it does not exist.

[jmw1011]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

The original H2O did not have waterproof coating anywhere, but a seal all around (glue for the display, hatch for the sdcard/usb slots) that would prevent water from entering the device in the first place. At least in theory - provided the glue was still good and the hatch properly closed (not easy to tell).

I have some doubts about any waterproof eReader really. If it's possible to add an extra layer of protection (like a clear ziploc bag, if it agrees with the touchscreen technology) I'd definitely do that.

Even if the device is waterproof, try to minimize the exposure to water. So read in the bath but don't dip or rinse it deliberately. Treat it like you would a non-waterproof device. And if water does get inside by accident after all, make sure it gets back out asap. (Electronics in a closed case takes ages to dry though)

And it's bad enough with clear water, but salt? Or dirty bathwater? It's fine if the device is waterproof but you don't want to grow mold inside it either.

I'd love to see a device that actually has both (a proper protection against water like the original H2O, plus additional coating inside anyway) but it does not exist.

I have no intention of purposely getting it wet. The waterproofing is a precaution, in case I get it wet accidently. I've never dropped my ereader before and hopefully won't start, but you never know. I'm not too worried about epsom salts with a device they say you can use by a pool full of chemicals or an ocean of... salt water.

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by jmw1011

I'm not too worried about epsom salts with a device they say you can use by a pool full of chemicals or an ocean of... salt water.

Not sure about H2O2 but with the original H2O they requested you only try it with clean fresh water. They advertize with pictures of pool or sea but they don't seem to like chemicals after all...

https://www.kobo.com/help/en-US/arti...r-kobo-ereader

If your eReader gets wet with any of the following

* Salt water
* Soapy water
* Chlorinated water from a swimming pool

rinse it with fresh water immediately after and dry it before use. This will extend the life of your eReader.

And that's just about "getting wet with", not submerged into.

(Well, it was the original H2O where water could not get inside if everything worked as expected. But H2O2 still has the same text in its user guide... they don't mention anything about water getting inside the device.)

Now what's the best way to "rinse" an ebook reader? Certainly not the water tap running at full blast... bowl of clear water and dip it into that a few times? I have no idea. And how to dry it when you don't know how much water there still is inside of things?

Getting an ebook reader wet is just a scary idea for me, even if the device is supposedly waterproof... I don't quite trust it, but maybe that's just me.

Have fun with your device & happy reading!

[jmw1011]

Thanks for clarifying the waterproof guidelines. That's a little dissapointing since considering how they advertise it.

[Uschiekid]

Originally Posted by jmw1011

Thanks for clarifying the waterproof guidelines. That's a little dissapointing since considering how they advertise it.

I think it is fine if it gets wet, even in those cases the other poster mentioned. And it is totally fine to rinse it. I have both an ereader and a phone with this technology, it is not a big concern. The *only thing* that is important is to make sure the port is dry before charging. This can be done by avoiding pouring water directly in to it, and giving it a good shake if it does get wet. Then giving it lots of time before trying to charge it. You really don't have to worry about getting the main body wet though. And even the port is fine, as long as you don't charge it while it is still wet.

Edit: Both phone and ereader have got wet many times, including when in the bath. I generally just try to avoid using them in the bath if they will need charging soon, so that I don't accidentally charge them while the port is wet. But really, they are much more waterproof than the first version of the H2O was with the glue and port cover.

[jmw1011]

Originally Posted by Uschiekid

I think it is fine if it gets wet, even in those cases the other poster mentioned. And it is totally fine to rinse it. I have both an ereader and a phone with this technology, it is not a big concern. The *only thing* that is important is to make sure the port is dry before charging. This can be done by avoiding pouring water directly in to it, and giving it a good shake if it does get wet. Then giving it lots of time before trying to charge it. You really don't have to worry about getting the main body wet though. And even the port is fine, as long as you don't charge it while it is still wet.

Edit: Both phone and ereader have got wet many times, including when in the bath. I generally just try to avoid using them in the bath if they will need charging soon, so that I don't accidentally charge them while the port is wet. But really, they are much more waterproof than the first version of the H2O was with the glue and port cover.

Thanks for sharing. I do think it will be ok and hearing your experience helps. I appreciate all of the feedback every one has given!