New Kobo Aura HD eInk eReader 1440x1080

[Katsunami]

Yes, but strangely enough, a paperback requires much less light to read well than an ereader. I need the front light already, where I would be able to still read the paperback. A good quality hardcover with very white paper is no contest. To best that in brightness in normal daylight conditions, the frontlight needs to be way up.

I wonder if the Aura improves on this. I suppose not, as it's still Pearl e-ink.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I wonder if the Aura improves on this. I suppose not, as it's still Pearl e-ink.

Not really. I haven't done a direct comparison with paperbacks, but I've found that jacking up the font size makes eink easier to read in low light conditions. Granted, that's probably not great for the eyes.

[paola]

Originally Posted by aceflor

wrong. Wherever you are, if you type kobo.com, you'll be indeed directed to kobobooks.com, but this is always a LOCAL page. For me, living in Spain, it shows mostly spanish books (although the text of the webpage is in english). I cannot access kobo CA , kobo Uk nor kobo USA, and neither can you. Not only that, but you are then only shown a selection of books available for your country. There are many, many english or american ebooks that are for instance available for me at amazon.es but that are not at kobo.

actually I think you can: you do have to change your regional settings and perhaps add payment details in the local currency - if you are an expat you may still have a UK bank account. I do have an account (with different email) in the US with a US prepaid card. Some people on the Kobo forum have even more than two accounts, and I seem to remember that with paypal you don't need a card in local currency, but this is just a vague recollection and I may be wrong.

[Sregener]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

...but I've found that jacking up the font size makes eink easier to read in low light conditions. Granted, that's probably not great for the eyes.

It is a myth that reading in low light is bad for eyesight.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Sregener

It is a myth that reading in low light is bad for eyesight.

It's certainly a myth that reading in poor light will damage your eyes, but it's no myth that it can cause discomfort.

[MySony505]

Originally Posted by Sregener

It is a myth that reading in low light is bad for eyesight.

You cannot be serious !

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by MySony505

You cannot be serious !

It has been tested and verified.
Ditto for watching TV too closely.
Both can cause eyestrain for a while but the effects do not linger or add up over time.

It isn't like the hearing loss from over-loud events...

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by paola

actually I think you can: you do have to change your regional settings and perhaps add payment details in the local currency - if you are an expat you may still have a UK bank account. I do have an account (with different email) in the US with a US prepaid card. Some people on the Kobo forum have even more than two accounts, and I seem to remember that with paypal you don't need a card in local currency, but this is just a vague recollection and I may be wrong.

No, I am not a UK expat but neither am I spanish, and I read in english. Kobo uses Paypal, but seemingly with localization so it does not allow me to access the UK, nor the US books database. Without jumping through hoops (VPN) and without lying (adress and/or bank details) I simply cannot buy the same books that I can buy with my amazon account without any tricks, and that's a fact.

[montalex]

Calibre support for Kobo HD is here:

http://calibre-ebook.com/whats-new

Gotta love Kovid! Donate!

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's certainly a myth that reading in poor light will damage your eyes, but it's no myth that it can cause discomfort.

Hmm... does that mean there is some other reason I need glasses? ...

Well at least I'm not blind, ... yet.

Luck;
Ken

I'll be clicking on that heart in calibre, shortly!

[Prestidigitweeze]

Apparently, Kobo fused my mailing and billing addresses and shipped my Aura with the wrong zip code. If Kobo's site tracked e-reader purchases as they do books, then I'd have been able to see and correct that issue in moments, long before the shipment left Canada.

Unfortunately, it took me a week to extract my order number from customer service and I was only able to get someone to verify the exact shipping address today after I noting the wrong zip code in yesterday's tracking information and demanding the exact details.

Not exactly a seamless process, but then again, I wasn't expecting one.

[Sregener]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... does that mean there is some other reason I need glasses? ...

While nobody is completely certain, there are certain activities that do lead to myopia. Among them is reading, especially at a young age, for extended periods of time. The human eye was never designed to focus so closely, for such an extended period of time. But lighting levels have nothing to do with it.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by montalex

Calibre support for Kobo HD is here:

http://calibre-ebook.com/whats-new

Gotta love Kovid! Donate!

Oh yeah - twice now

and an Aura on the way

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Sregener

Among them is reading, especially at a young age, for extended periods of time.

Check and doublecheck.

I was doomed from the start

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Sregener

While nobody is completely certain, there are certain activities that do lead to myopia. Among them is reading, especially at a young age, for extended periods of time. The human eye was never designed to focus so closely, for such an extended period of time. But lighting levels have nothing to do with it.

So, it was reading under the blankets, with a flashlight, when I was supposed
to be sleeping?

Ah, more guilty pleasures, should have known.

Luck;
Ken