Kobo Clara HD or Libra H2O?

[John F]

Originally Posted by davidfor

... Putting one in the back pocket of a tight fitting pair of jeans, that would be stupid. ...

Hey! Although my jeans aren't that tight fitting.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by John F

Hey! Although my jeans aren't that tight fitting.

I think we need a photo

[JSWolf]

Here is one example of a Reader breaking in a pocket.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...4&postcount=15

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Putting a Reader in your jacket pocket or pants pocket is a very good way for the screen to become damaged. Don't do it.

My reader is 7+ years old, and I've never broken one either. Being able to stash my reader in my back pocket when it's my turn to pay in the 20 minute line at the deli at the first floor of my office and while carrying my food to the table is a big plus to me.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I was delighted to discover that my H2O2 fits in my pockets almost as well as my Clara did. Pocketability is one of the main reasons I've held off getting a Libra, as the shape looks very much less pocket friendly.

I've yet to see the Hydrogen Peroxide reader!

[twowheels]

I've seen a few comments here about the Libra being a glass substrate. Is that actually true? If so, that might push me very much in the direction of the Libra [I'm not OP, but also doing a search for a new reader] as I'm extremely sensitive to the difference in optical clarity between glass and plastic -- I wear real glass glasses (when I wear them) too, for that very reason.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by twowheels

I've seen a few comments here about the Libra being a glass substrate. Is that actually true? If so, that might push me very much in the direction of the Libra [I'm not OP, but also doing a search for a new reader] as I'm extremely sensitive to the difference in optical clarity between glass and plastic -- I wear real glass glasses (when I wear them) too, for that very reason.

The substrate does not matter for reading purposes. Read the wiki on TFT and E Ink Mobius. It is the base layer that the circuits are placed on top of. See also AMOLED and Front light for pictures.

Dale

[Quoth]

Substrate, clue in name, is UNDERNEATH. Makes no difference to clarity as eink is opaque/reflective.

[twowheels]

I get that about substrate being underneath, but if these things are true, why is it so hard to move away from glass and why did they ever use it? Why does a glass substrate reader always look crisper than a plastic one? (e.g. Oasis and Voyage vs Paperwhite)

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by twowheels

I get that about substrate being underneath, but if these things are true, why is it so hard to move away from glass and why did they ever use it? Why does a glass substrate reader always look crisper than a plastic one? (e.g. Oasis and Voyage vs Paperwhite)

The Paperwhite does not have a plastic substrate, it has a plastic display surface.

[mtreader]

Done. Thank you!

[catsknit]

Originally Posted by rcentros

If you buy any Kobo that supports Overdrive you can check out the book on Overdrive with that new Kobo, and then you can download and read it directly on your old Kobos as well (without ADE). So, if you bought the Libra, you could check out the book on it and read it on your Kobo Glo HD if you wanted to (maybe the Kobo Glo HD would be your "traveling reader"). I've got an Aura 2 (mostly for that purpose of using Overdrive). Even my Kobo Mini can read the book checked on the Aura 2.

I must be dense here but I don't understand how this works without ADE? I loved my Glo HD but hated having to hook up and use ADE to get library books so I bought the Libra last fall. I do like it but would love to still get some use from my Glo, maybe as my out-and-about reader. Is it just that once you've checked out from Overdrive, it's available from the Kobo store to whatever reader you are logged in with? That would be fantastic.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by catsknit

I must be dense here but I don't understand how this works without ADE? I loved my Glo HD but hated having to hook up and use ADE to get library books so I bought the Libra last fall. I do like it but would love to still get some use from my Glo, maybe as my out-and-about reader. Is it just that once you've checked out from Overdrive, it's available from the Kobo store to whatever reader you are logged in with? That would be fantastic.

Yes, if you have one device connected to OD, then anything borrowed using that OD account will be synced to the other devices. The book and the reading status will be synced between them.

[jackj]

OP here, updating on my purchase decision. Because of some confusion on the part of Kobo, and some impatience of my own, I ended up with both the Libra H20 and Clara HD. I really can't justify owning both, as I already own a Glo HD and 3 different Kindles.

So which will I keep? The larger screen on the Libra is an advantage. And when I first opened the package, the overall Libra size was still smaller than I anticipated. But while I'm not super picky about screen lighting, the Libra isn't as evenly lit. I knew to expect a small gray strip on the side with the buttons. That is not a problem for me. But that whole side of the screen, for about 2 cm, is slightly darker than the rest. It's not terrible. And if this were my only e-ink device I might choose to live with it. But for $170 I'm expecting a screen that is at least as well lit as any of my other e-readers.

The form factor on the Libra is also not my favorite. I tried using the buttons for an entire day, to get into the habit. They work fine, with a nice feel and with an appropriate amount of pressure required. But too often I don't have a finger in the right place. I do most of my reading in bed, usually on my side, and the way I hold the device isn't consistent. I never having trouble tapping the screen for a page turn, and tapping a button didn't feel advantageous in any way.

On a purely subjective front, the shape of the Libra lacks the minimalist elegance of my 6" readers. I decided on white, since all my others are black, and thought a small bit of variety would be nice. But the thicker button side, the asymmetrical layout, and the white case: it's just not as pleasing an object to my eye. Yes, this is a trivial criticism, and purely personal. But I didn't bond to the hardware.

Finally, the waterproofness doesn't mean much to me. I have a PW4 if I ever decide I need to read while bathing or waterskiing. But the urge hasn't hit me yet.

So the Clara: I got it at the recent $90 sale price, so it was a little more than half the price of the Libra, making it to me a far better value. The screen isn't quite as evenly lit as my two PWs, nor my Glo HD (which is the best of all), but the differences are miniscule--not enough to have any impact on my reading experience. I do like the natural feature, which works the same as on the the Libra.

Really the only advantage the Libra has, for me, over the Clara is the slightly larger screen. But to come back to the theme of this thread, that is of course at the expense of portability. The Libra will not fit in very many pockets, which means I'm less likely to have it with me when I might choose to spend time reading. The qualitative difference of reading on a 6" screen vs. a 7" screen is slight, for me, and with the hardware I received, is outweighed by inconsistent lighting and a less portable size/shape.

So the Clara HD stays and the Libra H20 goes back. Please don't anyone infer that I'm making some sort of uniform judgment on the merits of these two devices. I completely respect that someone else might not have the same preference.

[Quoth]

I use my thumb of my left hand to turn the page. I reversed the buttons in settings so top is next. If I rotate the Kobo, then the top is still next and it works with my right thumb.

Using a finger is more awkward.

Certainly the Clara will fit more pockets.