Upgrading from GLO HD

[andy9279]

I've been using a Kobo Glo HD for a decade. It hasn't seen the internet since 2015, I sideload all my books via USB. I did update the firmware a few years ago so I could use it in landscape mode, to have wider lines of text, more words per line, decent font size, etc. I still use it daily but the battery isn't great, and I'm up for trying something new and bigger.

I'd prefer to stay with Kobo, but I don't want a color ereader. I don't need to write on the screen or take notes. I'd like to keep sideloading books, edited in Calibre to my preferences. I want to be able to add fonts and have lots of options there for sizing, line spacing, margins, etc. Landscape mode would be a nice option. I like as much text on the screen as possible, no headers, footers, etc.

Originally I wanted a Libra 2, but since Kobo (conveniently) only has 6" or 10" ereaders in BW now, and Libra 2's are nearly impossible to find, I am thinking about getting an 8-inch ereader, and considering various other sizes and options.

Some options:

Elipsa 2E -- I admit, I'd like to see what it's like to read on this 10" big boy. I imagine it's too large to hold with one hand compared to what I use now. Some way to prop it up? I usually put my arm on a pillow anyway. Also the ppi is less than the Glo HD, but really the main issue is the size.

Kindle -- I'd prefer not to jailbreak a Kindle, and plus there's not even any 8" Kindles available new right now. Their hardware seems very nice, but I imagine I'd want to be able to tinker with fonts and css, etc.

Pocketbook Inkpad 4 -- this sounded promising at first, but from what I've read it has extra layers over the screen that detract somewhat from clarity, slow CPU, android base and thus less battery life, etc.

Kobo Aura One -- pretty old and iffy buying used at this point, and not crazy about the flush glass screen, but otherwise it sounds like what I'd want, I'd like to try one out anyway.

Viwoods / Boox -- The Viwoods is a bit pricy, not crazy about the android base, battery life, etc. also Boox doesn't appear to have an 8" ereader right now.

NOOK GlowLight 4 Plus -- never considered buying a Nook, but this seems promising in some ways, I don't have to hunt around for it on ebay first of all, it's only $200, 300ppi, BW, 7.8". The new one doesn't have a recessed screen, but it sounds like it's pretty good. But I'd HAVE to put KOreader on it, because otherwise it sounds like you're really restricted -- you can't even turn off headers or have a landscape mode option from what I read. Yikes lol.

Are there are glaring omissions here? Kobo Forma of course, all I remember there is people complaining about battery life and PWM flickering. I believe the Sage fixed the latter issue at least?

[Sirtel]

I don't think anyone has complained about PWM flickering on the Sage.

The Sage is a nice device, I love mine. But its battery life is quite poor, much more so than other Kobo ereaders. If you can live with that, the Sage would be the obvious choice.

Or you could wait and see what Kobo will release in 2026 (if anything). That is, if you can afford to wait and don't need a new device immediately.

[andy9279]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't think anyone has complained about PWM flickering on the Sage.

The Sage is a nice device, I love mine. But its battery life is quite poor, much more so than other Kobo ereaders. If you can live with that, the Sage would be the obvious choice.

Or you could wait and see what Kobo will release in 2026 (if anything). That is, if you can afford to wait and don't need a new device immediately.

I'd probably consider a Sage if I could have jumped on buying one new, but it seems they've been discontinued. Fairly recently from what I can tell. And they're rare. Hesitant to buy a used one. This seems like a terrible time to be looking for a BW ereader between 6 and 10 inches lol.

I can wait if need be, but I hope Kobo comes out with some new options. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by andy9279

I'd probably consider a Sage if I could have jumped on buying one new, but it seems they've been discontinued. Fairly recently from what I can tell. And they're rare. Hesitant to buy a used one. This seems like a terrible time to be looking for a BW ereader between 6 and 10 inches lol.

I can wait if need be, but I hope Kobo comes out with some new options. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Have you considered the Boox Go series? I got a Go 7 B&W and it is pretty nice. I also do all side loading for books. You don't have to buy a pen and can simply use it as a reader.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by andy9279

I can wait if need be, but I hope Kobo comes out with some new options. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

No, you're not the only one.

[andy9279]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Have you considered the Boox Go series? I got a Go 7 B&W and it is pretty nice. I also do all side loading for books. You don't have to buy a pen and can simply use it as a reader.

I looked at the Boox Go 7 and thought it looked pretty decent, 300 ppi, but concerned how the battery life compares with a non-Android ereader. Also with the flush screen, I wonder if it looks as good as it could.

TBH I think at this point I'm wanting in going up in size to an 8" or even 10", to see a more significant change from my current Glo HD.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by andy9279

I've been using a Kobo Glo HD for a decade. It hasn't seen the internet since 2015, I sideload all my books via USB. I did update the firmware a few years ago so I could use it in landscape mode, to have wider lines of text, more words per line, decent font size, etc. I still use it daily but the battery isn't great, and I'm up for trying something new and bigger.

I'd prefer to stay with Kobo, but I don't want a color ereader. I don't need to write on the screen or take notes. I'd like to keep sideloading books, edited in Calibre to my preferences. I want to be able to add fonts and have lots of options there for sizing, line spacing, margins, etc. Landscape mode would be a nice option. I like as much text on the screen as possible, no headers, footers, etc.

Originally I wanted a Libra 2, but since Kobo (conveniently) only has 6" or 10" ereaders in BW now, and Libra 2's are nearly impossible to find, I am thinking about getting an 8-inch ereader, and considering various other sizes and options.

Some options:

Elipsa 2E -- I admit, I'd like to see what it's like to read on this 10" big boy. I imagine it's too large to hold with one hand compared to what I use now. Some way to prop it up? I usually put my arm on a pillow anyway. Also the ppi is less than the Glo HD, but really the main issue is the size.

Kindle -- I'd prefer not to jailbreak a Kindle, and plus there's not even any 8" Kindles available new right now. Their hardware seems very nice, but I imagine I'd want to be able to tinker with fonts and css, etc.

Pocketbook Inkpad 4 -- this sounded promising at first, but from what I've read it has extra layers over the screen that detract somewhat from clarity, slow CPU, android base and thus less battery life, etc.

Kobo Aura One -- pretty old and iffy buying used at this point, and not crazy about the flush glass screen, but otherwise it sounds like what I'd want, I'd like to try one out anyway.

Viwoods / Boox -- The Viwoods is a bit pricy, not crazy about the android base, battery life, etc. also Boox doesn't appear to have an 8" ereader right now.

NOOK GlowLight 4 Plus -- never considered buying a Nook, but this seems promising in some ways, I don't have to hunt around for it on ebay first of all, it's only $200, 300ppi, BW, 7.8". The new one doesn't have a recessed screen, but it sounds like it's pretty good. But I'd HAVE to put KOreader on it, because otherwise it sounds like you're really restricted -- you can't even turn off headers or have a landscape mode option from what I read. Yikes lol.

Are there are glaring omissions here? Kobo Forma of course, all I remember there is people complaining about battery life and PWM flickering. I believe the Sage fixed the latter issue at least?

I have the two Kobo e-readers that are least interesting to you because of their size: Clara BW and Elipsa 2E (although you mention this one as a possible option). Both are very good. The natural successor to a Glo HD would be the Clara BW, which is the same size. But if you now want a larger (monochrome) one, you would have to go for a Sage (if you can find one) or an Elipsa 2E. I preferred to buy the Elipsa 2E over the Sage because of the quality of its illuminated screen, but I'm quite unorthodox and tend to go against the grain of what is published in e-reader forums (I like Kindles, colour e-readers, Android e-readers and 10" e-readers, which says it all), so I would take my opinion with a pinch of salt.

You ask if it is comfortable to hold an Elipsa 2E with one hand. The answer is no. It is uncomfortable (although I find it equally uncomfortable to hold a 7" and 8" e-reader with one hand). It is best to use it propped up (I use a Micro-Puff, which is a wonderful invention) or hold it with two hands.

The PocketBook InkPad 4 runs Linux, not Android (PocketBook only uses Android on its 10" e-notes, which are actually Bigme devices with slightly modified firmware).

The battery life of any of my Android e-readers is better than that of the Kobo Sage (and I speak from experience, not assumptions).

Is the world of e-readers limited to 7" and 8" monochrome Kobos? Obviously not. This is a "personal" limitation. If that's what you want, then you have a serious "personal" choice problem. But if you broaden your search to other parameters and other brands, you will find a wide variety of excellent e-readers. Every brand on the market has them, including Kobo.

[andy9279]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I have the two Kobo e-readers that are least interesting to you because of their size: Clara BW and Elipsa 2E (although you mention this one as a possible option). Both are very good. The natural successor to a Glo HD would be the Clara BW, which is the same size. But if you now want a larger (monochrome) one, you would have to go for a Sage (if you can find one) or an Elipsa 2E. I preferred to buy the Elipsa 2E over the Sage because of the quality of its illuminated screen, but I'm quite unorthodox and tend to go against the grain of what is published in e-reader forums (I like Kindles, colour e-readers, Android e-readers and 10" e-readers, which says it all), so I would take my opinion with a pinch of salt.

You ask if it is comfortable to hold an Elipsa 2E with one hand. The answer is no. It is uncomfortable (although I find it equally uncomfortable to hold a 7" and 8" e-reader with one hand). It is best to use it propped up (I use a Micro-Puff, which is a wonderful invention) or hold it with two hands.

The PocketBook InkPad 4 runs Linux, not Android (PocketBook only uses Android on its 10" e-notes, which are actually Bigme devices with slightly modified firmware).

The battery life of any of my Android e-readers is better than that of the Kobo Sage (and I speak from experience, not assumptions).

Is the world of e-readers limited to 7" and 8" monochrome Kobos? Obviously not. This is a "personal" limitation. If that's what you want, then you have a serious "personal" choice problem. But if you broaden your search to other parameters and other brands, you will find a wide variety of excellent e-readers. Every brand on the market has them, including Kobo.

Thank you for this, especially in terms of the Elipsa 2E. I do read with my arm supported with a dense pillow, but even with this I fear the Elipsa would be a bit top-heavy unless I read in landscape mode (which I do on a 6" screen, but on a 10" seems a bit excessive.)

I don't have to have a Kobo device no, although I will admit I lean toward that -- I lean even more/definitely prefer a monochrome screen. But if I could put KOreader on something else (like a Pocketbook) and it has a good screen, decent battery, and I have plenty of room to tinker and get things to look how I want, I'd probably be happy.

As to Kobo's -- I see quite a few Kobo Aura One's have sold on eBay for $100-125~, which I will admit is rather tempting. I know it's an old device, I've replaced the battery in my Glo HD, I wonder if it is a similar process for the Aura One.

[cellaris]

Reading in landscape mode on a 10" e-reader is possible (and even recommended) if you do it in two columns. It would be more or less equivalent to having two 7" e-readers (in portrait mode) side by side. KOReader allows this, and there was an old Kobo patch for ePubs that allowed you to split the screen into two or three columns (but I haven't tried it on the Elipsa 2E. I tried it on the Clara HD a couple of years ago and it still worked).

KOReader can be used on PocketBook e-readers. I haven't seen the InkPad 4 screen, but I don't think it's (significantly) worse than the Glo HD. I have the PocketBook Era, which is also criticised for its contrast, and I find it more than acceptable (the problem for me with the Era is not the contrast but the uniformity of the lighting, which is a lottery). But in these matters, each person's sensitivity may vary.

The point is that there is currently only one monochrome Kobo model in the 7"/8" range, and that is the Sage. Either you accept its poor battery life (compared to other Kobo models or other brands) or you look for another alternative. (Personally, I've never been overly concerned about battery life as long as I have somewhere to charge them).

[andy9279]

Originally Posted by cellaris

Reading in landscape mode on a 10" e-reader is possible (and even recommended) if you do it in two columns. It would be more or less equivalent to having two 7" e-readers (in portrait mode) side by side. KOReader allows this, and there was an old Kobo patch for ePubs that allowed you to split the screen into two or three columns (but I haven't tried it on the Elipsa 2E. I tried it on the Clara HD a couple of years ago and it still worked).

KOReader can be used on PocketBook e-readers. I haven't seen the InkPad 4 screen, but I don't think it's (significantly) worse than the Glo HD. I have the PocketBook Era, which is also criticised for its contrast, and I find it more than acceptable (the problem for me with the Era is not the contrast but the uniformity of the lighting, which is a lottery). But in these matters, each person's sensitivity may vary.

The point is that there is currently only one monochrome Kobo model in the 7"/8" range, and that is the Sage. Either you accept its poor battery life (compared to other Kobo models or other brands) or you look for another alternative. (Personally, I've never been overly concerned about battery life as long as I have somewhere to charge them).

I like the idea of holding the Elipsa in landscape mode, the problem is with dual columns, the column width would be narrower than what I am getting right now with a 6" ereader in landscape mode. So my Glo HD in landscape provides a 4.75" wide column, a 7" ereader in portrait mode, from what I understand, provides a column around 4.25"~ wide. So if I had two 4.25" columns on a 10" screen in landscape mode this would defeat the purpose for me of wanting a wider text block overall, larger text, 50-70 characters per line, etc. Using the 10" screen in landscape with *one* column would be doable, but seems overkill and would result in a lot of wasted white space in the margins.

I might jump on a Sage if I see one for a decent price, but they seem about as hard to find as Libra 2's at this point. Right now what seems most promising is a used Aura One or perhaps finagling a Nook GlowLight 4 Plus for KOreader.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by andy9279

I looked at the Boox Go 7 and thought it looked pretty decent, 300 ppi, but concerned how the battery life compares with a non-Android ereader. Also with the flush screen, I wonder if it looks as good as it could.

TBH I think at this point I'm wanting in going up in size to an 8" or even 10", to see a more significant change from my current Glo HD.

Here are a few pics of my Boox.

[andy9279]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Here are a few pics of my Boox.

Looks pretty good, especially that last pic. Speaking of larger ereaders -- I see the Boox Go 10.3 is not only higher ppi than the Elipsa 2E (300 vs 227) but $20~ cheaper as well. Probably too big as I intend it just for reading though.