Considering a Mini Reader

[hardcastle]

I'm considering buying a new eReader due to my Kindle Keyboard starting to show its age (power switch and page buttons don't always work, battery life is low, etc). I took a look at a Kobo Mini in a store right by my house an hour ago and I thought it was a nice little device. Here are my questions:

-Are there any other options on the market for tiny eReaders? How do they compare?

-For users who have switched from a 6" to a 5" device: how was the transition? What should I keep in mind?

-Is there any reason to avoid the Kobo Mini? Any rumors of a new Kobo coming down the pipe? Is the screen going to be significantly worse than my Kindle Keyboard? (Just examples of worries I have, you don't have to answer these specific questions)

-And also the opposite: Are there any special features of the Kobo Mini that I might not be aware of?

I should also note that I am capable of format conversion and that the store is not really a factor to me. I mostly read Project Gutenberg and other legally freely available books.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

[HarryT]

Kobe doesn't have a very good reputation when it comes to the stability of its firmware. Might be as well to ask in the Kobo forum how good the current firmware is.

[booklover6]

I love my Kobo Mini. I don't think they are updating firmware on it, anymore, and the last one they sent for it is fine.

-The Kobo Mini is the only 5" reader I would consider. (I used a Pyrex Mini -which is even smaller-for a short time, and it was quite unsatisfactory. I loved the size, but that was all. I gave it away to a forum member).

-I switch between 5", 6" and 7" screens all the time, and it doesn't bother me a bit. Some people complain that they have to turn pages too often for their liking. I love that it is so light and easy to hold in one hand.

-I don't think there are any reasons to avoid the Kobo Mini....but get one now, as I have heard they are being discontinued.

-The screen is excellent, very white, while the text is very dark. And there are SO many more customization options on the Kobo.

-Another feature that is very useful, if you use Calibre, is you can set things to do automatic collection management, unlike the Kindle. I find this to be invaluable.

-For the smaller sized reader, the Kobo Mini is really the only one to consider. If Amazon would make a 5" I would buy one, even though I find the features of the Kobo superior. I just love the size. I have tried numerous other (older) 5" screen ereaders, and sold or gave away all of them. Only the Kobo Mini remains. (I've had the Jetbook, the Jetbook Lite, the Aztak EZ 5", the Aluratek Pro, the Pyrus Mini...about the only 5" one I didn't try is the Sony 350).

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Kobe doesn't have a very good reputation when it comes to the stability of its firmware. Might be as well to ask in the Kobo forum how good the current firmware is.

Thanks for noting this, I'll do some research on the topic. I've heard that third party reader applications can be loaded. Does anyone who uses these apps know that they would avoid stability issues?

Originally Posted by booklover6

I love my Kobo Mini. I don't think they are updating firmware on it, anymore, and the last one they sent for it is fine.

-The Kobo Mini is the only 5" reader I would consider. (I used a Pyrex Mini -which is even smaller-for a short time, and it was quite unsatisfactory. I loved the size, but that was all. I gave it away to a forum member).

-I switch between 5", 6" and 7" screens all the time, and it doesn't bother me a bit. Some people complain that they have to turn pages too often for their liking. I love that it is so light and easy to hold in one hand.

-I don't think there are any reasons to avoid the Kobo Mini....but get one now, as I have heard they are being discontinued.

-The screen is excellent, very white, while the text is very dark. And there are SO many more customization options on the Kobo.

-Another feature that is very useful, if you use Calibre, is you can set things to do automatic collection management, unlike the Kindle. I find this to be invaluable.

-For the smaller sized reader, the Kobo Mini is really the only one to consider. If Amazon would make a 5" I would buy one, even though I find the features of the Kobo superior. I just love the size. I have tried numerous other (older) 5" screen ereaders, and sold or gave away all of them. Only the Kobo Mini remains. (I've had the Jetbook, the Jetbook Lite, the Aztak EZ 5", the Aluratek Pro, the Pyrus Mini...about the only 5" one I didn't try is the Sony 350).

This is very informative, thank you! I didn't know they were being discontinued, is this a pretty strong rumor or are they just disappearing? Does this mean a new device could be replacing it?

I should look into the collection aspect. I usually only load a few dozen books at the same time, but if the interface is better, I might change my habits.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

Thanks for noting this, I'll do some research on the topic. I've heard that third party reader applications can be loaded. Does anyone who uses these apps know that they would avoid stability issues?

I tried one of the apps on my Glo but didn't like it. The stock reader is fine, for me.

Originally Posted by hardcastle

This is very informative, thank you! I didn't know they were being discontinued, is this a pretty strong rumor or are they just disappearing? Does this mean a new device could be replacing it?

I should look into the collection aspect. I usually only load a few dozen books at the same time, but if the interface is better, I might change my habits.

It was a strong rumor, IIRC. I don't believe a new one is coming, apparently the Mini wasn't a strong seller. Plus I don't know if E-ink, the company that makes the screens, is still making the 5" size. The Mini might have been using up their stock, since it is now 2 generations old. (But don't let that fact sway you negatively!)

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by booklover6

It was a strong rumor, IIRC. I don't believe a new one is coming, apparently the Mini wasn't a strong seller. Plus I don't know if E-ink, the company that makes the screens, is still making the 5" size. The Mini might have been using up their stock, since it is now 2 generations old. (But don't let that fact sway you negatively!)

I'm pretty sure my local bookstore has a few in stock, or else they wouldn't have put out a demo unit to try. I'll keep that in mind.

The generational aspect isn't huge to me (my Kindle came out in 2010!) though I did note that the Kobo Mini does use an older generation of eInk screen according to the wiki. I don't know how accurate that is though.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

The generational aspect isn't huge to me (my Kindle came out in 2010!) though I did note that the Kobo Mini does use an older generation of eInk screen according to the wiki. I don't know how accurate that is though.

Yes, that is correct, however I can say for a FACT that the contrast on the Kobo Mini is MUCH better than the contrast on the EZ Reader Pocket Pro, despite both listed as having Vizplex. I tried the Pocket Pro last summer, and liked everything about it, except screen being too dark and the text too light. So it went right back on ebay. Perhaps the difference is in the software used by the companies, I don't know.

[robko]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Kobe doesn't have a very good reputation when it comes to the stability of its firmware. Might be as well to ask in the Kobo forum how good the current firmware is.

Harry, can I respectfully ask that YOU take a look at the Kobo subforum before you continue posting this on every suggestion of a Kobo. I realize you are trying to help, but to claim recent Kobo software as unstable is wrong. Is it perfect: no. There are a limited number of issues that some users find to be problematic, but only affect certain users/use patterns and likely a small minority of users. Kobo's recent firmwares are certainly no worse than those complaining in the Kindle forums about the recent firmware changes causing "phantom" collections to come back (if I remember correctly what the problem was).

[HarryT]

I didn't say "recent Kobo firmware is unstable"; I said "Kobo doesn't have a very good reputation when it comes to the stability of its firmware", and that's perfectly true. Kobo have a far, far worse track record for firmware bugs than any of the other major reader manufacturers. Hence my advice to actually ask Kobo owners before buying. Which is, I would add, sensible advice to follow when buying any device - owners are a much better source of accurate information about them than advertising.

[hardcastle]

As a potential buyer of a Kobo device, I appreciate the mention of the potential instability of the firmware. It prompted me to take a look at the Kobo board and I carefully read the Bugs Thread. None of the bugs bother me, but it's a valuable resource I wouldn't have noticed on my own.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

As a potential buyer of a Kobo device, I appreciate the mention of the potential instability of the firmware. It prompted me to take a look at the Kobo board and I carefully read the Bugs Thread. None of the bugs bother me, but it's a valuable resource I wouldn't have noticed on my own.

Agreed. I bought a Kobo Touch 2 years ago and have kept the firmware at 1.9.10 firmware which is perfect for me. Those threads in the Kobo section helped me to make an informed decision as to buying a Kobo and which firmware to stick with.

[teija]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I have tried numerous other (older) 5" screen ereaders, and sold or gave away all of them. Only the Kobo Mini remains. (I've had the Jetbook, the Jetbook Lite, the Aztak EZ 5", the Aluratek Pro, the Pyrus Mini...about the only 5" one I didn't try is the Sony 350).

Booklover: If you haven't tried the Sony PRS-350, you've missed THE 5" one to try IMO. Having said that, I prefer my Kobo Mini... hubby prefers his PRS-350. I think it's a difference mainly of: I don't like the physical buttons on it, but he doesn't like the Kobo because it doesn't have buttons. lol

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by teija

Booklover: If you haven't tried the Sony PRS-350, you've missed THE 5" one to try IMO. Having said that, I prefer my Kobo Mini... hubby prefers his PRS-350. I think it's a difference mainly of: I don't like the physical buttons on it, but he doesn't like the Kobo because it doesn't have buttons. lol

Yeah, not sure why I didn't try that one. Maybe because of the color, I don't like the silver or the pink.

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by booklover6

Yeah, not sure why I didn't try that one. Maybe because of the color, I don't like the silver or the pink.

Hunt out a blue one.... I much prefer my Paperwhite to the PRS-350, but my blue 350 looks wonderful.

[dordale]

Still love my silver 350--although I do most of my reading on my KPW2 now. But, the size of the 350 makes it a great "on the go" reader. Hoping it continues to work for a long time!