Kobo Aura H2O Officially Announced

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Actually I completely forgot about the cover

That would potentially be ruined if you dropped the aura into Water, but I'd risk that to be able to use a reader near water without worrying.

I still want one, but I do want to see if in a store first.

I'll be getting an after market case, hopefully the same style as the one I have for my Aura and Aura HD. (Sold by "coodio" on Amazon).

I do prefer the feel in my hand of the Aura HD without the cover on. (I stuck a skin on the back of mine - it's the back piece from a Kindle, so the decal is smaller than the Aura HD, but is a little less slippery with that on).

[ewphoenix123]

Originally Posted by Sharkus

The back of my Aura is a) white, and b) smooth plastic. The H2O's back does not feel the same as the Aura, and I would say it's the rubbery like feel described (first word that pops into my head is neoprene, then wetsuit, then Jaws ). It could well be that these differences on my devices are, as mentioned earlier, because they aren't the final hardware.

If I have time I may wander over to a store and have a feel of the shipping Aura and Aura HD to compare.

That sounds like the back of the Glo, which would be pretty great.

[Bonex]

Compared to my Glo, the screen of my HD has a smoother surface and glare is more noticeable. I find it distracting. I hope the H2O improves this problem. More than a whiter screen I'd love a more opaque surface.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It doesn't matter how the back feels as you should not be able to feel the back as the H2O should be in a cover where you will feel the cover and not the back of the H2O.

I've said this a number of times "A Reader without a cover is a Reader waiting to get broken" and I've read about too many people breaking their Readers without using a cover. So go ahead, prove me right and break your H2O by not using a cover.

Lots of shoulds and should nots here. I've had a etctaco jetbook, Sony PRS-650, Aura HD and Aura starting from about 2009 or so and I've never broken any of them. I really detest covers for ebook readers . There's no reason that a well taken care of reader won't do just fine without a cover and be lighter and easier to hold for it.
That said, I'm glad to hear that they this new Aura is using a more rubber type of plastic as that hard, slippery plastic on the Aura HD was ridiculous.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I'll be getting an after market case, hopefully the same style as the one I have for my Aura and Aura HD. (Sold by "coodio" on Amazon).

I do prefer the feel in my hand of the Aura HD without the cover on. (I stuck a skin on the back of mine - it's the back piece from a Kindle, so the decal is smaller than the Aura HD, but is a little less slippery with that on).

Is the the one you bought for your HD? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Mag...s=kobo+aura+hd

I've saved it in my wish list so i can keep an eye on any that come for the H2O

[93terp]

In looking at the review posted over at the http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...-kobo-aura-h20, it looks like the original in-book reading stats are back, although I'm not seeing this with FW 3.8.0 on my Aura HD. I can't remember if this is a feature only available for regular ePubs or only for books that are bought & downloaded from the Kobo store. I only sideload my books, and they are kepub-ified during the Calibre send to device process.

Specific picture I'm referring to above:

[robko]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It doesn't matter how the back feels as you should not be able to feel the back as the H2O should be in a cover where you will feel the cover and not the back of the H2O.

I've said this a number of times "A Reader without a cover is a Reader waiting to get broken" and I've read about too many people breaking their Readers without using a cover. So go ahead, prove me right and break your H2O by not using a cover.

And I've seen lots of posts from people that had their device in a cover and managed to break the screen and the company won't replace it. And they're outraged that the company won't replace it because they had it in a case so it had to be a manufacturing defect rather than something they did.

I've had ereaders since the 1st Kobo came out and none have seen a cover (except a hard boxlike case for transport). They have all, at one time or another survived a fall (most more than one) and often onto a hardwood floor. So, I'm 100% sure if I get an H2O it won't see a cover. And I'm very confident that the odds are good it will survive it's useful life without ever seeing one. If you want to use a cover go nuts. But to claim it offers total protection and that not using one guarantees a broken device is wrong.

[robko]

Originally Posted by 93terp

In looking at the review posted over at the http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...-kobo-aura-h20, it looks like the original in-book reading stats are back, although I'm not seeing this with FW 3.8.0 on my Aura HD.

They have never gone away for true kepubs. They were removed for epubs because Kobo didn't feel they were accurate. I don't think the behaviour has changed at all in 3.8.0.

[93terp]

Originally Posted by robko

They have never gone away for true kepubs. They were removed for epubs because Kobo didn't feel they were accurate. I don't think the behaviour has changed at all in 3.8.0.

Thanks. By "true kepubs" I assume you are referring to books purchased directly from the Kobo store?

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by 93terp

By "true kepubs" I assume you are referring to books purchased directly from the Kobo store?

Correct.

At one point there was a version of the Kobo Touch Extended driver that allowed stats to be enabled for sideloaded kEpubs. For various issues, this one a one time version of the driver and further development of it did not continue.

[Barty]

I've never had a cover. I'm a special case in that I couldn't hold one with cover so it's not much of a choice. I did break the screen of a kindle once by putting my elbow right on the screen and pushing myself off the bed. Somehow I don't think a cover would have saved it. It probably would help with the nicks and scratches on the numerous occasions I drop it and watch it bounce a few times off my hard wood floor or concrete sidewalk.

[treadlightly]

Originally Posted by Sharkus

The H2O's back does not feel the same as the Aura, and I would say it's the rubbery like feel described (first word that pops into my head is neoprene, then wetsuit, then Jaws ). It could well be that these differences on my devices are, as mentioned earlier, because they aren't the final hardware.

Thank you for sharing this! How the back feels is important to me. I'm pre-ordering an H2O now.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Being able to use the ereader without a cover is important to some of us. I keep my Glo in a hard case when transporting it so it doesn't get damaged, but I always take it out of the case for reading.

It is a complete mystery to me why Kobo use high quality plastic for their budget readers like the Touch and Glo, but low quality plastic for their premium readers like the Aura HD and H2O.

Edit: If the case on the H2O was made from the rubbery type of plastic used on the Glo then that would be a bigger attraction to me than the Carta screen or waterproofing.

But even if you just remove the Reader from the case while reading, there's still the drop on the floor that you can have and do all floors/grounds you are on when reading have a nice soft carpet? Probably not. So it's still a bigger risk you take.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Goodness! five or six books wouldn't last me the first three days of a cruise!

I've be bothered having to carry that extra weight and having to carry around two books for when I finish one and want to start another. What's the point of having a Reade rif she takes pBooks on vacation?

Which is why I'm waiting for one without a glass backplane.

I think we all are. But for now, I'm thinking of getting the H2O and then waiting for the next one to be glass free.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Well, no, my point was that a lot of people might actually find it useful. I know of at least four people who will not take their ereader to the pool. They may or may not even float in said pool, but they won't take it near water. My mom has a friend who won't use her Kindle at all because she goes on a lot of cruises...and reads by the pool. She goes on cruises and takes five or six books which kind of defeats the whole idea!

And no one says you have to read by water to get use out of this e-reader. It's not like it's a "water only" device!

I have no doubt that some people will find it useful. But you having four friends (or however many) who do, does not in any way indicate that it is a non-marginal appeal. You *could* simply have a number of friends who are in a marginal group.

And it may not be a water-only device, but I rather think it is a device only for people who will sometimes use it in/near water. Just because it can be used out of water doesn't mean you should ignore the fact that the waterproofing itself is an extra cost that you are paying for.

And I am also sure some people don't care about the cost, and would buy it even if they never plan on being near the water. Alternatively, the new screen may be considered improvement enough to justify an increased price tag on its own.