Kindle Voyage vs Kobo Aura H2O

[slantybard]

Originally Posted by s4nder

Kindle Voyage:
- no hyphenation

If the Voyage is similar to the PW, it will support soft hyphenation via calibre. I use it on my PW all the time.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There are stylus' available for capacitive touch screens to avoid fingerprints. 300 dpi should allow smaller font sizes if you need more info on the screen.

Perhaps 10 years ago, using smaller font sizes would have been useful for getting more information on the screen. Now, I've moved into the large print world of reading.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by meeera

Depends on your eyeballs. I can read my Aura on the smallest setting. Comfortably, with my glasses off.

I agree, it really depends on your eyes. I can read my PW2 with the font on the smallest setting with no issue.

[RZetlin]

The H2O is basically a waterproof Aura HD.

Keep in mind the H2O has a 6.8" screen while the Voyage is still 6".

[Lyn2012]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I agree, it really depends on your eyes. I can read my PW2 with the font on the smallest setting with no issue.

I've also found that the PW has fewer font sizes, but I don't how how the smallest compares with the smallest Kobo font size. What I can say that being able to change the font sizes available on the Kobo makes it possible for a very wide range of font sizes to be available.

Having had a PW1 and 6" Aura over the past couple of years, I am now waiting to buy the H2O. I really disliked the PW software as I prefer to side load using Calibre and never use wifi or purchase on the device itself. I like the way Kobo manages your library on your device much more than the Kindle system. I also prefer the ability for customisation that the Kobo allows. The Aura is a lovely device, great form factor and lightness, only the lower screen resolution and darkness of the screen when unlit let it down - when I saw the PW2 in shops I always noticed what a whiter screen it has (light at lowest level). When I saw the H2O I knew that I would have to get it for the screen resolution, screen size and carta screen. Learning about the Voyage, did make me wonder, but as I dislike buttons or sensors of any kind on the bezel and would rather stay with Kobo, I will wait for the H2O.

[Josieb1]

I ordered the Voyage. The fact that I still can't order the H20 from anyone in the UK other than Kobo, and I'm not doing that, was a factor.

I like the size and form of the small Aura but I love the Amazon Eco system, the fact that I can read on multiple devices and whispersync keeps them all on the right page. I don't buy my books from Amazon I email them via Send to Kindle.

The Voyage is more the Aura size than anything they have produced so far so for me it's a Aura upgrade. I really don't know about the H20 now, I guess I'll wait now until I have the Voyage, hopefully by then WHSmith may have got their act together and I might be able to view it in a store.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I really don't know about the H20 now, I guess I'll wait now until I have the Voyage, hopefully by then WHSmith may have got their act together and I might be able to view it in a store.

You'll buy it. We know all about your self control.
Besides, how else will you read in the bath?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As for the wasted space on the Kobo? That is relatively easy to fix either using Kobo's solution or the descendants of Metazoa's patcher. I've attached a couple of screenshots for each plus one with the stock smallest font size and full screen.

Do we have to have the page numbers in the right margin? If we don, that's a deal breaker for me. I was planning on ordering a Kobo Aura H2O Monday or Tuesday, but if the page numbers are there, forget it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by RZetlin

The H2O is basically a waterproof Aura HD.

With the nicer Carta screen which gives faster page turns and better contrast.

[robko]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do we have to have the page numbers in the right margin? If we don, that's a deal breaker for me. I was planning on ordering a Kindle Aura H2O Monday or Tuesday, but if the page numbers are there, forget it.

Turning those off has been an option in the stock firmware for a long time now.
Of course, that's in the Kobo Aura H2O. I can't speak for the Kindle Aura H2O.

[93terp]

Originally Posted by RZetlin

The H2O is basically a waterproof Aura HD.

Keep in mind the H2O has a 6.8" screen while the Voyage is still 6".

I was really surprised to see that Amazon didn't go with a larger screen as the Voyage seems to be more in the "luxury" line of ereaders, like the Aura HD & H2O.

For my $$, the H2O has the advantage due to the larger screen size.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I ordered the Voyage. The fact that I still can't order the H20 from anyone in the UK other than Kobo, and I'm not doing that, was a factor.

Hmmm.... Amazon.co.uk is offering the Kindle Voyage, Amazon.ca is not at this time and Amazon.com will not ship a Kindle Voyage to Canada.

Perhaps this might make those Americans who complain about Kobo and sales in the U.S.A. feel a bit less victims of countryism.

But sheeshh... 169 pounds for the Kindle Voyage? $302Cdn or $277US... Out of curiosiity, does that price includes VAT?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do we have to have the page numbers in the right margin? If we don, that's a deal breaker for me. I was planning on ordering a Kobo Aura H2O Monday or Tuesday, but if the page numbers are there, forget it.

The option to disable them has been there since the Kobo WiFi. I happen to like them so my screenshots do have them.

Hmmmm... vague feeling that I've responded before.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by 93terp

I was really surprised to see that Amazon didn't go with a larger screen as the Voyage seems to be more in the "luxury" line of ereaders, like the Aura HD & H2O.

For my $$, the H2O has the advantage due to the larger screen size.

For my dollars, both screens have the same resolution but the H2O has a larger physical screen.

H2O advantages: I can borrow books from the local library without involving Apprentice Alf and Calibre. The on-board storage is expandable to 36GB (4GB internal and 32GB external). Customizing the Kobo reading experience seems to be easier than customizing the Kindle reading experience -- small items such as being able to remove the smaller font sizes I don't use and making the font sizes increase in even increments. I can purchase an Aura H2O and add a 32GB uSD card for less than the price of a Kindle Voyage (I'm comparing the current Canadian $180 price of the H2O to the American $219 price of the Voyage -- if I did a conversion to Canadian dollars, the price difference jumps to ~$60Cdn.)

Kindle advantages: The Amazon ecosystem is more robust and their customer service seems to be better for American customers. Book choice slightly favours Amazon though Kobo boasts a larger library. More language choices though no Chinese Traditional support.

Sawoffs: Waterproofing is not a big advantage to me since I have not managed to destroy any of my ereaders by getting them wet. IR touch and capacitive touch are mature and capable technologies. Neither offers 802.11ac. Both will work with Calibre. Neither will handle PDF files well going by current devices. Cloud storage for either is a non-issue since I have an old-fashioned preference for keeping my data on my premises. I will admit to having a chuckle when I ran into a Kindle PW2 owner at Starbucks. We were discussing storage and he was of the opinion that he did not need expandable storage since he could use the cloud. Watching him attempting to access his book collection using Starbuck's WiFi was an occasion for humour -- for me at least. The last time I saw speedtest results that slow, I was using a v.32bis modem.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DNSB

But sheeshh... 169 pounds for the Kindle Voyage? $302Cdn or $277US... Out of curiosiity, does that price includes VAT?

Yes. Advertised prices in the EU always include VAT.