Aren't Kobo eReader designs a little boring?

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by pickyaxe

I personally think Kobo's designs were unique and very attractive. The backs of the devices especially are really something... up until the Aura One when they unified everything under their new "blue button" style. I find that design rather generic and tacky.

They are attractive! It's one reason why I prefer them over Kindle's. But thumbnails online make them look no different than other eReaders. The blue button is a distinctive design feature, as is the textured backing, but they're hidden design features.

[Ripplinger]

For me it's always going to be function over form. What makes me pick a Kobo over a Kindle is what's inside... how my reading experience will be improved. Such as until recently, Kindles didn't have a way to darken or thicken fonts, which made for a terrible reading experience for my eyesight. I have no idea why Kindle was so slow to add that, even my Sony 350s were capable of it from over 8 years ago, and a feature I can't do without. I have a Kindle PW2, but I use it to just download a free book each month, I never read on it.

The majority of people use covers on their readers to protect them, so anything fancy done to the back just vanishes, making it a rather pointless piece of eye candy. Even the front, you'll only see it while reading, and a busy or fancy bezel I find just distracting. You could just add a skin to the front of your reader if you want to customize it for yourself.

As long as it's not a ridiculous pink (sorry to all the pink lovers, but it's not for me ) or even white, I prefer just a standard black frame. The darker frames actually tend to make the text appear with a bit more contrast. Shiny bezels are out too (Nooks were horrible with their white shiny frames, no idea if they're still the same, I haven't even looked at them for years, but it was an instant no due to that).

I did love the Sonys with the very dark blue frames that were only available in Europe for some idiotic reason, but I did manage to get 2 of them used that are still perfect. If only they had a front light, I'd still be reading on them.

[JohhnyMix]

No, i think the design got a bit better when i look at the H2O device... the first one has that horrible looking back while this new one i really love the look but then again again... i think looks shouldn't be cutting edge.

[Deskisamess]

"Boring" bezels are what will appeal to the masses. Those of use who want something different can easily add a skin. But making them colorful out of the box will increase manufacturing cost, and lead to products not selling. While a colorful bezel may appeal to some, they will be in the minority. No company wants Devices languishing on shelves because of a color choice.

Remember Apple's fairly recent attempt at the colorful iPhone 5c? They went for cutesy and it didn't work.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

For me it's always going to be function over form. What makes me pick a Kobo over a Kindle is what's inside... how my reading experience will be improved. Such as until recently, Kindles didn't have a way to darken or thicken fonts, which made for a terrible reading experience for my eyesight. I have no idea why Kindle was so slow to add that, even my Sony 350s were capable of it from over 8 years ago, and a feature I can't do without. I have a Kindle PW2, but I use it to just download a free book each month, I never read on it.

Sony Readers never had the ability to increase the weight of fonts. This was never part of the firmware. The 350 was no different than the 650 in that respect.

[JSWolf]

Amazon tried something different with the Oasis 1 & 2 and they failed. Both have a terrible design.

[Deskisamess]

The Oasis 2 failed? I love mine, best Kindle I've had, and I've had several.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

As long as it's not a ridiculous pink (sorry to all the pink lovers, but it's not for me ) or even white, I prefer just a standard black frame. The darker frames actually tend to make the text appear with a bit more contrast. Shiny bezels are out too (Nooks were horrible with their white shiny frames, no idea if they're still the same, I haven't even looked at them for years, but it was an instant no due to that).

I agree that black bezels were best back in the day as they did appear to heighten contrast, but now with Carta screens and a resolution of 300 ppi, I think I'd prefer a white bezel. I have the text go edge to edge on my devices and a white bezel would be less intrusive as more or less matching the page tone. I know I could buy white skins, but I think skins are insanely expensive for what they are and I certainly don't need them.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon tried something different with the Oasis 1 & 2 and they failed.

I hope one day I can fail as well as Amazon did with the Oasis 1 or 2.

[HLS]

Not KOBO in general but I would like to see all ereader makers add more color choices.


I would love to see Apple make an ereader with a body casing like an ipad but with eink display, 7 or 8 inches in rose gold. No bells or whistles just eink like a kindle but with a sweet tablet like body in rose gold

[HLS]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I hope one day I can fail as well as Amazon did with the Oasis 1 or 2.

I do not think they failed. They just lied. They advertised unrealistic battery life. They could have made the fat end a little wider to accommodate a bigger battery or make the whole device the same thickness so a really big battery could be installed. You can still keep the device thinner than the paper white. The voyage was thin and had better battery

[JSWolf]

The screen of the Oasis 2 is good. But the rest of the design is what's a fail.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The screen of the Oasis 2 is good. But the rest of the design is what's a fail.

No!

[Deskisamess]

I find the design and balance of the Oasis 2 to be very nice. I expected to not like it, but I do. I like the wider bezel where the buttons are, (I could do without the buttons.) The ease of changing hands when reading is at the top of what I love about the device.

[JSWolf]

Last week, I got a to see the Oasis 2 in person and the design is lousy. That's why the battery is weak. It's weak because of design of the bezel is not good to hold a good sized battery.