Forma New Kobo reader: The Forma/Shape

[Paperbackstash]

I see comments that they are copying Oasis, and while there's only so many ways you can design these things, I'm not seeing the clone everyone else is. We haven't seen it yet other than this picture and I can already see small differences. There's not that horrible backing the Oasis has, and the bottom is curved. Having buttons is an asked for feature by many, and if this is Waterproof, that's not copying since Kobo did Waterproofing before Amazon with other devices. This looks like it would be in Landscape mode in default, which is a new twist. We shall see.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I see comments that they are copying Oasis, and while there's only so many ways you can design these things, I'm not seeing the clone everyone else is. We haven't seen it yet other than this picture and I can already see small differences. There's not that horrible backing the Oasis has, and the bottom is curved. Having buttons is an asked for feature by many, and if this is Waterproof, that's not copying since Kobo did Waterproofing before Amazon with other devices. This looks like it would be in Landscape mode in default, which is a new twist. We shall see.

I think by "clone" they meant the general shape and the buttons on one side with the device designed to flip over depending on which hand you're using. As far as I know the Oasis was unique in this design. If Amazon is like Apple they may have "form factor" patents. If Apple could sue Samsung for "rectangular with rounded corners" it would seem like Oasis is much more unique than that. Amazon hasn't shown any indication that they would sue over this sort of thing. I hope that holds true.

[koboy]

Originally Posted by Futuregrace

If they were gonna copy Kindle, I wish they would have copied the page turn system on the Voyage and just made a larger version with comfort light.

i'm with you although i would have preferred roughly the same size as the Voyage.

page buttons on both sides on a ereader is my preference.

best wishes koboy

[forster01]

I don't find them alike, judging from the picture, i dislike oasis with the strange back side. but i kinda like curved button frame on the new kobo device. i kinda like overall look of the new device more than oasis. and i hope it will be about 7.8"

[Michal Jancik]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I As far as I know the Oasis was unique in this design.

- PocketBook Inkpad 2 can be entered into the category (from afar) ?

[Ken Maltby]

My wish would be for this display With the latest/fastest multi-core SOC.

Luck;
Ken

[lkstrummer]

Originally Posted by glenk

I don't have the time to do this accurately but we should be able to determine the size of the screen from the image.

The key is the size of the mini USB plug which is fairly clearly shown in the image, that is an object with a known size within a mm or so, from that someone should be able to determine the size of the screen roughly enough to say whether it is a mini, 6", 7" or 7.8" screen.

On my monitor the mini USB port in the image is 4mm and the screen length in the image is 85mm.

On my Kobo Aura the size of the real mini USB port is roughly 7.5mm.

7.5/4 is 1.875. 1.875 * 85mm is 159.4mm.

So my guess is the length of the screen is roughly 160mm which will make is a 7.8 inch display.

Can anyone get a more accurate estimate?

EDIT: Of course all of this depends upon that actually being a mini USB port, I could be wrong.

I've estimated the size at 181.5 mm vertical length. I used a pixel distance of 18 for the Micro-usb port and a pixel distance of 412 for the overall length.

I own both an Aura One and an Aura H2O. The USB ports on both are roughly 7.93 mm.

So, 18/412 = 7.93/X

X = 181.5 roughly

The official specs for the Aura One give its vertical length as 195.1 mm.

This device/ the Forma features visibly reduced vertical bezels, relative to the Aura One. Reduced enough to accommodate the 13.6 mm (.535 inch) reduction in height.

Therefore, I feel certain that this will be a 7.8" device

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Michal Jancik

- PocketBook Inkpad 2 can be entered into the category (from afar) ?

I guess so. I didn't realize there was another one like that. Thanks.

[CH23]

Originally Posted by lkstrummer

I've estimated the size at 181.5 mm vertical length. I used a pixel distance of 18 for the Micro-usb port and a pixel distance of 412 for the overall length.

I own both an Aura One and an Aura H2O. The USB ports on both are roughly 7.93 mm.

So, 18/412 = 7.93/X

X = 181.5 roughly

The official specs for the Aura One give its vertical length as 195.1 mm.

This device/ the Forma features visibly reduced vertical bezels, relative to the Aura One. Reduced enough to accommodate the 13.6 mm (.535 inch) reduction in height.

Therefore, I feel certain that this will be a 7.8" device

I hope you're wrong, I'd really like a 10" Kobo :P

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I guess so. I didn't realize there was another one like that. Thanks.

The old Pocketbook 360 was perhaps the original buttons on one side ereader.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

The old Pocketbook 360 was perhaps the original buttons on one side ereader.

The Rocketbook (2001-ish) had buttons on the side of the screen.

[Pajamaman]

I hope the Kobo has the ambidextrous feature like the Oasis. Without it, the Kobo won't interest me. For me, the lack of buttons on both sides, and the lack of an easy way to do a next page is a show-stopper with the Kobo. If Kobo can't add it, then I hope community developers can add it. Otherwise I find the design rather pointless. They would be better putting the buttons on the bottom where both hands can easily reach them.

Really Kobo should do a voyage-style buttons on both side device and destroy the paperwhite, but like Amazon, they pushing buttons as a luxury only option.

[pickyaxe]

Wow, unless they somehow screw it up, I really want this. It's exactly what I need (even if the screen would still probably be a bit too small).

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The Rocketbook (2001-ish) had buttons on the side of the screen.

Oh yeah -- first E-ink one then?

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I hope the Kobo has the ambidextrous feature like the Oasis. Without it, the Kobo won't interest me. For me, the lack of buttons on both sides, and the lack of an easy way to do a next page is a show-stopper with the Kobo. If Kobo can't add it, then I hope community developers can add it. Otherwise I find the design rather pointless. They would be better putting the buttons on the bottom where both hands can easily reach them.

Really Kobo should do a voyage-style buttons on both side device and destroy the paperwhite, but like Amazon, they pushing buttons as a luxury only option.

Since they show it in landscape mode, I imagine it will also flip to left-hand buttons. If not, that would be a deal breaker for me too.

Right now my favorite form factor device is the Nook 3, but I prefer the larger screen and software of my Kobo Aura One.