Libra Kobo Libra H2O - first reviews

[mathil]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

if I had to buy a new reader this would probably be it (white, with page turn buttons, in this day and age? I'm sold!)

but probably it doesn't have internal sd card slot anymore?

No inside pictures yet, but I bet the memory is soldered like the Forma (for impermeability).

[ps67]

In Italian: (but with google's help everybody can understand)

https://www.smartworld.it/recensioni/kobo-libra-h20

€ 179,00, € 71,00 cheaper than Oasis 3.

I prefer larger ones (may be I could buy a Forma) but it is an interesting device.
The reviewer noticed a great difference in performance between Kepub and Epub.

[Nirekeyaki]

- Low-contrast screen

- ¿Gradient?: "For the most part, the Libra H2O's backlighting is just as even as both of the Kindles, so it looks like the entire screen is illuminated. The one place it fails is the quarter-inch of space on the side of the screen next to the buttons, where the lighting is slightly dimmer."

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/kobo-libra-h2o

[meeera]

Originally Posted by meeera

Anything about the substrate?

Ars Technica says no Mobius. Then says that's a trivial difference and it's basically the Forma's little sibling.

Nope, it's not. But that's my upgrade fever done with for this cycle, which I guess is a plus!

[cerem0ny]

That is one seriously ugly piece of tech.

[tourneur]

Originally Posted by davidfor

And look, they removed the options to hide the header and footer when reading!

According to the Ars Technica review you can still disable the header and footer. I hope that's true.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019...s-for-readers/

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by Nirekeyaki

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/kobo-libra-h2o

that review is a bit odd

they want the case be made of metal? won't your hands be cold when reading?

Also, when I'm spending more than $150 on an e-reader, I'd hope that it would be metal, and not the plastic that the Libra H2O is made of.

and the low contrast seems to refer to while browsing the kobo store.

The Libra H2O's color contrast — which admittedly is not as important as text rendering — is also a bit below what I expect at this price. As I browsed the Kobo Store online, this caused book covers to appear slightly less clear in thumbnail form than on the Kindles I've reviewed in the past.

well, these are not important to me

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by mathil

They sure did, which is a bummer - I'd gotten used to hiding the footer. I'm used to patching already, so I hope that someone will come up with something as well (maybe we'll be able to activate it in the .conf file?).

Thank you for taking the bait. You won't need to go the the config file.

I do like the percentage at the top always being shown though. The new in-book menus look good IMO.

Originally Posted by tourneur

According to the Ars Technica review you can still disable the header and footer. I hope that's true.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019...s-for-readers/

Yes, there are more options, not less for the header and footer. They don't mention it, but, it is visible in one of the photos, there is a very thin progress bar across the bottom of the screen.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by davidfor

And look, they removed the options to hide the header and footer when reading!

That.... really sucks.. I hope it still works if the option is added to the conf file.

[latepaul]

Product page is up at UK Kobo store, but not linked to from "Ereaders" menu yet.

£149, pre-order Sept 10.

[frostschutz]

Aww, they sell in UK, France, Italy, Spain, ... but not Germany.

Oh well, I really shouldn't, anyway.

[NiLuJe]

@frostschutz: They don't have a partnership with a brick & mortar shop in Germany?

(f.g., I've never actually bought mine directly from Kobo in France, I've always gone through Fnac, their historical French partner. It's not yet available for preorder from them, though. But, IIRC, that was the case for the Forma, too, it only popped up a bit later.).

[mathil]

Originally Posted by Nirekeyaki

- Low-contrast screen

- ¿Gradient?: "For the most part, the Libra H2O's backlighting is just as even as both of the Kindles, so it looks like the entire screen is illuminated. The one place it fails is the quarter-inch of space on the side of the screen next to the buttons, where the lighting is slightly dimmer."

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/kobo-libra-h2o

Thanks - It's not visible in the video review, at least, unless they're talking about the shadow cast from the raised bezel.

@davidfor: You got me it did seem weird that they'd removed options instead of adding new ones. I love the new progress bar though!

I'm seriously thinking about updating to a white Libra. My latest 'bigger' ereader was the first edition H2O, and I'd been thinking about updating to the Forma but was worried because of the price... this is perfect

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by meeera

Ars Technica says no Mobius. Then says that's a trivial difference and it's basically the Forma's little sibling.

Nope, it's not. But that's my upgrade fever done with for this cycle, which I guess is a plus!

If one already has a recent ereader from the last few years there really isn't much incentive. It's such low tech there really is not much room for growth anymore. Though imo the form factors could have been better on the Kindle and Forma and this new "baby forma". They just don't seem to be really trying anymore. Probably because they don't sell as many as they used to.

[davidfor]

It's already up on the Kobo AU site. Listed at $249 which is $10 more that the Aura H2O was. Pre-order from September 10th.

Now, the Libra or the Forma? I liked the Forma before my wife saw it. But, the smaller size might be better. Do you think she'd notice if I came back with both?