Worth updating from a Libra H2O?

[some call me tim]

Hi all, it's been many years since I've been on this forum, I'm glad to see that it's still alive and active. I've recently developed an urge to upgrade from my current ereader, a Libra H2O. The Libra still works, but I'm not entirely enamored with it. It's slow and a bit buggy when navigating menus. My overdrive functionality is wonky--it doesn't always sync properly, it will not register that I've checked out a book at times, only for the book to appear days later on my device. Sometimes it will hold a charge for weeks, and sometimes it won't. The actual reading part is fine most of the time, it just has enough quirks that it can be frustrating at times.

So, I've been thinking about upgrading, but finding the current selection of ereaders to be lacking. The main things I'm looking for are physical buttons, comfort, and good functionality. The Libra Colour seems like a natural option, but I'm seeing mixed reviews about the clarity of the screen. I was looking at the Boox Go 7 B&W, but it looks like the cheapest I can find it in the US is ~$275, which seems a bit steep. There is a cheaper option to order it from Hong Kong, but it would potentially be subject to tariffs, unclear how much that would be. I really don't care about color or note taking. If I could have an updated version of my current Libra, that would probably be perfect. It seems like the Libra 2 would have been ideal, but sadly it looks like that ship has sailed.

I guess I'm wondering if the Libra Colour is really that bad in terms of clarity. Or if the Boox Go 7 is worth the premium. Or if there's some other option out there that would fit the bill. Or if the gains in any of these devices would be minimal and I'm just better off sticking with the H20, watts and all. I appreciate any advice you folks might have.

[salamanderjuice]

I think it's best if you can try the Libra Colour and decide for yourself. Yes, there is a contrast loss, it looks greyer compared to a BW version. Personally I think it's fine, I can still read it with the front light off in a lot of scenarios, it's still really sharp for BW content and of course is better for colour stuff.

The rest of the device is very good. It's the first Kobo I've had that actually feels snappy, the battery life is good, it's still light, etc.

Some people on here will vehemently say the colour screens are no good but I really think they deserve a shot. Maybe they're not for everyone but maybe you won't mind the tradeoffs.

[tm3]

Originally Posted by some call me tim

The main things I'm looking for are physical buttons, comfort, and good functionality.

I really miss physical buttons, and just went round and round deciding if I wanted to try a new reader that has them. The Libra Colour and Nook seem to be the top contenders, but digging into the details revealed what are to me some significant negatives.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here with a lot of good info, but, I think that for wringing out which details matter and why, nothing beats YouTube. I especially like this dude, but there are other good ones:

https://youtu.be/6jZaTTuL-EQ?si=k8qQyeOkdgxUa6B8

[some call me tim]

Originally Posted by tm3

I really miss physical buttons, and just went round and round deciding if I wanted to try a new reader that has them. The Libra Colour and Nook seem to be the top contenders, but digging into the details revealed what are to me some significant negatives.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here with a lot of good info, but, I think that for wringing out which details matter and why, nothing beats YouTube. I especially like this dude, but there are other good ones:

https://youtu.be/6jZaTTuL-EQ?si=k8qQyeOkdgxUa6B8

Yeah, I've combed through a lot of YouTube. It seems like a lot of the content is focused on the latest tech these days though, mainly about note taking ability and such (which I have no interest in). Or if they're talking about the Libra Colour, they're just gushing about how they're happy they made the switch from Kindle. I'm familiar with your guy you linked, funnily enough I saw a video of his where he was criticizing the Libra H2O over things like the location of your power button and charge port, and saying how horrible the page turn buttons are. I don't know if I find his reviews to be the most objective.

I was hoping that some of the enthusiasts here might have first hand experience with the old Libra H2O and the newer devices to see if the upgrade is worth it. So far, what I'm finding is that it doesn't seem like it.

[cgsmom]

Well, I love playing with different readers. I currently have a Kobo Clara Colour, Kindle Colorsoft SE, Nook GL4 and GL4+.

A lot of YouTubers raved about the Kindle Colorsoft as having much better color than the Kobo. I actually prefer to color screen of the Kobo. I don't read manga so the only time I use color is for my library covers. I think the Kobo is clearer. The Colorsoft is so dark that when it is asleep I can't even tell what book I am reading by the cover on the lockscreen. A small thing for sure, but I noticed it.

I also prefer buttons. My Nooks are by far the most comfortable to hold and read on. The only reason that I didn't buy the Kobo Libra Colour is because I change hands frequently when I read. I hate having to rotate my reader every time I change hands. (I learned this on the Kindle Oasis) With the Kobo Clara Color I can set the touch zones so I can turn pages easily with my left thumb.

All that said, I love the color screens and my Kobo is my current reader of choice. However, if Barnes & Noble releases a color Nook, I am sure that I will buy it immediately

[some call me tim]

Originally Posted by cgsmom

Well, I love playing with different readers. I currently have a Kobo Clara Colour, Kindle Colorsoft SE, Nook GL4 and GL4+.

A lot of YouTubers raved about the Kindle Colorsoft as having much better color than the Kobo. I actually prefer to color screen of the Kobo. I don't read manga so the only time I use color is for my library covers. I think the Kobo is clearer. The Colorsoft is so dark that when it is asleep I can't even tell what book I am reading by the cover on the lockscreen. A small thing for sure, but I noticed it.

I also prefer buttons. My Nooks are by far the most comfortable to hold and read on. The only reason that I didn't buy the Kobo Libra Colour is because I change hands frequently when I read. I hate having to rotate my reader every time I change hands. (I learned this on the Kindle Oasis) With the Kobo Clara Color I can set the touch zones so I can turn pages easily with my left thumb.

All that said, I love the color screens and my Kobo is my current reader of choice. However, if Barnes & Noble releases a color Nook, I am sure that I will buy it immediately

I was actually just out running some errands and I stopped by B&N and looked at the GL4+. I really liked the form factor and larger screen. Unfortunately, they didn't have it set up in a demo mode, so I couldn't really play around with it. From what I've seen in reviews, it seems like the main complaint is the software is slow and clunky. And that using library books is a pain. How would you rate the user experience compared to your other readers?

And with your color readers, do you find that the display is worse than on your Nook when it comes to the reading experience?

[cgsmom]

Originally Posted by some call me tim

I was actually just out running some errands and I stopped by B&N and looked at the GL4+. I really liked the form factor and larger screen. Unfortunately, they didn't have it set up in a demo mode, so I couldn't really play around with it. From what I've seen in reviews, it seems like the main complaint is the software is slow and clunky. And that using library books is a pain. How would you rate the user experience compared to your other readers?

And with your color readers, do you find that the display is worse than on your Nook when it comes to the reading experience?

I cannot dispute those points. Maybe that is why I have so many readers. None of them are perfect. I have never bothered to try to get library books on my Nooks because they are so easy to read with my Kobo or Kindle. It is my understanding that you can transfer them using Adobe Digital Editions, but I have not tried it.

I also rarely use the store on my readers. I am usually reading reviews and comparing prices on my computer so I just buy from there.

As for the reading experience on my Nooks. I don't have any problems searching and find books in the library. When you select a book, the Nook takes noticeably longer to open than on my Kindle or Kobo. But we are probably just talking about 4 or 5 seconds. Once the book is open, the page turns are just as fast as any reader and I always prefer buttons to screen taps and swipes. The Nook does not have the Wikipedia and Translation feature of Kindles.

If I put my color readers next to the Nooks, you can tell the difference in contrast because of the color layer. The Nooks have very nice screens. The GL4+ has a flush screen and you can tell the difference between the 4 and the 4+. However, I don't think it is enough to worry about. I certainly don't read with 2 readers side by side. I am happy with the screen quality of all my readers. I do keep the light turned up a couple of notches on the color readers because of that.

You cannot load fonts on to the Nook. However I found one of the Nook fonts that I like, so I loaded it on to my Kobo and Kindle. So all my readers have the same font.

Well, I have gotten more wordy that I intended. The Nooks are definitely limited by their software, but I think they are perfectly good readers. You might ask about a return window in case you don't think you can live with their limitations. Good luck!

[Starker]

Originally Posted by cgsmom

I don't read manga so the only time I use color is for my library covers.

The vast majority of manga is black and white only.

[tm3]

I'll just toss this into the mix ......

In my desire to return to page turn buttons, I landed on the current Nook GL 4+ as something that sounded like a great pick. However, YT reviews pointed out that it has significant lag when highlighting and making notes. That would drive me crazy. Another ereader I looked into was criticized for its page turn buttons being inaccurate, which would also drive me nuts.

PCMag has some pretty detailed reviews, but they downgraded one of the ereaders because of the need to sideload from a computer -- no problem for me at all.

Anyway, the devil is in the details and individual preference for the trade offs.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tm3

I'll just toss this into the mix ......

In my desire to return to page turn buttons, I landed on the current Nook GL 4+ as something that sounded like a great pick. However, YT reviews pointed out that it has significant lag when highlighting and making notes. That would drive me crazy. Another ereader I looked into was criticized for its page turn buttons being inaccurate, which would also drive me nuts.

PCMag has some pretty detailed reviews, but they downgraded one of the ereaders because of the need to sideload from a computer -- no problem for me at all.

Anyway, the devil is in the details and individual preference for the trade offs.

While the nook hardware is good, the firmware is a disaster.

[tm3]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

While the nook hardware is good, the firmware is a disaster.

Which in this day and age, baffles me.

Smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc. all have their little differences and quirks, but as far as I can tell the basic operation is pretty good across the board.

I can understand how the colors on different eInk displays may differ, how the note taking may be a little "off," etc., but I don't understand how that firmware can be so clunky re the highlights, notes, etc., and how page turn buttons can be inaccurate.

[cgsmom]

Originally Posted by tm3

I'll just toss this into the mix ......

In my desire to return to page turn buttons, I landed on the current Nook GL 4+ as something that sounded like a great pick. However, YT reviews pointed out that it has significant lag when highlighting and making notes. That would drive me crazy. Another ereader I looked into was criticized for its page turn buttons being inaccurate, which would also drive me nuts.

PCMag has some pretty detailed reviews, but they downgraded one of the ereaders because of the need to sideload from a computer -- no problem for me at all.

Anyway, the devil is in the details and individual preference for the trade offs.

You have a good point. Individual preference is really what matters. I can't comment on highlighting and note taking because I don't ever do that. I have no complaints about page turns. I have a lot more trouble with page turns on my Colorsoft and Clara Colour without buttons than I do on my Nooks.

[cfrizz]

Here is my review of the Boox Go 7 I put on Amazon. As well as some pictures. I still have my Kobo H20.

My brother got this for me for Christmas, since it has been on my wish list for a while. I wanted this for the freedom that it offers in that I'm not tied to any particular store and having access to Google Play to explore other reading apps is great. Choice is good!!!

I have the black version so the screen is glass, it is very thin and light so a protective cover is mandatory. I also wouldn't carry it with me for trips because I wouldn't want to put the reader at risk for breaks, it's too expensive for that. That is what my covered Kobo reader is for.

I like that it offers page turn buttons, I love all the fonts that are available on it. My favorite is the bold option. I also love the fact that it has an SD card slot. I put all my music on a card so that I can play my music with headphones while reading.

Now to address some other comments I've read. Does it take a while to boot up? Yes, but it is a tablet not just an e-reader, so it has a lot more to check which of course takes a little time. Compare the boot up time with your phone or tablet it is probably the same. It also has lots of options for you to sort through and check out when you first get it if you wish. But once you have it set up, you are good to go.

If you just want to sit down and read, get a Kobo or Kindle. But you also have to set these up when you first get them.

Does the battery last long? It seems to run down faster than Kobo or Kindle, but compared to the Sony T1 that I had, all of them run down faster than that machine! I easily got two months out of it without recharging. But again, I have never understood the angst over this, if it needs recharging I simply plug it in. But you can easily get a whole day out of it especially if you keep wifi off. As far as ghosting goes, I haven't noticed any, but I have it set to refresh with every page turn.

So long as you do your research so that you know exactly what you are getting when you buy a Boox, you shouldn't be disappointed. I know I'm not. I have an excellent e-reader that will load any book I want onto it from any store I get them from. It also sideloads any books you may have bought years ago from stores that no longer exist from your computer.

I value having flexibility and choice rather than being locked into only one option. The Boox allows me this freedom.

I am very happy with my Boox Go 7 Black B&W Tablet for reading books.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I value having flexibility and choice rather than being locked into only one option. The Boox allows me this freedom.

Just a note, thanks to calibre and deDRM plugins a lot of us are in no way locked into only one option either, even without an Android ereader. I can read any book I want on my Kobos, no matter the store I got it from. I buy from Kobo, from Amazon, from Google Play and so on. And I read them all on my Kobos or (rarely, though) on my Android phone with Moon Reader Pro.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Just a note, thanks to calibre and deDRM plugins a lot of us are in no way locked into only one option either, even without an Android ereader. I can read any book I want on my Kobos, no matter the store I got it from. I buy from Kobo, from Amazon, from Google Play and so on. And I read them all on my Kobos or (rarely, though) on my Android phone with Moon Reader Pro.

But the vast majority of people do not and will not go through all of that. We are a very different bunch then the majority of people who read ebooks. Most just want to sit down open their ereader their phone, their tablet and read.

I used to purchase Amazon books and do the whole drm thing, finally I just didn't want to be bothered and just stuck with Kobo. Now with my Boox I can have all the books I have bought from both stores downloaded directly to my Boox if I choose to do so.

But I have always preferred to sideload from my pc to my readers.

Plus I couldn't really go on Amazon and declare that I break DRM on purpose so that I can convert their books to epubs to read on my Kobo.