Kobo Aura One is REAL!

[barryem]

I've just been reading the specs on the new Kobo Aura 2, the 6" replacement for the original Aura. Here's a link:

https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-aura

I'm a bit disappointed. I had hoped for another flush bezel and screen like the original. That's not important, exactly, but it really feels good in my hand and I've grown to like it. If it had a flush bezel I'm sure I'd get one. As it is I'll have to think about it. It still looks pretty good but not as good.

I do most of my reading on my Voyage but the Aura is usually my second choice and that flush bezel is the real reason. Again, not for any reason I can state. I just like it. It feels right to me.

Actually the Aura would be my first choice except that mine has a flaw. If I accidentally press too hard on the lower part of the case, even well off the screen, it begins turning pages. It's screen isn't nearly as good as my Voyage's screen but it's good enough and the size is just right.

The screen density is 212 ppi, which surprises me. I can't really tell the difference in my Paperwhite 1's or Paperwhite 2's low density screen and my Voyage and Paperwhite 3's high density screen so this isn't something I care that much about but a lot of people do and I'm surprised they haven't kept up. It's the same price as the Paperwhite, too.

It's slightly taller and heavier than the original Aura but probably not enough to matter much. All in all it looks pretty good but I'm not sure it's going to impress anyone based on the specs. Of course it's purpose is for reading, not impressing, so hopefully it'll do that well.

Barry

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

There are more complete answers in the Kobo forum but common perceptions are:
- faster page turns
- more responsive/accurate when selecting text for annotations or small sub-/superscripts
- footnotes display as pop-ups

Personally I choose standard epubs most of the time unless a book is particularly loaded with footnotes.

The main thing to note is that calibre plugins make it easy to choose kepub when you want it or standard epub when you don't.

Weird. Why would a different format be more accurate in the selection of small hyperlinks?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Weird. Why would a different format be more accurate in the selection of small hyperlinks?

Different rendering engine (Access vs RMSDK) handling things differently?

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Different rendering engine (Access vs RMSDK) handling things differently?

Could be; maybe that rendering engine has a bigger clickable space around the links or something. I was just thinking that the accuracy of the screen itself shouldn't be influenced by the software.

[jscris]

Originally Posted by barryem

I've just been reading the specs on the new Kobo Aura 2, the 6" replacement for the original Aura. Here's a link:

https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-aura

I'm a bit disappointed. I had hoped for another flush bezel and screen like the original. That's not important, exactly, but it really feels good in my hand and I've grown to like it. If it had a flush bezel I'm sure I'd get one.

Barry

Thanks for the link. Same here. I would buy it with the flush bezel. Not without.

[avid01]

Possibly no one has tried it yet. How it might work out for PDFs? And what other reader might also be good for PDFs, besides tablets? Large screen, high density. I have an old, small screen, low density Kindle.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by barryem

The screen density is 212 ppi, which surprises me. I can't really tell the difference in my Paperwhite 1's or Paperwhite 2's low density screen and my Voyage and Paperwhite 3's high density screen so this isn't something I care that much about but a lot of people do and I'm surprised they haven't kept up. It's the same price as the Paperwhite, too.

I'm surprised at the Aura 2's specs (212 ppi) when the already released Glo HD (300 ppi) seems better for only $10 more. Maybe there's something we aren't seeing in the specs and pics to make the Aura 2 compelling? Does it have a flush screen despite the way it looks in images?

[Katsunami]

Tweakers.net says that the Kobo Aura ONE will be released on september 6, for €229, in the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg).

[howyoudoin]

Thanks for the video review links, JSWolf.

Something (possibly) interesting that I noticed in the TechCrunch video at around the 00:45-00:48 mark - are my eyes playing tricks on me or did he just go from the regular layout to a two column layout for that page?



Possibility 1, it's a PDF and he went from reflow mode to original layout. If I'm not mistaken, we have not had PDF reflow on Kobos so far?
Possibility 2, it's an ePub/KePub, and two column layout is now a feature.

[djazz]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

Thanks for the video review links, JSWolf.

Something (possibly) interesting that I noticed in the TechCrunch video at around the 00:45-00:48 mark - are my eyes playing tricks on me or did he just go from the regular layout to a two column layout for that page?



Possibility 1, it's a PDF and he went from reflow mode to original layout. If I'm not mistaken, we have not had PDF reflow on Kobos so far?
Possibility 2, it's an ePub/KePub, and two column layout is now a feature.

Screen didn't flash either.. Maybe he zoomed out?

[robko]

Your eyes aren't deceiving you, I did notice that but it didn't sink in till you mentioned it. That's an epub or kepub based on the menu he's opened with font setting etc. and being able to highlight on it. But I guess it could be a reflow pdf and have that. Will be interesting to see.

ETA: the fully page that he's reading at about 0:20 is a different document to what he's reading at 0:45, so no real hints as to whether the book is 2 column on it's own or adjusted to that. Not that current ones can show 2 column in any way.

[Smartie]

sold! Hopefully I can sell my H2o at good price

[Blossom]

Any mention if it's IR Touch or Capacitive yet?

Sent from my XT1528

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by djazz

Screen didn't flash either.. Maybe he zoomed out?

It was a fade from one shot to a different shot. So while the screen before the columns is a eBook, the other could be PDF.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Any mention if it's IR Touch or Capacitive yet?

Sent from my XT1528

It has to be capacitive because the bezel is flush. IR does not work with a flush screen.