Upgrade or sidegrade options for Kobo Libra 2

[Starker]

Yeah, I did consider it briefly. Apart from the lack of waterproofing, it looks like a nice device.

[cfrizz]

No device is truly waterproof, usually just water resistant. Just how many times has any of your readers gotten wet? All of my readers have covers, I certainly don't put it around water nor do I read in a bathtub.

I don't let any of my electronics anywhere near water, that is just common sense.

[DNSB]

Actually, I've owned several devices that were waterproof to specified depths. Watches, depth gauges and even a Kobo Aura H2O ereader.

[Starker]

I often read in the bath, as it's a common way for me to relax. Kobo Libra 2 has an IPX8 rating, which means it can handle being submersed under water deeper than 1 meter for more than an hour. Or at least that it has been tested once to be able to do so.

I've defined waterproofing in my original post as protection against being briefly submersed in water, so usually IPX8 and IPX7 ratings are good enough for that purpose to give me enough peace of mind. IP classifications are not industry standards, but they are the closest we have and there's at least some testing involved.

The word "waterproof" is often used in marketing and in common parlance it means that a device will not let water inside its casing for some period of time. Similarly, "water resistant" usually means that there is some protection against casual spills and splashes and "water repellent" usually indicates that there is some sort of a coating over the electronics that repels water. None of these mean that a device is safe from all water for all time, just that there is some degree of protection against it with an unknown degree of durability and reliability.

[Renate]

I just put my ereader on my bathtub stand. It's not going anywhere.
My Bluetooth clicker I put in a baggie.
(I added a stopper on the underside of the left side after this photo was taken so the right side is not going to slip off.)

[John F]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

No device is truly waterproof, usually just water resistant. Just how many times has any of your readers gotten wet? ...

Maybe 5-10 times. I don't plan on using it 50' underwater while deep sea driving, so I think the waterproofing will be good enough for me.

[Starker]

I've dropped it a couple of times in the bath, once in a jacuzzi (the hotel had messed up my booking and gave me a suite with one), and I've been caught in a downpour where I and by extension the device in my pocket got soaking wet. The reader survived all of these, none worse for wear, at least as far as I can tell.

[cfrizz]

Ok, enjoy.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Starker

I often read in the bath, as it's a common way for me to relax. Kobo Libra 2 has an IPX8 rating, which means it can handle being submersed under water deeper than 1 meter for more than an hour. Or at least that it has been tested once to be able to do so.

Keep in mind that this means without bath salts / soapy water and definitely not salt water.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Keep in mind that this means without bath salts / soapy water and definitely not salt water.

I usually bathe in hydrofluoric acid.
It's a good exfoliant.

[McGonigle]

I’ve now lived with a Kobo Libra Colour for quite a while as my daily. Recently, I tried switching back to my still working Aura, allthough with a tired battery.

I found that my memories of the Aura were tinted by nostalgia and my many happy reading hours with that device.

It was heavy, and though the black and white screen was crisper than the Libra’s colour screen, the Libra is perfectly fine.

I even learned to love the physical page move buttons.

The only thing I’m still not keen on is the recessed screen and the bezel not being flush. This won’t bother the OP, but I keep a brush handy to remove dust that gets trapped there.

So, I would give the LC 2 colour my vote.

[Starker]

Originally Posted by McGonigle

This won’t bother the OP, but I keep a brush handy to remove dust that gets trapped there.

You are correct -- brush away to your heart's content.

[Sirtel]

While the Libra 2 has a sunken screen, it's not actually IR - it's capacitive. Very few devices use an IR screen these days. Most ereaders have a capacitive touch screen, sunken or flush.

[Starker]

If you have buttons, whether it's an IR screen or capacitive doesn't matter all that much. The advantage of IR screens is that you don't have to use your finger to touch the screen and can use the device with gloves, for example.

The issue with sunken vs flush screens is for me mainly about the ease of getting scratches on the screen. In my experience, flush screens are much more prone to getting them the way I handle my devices.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Starker

If you have buttons, whether it's an IR screen or capacitive doesn't matter all that much. The advantage of IR screens is that you don't have to use your finger to touch the screen and can use the device with gloves, for example. ...

Don't mean to nitpick, but, ...

I can use my capacitive readers with my heavy winter gloves (the gloves have some sort of coating for this purpose).

I see your point, but I think capactive touch compatible things are fairly common now: gloves, pens, styluses,...