What would you ideal Kobo reader look like?

[JeanPierre]

Kobo Aura ONE with the better quality comfort light and more accurate touchscreen. That's all

I'm not sure there'd be any point upgrading though. Perhaps if it also had better performance (due to improved CPU, etc)...

EDIT - I just read the Disappointed with new forma thread and maybe I don't want a "better quality comfort light" after all

[JAC70]

- Flat screen like the Kobo Aura 6"
- ComfortLight PRO, but also a reversed text night mode
- a real power button Aura Edition 2
- page turn arrows instead of zones. I'm always accidentally triggering the menu.
- USB-C charging port (no excuse for every device not to have this now)
- the narrowest bezels possible

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JAC70

- a real power button Aura Edition 2

What does that mean? From my brief playing with one in a shop, it seemed to have the same power button as the Aura ONE, and as I can power the device off with that, I would call it a "real power button".

[Urdu]

A Forma with a perfect screen - no blobs, bands and color differences - with the Libra H2O power button on the back. The software is getting better. And it is an open system. What is lacking can easily be added with the unsurpassed Kobopatches. Kobo produces good readers with poorly manufactured screens and lightning. I tried several Libra's and Forma's and they all have screen issues. I'm not the only one returning newly bought devices I was told. And that's not a good sign. First time Kobo buyers will change brand and never return to Kobo again. Improved screen quality must be top priority for Kobo.

[Sirtel]

The Libra would be the perfect Kobo for me, if the frontlight quality was better. It's still too uneven. While I'm not returning my Libra because of it (it's not that bad I can't live with it, and I've had Kindles with unevenly lit screens too), I agree many people might be disappointed.

In other respects I have no complaints. So far, at least.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by JeanPierre

Kobo Aura ONE with the better quality comfort light and more accurate touchscreen. That's all

Don't forget to add in a user replaceable battery (battery compartment) with a much better batter (at least twice as long before needing charged).

[dordale]

I love my Kobo Aura One-especially with the latest firmware. Feels like I have a brand new device. The only thing I would add is haptic page turn buttons--like the Kindle Voyage has--that would make the Aura One just about the perfect reader for me.

[Starker]

Seems I have lucked out immensely, since I have landed almost the perfect reader right out of the gate with Aura H2O. To think that when I bought it I only really knew I wanted to sideload books on a device and read them on the fly. Here's what makes it so great:

* Koreader greatly enhances the experience. Being able to easily access and manage the folders and files alone is great, but then there are lots of small things of convenience, like being able to turn the frontlight on and off with just one finger tap and being able to adjust font size (and other things) with just one swipe.
* Being able to install my own dictionaries is crucial for my work and for reading books in languages I haven't yet brought up to a really high level. Having access to learner's dictionaries or specialist vocabulary as needed makes a really big difference.
* I can use it as a makeshift flashcard device by setting the "screensaver" on random and having all the images in the screensaver folder be things I'm currently learning. It's no substitute to Ankidroid and proper SRS, but every bit helps.
* It reads all the formats I need: epub, pdf, html, txt, cbr, CBZ.
* It has enough space to accommodate my nearly 19 GB collection (lots of pdf files and some manga).
* It's waterproof, meaning I can safely read it in bath and don't have to worry about spilling coffee or getting soaked in rain (both of which have happened).
* The IR screen means I can even read at a bus stop with my gloves on when it's cold outside.
* The text looks really crisp without there being an another layer of capacitive screen, though I suppose it's not really that big of a difference.
* The screen doesn't get fingerprints like a flush screen does and reflection is not as much of an issue either.
* The sunken screen means I can lay the reader on the table face down without worrying about the screen getting scratches and I can pack it a bit more safely.
* It's just the right size to fit in my coat pocket.
* The longer bezel at the bottom is perfect for resting thumbs on in portrait mode or for holding in landscape mode.

If I were to wish for improvements, though, here's a few niggles I have:

* Probably my biggest complaint is that the bezels have a glossy surface that smudge oh so easily -- every fingerprint, every speck of dust and dirt immediately stands out.
* I wish it was possible to rotate the screen 180 degrees in landscape mode, so I could hold it in my right hand more easily.
* It could stand to be a bit lighter. Would make a lot of difference on longer reading sessions.
* I'm satisfied with the lighting, but looking at all the newfangled comfort lighting, I wonder if it couldn't be better.

And a few more things that I'm a bit more ambivalent about:

* Having buttons. It doesn't seem that much different from doing a finger tap on the screen (or a tiny thumb swipe when holding it left-handed in landscape orientation). But it doesn't seem like it would hurt either.
* A bigger screen. 6.8" might be good enough for books, but a larger screen would make it a bit easier to read manga with a lot of text and tiny furigana. Though it would also mean sacrificing portability a bit by making it bulkier. And even a foldable screen still seems a bit unwieldy to hold comfortably.
* Playing audio. Already have my phone for that, so this is just an unnecessary feature as far as I'm concerned.
* Colour. Might be nice for reading American comic books, though probably not worth the extra cost.

[jkelol111]

- A 6-7 inch Mobius Carta HD display (300ppi) for durability.
- ComfortLight Pro, with NO frontlight imperfections (like light bleed/uneven lighting).
- Comfortable body to grip on while lying in bed (ala Kobo Forma/Libra). MATTE coating over the plastics, please!
- Waterproofing to prevent against accidental immersion or splashes.
- iMX 7 processor because that's the future of most eReaders.
- 1GB RAM so that it can run the software comfortably, also to prevent planned obsolescence.
- 8-32 GB internal storage.
- Big enough battery to last > 2 weeks of heavy reading (2 hours per day).

- Not about the reader itself, but if Kobo can have a service like 'Send to Kindle', I'd have no more reason to envy my Kindle owning friends

[koboy]

i already have my ideal Kobo ereader.

best wishes koboy

[HolyAura]

A Kobo Libra H2O with Clara HD's lighting and battery, 16 GB of storage, 180g or lighter, USBC, support for audiobooks and built-in dictionaries with more word definitions.

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by koboy

i already have my ideal Kobo ereader.

best wishes koboy

which is?

[koboy]

Originally Posted by AnimalOfArt

which is?

thank you for asking. obviously the Kobo Aura 6" without a doubt the best ereader Kobo have and probably will ever make. at least it is in my own subjective opinion

best wishes koboy

[AnimalOfArt]

Originally Posted by koboy

thank you for asking. obviously the Kobo Aura 6" without a doubt the best ereader Kobo have and probably will ever make. at least it is in my own subjective opinion

best wishes koboy

Nice, i just bought a "new" Aura 6" from an old chinese inventory stock on ebay for 20$. I loved the design, but I'm not sure if will be bothered with the 212ppi-Pearl screen.

My ideal kobo reader would be an Aura 6" with 300ppi-Carta and Comfortlight Pro, i guess. But I don't think Kobo will make such a device because it would be too expensive. The Tolino Vision 4HD (The last device before Kobo bought into the Tolino Alliance) comes close to my ideal Kobo. Flush screen, 300ppi-Carta, amber lightnening and waterproof. But as it was released, they charged 180€ for it. That's whats the Libra H20 now costs and I doubt Kobo will put a 6 inch device in that price competition.

[Butterfly1234]

I would have my Clara, with the USB-connection where it is now, but the on/off button on the top.
The sorting of books would be like with the Tolino: you check your books either in "books" or in "authors".
in the "authors" section, there should not be "sort by first name" or "sort by last name".
It should just have "by name" and then it should always be like this: "Slaughter Karin, Fitzek Sebastian, Montefiore Santa...
Now it's always sorted by first name first and then last name, no matter what sorting method you choose. I find that very unpractical.