Paperwhite vs Glow Kobo - specs please

[EldRick]

To me, the screen looks, without the lighting, about the same as all of the other eink screens.

Yes - the higher contrast claimed is solely because of the lighting. The higher resolution - around 210 ppi - is also on the Mini. The latest version of the e-ink Pearl screen in each case.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by Lunchtray

I'll need to test that out but I highly doubt that only running standby will increase battery life due to the 24hrs/day standby drain and reading vs powering up a few times a day and reading.

There's probably a limit where powering it up from off will tip the balances in favor of sleep but it's probably a large number of boots.

I'm curious - how long does it take to boot up from sleep? I'm thinking of ordering the Glo, but it would be my first Kobo reader (I currently have a pocketbook 360 and a Nook tablet). If I was constantly turning it off and on, but turning it on took a minute or more before I could begin reading, I think that would get annoying...

Thanks!

[beautifulsoup]

Random, maybe - but I'd like to know if other fonts can be downloaded to the Mini, or to the Glo (like they can with the Touch). I like my Delima font, but from looking at the demo and promo videos, I don't see it listed on the new models.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

I'm curious - how long does it take to boot up from sleep? I'm thinking of ordering the Glo, but it would be my first Kobo reader (I currently have a pocketbook 360 and a Nook tablet). If I was constantly turning it off and on, but turning it on took a minute or more before I could begin reading, I think that would get annoying...

My Touch unsleeps in a second, perhaps less.

Random, maybe - but I'd like to know if other fonts can be downloaded to the Mini, or to the Glo (like they can with the Touch). I like my Delima font, but from looking at the demo and promo videos, I don't see it listed on the new models.

beautifulsoup: Sameer has confirmed here that the Glo will allow sideloaded fonts, but that they won't be able to take advantage of TypeGenius.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by SameerH

I'll double check this for you, but I'm 80% certain that this is the case since it is not the flexible display. The 'no glass, no glare' in the marketing material refers to the lack of a capacitive touch-screen layer which some manufacturers have used, and can sometimes come with a reflective finish which can be quite annoying to read on. We use IR touch which does not require any glass on top of the display.

Those were resistive touch not capacitive. Capacitive touch is done with a chemical 'paint' and doesn't effect screen clarity.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by meeera

My Touch unsleeps in a second, perhaps less.

D'oh!! Sorry, I mis-spoke (mis-typed?). I meant to ask how long it takes to start up from a power off, not a sleep (where it's just "resting" but is really ready to go at a touch).

Thanks!

[Haesslich]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Those were resistive touch not capacitive. Capacitive touch is done with a chemical 'paint' and doesn't effect screen clarity.

Is he perhaps referring to the way many modern capacitance based touchscreens use a glass outer layer as the surface? I'm pretty sure the optical effects he's referring to are the glare reflected from glass-based touchscreens like those used in most modern devices.

Certainly, the IR doesn't need a special surface, but you do lose multitouch. Not that the Kobo Touch or Kindle Touch needed it. Dunno how the Paperwhite will handle that.

[ijdod]

Originally Posted by EldRick

Yes - the higher contrast claimed is solely because of the lighting. The higher resolution - around 210 ppi - is also on the Mini. The latest version of the e-ink Pearl screen in each case.

The PPI count on the smaller model in itself isn't new, most older 5" readers I'm aware of have the same resolution (and thus also the higher PPI).

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Haesslich

Certainly, the IR doesn't need a special surface, but you do lose multitouch. Not that the Kobo Touch or Kindle Touch needed it. Dunno how the Paperwhite will handle that.

Actually, the IR the Kobo Glo has does support multitouch. However, the Kobo Glo firmware doesn't...

SameerH's post confirming the IR type (neonode): https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...43#post2216643

The neonode IR confirming Kobo uses it (1st paragraph) and confirming multi-touch (2nd paragraph): http://www.neonode.com/zforce®-neono...-rave-reviews/

[Haesslich]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Actually, the IR the Kobo Glo has does support multitouch. However, the Kobo Glo firmware doesn't...

SameerH's post confirming the IR type (neonode): https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...43#post2216643

The neonode IR confirming Kobo uses it (1st paragraph) and confirming multi-touch (2nd paragraph): http://www.neonode.com/zforce®-neono...-rave-reviews/

I knew it used the Neonode, but not that the lack of multitouch was a limitation of the Kobo firmware.

I do find it curious how they emphasize the lack of 'glass' for the touchscreen (so as to compare it to a tablet or smartphone), without addressing the fragility of the glass-based eInk products, which this appears to be. Unless we can get a clear confirmation they're not using the glass substrate.

[ArmorDog]

Originally Posted by Haesslich

I knew it used the Neonode, but not that the lack of multitouch was a limitation of the Kobo firmware.

I do find it curious how they emphasize the lack of 'glass' for the touchscreen (so as to compare it to a tablet or smartphone), without addressing the fragility of the glass-based eInk products, which this appears to be. Unless we can get a clear confirmation they're not using the glass substrate.

If I recall correctly, Sameer said in another thread that they are using a glass substrate screen. The "no glass" thing refers to the lack of a glass touch/light layer on top of the screen (which can cause readability problems).

[scrapking]

Originally Posted by TongueTied

I'm torn. I can't wait for a side by side review and since I'm out here on the edge of the world, you guys in Canada and the US will likely be posting those reviews long before either the Paperwhite or Glo get out here.

At present, the Paperwhite only has a U.S. launch date (as opposed to a North American launch, meaning Canada is not included at this time). Their previous e-ink model (Kindle Touch) was released internationally the following year after the U.S. launch. So for most countries, the only front-lit model on the market from one of the major players in 2012 looks to be the Kobo Glo.

[vitor.fernandes]

Originally Posted by sombreastre

Lunchtray, on a sidenote, If you don't mind me asking, why do you turn it off and on? Doesn't kobo touch have a stand-by mode which should drain no battery?(unless indexing some new book).

Hello guys, I am shocked nobody here seems to know how e-ink works, it doesnt work like LCD so, it uses battery not per minute or per month, but per page, it only takes battery when you change pages, and the content stays on the screen like real ink stays on paper. Saying it lasts a month or 2 is relative, depends on how fast you read.

With this information, of course it is best to leave it in standby, even if you only get back to it a few days later, it still takes less battery than rebooting the device.

[sombreastre]

Originally Posted by vitor.fernandes

Hello guys, I am shocked nobody here seems to know how e-ink works, it doesnt work like LCD so, it uses battery not per minute or per month, but per page, it only takes battery when you change pages, and the content stays on the screen like real ink stays on paper. Saying it lasts a month or 2 is relative, depends on how fast you read.

With this information, of course it is best to leave it in standby, even if you only get back to it a few days later, it still takes less battery than rebooting the device.

I heard of that, but you do realize that the eink screen, which of course only uses battery when changing state/page, is not the only component of an ebook reader?

Although on the same note, amazon folks have been telling the same story since their earliest models: kindle standby would not drain the battery in the least (customer service replies to people asking if they should power off or not). I don't know whether that's not true or if kobo works differently, but we now know for sure that at least in older models, there was a significant battery drainage during standby mode, with kobo. Maybe in later models they've put in bigger batteries which can stand standby for much longer periods than before, thus eliminating any need to power off. I also know that I have a kindle4 and never power it off. Battery lasts just fine for weeks of intense use, not sure why.

[Danger]

Originally Posted by vitor.fernandes

...

With this information, of course it is best to leave it in standby, even if you only get back to it a few days later, it still takes less battery than rebooting the device.

I know for a fact that my KT battery life is much longer with it's set to 15mins sleep, 30mins turnoff as opposed to keeping it in sleep mode only. My K2 (wifi) was the same way, the battery life was much shorter when I only put it in sleep mode rather than turning if off, say when I go to bed.