TeleRead Review: Kobo Clara HD

[Robotech_Master]

Just finished my review of the e-reader for TeleRead.

To sum up, although there are a few areas where the Paperwhite beats it, I think that the Clara HD is overall the (slightly) better device.

[Barbara1955]

The Kobo Clara HD's backlit screen

Well I Stop reading when a Reviewer cant even Start with Facts...

[rashkae]

First, Kudos on taking the time to do a proper review. I am sooo, tired of tech 'reviews' that only take a 5 minute look at a device and then the review consists of repeating the marketing blurbs from company press release.

Only one thing I would point out. The Kindle text boldness adjustment works just fine with sideloaded azw3 books. (Page flip, however, remains an Amazon exclusive.)

I think the larger screen on the Aura one is much more game changing than the relatively underwhelming Oasis2, and at half the cost, that one is a no brainer between the two... even given the AO's faults.

[Robotech_Master]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

The Kobo Clara HD's backlit screen

Well I Stop reading when a Reviewer cant even Start with Facts...

Whoops! I made especially careful to say frontlit in the body of the review, but that caption seems to have slipped by me. Fixed!

Originally Posted by rashkae

First, Kudos on taking the time to do a proper review. I am sooo, tired of tech 'reviews' that only take a 5 minute look at a device and then the review consists of repeating the marketing blurbs from company press release.

Only one thing I would point out. The Kindle text boldness adjustment works just fine with sideloaded azw3 books. (Page flip, however, remains an Amazon exclusive.)

You can make azw3 books now? I thought that was an Amazon-exclusive format.

I think the larger screen on the Aura one is much more game changing than the relatively underwhelming Oasis2, and at half the cost, that one is a no brainer between the two... even given the AO's faults.

Yeah, but who has that much money to spend on an e-ink reader?

[Lady Stardust]

Originally Posted by Robotech_Master

You can make azw3 books now? I thought that was an Amazon-exclusive format.

You can convert into azw3 format in Calibre since ages back.

[haydnfan]

The price amounts quoted in the review are incorrect.

In the US Paperwhite with ads costs $120 not $110 USD. But it is even more important to consider the appropriate market. In Canada, where there far more Kobo users, the Paperwhite with ads and the Clara HD both cost $140 CND. That makes the no ads, no disruptions marketing piece very appropriate.

[haydnfan]

Also

"It is worth noting, however, that users can use Calibre or the Kepubify utility to convert other formats into KePub ebooks (as long as the source ebook doesn’t have DRM on it, of course), whereas the only way to make a book in Kindle’s proprietary format (that I know of) is to publish and sell it on Amazon. "

No you can convert to kfx with an appropriate plugin in Calibre.

[haydnfan]

That was a good, thorough review. I feel like it is rare to see the actual UI discussed in detail.

The only thing I would add is a point for Kindle for having the superior listview (petty rant time). Kobo should have not have thumbnails in list view. It should just have the title, author and some indication of length in one line to maximize the entries. The list view should be able to show more titles than the cover view. It is meant to be economical. Instead it shows less in the Kobo!

[Robotech_Master]

Originally Posted by haydnfan

The price amounts quoted in the review are incorrect.

In the US Paperwhite with ads costs $120 not $110 USD. But it is even more important to consider the appropriate market. In Canada, where there far more Kobo users, the Paperwhite with ads and the Clara HD both cost $140 CND. That makes the no ads, no disruptions marketing piece very appropriate.

A good point. I'm not sure how I misquoted the Kindle's price, because I very specifically went to the Amazon page to check it while writing the article. Maybe my eye was fooled by the $119.99 into seeing $110. Fixed now.

Originally Posted by haydnfan

Also

"It is worth noting, however, that users can use Calibre or the Kepubify utility to convert other formats into KePub ebooks (as long as the source ebook doesn’t have DRM on it, of course), whereas the only way to make a book in Kindle’s proprietary format (that I know of) is to publish and sell it on Amazon. "

No you can convert to kfx with an appropriate plugin in Calibre.

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

You can convert into azw3 format in Calibre since ages back.

Huh, I looked it up and you're right. Updated that part of the review.

Originally Posted by haydnfan

That was a good, thorough review. I feel like it is rare to see the actual UI discussed in detail.

The only thing I would add is a point for Kindle for having the superior listview (petty rant time). Kobo should have not have thumbnails in list view. It should just have the title, author and some indication of length in one line to maximize the entries. The list view should be able to show more titles than the cover view. It is meant to be economical. Instead it shows less in the Kobo!

Another good point. Though I would point out that the Kindle uses three lines of text for each listing even without the thumbnail, which is about the same as the Kobo, so the difference isn't really that pronounced. Added that too.

[patrik]

A pretty good article in general, and it would be nice to read a review without having the frame "we all use kindles, here's something new, let's look at it" pushed onto one.

[jackie_w]

@Robotech_Master,

As your article has gone into detail about manually editing the .conf file so you can take screenshots you may also like to know that you can use a similar edit to remove the header & footer wasted space you also made a point of in your article.

[FeatureSettings]
FullScreenReading=true

will add an extra checkbox to your Settings - Reading Settings page so you can henceforth display/remove header/footer at your convenience.

[Robotech_Master]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

@Robotech_Master,

As your article has gone into detail about manually editing the .conf file so you can take screenshots you may also like to know that you can use a similar edit to remove the header & footer wasted space you also made a point of in your article.

[FeatureSettings]
FullScreenReading=true

will add an extra checkbox to your Settings - Reading Settings page so you can henceforth display/remove header/footer at your convenience.

Well, I'll be darned. It works. That's a LOT nicer-looking.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Robotech_Master

Well, I'll be darned. It works. That's a LOT nicer-looking.

I don't think I would use a Kobo without this hack. And there's all kinds of things you can do if you patch the Kobo firmware. I like both the Kindles and the Kobos (probably the Kindles a little more for the dictionary, features and Amazon infrastructure and because I'm more used to them) but there's no question that the Kobos are much, much easier to customize.

[Larla]

You mentioned annotations but there is another kind of annotation; the one's included in a book by the author e.g. the Annotated Pride and Prejudice.

Kobo usually displays these annotations in a small window after you touch the small annotation number on the page.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Larla

You mentioned annotations but there is another kind of annotation; the one's included in a book by the author e.g. the Annotated Pride and Prejudice.

Kobo usually displays these annotations in a small window after you touch the small annotation number on the page.

Those are usually referred, as either footnotes or endnotes. And the popup is only used for kepubs. In epubs, they take you to a page elsewhere in the book.