Aura Kobo Aura (original non HD) official sleep covers vs eBay/AliExpress etc

Nil Einne · 12-09-2016, 11:11 AM

Hi,

I'm purchasing two of those new open box original (i.e. not edition 2) non HD Kobo Auras. Planning to get some sort of cover or case mostly for protection for them. The vendor I'm buying them from also has the official silver sleepcover for CAD15 (~USD11.40). I'm hoping it won't add much to the shipping. Assuming it doesn't is a fairly good price for an official sleepcover. I've seen one review which found it a decent sleepcover.

I'm particularly wondering how people found the official sleep cover compares to the eBay/AliExpress etc alternatives. Even with the lowish price, it looks like those covers will be under half the price of the official one, shipped to NZ.

But I'm still leaning towards the official sleepcover since I would hope it's a resonable amount better. So given the fairly low price (and even given Aura is also a fairly low price) is hopefully worth it.

But still interested in hearing opinions. So far the only commentary I found comparing them was that their magnets may be stronger and they also lack a lip both combined making them harder to open. Of course if anyone wants to recommend some other cover or case, you're welcome although I'd be reluctant to spend much more than USD15 including shipping to NZ for a single cover.

Cheers

ZodWallop · 12-10-2016, 01:57 AM

I bought the official leather sleep cover. I think I bought it from the same seller as you.

I like the way the cover looks, like a little hard cover book. The cover is sturdy and the reader clips pretty tightly into it.

What I don't like is that you can't fold the cover all the way back. It makes the reader bulkier and less comfortable to hold. I'll keep using it though.

But, if I were buying a case now, I'd check out the kwmobile cases on Amazon. The front flap folds all the way back and the case is thinner.

MrChrisL · 12-11-2016, 03:29 AM

I have two cases for my Aura that I purchased from eBay. One is this one and the other is similar but with a thinner cover. I can't find a link for the one with the thinner cover, unfortunately. I don't own the official sleep cover, so I can't compare the magnet strengths to that one, but between the cases that I do have, I do find the thinner one easier to open. The magnets don't seem to be as strong as the case with the thicker cover (the one I linked to) and there is a bit more of a lip. These cases seem kind of similar to my thinner case. There is no stitching on the cover and the metal piece is shorter, but I can't say for certain if it's like mine or not.

ZodWallop · 12-11-2016, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nil Einne

So far the only commentary I found comparing them was that their magnets may be stronger and they also lack a lip both combined making them harder to open.

At least with the official sleep cover, the magnets are strong as there is no flap or elastic strap to otherwise keep the cover closed. I throw my reader in a satchel and have never had the cover pop open accidentally. So I'd say the magnets are as strong as they need to be.

The cover is not difficult to open as the cover is slightly larger than the reader, so there's a lip all the way around.

Nil Einne · 12-12-2016, 11:25 AM

Thanks. I've looked at photos and see what you mean about not folding back completely. Does look like it could be annoying so definitely something I'd consider

RobertJSawyer · 12-12-2016, 07:37 PM

I hate the actual Kobo Aura Sleepcover. Get the one from eBay MrChrisL linked to in message #3 above. I have that one (in brown); it's much superior. My full review of the Kobo Aura sleepcover, from 2013:

Went into an Indigo store here in Canada and bought an official Kobo SleepCover for my Kobo Aura (non-HD; I also have a Kobo Aura HD). There were several textures, materials, and colours.

I prefer fabric to leather or vinyl, and so bought one of the two fabric options that was on offer: they had a gray fabric and a pale green (very pale, like celery -- although Kobo actually calls this colour "aqua;" someone needs to adjust their monitor). I opted for the green. It has a coarser weave to the fabric than does the gray one, making it easier to grip, and, to my mind, more pleasant to touch.

The front cover can be folded over behind the ereader, but it's stiff and difficult. However, I did not have the problem with the magnet turning the device off when I did so that others have reported.

I like the Kobo Glo SleepCovers better than the Aura ones (although they can't be used with the Aura): the four corner clips work better than the two side clips; the two side clips have sharpish corners that dig into my hands, and I frankly don't want business-card slots and so forth cluttering up my inside front cover (also, given that the Aura screen is flush with the bezel, rather than recessed, one needs to be particularly careful of it; putting anything in those slots is just asking for trouble.

My cover had a couple of small defects in the fabric, initially hidden by the packaging: two knots of the weave that stick out a bit from the rest of the front cover. They're not visible, but they're easily felt. But they're not anywhere you might touch when you're actually reading, and I've decided they actually are a "feature."

See, the front and the back covers are identical. When you reach out to pick up the ereader, it's very difficult to tell if its front or back is to you, and so you might end up opening it up upside down. I now feel for the two knots, like Braille, as I pick up the device and thus know how to orient it in my hand.

The only thing that distinguishes up from down is the word "Kobo," which appears on the SPINE of the Sleep Cover -- and, for a company that prides itself on its international presence, that's a poor choice. They've positioned it at the top of the spine reading down (as we do with book spines in North America) not at the bottom of the spine reading up (as they do with book spines in many other parts of the world, witness the splash screen that calibre displays when starting).

Nil Einne · 12-13-2016, 07:44 AM

Thanks. As is turns out I'm a bit of an idiot and didn't look properly. The only covers remaining from the seller are actually a classic cover not a sleep cover. I'd much prefer a sleep cover so won't be purchasing any. From what people have said, it doesn't sound like it's a loss anyway.

ZodWallop · 12-14-2016, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nil Einne

The only covers remaining from the seller are actually a classic cover not a sleep cover. I'd much prefer a sleep cover so won't be purchasing any.

Here's an official sleep cover, from the seller I bought my Aura and sleep cover from. Mine is leather, not fabric and mine could not be folded over without breaking the cover.

GypsyJon · 12-16-2016, 12:49 PM

Do any of these covers actually make the Kobo Aura One go to sleep??"

My official Kobo Cover does not.

davidfor · 12-16-2016, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsyJon

Do any of these covers actually make the Kobo Aura One go to sleep??"

My official Kobo Cover does not.

Um, no. This thread is discussing the Kobo Aura. This is a 6" device released a few years ago. They won't fit the Kobo Aura ONE.

Nil Einne · 12-31-2016, 03:26 AM

Just confirming that the kwmobile cover isn't a sleep cover? At least that's what at least 2 comments on Amazon say and I can't find any info suggesting they are sleep covers. There is mention of marnets but I think this is just to hold the cover shut.

Terisa de morgan · 12-31-2016, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nil Einne

Just confirming that the kwmobile cover isn't a sleep cover? At least that's what at least 2 comments on Amazon say and I can't find any info suggesting they are sleep covers. There is mention of marnets but I think this is just to hold the cover shut.

I can confirm you that the kwmobile cover for Kobo Aura original is not a sleep cover, both my experience and the seller's answer.

Poppaea · 12-31-2016, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nil Einne

Thanks. As is turns out I'm a bit of an idiot and didn't look properly. The only covers remaining from the seller are actually a classic cover not a sleep cover. I'd much prefer a sleep cover so won't be purchasing any. From what people have said, it doesn't sound like it's a loss anyway.

If you PM me your address, I'll send you a slimfit cover with a sleep/wake function. It is used but looks fine, can send you a picture beforehand. I got two for my Aura and as I now use the Aura only one rare occasions, two covers are overkill.

Nil Einne · 03-21-2017, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppaea

If you PM me your address, I'll send you a slimfit cover with a sleep/wake function. It is used but looks fine, can send you a picture beforehand. I got two for my Aura and as I now use the Aura only one rare occasions, two covers are overkill.

Hi thanks for the kind offer. I somehow missed your comment before, sorry. I never got around to actually buying the covers as was busy with various things but as the Kobos have started to be used more, need to get on it.

I'll PM you my address but even if you still have the cover and still don't want it, I'm not sure whether you want to send it to me as I live in New Zealand so postage could be expensive. (Although kwmobile do ship from Germany so guess it can't be that bad at least if you do it commercially) I can pay you for shipping by PayPal but it may also be easier for you to give it to someone closer to you. Completely up to you.

Thanks again and also to everyone else for their help!

milady133 · 03-27-2017, 06:06 PM

Has someone tried a Kobo Aura 2 cover in an original Kobo Aura? I checked both devices in a store and they seem to have the same dimensions, but there weren't any covers for the Aura 2 in a open package to test it completely. There are some nice covers with the sleep function for the Aura 2 that I would like for my original Aura.

12-09-2016, 11:11 AM	#1
Nil Einne Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 170976 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Kobo Aura (original non HD) official sleep covers vs eBay/AliExpress etc Hi, I'm purchasing two of those new open box original (i.e. not edition 2) non HD Kobo Auras. Planning to get some sort of cover or case mostly for protection for them. The vendor I'm buying them from also has the official silver sleepcover for CAD15 (~USD11.40). I'm hoping it won't add much to the shipping. Assuming it doesn't is a fairly good price for an official sleepcover. I've seen one review which found it a decent sleepcover. I'm particularly wondering how people found the official sleep cover compares to the eBay/AliExpress etc alternatives. Even with the lowish price, it looks like those covers will be under half the price of the official one, shipped to NZ. But I'm still leaning towards the official sleepcover since I would hope it's a resonable amount better. So given the fairly low price (and even given Aura is also a fairly low price) is hopefully worth it. But still interested in hearing opinions. So far the only commentary I found comparing them was that their magnets may be stronger and they also lack a lip both combined making them harder to open. Of course if anyone wants to recommend some other cover or case, you're welcome although I'd be reluctant to spend much more than USD15 including shipping to NZ for a single cover. Cheers

12-12-2016, 07:37 PM	#6
RobertJSawyer Guru Posts: 730 Karma: 3871570 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Libra 2, Clara 2E, and Clara HD; Kindle PaperWhite	I hate the actual Kobo Aura Sleepcover. Get the one from eBay MrChrisL linked to in message #3 above. I have that one (in brown); it's much superior. My full review of the Kobo Aura sleepcover, from 2013: Went into an Indigo store here in Canada and bought an official Kobo SleepCover for my Kobo Aura (non-HD; I also have a Kobo Aura HD). There were several textures, materials, and colours. I prefer fabric to leather or vinyl, and so bought one of the two fabric options that was on offer: they had a gray fabric and a pale green (very pale, like celery -- although Kobo actually calls this colour "aqua;" someone needs to adjust their monitor). I opted for the green. It has a coarser weave to the fabric than does the gray one, making it easier to grip, and, to my mind, more pleasant to touch. The front cover can be folded over behind the ereader, but it's stiff and difficult. However, I did not have the problem with the magnet turning the device off when I did so that others have reported. I like the Kobo Glo SleepCovers better than the Aura ones (although they can't be used with the Aura): the four corner clips work better than the two side clips; the two side clips have sharpish corners that dig into my hands, and I frankly don't want business-card slots and so forth cluttering up my inside front cover (also, given that the Aura screen is flush with the bezel, rather than recessed, one needs to be particularly careful of it; putting anything in those slots is just asking for trouble. My cover had a couple of small defects in the fabric, initially hidden by the packaging: two knots of the weave that stick out a bit from the rest of the front cover. They're not visible, but they're easily felt. But they're not anywhere you might touch when you're actually reading, and I've decided they actually are a "feature." See, the front and the back covers are identical. When you reach out to pick up the ereader, it's very difficult to tell if its front or back is to you, and so you might end up opening it up upside down. I now feel for the two knots, like Braille, as I pick up the device and thus know how to orient it in my hand. The only thing that distinguishes up from down is the word "Kobo," which appears on the SPINE of the Sleep Cover -- and, for a company that prides itself on its international presence, that's a poor choice. They've positioned it at the top of the spine reading down (as we do with book spines in North America) not at the bottom of the spine reading up (as they do with book spines in many other parts of the world, witness the splash screen that calibre displays when starting). Last edited by RobertJSawyer; 12-12-2016 at 07:56 PM.

12-31-2016, 03:26 AM	#11
Nil Einne Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 170976 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Just confirming that the kwmobile cover isn't a sleep cover? At least that's what at least 2 comments on Amazon say and I can't find any info suggesting they are sleep covers. There is mention of marnets but I think this is just to hold the cover shut. Last edited by Nil Einne; 12-31-2016 at 07:05 AM.

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12-10-2016, 01:57 AM	#2
ZodWallop Gentleman and scholar Posts: 10,990 Karma: 108312789 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space City, Texas Device: Clara HD; Nook ST w/Glowlight, (2015) Glowlight Plus, Paperwhite 3	I bought the official leather sleep cover. I think I bought it from the same seller as you. I like the way the cover looks, like a little hard cover book. The cover is sturdy and the reader clips pretty tightly into it. What I don't like is that you can't fold the cover all the way back. It makes the reader bulkier and less comfortable to hold. I'll keep using it though. But, if I were buying a case now, I'd check out the kwmobile cases on Amazon. The front flap folds all the way back and the case is thinner.

12-11-2016, 03:29 AM	#3
MrChrisL Member Posts: 11 Karma: 7426 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Aura	I have two cases for my Aura that I purchased from eBay. One is this one and the other is similar but with a thinner cover. I can't find a link for the one with the thinner cover, unfortunately. I don't own the official sleep cover, so I can't compare the magnet strengths to that one, but between the cases that I do have, I do find the thinner one easier to open. The magnets don't seem to be as strong as the case with the thicker cover (the one I linked to) and there is a bit more of a lip. These cases seem kind of similar to my thinner case. There is no stitching on the cover and the metal piece is shorter, but I can't say for certain if it's like mine or not.

12-12-2016, 11:25 AM	#5
Nil Einne Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 170976 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Thanks. I've looked at photos and see what you mean about not folding back completely. Does look like it could be annoying so definitely something I'd consider

12-13-2016, 07:44 AM	#7
Nil Einne Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 170976 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Thanks. As is turns out I'm a bit of an idiot and didn't look properly. The only covers remaining from the seller are actually a classic cover not a sleep cover. I'd much prefer a sleep cover so won't be purchasing any. From what people have said, it doesn't sound like it's a loss anyway.

12-16-2016, 12:49 PM	#9
GypsyJon Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Atlanta, GA USA Device: Pocket Book Pro 902	Do any of these covers actually make the Kobo Aura One go to sleep??" My official Kobo Cover does not.

03-27-2017, 06:06 PM	#15
milady133 Groupie Posts: 180 Karma: 616200 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Spain Device: Kobo Forma, Hisense A5	Has someone tried a Kobo Aura 2 cover in an original Kobo Aura? I checked both devices in a store and they seem to have the same dimensions, but there weren't any covers for the Aura 2 in a open package to test it completely. There are some nice covers with the sleep function for the Aura 2 that I would like for my original Aura.

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