Dreaming of a Kobo Aura Mini

[adbosch]

5 inch screen, HD, backlight. Will this ever exist?

[ShellShock]

I think you mean frontlight. I would be interested in an Aura HD MKII, with the flush bezel of the Aura.

[Ripplinger]

For me, the Glo is close as it gets. I dislike the flush screen of the Aura and I prefer the matte black frame of the Glo (flush screen is easier to crack with covers flush against the entire surface, more smudges, more glare).

I love the 5" screens on the Sony 350s I have, it was the perfect reader and perfect size, but I really wanted a front light. The size of the Glo vs. the Sony 350 is only about 1/2" difference in height and width since the Glo doesn't have any physical buttons. And that's with covers on both of them (not the official Kobo cover though, a better slim fitting cover). And if the Sony is in the lighted cover, the Kobo Glo is then narrower by about 3/4".

I'd be tempted by a 5" Glo though to reduce the size even more, but I do like the bit larger screen reading size since it still fits pretty well in my pockets and tiny purse (although a bit snugger fit). But definitely would not be interested in a 5" Aura.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

For me, the Glo is close as it gets. I dislike the flush screen of the Aura and I prefer the matte black frame of the Glo (flush screen is easier to crack with covers flush against the entire surface, more smudges, more glare).

For me it's just the opposite. The Aura is perfect for me. With it's 6" screen it's incredible small, so I don't feel the need for a smaller device. I really like the flush screen of the Aura. I don't think it's that easy to crack. I take it with me everywhere, put only in a thin leather slider, without any problems. There is less smudges than on my black Glo and it's much easier to clean. In situations where glare is a problem, it is on the Glo too. So I am quite happy.

In the end I totally agree with you: I definitely am not interested in a 5" Aura!

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

I think you mean frontlight. I would be interested in an Aura HD MKII, with the flush bezel of the Aura.

Me too! I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

[CaffeBreak]

I'd buy one of those in a hot second. Wouldn't think twice!

[adbosch]

What is 'MKII'?

[PeterT]

Mark 2; ie new and improved

[Canuck_in_Japan]

There already is a new version. It's called the Kobo Aura. It's tiny, it has no elevated bezel and it has a front light.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

There already is a new version. It's called the Kobo Aura. It's tiny, it has no elevated bezel and it has a front light.

Yes and it "only" has a 6" screen, unlike the 7" HD. The extra inch makes all the difference.

[anacreon]

I've had the aura for a week now, in parallel with the HD, plus the glo which I'm working on to give away this afternoon (with all the improvements, notably giorgio130's two finger light control and pinch to zoom), and I'm fairly disappointed with the aura:

• the capacitive layer makes the screen yellower and the characters fuzzier than the glo's;
• I thought the lighted screen would be as good as the perfect HD, but no - it is much closer to the glo;
• I have difficulties when reading one handed: the edges being quite narrow and flush with the screen mean I often turn multiple pages while reading;
• though much better than the HD without the added skin, the back and front surfaces are less pleasant than the glo's which are the best I've ever handled (I've had two Sonys too).

I will keep it though, because

• it is my backup and needs the HD's 4GB (I want my reference library accessible at all time, a big advantage respective to paper for me),
• it weighs less, and takes less room in my handbag.

But here is my dream

1. a new improved HD, lighter (I'd accept a 25% increase in weight respective to the aura, proportional to the screen's), with the back and front holding surfaces as comfy as the glo's,
2. plus, if there are two new readers, the same thing in 6", with corresponding weight diminution - that is, also same dpi as the HD's, and of course infrared: down with the capacitive flush screen.

[teija]

Yep!! Been dreaming of a Kobo Mini sized front-lit eReader for ages now... Why is no one currently making the mini-format readers? Hubby loves his PRS-350, and I love my Mini.. surely there are tons of others out there who also like the portability of that little-bit-smaller device.

[TechniSol]

I'm wondering if anyone has conceived of an Ultra Mini, or a Micro-Mini(If I may be allowed to get away with that) which would be a very small device. One line of text display, maybe two, and when you touch it or nearly touch it(IR), or on a timed basis, the text scrolls to the next line. Front light it and make it minimal. The perfect thing to take up barely no room in a pocket with gorilla glass or a built-in cover. Two button, or IR, interface with simple menus.

Minimalist. Black metal, simple. Perfect device for speed readers because no scanning left to right would be optimal, or left to right scrolling could be employed if the battery could take the hit. Probably not.

Cheap, simple, and I bet somebody has one ready to go somewhere. Imagine if they could be made cheaply enough to be a dedicated device you just pick up like a book and go. Charging might be the only concern and extra batteries could be supplied.

The big let down, probably not feasible in terms of many more refreshes required per page, but the display would be smaller and should consume far less current per refresh...

[meeera]

Originally Posted by TechniSol

I'm wondering if anyone has conceived of an Ultra Mini, or a Micro-Mini(If I may be allowed to get away with that) which would be a very small device. One line of text display, maybe two, and when you touch it or nearly touch it(IR), or on a timed basis, the text scrolls to the next line. Front light it and make it minimal. The perfect thing to take up barely no room in a pocket with gorilla glass or a built-in cover. Two button, or IR, interface with simple menus.

Minimalist. Black metal, simple. Perfect device for speed readers because no scanning left to right would be optimal, or left to right scrolling could be employed if the battery could take the hit.

I read fast, and this sort of device would be my worst nightmare. I like to see at least a paragraph at a time, preferably two or three: writing has shape, it's not just a series of letters. (I don't like right-justified text, either). I believe that most speed readers need to see that shape, to some degree, in order to function optimally.

I definitely don't need anything smaller than a Mini or my phone. These devices are 100% portable for me already.

[filmo]

Ereader built into a pen.