Kobo refreshes e-reader line with Sage and Libra 2, including Bluetooth and stylus assist – TechCrunch

A pair of latest e-readers from Kobo iterate on the corporate’s high-end choices, including Bluetooth audiobook and stylus assist to the now acquainted asymmetrical design of its bigger gadgets. The Sage and Libra 2 additionally acquire a brand new charging cowl so that you solely must plug the machine in each few months reasonably than each few weeks.

The Sage is the higher-end of the 2 fashions, being an evolution of the Forma, which I reviewed right here. The wonderful 8″, 300 PPI display screen and color-adjustable display screen mild are the identical, so relaxation assured the studying expertise will proceed to be nice. Likewise the Libra 2 is the sequel to the Libra H2O (they’re dropping the H2O, however it’s nonetheless waterproof), with the identical kind of show and light-weight at 7″ as an alternative. (If you need smaller, the Clara remains to be the most effective transfer.)

New in each the readers is Bluetooth audio that can be utilized completely for sending Kobo audiobooks to your wi-fi headset of selection. While it’s at all times good to have new capabilities, it’s a little bit stunning that Kobo determined to restrict this to its personal service. The firm has usually been very open to totally different codecs and companies, letting you load no matter doc codecs you need on its readers — so it’s stunning that the strategy right here is extra restricted. It’s potential that tie-ins with different companies (just like the gadgets’ strong Pocket integration) are merely forthcoming. Both readers include 32 gigs of storage in-built to accommodate this new space-hogging characteristic.

Only the Sage will get assist for Kobo’s new stylus, nonetheless, which was first put to make use of on the brand new, large-type Ellipsa. It was helpful there however primarily because of the bigger format permitting the required house for sketching and jotting down notes. Whether that utility makes the soar to the smaller (however nonetheless on the massive facet for an e-reader) Sage is hard to foretell — however we must always be capable of consider that once we assessment it.

The type issue of the gadgets has, sadly, gained considerably in dimension and weight. The Forma and Libra H2O have been notable for what you may name their “side chin,” a wedge-shaped bezel you could possibly use to carry and function the e-reader one-handed. Although as a rule I desire symmetrical issues, the shape issue (pioneered, it have to be mentioned, by Amazon with the Oasis) has grown on me, partly as a result of the display screen a part of the machine is so skinny that it feels reasonably futuristic and naturally takes up little or no house.

Side view of the Sage (high) and Forma (backside). Truly the variations appear smaller than I made them out to be.

The new Sage and Libra 2 are undoubtedly chunkier, with no extra-thin display screen half, as an alternative being as thick as thickest part during. It’s a clear design in some methods and for all I do know it might even be extra snug to carry, however it’s already robust sufficient to discover a pocket the Forma suits in. And it doesn’t assist that each are about 20 % heavier. While technically that solely quantities to some dozen grams and three or 4 millimeters, a part of the draw of e-readers to start with is that they’re skinny and light-weight.

Anyway it may not matter as soon as you set a case on this stuff — there’s a brand new evolution of the SleepCover, which mechanically turns the machine on or off whenever you open it, within the PowerCover, which additionally prices the machine it protects. Of course that’ll most likely add one other few hundred grams too…

Though I grouse about these small modifications to design and dimensions, the display screen and frontlight are nonetheless class-leading and Kobo’s software program is nice and easy for studying. We’ll see how these new gadgets stack as much as the previous ones as quickly as now we have the possibility to assessment them.

The Kobo Sage will price $260, and the Libra 2 will price $180 after they ship on October 19. You can pre-order them now should you’re feeling fortunate.