

In the past, one of the biggest problems with buying a non-Kindle e-reader is that they can’t access Amazon’s marketplace with its stupendous selection of books and periodicals. And with 8GB of storage, you’ll always have enough room for your reading material of choice. But, and this is an absolute win, the Edition 2’s OS is smart enough to understand that not every accidental caress of its display means that it needs to turn a page or offer up an options menu. I found the device’s capacitative display to be sensitive enough to register most requests I made of it on the first attempt. Page turns, selections from the reader’s menu, and purchases from the Kobo store are all made via touchscreen.Īs much as I’ve grown to enjoy the page-turn buttons on our current top pick, the Kindle Oasis, I never missed them while using the Edition 2. Apart from its power/sleep button, there are no other physical control on the device. Provided you keep the e-reader dry, you’ll be pleased with the Edition 2’s performance.

KOBO H2O DEAL SOFTWARE
This is disappointing, considering that the original Aura H2O came with software features to ensure that this would not happen. This can lead to you losing your spot in a book, unintentionally highlighting sections of a book, or any number of other frustrating results. That said, if you were planning on doing a bit of reading underwater, prepare for disappointment: The more of a liquid you get on the Edition 2, the more of a chance there is of said liquid triggering the device’s touchscreen in unexpected ways. You can take the Kobo Aura H2O Edition to the pool without needing to worry if it gets dunked.Īnyone who enjoys taking their e-reader to the beach or plowing through pages poolside will be pleased by this feature. It was still functional after 45 minutes of submersion. Taking the Edition 2 to a community swimming pool, I found this rating to be accurate. This means that the e-reader isn’t rated for dust incursion, but it can remain submerged in two meters of water for up to one hour. I found the Edition 2 still easy to hold, and its weight is almost unnoticeable while carrying it in my backpack.Īs its name implies, the Aura H2O Edition 2 is waterproof, boasting an IPX rating of X8. It’s the same design, although scaled down, as you get with the excellent Kobo Aura One. In its place, you’ll find a flat, textured plastic backplate with a power button placed high and to the left.

Gone is the original model’s distinctive angular backplate, which we loved as it was easy to keep a grip on. With its 5.08 by 6.77 by 0.33-inch dimensions and a weight of 7.3 ounces, the Edition 2 weighs and feels more like a current-generation Kindle Paperwhite than Kobo’s first-generation Aura H20. The Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2’s backplate makes it easy to grip, even when wet. It’s a $180 waterproof e-reader designed to go toe-to-toe with Amazon’s flagship e-reader, the Kindle Oasis. The results of their efforts culminate in the company’s latest device: The Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2. Plus, just a small thing but I really like the fact that the Libra displays the cover of the book on its lock screen rather than the ads or generic screensaver on the Oasis.Over the past few years, Rakuten has revamped its e-readers’ design language, developed unique technologies that Amazon can only dream of baking into its Kindle hardware and, perhaps most importantly, tremendously expanded the variety of content available for download. The build quality of the Oasis was more solid and polished, but I liked the UI of the Libra better. I've had both the Oasis and Libra, both are great devices. It also has a one touch light adjustment. Kobo has a dictionary built in too and has direct access to overdrive. There are some software differences between the two but nothing major.īut another question, can you trade-in Kobo for kindle in future? I do not know. It basically comes down to what design you prefer and what store you'd rather buy ebooks from. It's gotten to the point where both do so many of the same things well that one isn't clearly better than the other. Has access to real library to "borrow" e-booksīoth really good at what they do.
