Main points
- Kobo launches new color E Ink e-reader.
- Color e-ink technology guarantees the benefits of e-ink without the need for monochrome.
- Kobo’s three new devices will be available at the end of April.
Popular e-reader company Rakuten Kobo has just announced the latest additions to its portfolio of reading devices – the Kobo Libra Color, Kobo Clara Color, and Kobo Clara BW. All three devices are available for pre-order and are expected to be generally available on April 30.
In addition to its notoriously slow refresh rate, the Achilles heel of e-ink technology has long been its lack of support for color.
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Kobo launches color e-ink
No more black and white books or notes
The first two models in Kobo’s new series are particularly noteworthy because they are the first from Kobo to feature color e-ink technology.
“Both devices feature color E Ink Kaleido 3 displays, offering subtle color palettes for print enthusiasts and digital readers alike looking to bring life to their libraries,” the company said.
The Libra Color retails for $219.99, has a 7-inch 300ppi display, and comes with 32GB of storage. The Clara Color, on the other hand, costs $149.99 and comes with a 6-inch 300ppi screen and 16GB of storage.
Our battery life was 40 days, based on 30 minutes of reading per day at 30% brightness, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off.
Kobo promises “weeks” of battery life on both devices. Our battery life was 40 days, based on 30 minutes of reading per day at 30% brightness, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off. Reducing the brightness to 10% increases the total operating days to 53 days.
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Fans of traditional black and white will also be able to enjoy
For fans of the traditional black and white e-ink experience, Kobo has got you covered too. The Clara BW model is a little cheaper, with an asking price of $129.99, and it has a 6-inch monochrome 300ppi display, the same battery life, and 16GB of storage for all your reading needs.
For an additional fee, the Libra Color can support the Kobo Stylus 2, which can be used to annotate and mark up on the display without using a clipboard. Of course, the stylus is purchased separately and costs $69.99, which also needs to be accounted for.
Kobo also mentioned its commitment to sustainability and repairability, highlighting that the company is partnering with the well-known iFixit.
A common suite of features is standard on all three devices, in addition to a pen digitizer, a larger display, and extra storage space available on more expensive models. They all have an IPX8 rating, which means they are certified to last up to an hour when submerged in two meters of water. Bluetooth connectivity is also available out of the box, and there’s a ComfortLight Pro screen filter to reduce blue light emissions when you want to take a nap.
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Kobo also mentioned its commitment to sustainability and repairability, highlighting that the company is partnering with the well-known iFixit.
“All three new devices are serviceable, so customers can extend the life of their e-readers and replace components,” Kobo said.
Other environmental improvements that all three models benefit from include 100% PSC recycled paper packaging and a body made from recycled plastic. The device’s range of compatible magnetic sleeping pillowcases are also made from recycled materials.
E-ink is here to stay
E-ink is a brilliant display technology that’s been popular in some of the best dedicated e-readers for years. It visually resembles a piece of printed paper, reducing eye strain compared to staring at a bright LCD or OLED panel. E-Ink-equipped devices also benefit from greater outdoor visibility and improved power efficiency.
In addition to its notoriously slow refresh rate, the Achilles heel of e-ink technology has long been its lack of support for color. In recent years, this situation is slowly changing as color panels have become more widely used in the consumer market.
It’s nice to see Kobo involved, but we’ll have to wait and see how these E Ink Kaleido 3 monitors perform in the real world.
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