My thoughts on the Kobo Aura

You may recall that I reviewed the Kobo Aura HD earlier this year, and absolutely loved the product. Needless to say I was excited to check out their newest eReader, the Kobo Aura.

First of all, I love how Kobo markets themselves to readers, and continues to make devices that are primarily for reading. I don't mind reading on my phone sometimes, but I like having a device that's meant strictly for books. And I like how Kobo is reaching out to the blogging community, because it just makes sense. I would trust a real review of a product from someone whose blog I follow, because they're using the device in the same way I would. They probably have similar needs and wants for an eReader, more so than a tech reviewer.

So Kobo is marketing themselves to bloggers, and appealing to book lovers, which is something I like. I was excited to check out this new device and compare it to ones I had used before, but I was even more psyched when this is what I received:

You can't really see from the photo, but the package was YA themed, with a The Perks of Being a Wallflower quote on the tag, and the items inside all related to being on a journey (slippers to keep you grounded, tumbler & tea to remind you of home, and popcorn for a snack along the way) -- very cute.

Now onto the Aura itself. I'll separate my review into categories, like I did last time.

The Screen:
Kobo describes it as "6" ClarityScreen and a high res, edge-to-edge low-glare Pearl E Ink screen". The screen on the Aura is decent, but it's not as good as the Aura HD. I mean, obviously the Aura HD has an HD in its name, which lets you know it's good. The Aura HD has 265 dpi, 1440 x 1080 resolution while the Aura has 1024 x 758, 16 level grey scale. It's an actual, considerable difference if you're used to text that's incredibly crisp and clear. In that way, it's a bit of a downgrade, though that's not to say it's not good. It's all about what you're used to.

The actual screen itself is both awesome and strange. What's awesome is how the screen is all one flat level (see more in the Body Design section), but what's strange is the screen itself. It has a "micro-thin coating for durability and even light distribution", but that coating is very visible in certain kinds of light. It looks like a glaze, and in the sunlight it makes the screen look a bit uneven. And yet other times you don't even notice it.

While the Aura HD was incredibly touch sensitive, I find the Aura to be hit or miss. Sometimes I can turn the pages with ease, and other times there's very little response, and I have to tap the screen in certain places for it to work.

Comfort Light:
I think because of the crispness of the Aura HD text, the light looks much nicer on that eReader. However, it is still a fabulous feature on the Aura, one that I use all the time. After almost 8 months of using front lit eReaders I don't think I'd ever go back to one without. I love how it doesn't hurt your eyes like a back-lit device (e.g. iPhone, or most colour tablets), yet it gives you the convenience of being able to read anywhere.

Speed:
The processor is 1 GHz, same as on the Aura HD. I find it slow to delete books off the device, and lately I've noticed a lag of a couple seconds between shutting the eReader off and when the sleep page actually shows up. However, it's very good with opening books and turning the pages. There's no real blinking when turning the pages, even when you're making use of the Comfort Light. Compared to the Kobo Touch or other original models, it has a very quick response time.

Body Design:
My first thought when I picked up the Kobo Aura is: "It's so light! It's so thin! It's TINY!!!" My biggest complaint about the Aura HD (which you can tell that I really like overall) is that it's so heavy. The Aura HD is 240 g, so the Aura is a breeze to hold at 174 g. You seriously wouldn't believe the difference 66 g can make. I also never cared for the back of the Aura HD, the thick plastic being so slippery and smooth. Here the Aura has a bit of an angled back, but far less so than the Aura HD's. It's fairly flat, but it has a bit of a texture to it, making it much easier to keep a grip on. I think my favourite back is still the quilted one on the Kobo Touch, but the Aura's texture definitely grew on me over time.

As I mentioned when talking about the screen, the whole front of the Kobo Aura is flat. Visually I really like this! At first I thought it was a bit tough to hold the black edge of the device without turning a page, but I've gotten used to it. It's also nice not to have a lip over the screen, because I can tell you from personal experience how much cat hair gets stuck in there. The screen, as previously mentioned, is 6", which is the same as the Kobo Touch, but the body design is smaller overall, making it super easy to throw in your purse, without it being as small as the Kobo Mini (4 x 5.2 x 0.4 in -- which I consider too small).

Operating System/Interface:
The way the Aura works is basically the same as the Aura HD, and I really love it. You can read more of my thoughts here. With this update to the system there was a change of how you can sort your books from "Shelf" to "Collection", but they work the same way. They also added the ability to sync to your Pocket account, letting you read saved articles on your eReader. I can see this being a nice way to read fanfics or other online stories in a way that's portable and easier on your eyes.

PDFs:
Yes, how the Aura handles PDFs gets its own section, which shows you how excited I am about this. On previous Kobo models you would have to go into a special setting to change the zoom percentage of a PDF. You can do that on the Aura as well, but you can also simply pinch and zoom with your fingers, just like you would on an iPhone. It also allows you to change the page with a simple finger tap on the right or left, rather than having to drag to the edge of the actual PDF page. I get a lot of eARC PDFs for review, so this makes things so much easier -- it's a real time saver.

Conclusion:
There are so many good things about the Kobo Aura, and I really like it overall. One thing that didn't really fit into another category is that the battery life is amazing. It lasts longer than any other Kobo device I've used, and it charges incredibly quickly. If I could make a hybrid model of the Aura HD's screen and the weight of the Aura, as well as how it handles PDFs, I would be a happy person.

Purchase:
The Kobo Aura retails for $149.99. Those in USA and Canada can buy directly from the Kobo site. Canadians and those in other markets have many more purchase options, which you can find here.

All quotes and specs about the Aura are taken from the Kobo Aura page on the Kobo site.

I am required to state that my opinions are honest and that I received a free sample of this product.

You can find Kobo on Twitter and Facebook.

Testing out the Kobo Aura HD

It's a bit of an understatement to say that I was excited when I received an email from Laura at Kobo about reviewing their new Kobo Aura HD. I've been using different Kobo devices for close to three years now, so I was definitely thrilled to experience this newest Kobo that is being hailed as their best.

I received the Aura HD in "Espresso", which is the dark brown colour. I love that you can choose between Ivory (white), Onyx (black), and Espresso. The typical white and black are nice, but the brown has a certain richness to it; it's nice to have that different option available.

For the purposes of discussing the Aura HD and all its feature I think it's best to break my review into different categories...

ClarityScreen+:
The screen is described by Kobo as "the most advanced, highest resolution, extra-large screen", and I have to say that I'm impressed. I was used to my Kobo Touch, and I automatically noticed how much crisper the text is on the Aura HD. It's incredibly clear, actually; I'm pretty amazed by it. The Touch was good, but this? Way better. It's even closer to looking like it's a physical printed book that you're reading off of. You can also tell that the screen is sturdier and more responsive. You don't have to be as exact with tapping it for page turns, selection, etc.

Comfort Light:
When I heard that the Aura HD had a light built in I was skeptical, and I was glad it was a feature that I could turn off. I didn't see myself using it that much. I read books on my iPhone sometimes, though it's not my preferred method, because of the tiny screen, but also because it's back-lit. I had never seen a front-lit device, and while I was curious, I just couldn't imagine it being lit in a way that it wouldn't hurt my eyes. Call me a convert, because this is a FABULOUS feature. It honestly doesn't look at all like a back-lit device... it's hard to describe, but the light really is distributed across the page from the front. I also love how you can adjust how dim or how bright the light is (I keep mine set around 10%). I don't use this feature all the time, but it's perfect for if you're in a dim corner of a room or traveling at night.

Speed:
The Aura HD has a 1 GHZ processor, which is a "25% faster processor than other leading eReaders". So much love for this feature! It was another thing that I noticed immediately. There's a quicker response for everything: loading books, turning pages (practically no hesitation at all; none of that "flashing" you got with the older Kobos), and even with typing words. I read a lot of PDF egalleys on my Kobo, and on the Aura HD there is much smoother scrolling if you have to magnify the document and move around the screen to turn pages. Basically? It's just so much faster!

Body Design:
The Aura HD is supposed to have a "book-inspired design that feels natural and comfortable to hold", and while I wouldn't wholly dispute that claim, I'm also not sold on it. The body design is the one part of the device that I'm iffy about. I'm used to the flat quilted back of the Kobo Touch, and I liked it. I like the fact that the Aura HD has a larger screen (6.8" versus 6" on the Touch), but that also means larger dimensions overall. What I really dislike is the weight of the device. The Kobo Touch is 185g while the Kobo Aura HD weighs in at 240g. You'd be surprised at how much heavier the Aura HD feels. I've been using the device for close to 3 weeks now, and I've definitely gotten used to it, but I still think that the Aura HD is more cumbersome to hold. I like how thin the Touch is, whereas the sculpted back of the Aura HD means that the sides are thicker. For me, a person who has issues with pain in her hands, the thicker sides of the Aura HD combined with the heavier weight do not make for something that is "natural and comfortable to hold". You could also prop up the Touch at an angle (e.g. on a pillow or on your leg) and it would stay in place; the sleek back of the Aura HD tends to make it slide off places. All this being said, I don't think the design of the Aura HD is bad per se, but it's not my ideal either.

Operating System/Interface:
I feel like the Kobo interface is fairly self-guiding. Once you set up the device it shows you a 10 page intro to the device, pointing out main features and how to work everything. There are lots of ways you can customize your reading experience, from type of font, to font size, to how many pages you flip before the screen completely refreshes itself, etc. What I completely adore is the newly designed home screen (see picture above). The previous Kobo design was to show the last few books opened or added and that was it. With the home screen of the Aura HD you get those last few books added, plus you get the book you're currently reading along with what percent of the book you've read. It also shows which shelves you've accessed lately, what book you finished last, and a summary of your reading stats (how many books finished, how many hours read). This new home screen is definitely one of my favourite things about the Aura HD; it allows you to access the books you want way more quickly and easily.

Kobo eBook store:
The prices of books in the Kobo store are generally comparable to the Kindle store, but they can sometimes be more expensive. Kobo is also less likely to have sale prices, so when you hear your favourite author or publisher talking about eBook deals you're more likely to find that deal on Kindle than you are on Kobo. However what I do love about Kobo is the ability to add coupon codes for percentages or dollar amounts off the eBook price. This only works with smaller publishers and self-published books, but it's still a great feature.

Conclusion:
I'm pretty thrilled with the Aura HD. I do prefer the design of the Touch, but the features and performance of the Aura HD make it tough to beat. If you're looking for a new eReader I would highly recommend the Aura HD.

The Kobo Aura HD retails for $169.99 -- Americans can buy the device on the Kobo site, while those in Canada or elsewhere can check out all of the purchase options.

All quotes and specs about the Aura HD are taken from the Kobo Aura HD page on the Kobo site.

I am also required to state that my opinions are honest and that I received a free sample of this product.