The Kobo Libra Colour is the latest eReader from Nextronix and offers a unique step forward for the eReader brand, namely its new 7” E Ink Kaleido 3 display with Fast GLR. This new colour display is the first in the Kobo lineup and opens the eReader to many new possibilities for content collection. With full Kobo Stylus 2 support, Wifi, Bluetooth, and an impressive 2050mAh battery, the Kobo Libra Colour is hoping to set a new standard for the eReader genre.
The Kobo Libra Color is an evolution of the impressive Kobo Libra 2; arguably the gold standard of eReaders at the time of writing. Many of the design elements from the Libra 2 carry over to the new Libra Colour, with many of those features seeing some impressive updates and upgrades over the previous generation.
Most notable is the inclusion of the 7” E Ink Kaleido 3 display. An upgrade over the Libra 2s 7” E Ink Carat 1200 display, the Kaleido 3 offers an impressive 16 levels of grayscale and 4096 colours. For those new to eReaders, this is an impressive feat of engineering.
A traditional eReader produces images thanks to a two-pigment ink system. Negatively charged white particles and positively charged black particles are housed in each microcapsule. When positive or negative electrical fields are applied to the screen, the impacted particles move to the top, displaying an image. Colour E Ink displays like the Kaleido 3 also include coloured pigments that respond to electrical fields the same way and, in turn, create a coloured E Ink display.
The advantages of E Ink displays are longer battery life up to several weeks based on usage, lower power consumption and better readability in Sunlight. With the inclusion of the Libra Colours in the Kaleido 3 display, the already leading eReader has set a new standard for the genre. The new display offers some serious advantages for the Kobo Reader.
For starters, comic books look clear and colourful on the 7” colour E Ink display. This is all new territory for the eReader. While reading your favourite comic books on traditional eReaders has always been possible, the disadvantage was that they were always in black and white. With the new Libra Colour, this restriction is a thing of the past. Kobo’s switch to a colour E Ink display brings with it a plethora of new opportunities.
“The Kobo Libra Colour also comes with a 2,050mAh battery, which is a serious improvement over the Libra 2s 1,500mAh battery.”
The next area that the Libra Colour leverages this new display is in its use of the Kobo Stylus 2. While it is sold separately from the Libra Colour, when used with the device, readers have a host of new options for marking and highlighting their favourite books, comics or magazines. The Stylus pairs exceptionally well with the Libra Colour and allows the user to leverage several colours for both marking and highlighting. It works well, is responsive and adds another level of customization to your reading experience.
Things get even more interesting when moving over to the included notepad. With 10 colours to work with and a host of different pen and brush options, note-taking has taken on a new level of customization. As for responsiveness, the stylus has no issue recording every movement and pen placement.
For those with terrible handwriting, like myself, Kobo offers an advanced notebook option that converts handwritten notes to text with a quick double tap on the handwritten notes. In testing, it worked impressively well, especially considering my aforementioned atrocious handwriting. In testing, there was only one instance where it struggled to interpret my chicken scratch, but for the majority of the time, it seamlessly converted without error. As a fun note, the designers of the Stylus 2 included an eraser on the opposite tip of the stylus, essentially allowing it to function like a traditional pencil.
As for reading on the Kobo Libra Colour, like its predecessor, it functions exceptionally well. With a 1264×1680 resolution, 300 ppi(pixels per inch) for black and white and 150 ppi for colour, the display is crisp and easy to read. Even in sunlight, reading is easily managed, and thanks to the impressive ComforLight Pro, reading at night is quite relaxing thanks to adjustable brightness and colour temperature.
While there was some concern that the inclusion of the E Ink Kaleido display would make daylight reading more difficult, testing revealed that these were misplaced concerns. Even while reading outside, the Libra Colour is easy to see, providing the same crisp, clear image as it does indoors. Speaking of outdoor reading, like the Libra 2, the Libra Colour includes IPX8 waterproofing. Those who enjoy reading by the pool or beach will be happy to know that the Kobo Libra Colour can easily be your new travelling companion.
The Kobo Libra Colour also offers full Wifi and Bluetooth support, making it easy to connect to the internet and not only purchase new ebooks and audiobooks but also sync up to various cloud drives like Dropbox and Google Drive. Additionally, for libraries that support it, the free Overdrive online database gives you access to hundreds of additional free resources through your local library.
“Priced at USD 219.99, the Libra Colour is the best eReader on the market.”
As for audiobooks, the Libra Colour supports them thanks to the aforementioned Bluetooth. Connecting headphones is as simple as putting them in pairing mode and selecting them from a list on the Libra Color. Once connected, the device is saved and automatically connects to them when they are powered on. As for the listening experience itself, it functionally works, but there can, on occasion, be a bit of lag time when opening the audiobook. While it didn’t happen often, during testing, from time to time, a book would hang for a moment before starting. Once the book was playing, however, there were no issues of noticeable lag during playback, pausing or restarting.
The Kobo Libra Colour also comes with a 2,050mAh battery, which is a serious improvement over the Libra 2s 1,500mAh battery. The result is an eReader that has no problem running for several weeks without needing a charge. In testing, despite running it for several hours, I’ve not killed the battery yet. This, of course, is due to both the larger battery and the efficiency of an E Ink display.
Another great feature of the Kobo eReader that has made its way over to the latest iteration of the Libra lineup is the freedom to side-load eBooks from your personal catalogue. This includes PDFs or other eBooks you’ve accumulated over the years. There are several ways to do this, thanks to access to cloud drives, but for those that like to store files locally, simply plugging the Libra Colour into your computer allows you to drag the ebooks from your computer to the Libra Colour. This is a great feature for those with an extensive personal library or who like to read and make notes on your PDF documents.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a great evolution of the Libra line. An upgraded battery, beautiful E Ink Kaleido 3 display and Kobo Stylus 2 support help the Libra Colour not only stand out in the crowd but also help it set a new standard for what to expect from an eReader. If you own the already steller Kobo Libra 2 it might be worth waiting, but if you’re in the market for a new eReader the Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent option to consider. Priced at USD 219.99, the Libra Colour is the best eReader on the market.
