I’m a huge fan of E Ink devices, but I understand they aren’t for everyone. They can be expensive and intimidating for first-time users. However, e-readers are powerful tools, ideal for carrying around during your work or school day.
I make sure to take one everywhere I go, and you’d be surprised how many times I can sneak in a few pages of my current read.
Choosing the right e-reader is a difficult process. You need to decide which ecosystem you want to be a part of, and much of it comes down to how you’ll use the device.
The Kobo Libra Colour is an excellent starting point. It has many of the features I look for in an e-reader, with some impressive extras.
If you’ve never dabbled with E Ink displays, the Kobo Libra Colour is worth a look — here’s why.
A fantastic reading experience
The Kobo Libra Colour has an outstanding display and a friendly interface
If I’m spending good money on an e-reader, I want the reading experience to be top-notch, and that’s not an issue with the Libra Colour. It sports a gorgeous 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 color display with frontlighting. It also supports Dark Mode.
Color saturation is solid on the Libra Colour, and the display is fast and responsive. It features natural lighting options, allowing you to tone down the blue light on your Kobo for reading after hours.
The Kobo e-reader interface is friendly and inviting. It has a clean layout, perfect for navigating between the ebooks I already own and searching for new ones.
I find myself reading more than I would otherwise, given that it’s so easy to find titles I wouldn’t think of.
It’s not necessary, but I recommend picking up a Kobo Plus subscription. For between $8 and $10 a month, you get access to a wide range of included ebooks and audiobooks.
The Rakuten store has all the titles you’d expect, and I don’t feel limited by not choosing an Amazon Kindle instead.
Above and beyond a standard e-reader
I love reading ebooks on the Libra Colour, but that’s not why I recommend one for first-time buyers.
The Libra Colour offers added functionality, making it a more useful companion throughout your day.
I enjoy my Onyx Boox Go Color 7, but a full Android E Ink tablet isn’t for casual users. However, there are still some benefits I’d like to have, and the Libra Colour is the best of both worlds.
I love not having to worry about whether I should leave my e-reader in my bag overnight, knowing I’ll still have plenty of charge in the morning.
I don’t have full Android on the Libra Colour, but I do have access to my Google Drive and Dropbox accounts.
It also has stylus support, which means I can mark up my favorite reads, thanks to the color display that allows for better highlighting.
I can also use the Libra Colour as a journal and planner, jotting down notes as I go through my day — perfect for meetings or a few thoughts during a class.
The Libra Colour is IPX8-rated, so I can bring it out on a rainy day and not have to worry about wrecking my e-reader.
The Libra Colour has access to Overdrive, allowing you to use your local library card to gain access to even more titles. It’s a useful feature and an advantage for the Kobo.
The Libra Colour lasts all week
Outstanding battery life and audiobook extras
The battery life isn’t an issue with the Libra Colour. I’ve been able to go all week, reading and jotting down notes without recharging.
Your mileage may vary, and if you keep the frontlighting cranked all the way up all day, you’ll need to top off more often.
However, for moderate usage, you can expect your Libra Colour to last at least a week or two.
I love not having to worry about whether I should leave my e-reader in my bag overnight, knowing I’ll still have plenty of charge in the morning.
If you’re an audiobook fan, you can pair your favorite wireless Bluetooth buds and listen to your favorite books. It’s a fantastic way to consume more content on the go, especially if you’re like me and looking down while on a bus or train makes you nauseous.
A high upfront cost, but it’s worth it
The Kobo Libra Colour retails for $230, and when you add in the stylus, that price jumps to $300. It’s a significant upfront investment, but the long-term value is there.
If you’re someone who has always been curious about picking up an e-reader, but don’t have an idea how you’d use one, the Libra Colour is ideal.
You get a fantastic traditional e-reader with enough added features to make it a helpful productivity companion throughout your day.
- Resolution
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1264×1680
- Storage
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32 GB
- Brand
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Kobo
- Screen Size
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7 inches
- Audio
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Bluetooth only
- Supported formats
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EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
The Kobo Libra Colours combines a friendly interface and gorgeous display to make for an ideal device for first-time E Ink buyers. It features a 7-inch Kaleido 3 color display, with 32GB of internal storage. It has an IPX8 rating, so you can take it out in the rain. It’s battery lasts for up to 40 days on a single charge.
