Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
Summary: Following Sony's lead Kobo is furnishing its latest Kobo eReader with a touch screen. Can the device stand up against the Nook and Kindle?
Inspired by Sony's line of Readers, Kobo today announced the Kobo WiFi Touch Edition, a touch-screen-equipped version of its Kobo eReader.
By adding a touch screen the Kobo Touch alters the unintuitive nature of e-reader page turning by ditching buttons in favor of more intuitive touch-based gestures. Pages can now be turned by swiping across the reader's screen rather than by the press of a button, a significant departure from how the Kindle works.
The move to touch screen input comes with a number of other compelling improvements. Via the Kobo Touch's integrated dictionary, Kobo users can press and hold on-screen words to get their meanings - a major improvement over the Kindle's directional pad-based navigation. Text input is sticking around, now relegated to an on-screen touch-based keyboard.
Likewise, by ridding the Kobo eReader of its directional button, Kobo was able to streamline the face of the device. Still, it's something of a disappointing move that Kobo did not capitalize on the design change by increasing the size of the device's screen. Like its predecessor, the Kobo Touch's screen is the same size as its predecessor, though it is built with the latest generation of E-Ink's Pearl display.
The Kobo Touch will sell for $129 when it makes it's way to stores in early June. Kobo has already opened pre-orders for the device.
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Talkback
RE: Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
RE: Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
RE: Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
Screen size is correct
Totally Incorrect, the Kobo is a 6" e-ink device, not a tablet and to increase its size would only give it most of the disadvantages of a tablet without any of the benefits.
even the few 7" e-ink readers around aren?t as good a size as the 6" which fits into most pockets.
One of the strongest reason to use a kobo is its nice slim easy hold-able compact size, allowing easy one handed operation, something that larger screens just don't do.
If they bring out a larger version then it would be a separate model just like the larger kindle is!
RE: Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
I think the author was suggesting that without the directional button, keeping the same size outer case, but increasing the screen depth would be a significant improvement. And I would have to agree. The more I can read without flipping the page, without increasing the device size, the better.
RE: Borders announces the touch screen-equipped Kobo WiFi Touch Edition
Ah, yes I see what you mean, he just didn't express it very well to show he meant a slightly larger screen in the same size frame.
The problem here is that 6" e-ink screens are where the development is, almost all 7" are not e-ink.
Kobo perhaps instead could of made the frame smaller, but as I find the flat area useful when holding with one hand (and I'm sure others do as well) then that may not have been a good move anyway, so they probaly did the best thing in leaving it alone after all.