If you’re in the market for a color ereader, one of Rakuten Kobo’s latest models is on sale for Black Friday. Today, you can order the Kobo Libra Colour, which has a seven-inch color e-ink screen and physical page-turn buttons, for $200. If you’re content with black-and-white reading, two of the company’s other models — the Sage and Elipsa 2E — are also discounted.
Although not everyone needs a pop of color while reading, the device can enhance the visual presentation of book covers, highlights and comics on its seven-inch 1,264 x 1,680 E Ink Kaleido 3 display. Unlike tablets such as the iPad, it doesn’t add glare from sunlight. The device includes Kobo’s ComfortLight Pro, which automatically adjusts the front light’s blue levels for a more comfortable reading experience. It also has a dark mode for night reading.
One way the device stands out from Amazon’s new Kindle Colorsoft is physical page-turn buttons. Although reaching your thumb slightly to tap the screen isn’t exactly a chore, I prefer the satisfying feel of physical buttons: Keep your thumb rested on it and press when it’s time to flip the page.
The Libra Colour supports note-taking, annotating and highlights — all in color — with the Kobo Stylus 2. Unfortunately, the pen-like accessory isn’t included in the box; you’ll need to pony up an extra $70 if you want a more notebook-like experience.
The ereader has 32GB of storage, enough for 24,00 ebooks or 150 audiobooks. Rakuten Kobo rates the device for up to 40 days of battery life, although that will vary with usage. The Libra Colour has an IPX8 rating, meaning it can handle immersion in over 6.5 ft of water for an hour. As a welcomed perk, the ereader is self-repairable through a partnership with iFixit.
On the black and white ereader front, Kobo’s Sage and Elipsa 2E are also on sale for Black Friday. The Sage has a larger eight-inch display with deep contrast and fast page turns. Typically ringing up for $270, it’s on sale for $240. Finally, the Kobo Elipsa 2E has a tablet-sized 10.3-inch screen and software built around note-taking (including handwriting conversion). It has a $400 MSRP but is discounted to $350.
Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.
I’m Manas Ranjan Sahoo: Founder of “Webtirety Software”. I’m a Full-time Software Professional and an aspiring entrepreneur, dedicated to growing this platform as large as possible. I love to Write Blogs on Software, Mobile applications, Web Technology, eCommerce, SEO, and about My experience with Life.