![]() ![]() Like the new Nook, the Kobo packs 2GB of on-board storage (1GB of which is available for actual book storage) - that's half of what's offered in the latest version of the Kindle, but unlike the competition, Amazon's device doesn't have expandable memory via microSD. The zForce infrared touchscreen is responsive, certainly, but doesn't afford the same sort of accuracy of physical buttons, and attempts at page turn swipes sometimes registered in the opposite direction or not at all - reading for any extended length of time will probably require you to hold the tiny reader in both hands. We're not entirely sure why Kobo didn't just go for broke and incorporate both of these features into the same button, but the presence of two buttons certainly isn't a deal-breaker.Īfter using the Kobo for an extended period, we actually began to miss the Nook and Kindle's physical page turn buttons, which make it a lot easier to use the device with a single hand. ![]() Like the Nook, however, rumors of the Kobo's single button were greatly exaggerated - the reader actually has two: a narrow silver Home button on the front and a sliding Power button on the top. Lack of physical page turning buttons also helped the Kobo shed a few precious fractions of an inch off its sides. That's not to say the Touch is hard to hold, its small size and a latticed back offer up some grip. The Nook's slightly larger footprint has a benefit, however, making the device easier to hold, particularly with its concave backing, which is easily gripped with a single hand. The question with the launch of the Kobo then, is not only whether the David can compete in a market so dominated by the Kindle, but if the eReader Touch Edition has enough to set it apart from the superficially identical Nook. The new Nook also managed to beat Kobo's device to market, offering a more than worthy competitor to Amazon's latest. In fact, the devices were seemingly so alike that we created a head to head, in order to see for ourselves precisely what set them apart. True to form, however, Barnes & Noble launched its own device a mere day after Kobo, which for most intents and purposes, looks an awful lot like the eReader Touch Edition. In spite of overwhelming odds, however, Kobo has managed to stay afloat, and even competitive. When it first announced the launch of its eReader Touch Edition late last month, Kobo referred to itself again and again as the "David" in a reader market full of "Goliaths." It's not difficult to see why - the company's chief competition in the space is Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony, all giants in their respective fields.
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