KOBO vs. Kindle

spiideyspiidey Posts: 16,296
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Girlfriend wants to purchase KOBO reader from WH Smith, was on offer for £30 (not sure if offer still on). Seems a hell of a lot cheaper than a Kindle.

However, we were wondering if the cost of downloading a book to the KOBO reader would be more expensive, on average, per book, than downloading a book to a Kindle? And that in the long-term, if the cost of downloading to the KOBO was more expensive than for a Kindle, that this additional cost would offset the saving in the initial purchase of the eReader?

Also, what about the overall selection of books available on both KOBO and Kindle?
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  • finbaarfinbaar Posts: 4,818
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    spiidey wrote: »
    Girlfriend wants to purchase KOBO reader from WH Smith, was on offer for £30 (not sure if offer still on). Seems a hell of a lot cheaper than a Kindle.

    However, we were wondering if the cost of downloading a book to the KOBO reader would be more expensive, on average, per book, than downloading a book to a Kindle? And that in the long-term, if the cost of downloading to the KOBO was more expensive than for a Kindle, that this additional cost would offset the saving in the initial purchase of the eReader?

    Also, what about the overall selection of books available on both KOBO and Kindle?


    The cost of books is pretty similar across the platforms, as is book availability. One advantage of the Kobo is the epub format it uses. Libraries use this when they lend ebooks.

    I have a Kobo touch and I am very happy with it. It seems at least as good as the equivalent Kindle and is better made imho.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,940
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    Dunno if you can do it with the Kobo but I bought one of the Nook e-readers and just rooted it and set it up to run the Kindle app at startup. So it's now effectively a Kindle.

    Or theres always Calibre which lets you convert easily enough between e-book formats ....
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    spiidey wrote: »
    Girlfriend wants to purchase KOBO reader from WH Smith, was on offer for £30...

    Wasn't it the NOOK that was on offer for thirty quid everywhere?
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    spiidey wrote: »
    Girlfriend wants to purchase KOBO reader from WH Smith, was on offer for £30 (not sure if offer still on). Seems a hell of a lot cheaper than a Kindle.

    However, we were wondering if the cost of downloading a book to the KOBO reader would be more expensive, on average, per book, than downloading a book to a Kindle? And that in the long-term, if the cost of downloading to the KOBO was more expensive than for a Kindle, that this additional cost would offset the saving in the initial purchase of the eReader?

    Also, what about the overall selection of books available on both KOBO and Kindle?
    I think the offer is finished, it is on the website and at argos, PC world etc

    The kobo mini is a nice device. I picked up 2 during the sales. However I think the kindle is a better device and books are generally cheaper from amazon. Amazon also tend to have a better selection of books. Having said that with the Kobo you can buy books from lots of different stores like kobo's own store, waterstones, books on board, blackwell's, sainsbury's. However despite being able to buy books from a wider variety of sources, I've found that kindle books tend to be cheaper on the whole and I can usually find what I want.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    mred2000 wrote: »
    Wasn't it the NOOK that was on offer for thirty quid everywhere?

    The kobo was as well but the offer seems to have finished. I think the Nook is still on offer if you can find one as people have been snapping them up do stock levels are low.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    The kobo was as well but the offer seems to have finished. I think the Nook is still on offer if you can find one as people have been snapping them up do stock levels are low.

    I believe the Nook has a larger screen as well than the Kobo – I got a Nook at the weekend and have enjoyed using it. My wife has a Kindle Paperwhite and has mentioned that she was impressed with it as well.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    I believe the Nook has a larger screen as well than the Kobo – I got a Nook at the weekend and have enjoyed using it. My wife has a Kindle Paperwhite and has mentioned that she was impressed with it as well.

    Yes the nook is 6'' and the kobo is 5''. I have a kindle paperwhite, the nook simple touch and a kobo mini. My favourite will always be the kindle but the nook and the kobo are good bits of kit.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    ...I've found that kindle books tend to be cheaper on the whole and I can usually find what I want.

    Well for S n' G's, the missus has been performing a little experiment with her Kobo. She's spent quite a bit on it buying books, but as she's bought them she's checked the Amazon equivalent price, and they're always exactly the same. There's no saving to be made on Amazon, and she's not missing anything.

    I was a bit unsure buying the Kobo, as the Kindle is the more heavily marketed device and therefore more popular, but we picked the Kobo as the formats is uses are more open (even though it does use DRM for many purchases), the unit itself is nicer (imho), and neither of us agree with one big company having such control over something as important as reading. Three good reasons there for picking a Kobo imho. It would be nice if these disparate companies would come together in some sort of cross compatibility agreement so you could buy books from any retailer, but as Amazon is seeking to be the sole market leader I can't see this happening.
  • tony le mesmertony le mesmer Posts: 876
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    Looks like Asda still have the Nook http://direct.asda.com/NOOK%C2%AE-Simple-Touch-eReader/000553980,default,pd.html

    I can definitely recommend.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    Kal_El wrote: »
    Well for S n' G's, the missus has been performing a little experiment with her Kobo. She's spent quite a bit on it buying books, but as she's bought them she's checked the Amazon equivalent price, and they're always exactly the same. There's no saving to be made on Amazon, and she's not missing anything.

    I was a bit unsure buying the Kobo, as the Kindle is the more heavily marketed device and therefore more popular, but we picked the Kobo as the formats is uses are more open (even though it does use DRM for many purchases), the unit itself is nicer (imho), and neither of us agree with one big company having such control over something as important as reading. Three good reasons there for picking a Kobo imho. It would be nice if these disparate companies would come together in some sort of cross compatibility agreement so you could buy books from any retailer, but as Amazon is seeking to be the sole market leader I can't see this happening.

    I suppose it depends on the books you want to buy and some of the books are the same price because of the agency model. The kobo 's are nice devices though. I bought two of the mini's when they were on sale and I do like them. I think it just comes down to personal preference because they are all capable devices and pretty much do the same thing.
  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,940
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    Maybe not, but at thirty quid and running the Kindle app, the Nook pretty much IS a Kindle for a lot less money.

    Now I just need to wean myself off paper books. Easier said than done so far ....
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    neo_wales wrote: »
    Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.

    In what way?
  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    In what way?

    Overall, screen quality, battery life, tie in with Amazon et al. Its all down to personal choice at the end of the day, for me the only reader I would buy after trying several was the Kindle.
  • LumstormLumstorm Posts: 447
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    The Kobo Glo is my main reader fantastic screen with its light and good battery life and for me the main thing it isn't tied to one retailer like Amazon. I think its important to have a reader that supports EPUB as it's the main format used by the retailers. I wouldn't buy a DAP that couldn't play MP3.
  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    Lumstorm wrote: »
    The Kobo Glo is my main reader fantastic screen with its light and good battery life and for me the main thing it isn't tied to one retailer like Amazon. I think its important to have a reader that supports EPUB as it's the main format used by the retailers. I wouldn't buy a DAP that couldn't play MP3.

    Your not really tied to Amazon with a Kindle, programmes like Calibre will convert lots of different formats to Kindle.
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
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    neo_wales wrote: »
    Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.

    Bit of a generalisation :eek:

    I've got a Kobo Mini. Whilst it just happens to look like a Kindle Paperwhite,,,it matches it in build quality, styling and usability. I've got no complaints, happy to recommend it to others contemplating buying an ereader.
  • LumstormLumstorm Posts: 447
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    neo_wales wrote: »
    Your not really tied to Amazon with a Kindle, programmes like Calibre will convert lots of different formats to Kindle.

    Thats a point whatever e-reader you choose you need something like Calibre with the right plugins.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    Lumstorm wrote: »
    Thats a point whatever e-reader you choose you need something like Calibre with the right plugins.

    Exactly, so all this talk of being tied into stores is irrelevant. I've got books on my kobos and nook simple touch that I bought from amazon and books that I bought from kobo on my kindle.
  • LumstormLumstorm Posts: 447
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    Though you can change formats I still personally wouldn't touch a kindle on the principle of buying a closed machine. Unfortunately the Kobo does also require a Kobo account. It would be ideal if I could get a front-lit e-reader without requiring me to sign for any account, that would work independently without requiring any special software or relying on any one company.

    I can buy DRM free books from Kobo for publishers that don't do DRM does Amazon have DRM free as well or do they lock everything down?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    neo_wales wrote: »
    Your not really tied to Amazon with a Kindle, programmes like Calibre will convert lots of different formats to Kindle.
    Exactly, so all this talk of being tied into stores is irrelevant.

    Not irrelevant at all, and this shouldn't be presented as if it's a feature. There may be some software available that may well be capable of unlocking DRM if the user knows how, but how many will even know about it?

    The fact remains that buying a Kindle, or indeed any e-book at the moment, locks you into a one-company solution. And while I would know how to liberate my purchases, many would not. Why can the user not buy a book without these restrictions in the first place? Why can't my missus buy a book and then lend it to me on my e-reader?
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    Kal_El wrote: »
    Not irrelevant at all, and this shouldn't be presented as if it's a feature. There may be some software available that may well be capable of unlocking DRM if the user knows how, but how many will even know about it?

    The fact remains that buying a Kindle, or indeed any e-book at the moment, locks you into a one-company solution. And while I would know how to liberate my purchases, many would not. Why can the user not buy a book without these restrictions in the first place? Why can't my missus buy a book and then lend it to me on my e-reader?

    Well I wouldn't say an ePub device ties you into one company. epubs can be read on all virtually all devices bar the kindle. If you had a kobo and your wife had a nook or a Sony you could share books.

    I do agree that most people wouldn't know how to format shift their books.
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
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    Lumstorm wrote: »
    Though you can change formats I still personally wouldn't touch a kindle on the principle of buying a closed machine. Unfortunately the Kobo does also require a Kobo account. It would be ideal if I could get a front-lit e-reader without requiring me to sign for any account, that would work independently without requiring any special software or relying on any one company.

    I can buy DRM free books from Kobo for publishers that don't do DRM does Amazon have DRM free as well or do they lock everything down?

    Once only visit to setup the Kobo. You don't have to revisit if you don't want to.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Kal_El wrote: »
    And while I would know how to liberate my purchases, many would not.

    That is true but a quick search on Google shows anyone how to do it.
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    That is true but a quick search on Google shows anyone how to do it.

    However, many people wouldn't even know to do a search to find out how to do it. Most folk just don't know it's possible let alone find out how to do it... Us folk who look outside of the box really are in the minority.
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