• TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
  • Follow
    • Follow
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • google+
    • instagram
    • youtube
Hearst Corporation
  • TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
Forums
  • Register
  • Login
  • Forums
  • Gadgets
  • Tablets and e-Readers
Kobo e-reader
nikproffitt
11-12-2011
Not sure if you have noticed but the new Kobo e-reader has been massively reduced in WH Smith (£170 - £99) for the most expensive model.

Is this a sign that they are not selling well or just a ploy to get people to by them instead of kindles for christmas?
freeview_user
11-12-2011
As you said it could be to get people to talk about them/buy them (with Kobo not being a well-known name in the UK). But who knows, they might be not selling well.
InsideSoap
11-12-2011
ASDA are selling them (£67 for the cheapest model) so WH Smith need to compete with them now. I thought WH Smith had an exclusive deal though, obviously not.

Quote:
“W H Smith has backed rival retailer Asda's move to join WHS in selling Kobo e-readers.

The Bookseller revealed yesterday that the supermarket chain would begin selling the Kobo wireless e-reader for £67 and the touchscreen Kobo for £107 this Friday (9th December).

Asda's price for the wireless Kobo compares favourably with that currently being offered by W H Smith, which is charging £89.99 for the wireless model and £109.99 for the Touch. WHS also sells the latest Kobo, the colour model Vox, which will not be stocked by Asda.

A spokesperson for WHS said: "We are very supportive of Kobo extending their UK retail presence, which will help them to establish themselves as a major UK brand."

WHS' deal, announced in October, also means Kobo's e-books will be sold through its website, with the high street bookseller receiving a cut of every book sold.

Tesco, rival supermarket to Asda, sells Amazon's Kindle e-readers.”

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/w-...kobo-move.html
bean999
12-12-2011
Atm WHS are selling at:

Kobo Wireless £69.99
Kobo Touch £99.99
Kobo Vox £189.99
noise747
13-12-2011
Happy with my Kobo Wi-fi, a bit annoyed that a tenner have now been knocked off the price, but oh well.


The vox is just a cheap pad style unit, not really good for reading to be honest as it uses a LCD style screen. E-ink is so much better for reading.
bean999
16-12-2011
I agree, it's the readability I'm attracted to. In particular I'd like to read web pages and large pdfs. Unfortunately I get the impression computers/tablets do a better job of that than eReaders.
kaycee
09-06-2012
Originally Posted by bean999:
“Atm WHS are selling at:

Kobo Wireless £69.99
Kobo Touch £99.99
Kobo Vox £189.99”

Cheapest Kobo is now £49 in WHSmiths
Kobo Touch is now £79 & Kobo Vox £149.
Batwing
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by noise747:
“Happy with my Kobo Wi-fi, a bit annoyed that a tenner have now been knocked off the price, but oh well.


The vox is just a cheap pad style unit, not really good for reading to be honest as it uses a LCD style screen. E-ink is so much better for reading.”

That's a personal preference. In fact, it can be argued that LCD screens are superior as people are much more likely to read under conditions of low lighting than outside under a bright sun, the only area where e-readers have an obvious advantage.

LCD screens like on the new iPad are fantastic for reading as text is pin sharp and all book stores are available on it, unlike a dedicated e-reader that is essentially fixed to just one store.
stud u like
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by noise747:
“Happy with my Kobo Wi-fi, a bit annoyed that a tenner have now been knocked off the price, but oh well.


The vox is just a cheap pad style unit, not really good for reading to be honest as it uses a LCD style screen. E-ink is so much better for reading.”

Is it? You can't see it in the dark.
stud u like
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“That's a personal preference. In fact, it can be argued that LCD screens are superior as people are much more likely to read under conditions of low lighting than outside under a bright sun, the only area where e-readers have an obvious advantage.

LCD screens like on the new iPad are fantastic for reading as text is pin sharp and all book stores are available on it, unlike a dedicated e-reader that is essentially fixed to just one store.”

The same can be said for smart phones.
Batwing
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by stud u like:
“The same can be said for smart phones.”

You lost me.
stud u like
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“You lost me.”

You can use several apps to buy books on them.
IvanIV
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“That's a personal preference. In fact, it can be argued that LCD screens are superior as people are much more likely to read under conditions of low lighting than outside under a bright sun, the only area where e-readers have an obvious advantage.

LCD screens like on the new iPad are fantastic for reading as text is pin sharp and all book stores are available on it, unlike a dedicated e-reader that is essentially fixed to just one store.”

I work with a computer with a high quality 24'' LCD screen 8 hours a day and it's as much as I can stomach. I have no problem using a dedicated ereader with eink screen for hours.
Batwing
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“I work with a computer with a high quality 24'' LCD screen 8 hours a day and it's as much as I can stomach. I have no problem using a dedicated ereader with eink screen for hours.”

Most people have no issues using an LCD "for hours."

You are also wrongly comparely the low pixel density of a computer monitor to an e-book reader. The later would be easier to read just for the better detail. You need to compare an e-book reader with a high pixel density screen like on the new iPad to get comparable detail.
IvanIV
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“Most people have no issues using an LCD "for hours."

You are also wrongly comparely the low pixel density of a computer monitor to an e-book reader. The later would be easier to read just for the better detail. You need to compare an e-book reader with a high pixel density screen like on the new iPad to get comparable detail.”

I played with various tablets for a while in shops, I did not like the experience. For a reading I still much prefer a paper book or an eink book reader. The experience is different for different people, that's all I am saying.
alan1302
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“Most people have no issues using an LCD "for hours."

You are also wrongly comparely the low pixel density of a computer monitor to an e-book reader. The later would be easier to read just for the better detail. You need to compare an e-book reader with a high pixel density screen like on the new iPad to get comparable detail.”

But it's not all about pixel desities - I find a eReader easier to read simply as there is no light coming from it - which is what can make an LCD screen tiring to read.

The iPad has a nice screen but it's not one I would want to read on for a long time.
Batwing
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by stud u like:
“You can use several apps to buy books on them.”

Of course.
Batwing
17-06-2012
Originally Posted by alan1302:
“But it's not all about pixel desities - I find a eReader easier to read simply as there is no light coming from it - which is what can make an LCD screen tiring to read.”

You can turn down the brightness if you like.

Reading an e-reader in low light is also an issue.

Originally Posted by alan1302:
“The iPad has a nice screen but it's not one I would want to read on for a long time.”

Have you tried?
alan1302
18-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“You can turn down the brightness if you like.

Reading an e-reader in low light is also an issue.



Have you tried?”

Yeah, you can turn down the brightness but then it's not as clear and I hate a dim LCD screen.

It is true that reading in low light in an issue for an eReader but if I want to read I will put a light on so I can see it.

I've not tried an iPad for reading as i don't have myself so have not had the time for a long read for one but would prefer an eReader to read on due to the LCD screen.
IvanIV
18-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“Reading an e-reader in low light is also an issue.”

They made it to be like a book, books don't have lights. It's a typical misconception, people want light with their ereader, but when they get it in the form of an LCD display they don't like it. You can get a lighted cover with Kindle, but it influences a battery life. An easy and natural solution is to use the same light one would use with a paper book.
noise747
18-06-2012
Originally Posted by Batwing:
“That's a personal preference. In fact, it can be argued that LCD screens are superior as people are much more likely to read under conditions of low lighting than outside under a bright sun, the only area where e-readers have an obvious advantage.

LCD screens like on the new iPad are fantastic for reading as text is pin sharp and all book stores are available on it, unlike a dedicated e-reader that is essentially fixed to just one store.”

Originally Posted by stud u like:
“Is it? You can't see it in the dark.”

Personal preference yes, but it have been proved that the built in light from LCD screens, could strain eyes more than E-ink.

A work colleague have a binatone e-reader, which he loves, that is LCd and he can read it for hours, now I borrowed a Ipad for a couple of days, and it started to affect my eyes after a hour.


A E-ink reader is suppose to resemble a page of a book, you don't have built in lighting in on a book. I got myself a little LED light that clips onto the Kobo and it does a great job.

The other problem with LCD readers is when you are out in the sun, you can hardly see the things, well I can't anyway, I find it difficult to see my phone sometimes in bright sunlight.

One massive advantage with E-ink readers, battery life, I can charge up my reader and I don't have to bother again for weeks, Ideal if I go any where for a few days, not that I have for a while.


As been said it is personal preferences, Just the same as some people prefer the Kindle to the Kobo and vice versa.

I must admit, the Kindle do seems to have a whiter display than my Kobo.
noise747
18-06-2012
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“I work with a computer with a high quality 24'' LCD screen 8 hours a day and it's as much as I can stomach. I have no problem using a dedicated ereader with eink screen for hours.”

i can use my monitor on my computer for around 3-4 hours, but I could not read a e-book LCD book for that long.


you tend to look away from a monitor now and again, but when you are stuck in a book, you don't.

I am hoping the sun stays out today so I can sit out side and have a read, since it is my day off work.
alan1302
18-06-2012
Originally Posted by noise747:
“i can use my monitor on my computer for around 3-4 hours, but I could not read a e-book LCD book for that long.


you tend to look away from a monitor now and again, but when you are stuck in a book, you don't.

I am hoping the sun stays out today so I can sit out side and have a read, since it is my day off work.”

I use a monitor all day at work – but am not constantly looking at the screen – when I read on my phone using a Kindle app then it’s not as good as suing an ereader or an actual book as it makes my eyes tired.
VIEW DESKTOP SITE TOP

JOIN US HERE

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation

DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

© 2015 Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Complaints
  • Site Map