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KOBO vs. Kindle |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Scotland
Posts: 16,054
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KOBO vs. Kindle
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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#2 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,921
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Quote:
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. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
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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 .... |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,673
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Quote:
Girlfriend wants to purchase KOBO reader from WH Smith, was on offer for £30...
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#5 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 14,219
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Quote:
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 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. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 14,219
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Quote:
Wasn't it the NOOK that was on offer for thirty quid everywhere?
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 6,180
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Quote:
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.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 14,219
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Quote:
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.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 4,234
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Quote:
...I've found that kindle books tend to be cheaper on the whole and I can usually find what I want.
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. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 802
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Looks like Asda still have the Nook http://direct.asda.com/NOOK%C2%AE-Si...efault,pd.html
I can definitely recommend. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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Quote:
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. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria
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Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
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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 .... |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: West Yorks
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Quote:
Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.
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#15 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Quote:
In what way?
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#16 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 276
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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.
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#17 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Quote:
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.
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,684
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Quote:
Stick with Kindle, the rest overall are not as good.
![]() 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. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Glasgow
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Quote:
Your not really tied to Amazon with a Kindle, programmes like Calibre will convert lots of different formats to Kindle.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 14,219
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Quote:
Thats a point whatever e-reader you choose you need something like Calibre with the right plugins.
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#21 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 276
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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? |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 4,234
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Quote:
Your not really tied to Amazon with a Kindle, programmes like Calibre will convert lots of different formats to Kindle.
Quote:
Exactly, so all this talk of being tied into stores is irrelevant.
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? |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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Quote:
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? I do agree that most people wouldn't know how to format shift their books. |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,684
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Quote:
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? |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 6,180
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Quote:
And while I would know how to liberate my purchases, many would not.
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