For many, reading is not just a pastime, but an identity. Inspired by that insight, Rakuten Kobo today announces Kobo Aura ONE, which was designed with the help of its best customers and reflects Kobo’s latest step towards the perfect reading device. A team of nine of Kobo’s top customers challenged the Kobo design team to push the limits on all aspects of hardware and software. Months of collaboration resulted in an eReader with a screen size that fits more words to a page, front-light technology that allows for nighttime reading with no impact on sleep, and an interface offering customized book recommendations to suit each and every reader.
Kobo Aura ONE makes its debut with a singular goal—to offer a reading experience like no other. It will be available in soft black and will retail for $249.99 CAD (MSRP) in Canada exclusively at www.kobo.com and with Indigo in-store and online at www.indigo.ca from August 30 to September 29 (pre-order from August 30 to September 5; September 6 in-store availability); the device will be available at Best Buy beginning September 30; and as of September 6 in the US, the UK, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Japan, and Turkey; October/November in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico; and March 2017 in Brazil.
Get Lost in a Story with a Book-Sized Touchscreen: Those who like the size of a hardcover book with spacious pages will enjoy reading on the largest premium Carta E Ink touchscreen currently available on the market, with 300 ppi for print-quality resolution. Housed within the device’s thin, lightweight design (195.1 x 138.5 x 6.9 mm; 230g), the edge-to-edge 7.8″ screen allows for an enjoyable reading experience with more words to a page, which means fewer page turns.
Bedtime Readers Rejoice with ComfortLight PRO: Experts have cautioned that devices in bed, and specifically the blue light from screens, can affect sleep quality. By reducing blue light exposure, Kobo Aura ONE’s enhanced front-light technology lets people enjoy nighttime reading without impacting their sleep. An ambient light sensor automatically detects current light levels to emit the optimal brightness based on the time of day; by setting a bedtime hour, the hue of the light mimics the sun’s natural progression. Readers can also manually choose their own light settings based on personal preference.
Borrowing eBooks has Never Been Easier: Readers can easily connect to their local public libraries right from their Kobo Aura ONE with built-in, one-touch OverDrive library lending access*. Set-up is free with a library card from any OverDrive-powered library, and through an integrated catalogue, booklovers can search for the title they want, and depending on the title, choose to either borrow or buy.
Waterproof for the ultimate escape: Sink into a good read while in the bath or take it poolside without worry. Advancing from the breakthrough Kobo Aura H2O waterproof device, Kobo Aura ONE now has HZO Protection™, making it waterproof** for reading in places where other devices might not survive. The coating technology applied to the device’s interior allows it to be fully submerged without the need for port covers. Now relax, draw a bath and start reading.
Read your way: As no two booklovers are alike, Kobo offers a reading experience to suit any reader’s taste. TypeGenius offers customizable font options, which include exclusive weight and sharpness settings, with the choice of 50 font sizes and 11 font types. In addition, readers can adjust margins, highlight passages, write notes, and look up words with the built-in dictionary. With a world-class catalogue of more than 5 million titles available at Kobo.com, ranging from romance to thrillers, biographies and memoirs to business books, non-fiction to literary fiction—there are options for everyone—available directly from the device with a Wifi connection.
Carry an entire library in the palm of your hand: Not sure which book to take on vacation or on the bus to work? Take them all. With 8GB of storage, Kobo Aura ONE stores up to 6,000 eBooks. What’s more, the device’s battery life of up to one month allows booklovers to enjoy a full book before needing a charge. Reading is a breeze with 512 MB of RAM and the Solo Lite processor—making page turns fast and seamless.
