BTTR is independent, but when you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Find out more.
In fantastic news for comic fans, Kobo has just released its first colour eBook readers.
The Kobo Clara Colour and the Kobo Libra Colour both feature a new e-ink technology called Kaleido 3 which can generate 4096 colours while still maintaining that e-ink quality that’s good for the eyes and easy to read.
The result is a subtle reproduction of colour that looks a bit more like a newspaper than a magazine.
Colour ebook readers aren’t going to be for everybody. If you read a lot of novels, you probably don’t need it, as the only colour you’ll see is the cover of the book.
But for comic fans, or even those who want to read to young children, the colour screen is going to be a huge reason to upgrade.
But what are the new models? Let’s take a look at Kobo’s new readers:
Kobo Libra Colour: Premium freedom
The larger of the two new models, the Kobo Libra Colour features a 7-inch display with support for Kobo’s Stylus 2, which lets you write on the screen like the Kindle Scribe.
It comes with 32GB of on board storage, which is enough space for about 24,000 books apparently. Integrated Bluetooth connectivity lets you listen to audiobooks wirelessly, and the product is rated IPX8 for water resistance.
There’s an adjustable front light for reading at night, and you can connect the reader directly to Dropbox or Google Drive, which is a great way to store and back up any handwritten notes using the Stylus.
Kobo Clara Colour: Compact clarity
Slightly smaller, the Kobo Clara Colour only has a 6-inch colour e-ink display and 16GB of on-board storage.
It also doesn’t offer direct connection to Dropbox and Google Drive, and doesn’t support the Kobo Stylus 2 either.
Which makes it an ideal option for anyone just after an affordable eBook reader with a colour screen. It still offers a waterproof body and audiobook support, and the colour screen is the same technology, just smaller.
And if colour really isn’t your thing, Kobo has also launched the Clara BW, which offers the same specs except with a traditional black and white screen. It’s only $20 cheaper than the colour version, though.
Pricing and availability
The new colour Kobo eBook readers will officially hit shelves on April 30, though they are available for pre-order now.
The Libra Colour comes in both black and white models, and has an RRP of $359.95.
The Clara Colour, meanwhile, comes in black, and will cost $259.95.
The Clara BW is available in Black for $239.95.
For anyone who pre-orders, Kobo is also offering 50% off the price of one of the eReaders’ SleepCovers, which typically retail for $49.95 for the Libra Colour and $44.95 for the Clara Colour.
You can pre-order your colour eBook reader at Kobo directly.
