Kobo Aura One (Photo : YouTube / CNET)
Kobo has unveiled the Aura One which is set to take on the new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon with the former having a larger screen size for those who want to read more.
The new Kobo Aura One has a massive 7.8-inch display screen which is significantly larger than its predecessor, the Aura HD. It has a screen resolution of 1872 x 1404 which sits just about right for the average reader who prefers E-Ink displays to the traditional books.
In addition, there is also 8GB for the internal storage of the Aura One. Considering that some eBooks are just a few MB, that would seem to be more than enough to last a whole year.
Kobo's Aura One screen means that users will have to turn the page fewer times compared to the Kindle paperwhite, TechCrunch has learned. It is also thin at only 6.9 millimeters and has a weight of only 230 grams.
There is only one physical button on Kobo's new eReader which is the teal power button. It would have been better if there were physical buttons for page turning but even the Kindle Paperwhite also has none.
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite has a lighter weight of 217 grams for the 3G model and 205 grams for the Wi-Fi variant compared to the Kobo Aura One's 230g, Trusted Reviews reported. However, the Paperwhite comes in at 9.1 millimeters thick which may be too much for tiny hands and for prolonged reading sessions at home.
In terms of features, Kobo might win the round as they have their new ComfortLight PRO screen technology which is basically an ambient light sensor. The Aura One will automatically determine the light levels around the user so that it can adjust accordingly to reduce eye strain and improve the screen's visibility.
During bed ti me, the Kobo Aura One can also change the brightness and hue of the screen to filter out harmful blue light. Kobo's new eReader costs $230 with all of its features while several models of the Amazon kindle Paperwhite can just range around $110 for the cheaper 4GB model or variant.
