Kobo Libra Colour eReader, 7” Colour E Ink, Waterproof, Black

I last tried the Kobo Libra Colour about ten months ago. It was a rebound purchase when my Scribe packed in after a year, and Amazon was singularly unhelpful, refusing to repair or replace a £400 bit of kit. In a fit of pique, I decided to come away from Amazon and try the Kobo. But I wasn't in the right headspace. Although I desperately wanted a colour device (the Colorsoft hadn't launched then), I was comparing the Kobo against the Scribe and the Oasis. I was also still very immersed in the Amazon ecosystem - I've had Kindles since the first iteration. I was really looking for a unicorn - a large colour reading device plus notebook. I wasn't impressed with the Kobo notebook - the screen was small, and the pen didn't feel like writing on paper, as the Scribe does. I sent the Kobo back. So now, months on, I recently tried the Boox Note Air 4C (it was a birthday gift). But the battery life was woeful. Yes it had a colour screen, and yes the notebook functionality is way better than the Scribe. But I didn't feel it was good enough to replace the Scribe. So I decided to give the Kobo another try and re-calibrate my approach. Not viewing it as a notebook device to replace Scribe but as a 7 inch colour e-reader to replace the Kindle Colorsoft (but the Kobo happens to have a notebook as an added bonus). Plus, we are now at the point where Amazon's approach to licencing means many people have moved away from the ecosystem in favour of Kobo. If they can do it, I can too, I thought. This time, I'm viewing the Kobo through new eyes. I thought it felt cheap and plasticky originally. But I hadn't realised it's made from ocean-bound plastic. In fact, it's a very environmentally friendly product, designed to be fixed if it goes wrong, rather than discarded. And it's super light too. Suddenly I got what all the reviewers have been raving about. It IS a device for readers. Small and thoughtful features enhance the reading experience no end. Let's compare it to the Kindle Coloursoft, as I think that's the fairest and closest e-reader to this. The display on the Kobo Libra Clour is way better. I know there's a lot of talk about colour devices being darker and, yes, both are compared to non colour e-ink devices. However, you can get the Kobo to a B&W e-reader background lightness without feeling like the front-light is cranked up too high. At just 8% it begins to feel akin to regular e-readers and it just gets better from there. And, unlike the Boox, using the front-light doesn't eat up battery. By comparison, the Kindle Coloursoft has a very murky screen. Also, the colour screen is much more vibrant on the Kobo. Side by side, I'd say it knocks the Coloursoft out of the water. I've added photos but the difference is far more obvious in reality. Initially, I did have a niggle with the Kobo's fonts - none seemed as bold as those offered on Kindles. However, this time, I learned you can adjust the 'weight' of the font in the settings to make them bolder. You can also download fonts for free online then save them to the font folder on the Kobo (it's super easy to do - just connect the Kobo to your computer or other device). Doing this, I was able to download Bookerly, which is the font I normally opt for. The next plus is how easy it is to adjust the front-light. No having to tap on the screen a couple of times to bring up the brightness menu and adjust. On the Kobo, you can choose to run your finger up and down the left side of the screen and, hey presto, it adjusts your light. This is such a reader-friendly option. And on the subject of making things quick and easy, you can also slide down from the top to easily get back to the last few things you viewed - whether a novel or a notebook. In both the Coloursoft and Scribe, you need to click back to the home screen. It was always an irritant on the Scribe not being able to easily toggle back to the book I was reading from within the notebook, and vice versa. The reading experience itself is enhanced by the addition of the stylus, if you choose to get it. But even just being able to highlight in different colours is helpful (something you can also do on the Coloursoft). However, to also be able to write directly on the book page, and in various colours, is game changing for keen annotators. Scribe has made it a little more intuitive to write on the page, but still doesn't offer the full-on option of having what you write appear directly on the page - instead, it shoves it into an expandable side-margin or a text-box that takes up space on the page. Another really helpful tool on the Kobo is being able to highlight a word (which brings up a drop-down menu) and click 'search'. Most people who use e-readers probably try to search when reading a book to find where names or other things have appeared previously. This is a direct route to doing that. On Kindles, though, you have to click the magnifying glass icon, then type in the word or name you're searching for. This function on the Kobo makes it so much quicker and more seamless to perform this function. You can also customise both footers and headers in the Kobo, to give you different info e.g. percentage read/ page number/time left in book/ in chapter etc. So this is totally customisable. Finally, the Kobo has PAGE TURN BUTTONS! This is something many hardcore Kindle fans have missed immensely in later iterations. Better still, the Kobo does a full auto rotate (which can be disabled). Something which, for some unknown reason, was a function Amazon removed from the Coloursoft. The full auto-rotate means you can move the device from left to right hand (the page-turn buttons automatically recalibrate) AND you can read it in landscape mode too. Now to the ecosystem ... I realised shifting would require a change in outlook. I've spent around 15 years downloading samples and curating my Amazon collections. I realised I'd NEVER move device if I remained wedded to that. I just had to take the plunge. Realistically, when you go into physical bookshops, you don't see exactly the same books in each one. You browse what's on offer and make your choice from there. So, personally, it was a bit of a mental letting go for me. I don't use Kindle Unlimited so that wasn't an issue. I believe the Kobo equivalent isn't quite as good (although it is cheaper) - but it's anticipated that as more authors move over to Kobo, their catalogue of free novels will increase. There's also a reward scheme where you pay £6 a year and can earn points for every book you buy, which you can then redeem for a free book. So Kobo are rewarding loyal readers. The device itself is much more reader-friendly - showing you the books/previews on your device and encouraging you to read what's on there - rather than trying to sell you more books, like Amazon does. There is also access to Overdrive to borrow library books; although it doesn't seem like it's available for most libraries in the UK who use a different borrowing system to Libby (which is linked to Overdrive). But really, once I put the Amazon catalogue I have on my Kindle out of my mind, I've found there's more than enough choice and deals on Kobo. Generally, if a novel goes on offer on Amazon, it'll have the same offer on Kobo. Overall, even though I've only had the Kobo a few days, I'm loving it so far. It ticks so many boxes: colour/waterproof/notebook as a bonus/very intuitive/makes reading easy. A note on the stylus - I got the Kobo one but you can get cheaper compatible versions, but from what I've gleaned, the highlighter and eraser functions are always reversed; so if you get an eraser at the end, that'll highlight and the button on the pen will erase. Apparently the Metapen M1 at £29 is manageable because the eraser and highlighter functions are both buttons on the pen body, so it's not too important which button does what. And it's almost half the price of the Kobo stylus. Finally, cases ... if the case is just as important as the device for you (which it is for me, as it's part of the reading experience), suitable cases are thin on the ground. Largely because there is no streamlined case that has a pen holder. There are chunkier cases which have a pen loop at the side. But nothing that encases the stylus within the case. Apart from Kobo's own Notebook case. Generally, I like a kickstand and pen holder. However, I decided having a place to safely stow the pen was more important, so I opted for the Kobo Notebook case in blue. It is a beautiful case (definitely not the cheapest option though at around £34). Also, I've found that when turned sideways, there's a flap on the front of the case that can be used to prop the Kobo up - not sure if that's intended, but it works well. All told, when stacked up against the Colorsoft, the Kobo wins hands-down. It's a lovely looking device, a little wider where the Coloursoft is longer - but with the same size reading area on both. It's just a lovely, intuitive device that's had a lot of thought put into it by a design team who has clearly researched what readers want.

I love this. It is nice and easy to use and the form factor makes it perfect for one handed reading (with the other hand under the covers, or to rest my head on. It's nice and light, so no hand strain from holding it up even after an hour or so. The colour is nice but a little useless, I mean the colours are good, but the screen is just a bit small for reading comics on and the only part of books that are in colour are the covers. If you want a primary comic reader, get something a bit bigger. The surface tablet is ideal for me, but maybe I just have bad eyesight!?! The backlight is nice and bright and can be scaled right back so it's a soft glow depending on need. Perfect reader that has me reading way more than I did before buying it.

I opted to go with a Kobo product as I didn't want to pay extra to remove ads on Kindle. I ended up deciding on the Libra Colour for it's grip over the smaller model. I've owned this for over a year now and it's been great. Battery life lasts quite long and I read quite often at times. I do find the screen a bit dark without any backlight so I usually have it on at 25-30%. It's nice and light and fits into my pocket if need be. I think the contrast on the screen is better on the older non-colour model but in the end I wanted the upgraded specs. As my first ereader this hasn't bothered me. If you're not bothered and find a deal on the older model, I'd say that'd be pretty good too.

It’s lovely to use, screen size is perfect. Very light yet has a quality feel. The backlight is great for reading in low light, which adjusts when the lighting changes. Battery life is good. Well worth the money

Coming from an older Paperwhite, this is an almost perfect replacement if you want to expand outside of the Kindle ecosystem-system. The colour screen and the physical buttons are very nice, and the user interface is easier to navigate than the Kindle. The only drawback, and this is a major one for me, is that there is no ability to search within the text of your entire library. I’m currently reading through a large series, and I frequently search for characters that have been introduced in earlier books to remind myself of their background. The Kindle allows you to highlight a character name and search through your entire library, Kobo is restricted only to the current book. Otherwise, it’s a very good alternative to the Kindle.

The screen quality is good with no problems when it comes to reading, nice adjustable brightness and nighttime mode, not too heavy to hold and quite comfortable in your hands. The screen is slightly smaller than an average book but for smaller hands it fits perfectly. The colour isn't amazing but it isn't bad either it is definitely good enough for reading as long as your books aren't mainly in colour.

I took a long time deciding on which e reader to buy to replace my outdated Kindle and after watching several reviews on line for Both Kindle and Kobo and also recommendation for friends/family but know I made the right choice and am very pleased with my purchase. It did cost a little more than others but if it lasts as long as my original Kindle (which is no longer supported) It will be worth every penny

I've had a Kindle Scribe for approx a year. I use that mainly for notes/journals and now that I've a metal tip on my pen, I'm very happy with it. But, I find the Scribe format too large for travel. The Kobo Libra Colour fits nicely into that niche. I've now had it around 2 months. It's lovely as a reader and the colour aspect just makes it a little nicer. It's possible to highlight etc in colour, but that glitches the display a bit & not something I use regularly. Just reading with it is easy & comfortable. Then, for note-taking: well, not as fluid, or comfortable for writing as the Scribe. But, for travel, it's the right format and familiar interface. Writing isn't as smooth as the Scribe, but bearable. So, primarily a reader with note-taking ability if it's what you've got with you is how I'd describe it. I still use my Scribe for notes at home, but prefer reading on the Kobo wherever I am. The additional notebook case works well with the official stylus, keeping it securely out the way while reading, but always available. The cost of the stylus a bit naff - if you have a MS surface pen or equivalent you might get by with that, but I did find the stylus better in the end. I'm very pleased with the Kobo Libra Colour, but maybe due to the niche use I was looking to fill.

I was using a Kindle 8th Gen for last 8 years and it is still working perfectly, the only issue I had was it did not have a Backlight and so I couldn't read at night time, I was in a dilemma if I should go for another Backlit Kindle then came across Kobo Libra Colour and saw many reviews on YouTube and finally went for it. Pros : The Physical Page change buttons are awesome and you only realize their importance when you start using them, the fingers rest on them by default and you don't have to put any efforts to change the page, only after using it i understood how bad my Kindle UI was as now I don't have to touch my screen every time. Battery Life is excellent and lasts weeks. The Book Cover display in screen when the device is in sleep mode is just amazing and you feel like it's a real book and feel to pick it up to read. Very light weight and doesn't strain the wrist or hand, the Dark Mode is great for Night Reading, the Unpacking experience was also so nice, the Home Page is clean & non intrusive and doesn't push any ads for new books etc. Cons : The Online Book catalogue is small compared to Kindle but I have my own e books collection so it's fine for me and Yes the price is on the higher side. Expectations: Don't buy this device thinking that you can read comics like Tintin, Asterix etc because the screen is small 7 inch and so reading the words is tough, I tried putting in all my comics but then removed them because I didn't want to zoom and read them, also as we all are habituated to see bright Colour popping AMOLED displays in our mobile screens, but it's not the case here so the colours on this E Ink display will feel really washed out but that is expected because it's meant to read mostly books and manga at most, I am reading Dilbert, Calvin and Hobbes in it as they don't have too many words. Verdict: I am really happy with my Kobo Libra Colour, it's an amazing Device highly recommended for people who love to read books, the colour is just Cherry on the Top.

È il mio primo eReader. Perché ho preso proprio questo? Perché: - Volevo uno schermo a colori (occasionalmente mi piace anche leggere qualche fumetto). - Volevo il supporto penna (occasionalmente al lavoro prendo appunti su carta, spero di portarmi dietro questo risparmiandomi il blocco note fisico). - Volevo un oggetto piccolo, leggero, di cui quasi non mi accorgessi di portarmi dietro. - Volevo farmi coccolare dal software, che in questo Kobo è abbastanza ben fatto, veloce, reattivo, con integrazioni interessanti (Dropbox e Google Drive) per inserire file senza dover collegare cavi e cavetti ai PC per passarmi i file: ha il Wi-Fi, si mette il PDF nella cartella di Google Drive e lui vede il file e può scaricarlo ed aprirlo senza alcun problema. - Volevo una gestione intelligente dell'illuminazione del pannello (regolazione automatica della tonalità dello schermo e altre chicche che non vi distruggono le retine), per massimizzare il tempo di lettura. Ha dei difetti? Sì, non è perfetto. - Lo schermo, essendo a colori, è un filo "scuro"; a meno che non sia colpito direttamente da una luce forte avrete sempre la tentazione di accendere l'illuminazione frontale. - La batteria non è eclatante: con Wi-Fi e Bluetooth spenti, la prima carica mi è durata una quindicina di giorni nei quali ho letto circa un migliaio di pagine (un romanzo da 700 e un altro libro da circa 250 pagine). Questo è a causa della retroilluminazione che, per l'appunto, avrete sempre la tentazione di tenere accesa, riducendo di conseguenza la durata della batteria. - A colori dimezza la risoluzione; è un "non problema" in quanto la risoluzione è comunque sufficiente a leggere le linee di dialogo dei fumetti, ma ad alcuni, magari con una vista non proprio perfetta, potrebbe dare fastidio. - Non chiedetegli di fare altro che non sia leggere libri, PDF o prendere appunti: il software è ben fatto ma minimale, il dispositivo non ha un browser (ha un browser ma è sperimentale e non supporta quasi nessuno standard moderno per la visualizzazione delle pagine). Per quello che deve fare sono super soddisfatto.

Très contente de mon achat, la barre sur le coté permet une bonne prise en main, l’utilisation est assez instinctive, l’écran ne fatigue pas les yeux surtout le soir. Je recommande je ne regrette vraiment pas mon achat

I am an avid reader with approximately 500+ physical books… Shhh, I know there’s only 365 days in a year, but I love my books. As an alternative to hauling at least 3 books in my bag, I invested in a Kobo. I say “invested” because this is an e-reader at a slightly higher price point. I would also recommend you spend the extra few $$ and invest in a case and screen protector (plastic one works very well). Even with those expense in mind, this is an investment well worth every hard earned dollar as I find myself reaching for my Kobo Libra Colour at least once every couple of days. This e-reader is the perfect alternative when my hands need a break from holding a book or I’m multitasking reading between several and don’t want to be literally surrounded by scattered books. Battery Life: Absolutely amazing! It charges quickly and drains slowly… even when I doze off and leave the screen on for hours. Accessibility: I can easily; as well as quickly download/integrate my other libraries, PDFs, comics, ebooks via wifi from Google Drive, Libby, Overdrive etc... Layout: Ergonomic and user friendly. I want to especially highlight how much I appreciate the ability to tap the screen OR press PHYSICAL buttons to turn pages. - Navigation and customization is simple even for those who are not tech savvy. - Lightweight enough it can be used handled or with a case that has a stand or handheld strap. I personally use a folio case that has a little kick stand, two handheld straps (for ambidextrous use), cut outs to facilitate charging and an elastic loop for my Kobo Stylus. Storage: Not expandable, but you get a hefty 32GB. However, if you run into storage issues check the “manage my books” options and sort by “file size” to see if you have any unusually large files. Overall, it’s been a little over 6-months and I am still extremely satisfied that I purchased this specific brand of colour e-reader. Main reasons being: exceptional ergonomic design (light weight & physical buttons), premium feel, ease of use and accessibility, & am easily able to integrate my other libraries/files. It has made for a much more dynamic way of to enjoy reading!

lindo y me gusta mucho porque es muy facil de manejar