Kobo Launches Aura HD – eReader For Connoisseurs

Kobo, the Canadian company that currently controls around 20 percent of the eReader market, has revealed its latest device – the Kobo Aura HD, designed for “the world’s most passionate book lover”.

The premium, backlit 6.8-inch eReader features the highest resolution E-Ink display on the market, according to Kobo. Aura HD is already available for pre-order, and will appear on the shelves on 25 April, priced at £139.99.

Kobo has also announced it will redesign its store over the summer, to put more emphasis on children’s literature and its new magazine publishing platform.

The launch was meant to coincide with the start of the London Book Fair, which kicked off on Monday.

The importance of books

Judging by the scale of Kobo’s latest campaign, the company is ready to move away from its budget eReader heritage and mount a serious challenge to Amazon. Kobo launched its first eReader in 2010, promoting it as an “affordable” device. Its products have since managed to attract 13 million users in 190 countries around the world.

Rather than putting a few final nails into the coffin of the paper publishing industry, Kobo has always aspired to reinforce the traditional bookstore business. To this end, it has worked with small publishers and partners such as WHSmiths, creating an ecosystem in which buying and selling eBooks is effortless.

Kobo’s latest effort on the hardware front, Aura HD, is huge, by eReader standards. Its 6.8-inch screen can display text in 1440×1080 resolution, translating into 256 dots-per-inch. The interface is running on a 1GHz ARM-based processor designed by Freescale that makes it the fastest dedicated eReader to date.

The device comes with 4GB of in-built storage, expandable by up to 32GB through an SD card. It promises battery life of up to two months and features Wi-Fi, which allows it to connect to the Kobo Bookstore to buy new content on the move.

Aura HD is available in three colours – Ivory, Espresso and Onyx – with visual design of the case inspired by a folded sheet of paper. Despite its fragile looks, Kobo claims that Aura HD is also one of the most durable eReaders ever made.

“From the beginning, Kobo has pushed the eReading industry to new heights and today is no exception,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. “Kobo Aura HD is designed for the most passionate booklovers – those who devour hundreds of stories each year – who asked us to create the ultimate eReading experience. Kobo Aura HD is our way of celebrating these customers.”

Look out for our review of the Kobo Aura HD in the nearest future.

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