Rakuten Kobo has launched its first-ever color E Ink eReaders in India with the Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Clara Colour. These devices represent a shift from traditional black-and-white eReaders, providing a vibrant reading experience with the new color E Ink Kaleido 3 display.
Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Clara Colour
Both the Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Clara Colour are designed with sustainability in mind. They feature repairability options, including easy battery replacement, and are constructed from recycled and ocean-bound plastics. The SleepCovers are also made from fully recycled materials.
The Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Clara Colour are equipped with the Kobo-optimized E Ink Kaleido 3 display, providing a subtle range of colors while retaining the energy efficiency and readability associated with E Ink technology.
These devices support Bluetooth connectivity for a seamless audiobook experience and offer ample storage for thousands of books. With 24/7 access to the Kobo.com bookstore, readers can build an extensive digital library.
In addition, Kobo has introduced an upgraded black-and-white model, the Kobo Clara BW. This 6” eReader features the latest E Ink Carta 1300 screen, improved processing power, and 16GB of storage.
Kobo Stylus 2
For users who enjoy journaling or taking notes, the Kobo Libra Colour supports the Kobo Stylus 2 (sold separately), enabling color handwriting, highlighting, and note-taking within books. While the Kobo Clara Colour doesn’t support the stylus, it does offer color-coded highlighting for users who want to easily mark their favorite passages.
Additional Features
Storage and Design: The Kobo Libra Colour offers 32GB of storage, accommodating up to 24,000 eBooks or 150 audiobooks. Its curved ergonomic design includes page-turn buttons and landscape mode support. The Kobo Clara models provide 16GB of storage for up to 12,000 eBooks.
Waterproofing: All three new devices are IPX8-rated, meaning they can withstand up to an hour in 2 meters of water, making them perfect for beach or bath-time reading.
ComfortLight PRO: This feature reduces blue light exposure, enabling comfortable night reading without disturbing sleep. The front light technology directs light onto the page rather than towards the reader’s eyes, ensuring comfort during extended reading sessions. A Dark Mode option is also available to further reduce eyestrain.
Reading Accessories
Notebook SleepCover: The Notebook SleepCover includes a holder for the Kobo Stylus 2, making it easy to take notes on the go. It automatically wakes the device when opened and puts it to sleep when closed, all while being made from recycled materials.
Additional SleepCovers: Additional SleepCovers feature magnets for easy attachment and a two-way stand for hands-free reading, enhancing the reading experience.
Basic SleepCover and Clear Case: A Basic SleepCover is also available, along with a Clear Case for personal customization, allowing users to personalize their devices.
Kobo Plus Subscription Comes to India
Rakuten Kobo has introduced its subscription service, Kobo Plus, in India. Users can access over 900,000 eBooks and 140,000 audiobooks with three subscription plans:
- Kobo Plus Read: Unlimited eBooks for Rs. 149 per month
- Kobo Plus Listen: Unlimited audiobooks for Rs. 149 per month
- Kobo Plus Read and Listen: Unlimited eBooks and audiobooks for Rs. 299 per month
Quick specifications: Kobo Clara BW
Quick specifications: Kobo Clara Colour
Quick specifications: Kobo Libra Colour
Pricing and Availability
- Kobo Libra Colour: Rs. 19,999
- Kobo Clara Colour: Rs. 16,999
- Kobo Clara BW: Rs. 14,999
- Kobo Stylus 2: Rs. 6,899
Accessories
- Notebook SleepCover: Rs. 3,999 (available in Black and Sand Beige)
- Additional SleepCovers: Rs. 3,999 (available in Black, Dusk Blue, and Butter Yellow)
- Basic SleepCover: Rs. 2,999 (available in Garden Green)
- Clear Case: Rs. 2,599
Note: All accessories are sold separately.
These products are available on Flipkart and Amazon in India, as well as in retail stores and online in various countries, including the US, Canada, UK, and several European and Asian markets, starting today.
Speaking about the launch, Michael Tamblyn, CEO of Rakuten Kobo, stated,
We are delighted to be the first global digital bookseller to offer affordable color eReaders, bringing both your books and our bookstore to life with a beautiful spectrum of gentle hues. It’s everything you love about print, combined with the advantages of eReading.
For Kobo, color enhances and enriches the reading experience while maintaining the daylight readability and battery longevity that E Ink screens provide so effectively. We are excited to introduce our first-ever color eReaders to the Indian market, offering an immersive and engaging experience to readers across the country.
Speaking about the development process, Ramesh Mantha, SVP of Product at Rakuten Kobo, stated,
To create the most enriched reading experience for our customers, we worked tirelessly to optimize the Kaleido 3 display, ensuring our latest Kobo eReaders feature the best color representation. We introduced collimated front lighting technology to our 6” and 7” eReaders for improved color performance and further engineered our software to automate color regulation, ensuring they always look their best, regardless of the content displayed.