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Borders Kobo joins eReader frenzy, iPhone, iPad apps out

by Dave Caolo May 11th 2010 at 1:00PM

In a move we all should have seen coming, Borders has announced the Kobo, its US$149 eReader and Kindle/Nook competitor. It will launch in June with an accompanying eBook store, stocked with more than a million titles.

There are iPad and iPhone apps out now, and both are free. The odd thing is that they both look gorgeous on the iDevices' color screens as compared to the Kobo's greyscale display, and offer wireless access to the store, which the reader does not.

The 8-ounce device features E Ink technology and tidy dimensions, measuring approximately 4.7 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches. The Kobo boasts 1 GB of memory and a battery charge that will reportedly last two weeks. It features Bluetooth, but book transfers are done via the included desktop software over USB.

The Kobo will be available starting on June 17th (Borders is accepting pre-orders now), just in time to make dad wonder why he doesn't deserve an iPad for Father's Day.

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In a move we all should have seen coming, Borders has announced the Kobo, its US$149 eReader and Kindle/Nook competitor. It will launch in...
 

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hackjob

Anyone else getting the unable to purchase error for this app?

May 11 2010 at 4:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
doug

So, does this mean theree is now adobe drm supported ebook app for iPhone/iPad? I remember stanza was supposed to be the bridge to adobe drm, but it never happened. Does it support any adobe drm book (such as Sony books) or only Borders?

May 11 2010 at 2:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dr. Zoidberg

...and yet, we're STILL waiting for the Barnes and Noble iPad app...

May 11 2010 at 2:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bill Mac

Funny, EVERY e-reader out there has an iPhone and iPad app.... but does iPad or iPhone have an e-reader app for them?....

May 11 2010 at 1:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cvallowe

Lord, I can't wait till 4.0 cones out so I can create a folder to store the plethora of e-readers now available. :-l

May 11 2010 at 1:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
williamlane

"the iDevcie's"


iDevice, methinks you mean

May 11 2010 at 1:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jimdovey

The Kobo apps for iPhone & iPad are very different beasts to the eReader device. The eReader has an e-ink display, the benefits & drawbacks of which have been discussed elsewhere ad infinitum.

Personally, I prefer reading on the e-ink reader than on the LED iPad, although the iPad app does have a broader supported feature set (inline images, for instance).

Still waiting for Erica's review of the Kobo iPad app, btw… 0;o)

May 11 2010 at 1:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Greg

Yeah, I saw they were hiring for Mac developers for an ereader platform a while back. Unfortunately, I didn't think anything of it, I was just excited to be applying to a place that wanted Mac developers.

May 11 2010 at 1:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
portorikan

I love Kobo. I've been using the App on my palm pre and their store to download books to my Macbook as well using Adobe Digital Editions. For $150, I'm very interested in this reader. Decent price for a great service and decent looking reader.

May 11 2010 at 1:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
stewart

You seem to think the Kobo eReader is inferior to the iPad. Not for reading books! You can see the eReader's screen in bright sunlight - the brighter, the better, actually. Try that with the iPad's glossy screen.

You can hold the eReader for hours - it weighs only 1/3 of the iPad's weight. And speaking of 1/3, it only costs 1/3 the price of the base iPad. So you can buy three of them, give one to your spouse, and keep a spare.

You can take the eReader on a week-long camping trip, and read 10 novels on it, without recharging. The iPad will crap out on the first day. And you can load up the eReader's SD card slot with all the reading material you want.

The iPad is a "magical and wonderful device" but it's hardly a panacea.

May 11 2010 at 1:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to stewart's comment
Rego

"You can see the eReader's screen in bright sunlight - the brighter, the better, actually. Try that with the iPad's glossy screen."

You can see the iPad screen in the dark, the darker the better, without additional light.

(Not to mention all the available apps and other functions.)

What is your point? Want a Kobo-get a Kobo.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any words to the effect that the Kobo was inferior. On that issue people can draw their own conclusions.

May 11 2010 at 6:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Logan

@Rego

Rego: "Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any words to the effect that the Kobo was inferior.”

TUAW: "The Kobo will be available starting on June 17th, just in time to make dad wonder why he doesn't deserve an iPad for Father's Day.”

I know TUAW is (somewhat) joking, but it’s pretty clear they’re implying the Kobo is inferior.

Unknown said: "You seem to think the Kobo eReader is inferior to the iPad. Not for reading books!”

Then you said: "(Not to mention all the available apps and other functions.)”

So Unknown specifically states the Kobo is better at reading books, which you counter with a statement that the iPad has more apps and functions. Nice.

Rego: "What is your point? Want a Kobo-get a Kobo.”

His point is that the Kobo is better at reading books. Does every single comment need to gushing over the iPad to avoid getting a snide remark and down-votes in return? Good grief. It’s amazing how defensive people can get over a PRODUCT. Advertising sure is powerful.

I, for one, enjoy hearing someone’s personal experience with the item being discussed in the article.

May 11 2010 at 7:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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