To people who would be happy simply reading an eBook, we introduce the Kobo eBook Reader for $150.00.
Kobo announced the device at the MobileFocus event in Las Vegas with what eBook Revolution historians will call PERFECT TIMING. Instead of going head-to-head with iPad, here they’ve given us a basic eBook reader at an extremely affordable price, hooked up to a world class eBook retailer Kobobooks.com. While other designers reel back to the drawing board after iPad’s flashy full-color release, Kobo gives us a fairly priced device that people can comfortably read with.
Kobo, formerly known as Shortcovers, is the far-reaching digital arm of the Canadian bookselling giant Indigo. Bookseller Borders is another investor in Kobo, so we’re looking at some shrewd decision making by industry leaders at a time when the right decision might translate into market dominance. The Kobo eBook Reader will be available at Borders stores summer 2010.
The relatively small price tag makes the device a must-have for early adopters and the curious mainstream. While the designers do battle with the multi-function iPad, the rest of us can get reading.
For $150 you get 6″ E Ink screen, Bluetooth connectivity (no WiFi or 3G to keep cost down), 5 font sizes, 1GB internal storage, expandable SD card slot and a battery rated for 8,000 page turns. Read more about the announcement at Technologizer.
THIS is the game changer.
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