Know that while useful in some scenarios, I'd avoid buying a color e-ink display if you're still going to primarily be using it for B&W colors.
To quote the eBook Reader Blog [1]:
> The main drawback with color E Ink screens is they look darker than regular B&W screens because of a color filter layer that is applied over the top of the screen, which makes the contrast appear lower. Kaleido color screens are really just regular black and white E Ink Carta screens with a fancy passive filter over the top (that’s why color resolution is lower than black and white resolution).
It's true that the contrast is not as good, and IIRC the color resolution is also a bit lower (but is not bad overall). But people who plan to read B/W documents could still benefit from a device like this because it makes highlighting much better, and it enables color-based reading enhancements like BeeLine Reader (which improves focus while reading).
I'm certainly biased (I created BeeLine), but IMO the color screens that Kobo is using are good enough to make the tradeoffs worthwhile. It's also interesting to see innovation among one of the major players in this space. The companies that have made color ereaders before now have been a bit dodgy in some cases, so Kobo will bring a level of legitimacy to the space that's very welcome.
EDIT: the price is also very favorable compared to other color ereaders. Ones I've considered in the past were around $420, which is roughly 2x-3x the price of Kobo's new units.
I have a Boox Ultra Tab C (color) and while true I don't find it problematic in the slightest. I went down the rabbit hole of watcing video comparison etc. but in practical terms once I started using it I never once felt that I wanted a brighter/lighter screen. YMMV.
Also have the Note Air 3C (same screen iirc). Still getting uses to it (never have used eink before) but so far soon good. I don't think I'd want to switch to monochrome even if the contrast is better.
I've used a Pocketbook Color for over a year now. And yes, it is a somewhat darker screen, but that mainly just means I turn on the frontlight in some cases where I wouldn't have needed to with other e-readers. I've otherwise been having a good time with it - comics and PDFs benefit greatly from the color screen, and regular text is fine too.
Agreed, I picked up Pocketbook Color for 150 Euros on a sale and it has become my main bedtime reader.
Disclaimer: I've been using e-ink based readers for over 10 years. My current lineup is Kobo H20, Remarkable2 (which I sort of love/hate), and Sony DPT-S1 (which is fantastic for bigger PDFs).
B&W is fine on color e-readers. I actually enjoy the washed out color look as well.
Fully agree here, I'm in the PocketBook Color squad since 2020 and got it at full price and absoltuley love the thing. Appart from the fact they don't sell official covers for it anymore since i seem to disassemble those regularly.
How can an article about the contrast issues and resolution of different e-readers not include any photos other than a single promo photo from a manufacturer of one device showing only one device?
"has lower contrast" means absolutely nothing without being able to quantify it.
> Kaleido color screens are really just regular black and white E Ink Carta screens with a fancy passive filter over the top...
Yeah, and I remember an interview where they also said that is why colour e-ink's screen are not at all costly to manufacture. But adoption is slow because they sell it at a "premium" price. Even B&W e-ink can be a lot cheaper.
Does that mean these have better refresh rates than other color eink screens? Lower contrast is not the end of the world for me, but a 15 second refresh time is :)
Yeah, the refresh times are much better now. They used to be 10-30 seconds but are now manageable. I think it might be a little slower than B/W, definitely not 30 seconds. Some color eink displays even offer video, with different settings for higher fidelity/slower frame rate versus lower-fidelity/faster frame rate.
This is eink while Pixel Qi was transflective LCD what is sometimes called e-paper. Transflective displays are used for some smartwatches, Garmin ones have long battery life with them.
I have very little to add about the color aspect, but I can say that I love my Kobo. I've had three Kindles before buying the Kobo, which I got because it has a "better" integration with my local library (better in quotes, because I still have to do with the Adobe DRM, which is so bad on Linux that I borrow my wife's computer just to transfer).
The Pocket integration is fantastic, as are the physical page turn buttons. I always thought they were unnecessary, but I really do prefer them now. The warm night light is also great. It's a bonus as well not to be in the Amazon ecosystem more than I have to.
The biggest downsides are maybe a bit niche: the dictionary is terrible (although you can upload your own, but not make it the default) and there's no built-in translate function. I read mostly in my non-native language, so these two features make life a bit more difficult, but they're outweighed by the rest.
It's now possible to do this 100% within Linux, without running any emulators or Windows software, even though Adobe don't care about Linux support.
Knock is no longer maintained, however apparently it was just a wrapper around libgourou which is still maintained.
Installing libgourou (on Arch Linux it can be found in the AUR) allows you to download the ACSM file to a PDF or ePub:
# Use your username and password from https://account.adobe.com
# This registers your device so only needs to be done once.
adept_activate -u user -p pass
# Download the ACSM file
acsmdownloader -f myfile.acsm
The downloaded file requires a password to open it, but if you need to open it in a normal viewing application, you can also remove the password:
adept_remove file.pdf
This process allows Linux users to access the same materials as their Windows and Mac friends, even without support from Adobe.
One reason that I love my Kobo is perhaps very tech-specific in a way this audience may appreciate.
It's great for plain text files. In particular, it's pretty good at reading plain RFCs. I have to choose a font size so the hard-wrapped RFCs fit right, and it doesn't ship with a monospaced font (but you can install and use your own fonts, so that's a minor speed bump).
Reading very dry and technical documents like RFCs can be challenging, so having a distraction-free ereader that handles them can be very helpful.
Same journey here; except using the Calibre Web integration, an absolutely gamechanger. No need to plug-in to sync my own books, they're pulled straight from my Pi. And I love how all that was required was editing a line in the config file on the storage; they seem like fairly open devices.
Also glad to get away from the Amazon proprietary formats.
I have a Libra 2 for personal reading and an Elipsa 2E for journals. A couple of minor nits like you mentioned aside, I love them. They can read almost any format I throw at them, I can fetch books directly from my library, and if I add an article to Pocket on my laptop then it shows up on my Kobo next time I pick it up.
I also read way more now that I've gotten the Libra, largely because it's so light and ergonomic for laying in bed at night and flipping pages. I added a popsocket to the back for easier 1-hand holding.
The Elipsa is better for reading large content like Communications of the ACM or similar, where the Libra was simply too small to be readable. I hardly use the pen for either highlighting or notes, but it's there if I want it.
If/when either of those die, I'll look at the color versions as potential replacements. It highly depends on how much of an effect the lower resolution has on readability. If it's less pleasant to read at night, or if PDF journal articles are a little fuzzier, I'd rather stick with B/W. If the only downside is that the screen is a bit darker so I have to turn the backlight up, then only get 2 weeks between charging instead of 4, I might consider it.
FWIW, we bought an arm to hold the kobo up while we’re reading (one of those smartphone holder things, they’re a dime a dozen) and a little device that clips onto the kobo. It comes with a remote, and you can turn the pages with it by making the kobo think you’ve touched the display with your finger. Best 50$ I ever spent (arm + clicker). Now I can turn pages while in bed without holding the kobo and with both hands under the cover. It’s the little things :)
Which Kobo model would you recommend for both reading and creating notes that can be saved as text?
I am considering getting one for my software development work, so that I can read on the go, while sitting, or in bed, and also jot down short and medium length notes about my project ideas, during my daily walk (in the rest break).
Walking helps me to think better.
A laptop is too heavy to carry around everywhere, and particularly when walking.
After aching eyes from being a heavy reader of ebooks on my iPhone, I got the cheapest most basic kobo - basic even by the standards of the day when I brought it - and instantly fell in love.
Haven’t needed to change default software, haven’t needed to enable WiFi etc. just need a usb cable and calibre app and it all just works great.
My fiction addiction is through the roof. Never realised how big a deal getting a kobo is.
I owned a Kobo Glo and Pocketbook Touch, and I preferred the Pocketbook, because it allows to install koreader as a application into the stock firmware, while on Kobo you need to quasi dual-boot your system into koreader or stock firmware via a menu.
In my experience koreader integrates much better with calibre and allows managing my library with a filestructure. So that is a requirement for me.
Also the stock firmware on the Pocketbook was able to deal with my huge epub archive, because it didn't require indexing the library on the device, which Kobo struggled with.
From that experience I would pick a Pocketbook over a Kobo.
IMO Kobo is absolutely built to be a "better managed library experience" than kindle - but as you say other platforms are better if you have a large non-drm'ed library. Unless you plan to buy books from publishers / use the overdrive (now Libby) system, I do think a more user-focused offering like Pocketbook will be better.
There are multiple ways to install Koreader now. I think the most common is to use KFMon and NickelMenu which installs the quasi-operating system into a book in your main menu.
I purchased a Kobo Libra 2 and it is indeed fantastic. Battery life is incredible, and syncing with the Libby app for books from my library is fantastic. I do wish it could integrate with Raindrop as opposed to Pocket, but the Pocket works okay enough. Can transfer .pdf or .epub from Linux/Mac/Windows easy, and it looks great on the device.
The only reason I've held off on switching to Kobo is that I always switch back and forth between the audiobook and the text for what I'm reading. Kindle books make it seamless, but as far as I can tell, there's no audio-text sync in the Kobo ecosystem. Is that still accurate? Even if you use books bought from amazon/audible?
FYI Kindle is in the process of rolling out a new feature that enables read aloud with synchronized text highlighting. It doesn't sound as good as an audiobook, of course, and it's not as good as the Alexa-powered read-aloud. But it's still nice because you don't have to switch between the Kindle app and the Alexa app.
I understand that some users currently have access, and it will be rolled out to everyone in the next month.
I agree the pocket integration on Kobo is the thing that sets it apart from the rest. I lost my Kobo a while back and bought a onyx boox, and although I have an almost full fledged android E-ink tablet-ish ereader now. I resent to pick it up since it's so dependent on data and electricity, I don't feel I can always just use it.
I have koreader on my Clara HD. Unfortunately it doesn't work well on Clara 2e and perhaps later devices too. Means I have to stick with Clara HD for now (which is fine). Hopefully there will be something available if/when I need to replace it.
I am on a 10 year old Kindle and looking to replace it but most of my ebooks are from Amazon. Would it be seamless to transfer my books to Kobo via Calibre or some other software or it will be pain in the butt?
From family with a mix of kindles and kobos: yes, this is painless.
You can check beforehand by installing Calibre with the de-DRM plugin and transferring a few books: Once they are on Calibre you are good to go.
One thing I only learned today is that you can set up web sync from Calibre to Kobo [0], [1], but just plugging in to sync has been working fine for me.
For the initial sync, it used to be you could directly de-DRM your whole collection from the storage of the kindle desktop app. At some point the desktop app was using a DRM that had not been broken: I do not know if this is still the case, or if there is another way to download everything from your account.
re: the library integration, I'm confused about how you or your wife's computer is even involved in the process. For my kindle I borrow books on libby and amazon magically beams them over. Does your library not use libby? Are you taking extra steps to avoid amazon?
I've had a kindle for years now. A while back I jailbroke it and stuck KOReader which has been so awesome. (Custom fonts? Yes please! Gestures for going to the TOC or bookmarks or back in history? Absolutely!)
Problem: it was a lot of work getting my kindle to this state. I'm terrified to turn on WiFi for fear Amazon will send an OTA update and nuke KOReader from orbit.
So, when this kindle dies, I am thinking I'd like to get something that KOReader runs on without any of the shenanigans I had to go through. Would folks here recommend Kobo? Seems like a nice equivalent.
Have been using various Kobo's for years with KOReader now, it's basically as simple as copying files on the device to install it. There is no need to jailbreak it; it's an open device. Also, I haven't heard any mention of covert update to worry about. So yes, I would absolutely recommend a Kobo for your use case.
A few months ago, I attempted to do install KOReader on a kindle, and the experience is definitely not for the faint of heart. Plus, I can't use the wireless capabilities for the reason you mentioned. It was (one) of the reason I wanted to install KOReader in the first place, but live and learn.
I actually also own a kobo and have been running KOReader on it for a couple years now, but my memory is that when I first got it I booted it up and it requested to be connected to the internet, then wouldn't allow me to progress without logging in through a 3rd party (there were many offered, walmart.com was the first option listed). I remember having to do something weird to bypass that (removing a .db file I believe after connecting via commandline?), and then ending up in a state where I don't need to connect to some company's cloud login but I also can never connect this device to wifi, ever, or it will do that again.
non-obvious but you just use it like a usb device ereader when you receive it:
- connect to computer with usb-c
- mount as usb drive
- edit .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf adding SideloadedMode=true
- remove .kobo/KoboReader.sqlite
- reboot, then just use kobo as usb drive from then on, no account necessary
got one and use it more than my remarkable because it has a backlight for indoors (in addition to e-ink for outdoors)
I love my Kobos (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39993062). When they die, I'll replace them with another Kobo. It's so easy to get things onto them. For my Libra, plug it into a computer (or iPad) with a USB cable and it shows up as a drive I can drag files onto. The Elipsa supports Dropbox and Google Drive so I can add files those ways, too. It also has built-in Libby integration that lets me reserve and download library books from the device itself.
Of course they make it very easy for you to buy books from their own store, but I've never felt like they made it artificially hard to ad content through other methods to benefit their own book sales. That's different from what my friends tell me about their Kindles.
I have an Oasis 2 (2017 or so timeframe). What would be a good option that's similar to it? I love the screen size, the flush screen (I understand the Oasis is glass rather than plastic), and the page turn buttons are all pretty important to me.
KOReader sounds interesting and the built in Libby support is kind of rad sounding.
I liked my Kobo, but it bricked itself after only about a year. I took it apart, and a voltage rail was shorted out. I didn't even finish the first book I put on it!
I have a Boox note. I can’t help the feeling that it’s not entirely legit, but it’s Android, connects to any service I want (including a Calibre library), has a great display, is great for notes, and is all around fantastic. It’s not a tablet replacement but it IS a replacement for the stuff I do most often with a tablet (read and write). I thought the 10.3 inch display would make for a hefty reader, but it’s perfectly fine.
Btw, I started out using it with KOreader but have ended up just using the built-in reader because it does everything I need. The smaller Boox devices are great too, but their USB plug placement decisions are sometimes VERY WEIRD (my Note Air has a hole in the case spine to allow me to plug in with the cover closed, for example—not a dealbreaker, just odd).
I love the black and white boox as a low tech device. I do a lot more reading and a log less mindless scrolling on my boox tablet. There's also grayscale chrome and firefox plugins if you want to see what it's like.
Kobo is good. I'm also fond of Pocketbook readers, and KOReader runs there too.
The main difference is that Kobo has its store available, so you can buy and read on the device. I'm more into managing my own ebook library from multiple sources, using Calibre, so I don't need the built-in store; you might want it though!
I’ve been happy enough with my Kobo Aura One in its stock state that I’ve never toyed with KOReader or similar. Plug it in, it mounts as USB mass storage, I drop in ePubs, PDFs, etc and it reads them perfectly. No third party software required, “just works”.
I have had koreader on my Kobo Aura One for years without any problems. I haven't needed to mess with it or update koreader or anything which is nice, don't even remember how I installed it.
I migrated from Kindle to kobo many years back to keep physical buttons. It's been a strict upgrade for me, though your fear of an update nuking koreader from orbit remains an issue. I just keep mine in airplane mode to avoid updates and a reinstall is only a few minutes if I forget.
I had a kindle voyage which I jailbroken to put Koreader on. Because of the micro USB and lack of water proofing I decided to upgrade (the device was around 8 years old).
I got a Kobo Clara 2E, installing Koreader was very easy and works very well. Absolutely recommend.
FYI I've been running multiple jailbroken Kindles connected to WiFi with KOReader for a few years now. Just install renameotabin and you're good to go. You can even register it like a normal Kindle.
Bleh, and I was just up until 1am last night reading about black-and-white PDF compression schemes for my Kobo :) Technical knowledge obsoletes so fast.
(Well, maybe not that fast: ImageMagick's best-performing monochrome scheme is, apparently, one that was standardized for literal fax machines in the 1980's [0]. A very basic one called "Group 4").
Mmm... I patched a fax4 decoder for rust the other day. It's an interesting format. But amazing really. It's still widely used the mortgage industry, specifically the land record systems.
Kobo enthusiast, and I'm excited to see that they are the first to market among the Amazon/B&N/Kobo crowd to get a color e-reader to market.
I don't see myself getting one, though, at least not immediately. I'm perfectly happy with my Kobo Sage. While I'd like to one day have a color e-ink device, the color reproduction just isn't good enough for my use case. Reading comics on my AMOLED tablet is a joy, and I don't see e-ink getting to that level for at least another couple years.
Plus, I don't want to take the hit of worse PPI for B&W text just so I can have a book cover or some highlighted text in color.
My main reason for thinking about getting one is because i like to sit on the terrace with a lot of indirect sunlight and eink is just so much better in that situation. However prices are still way too high and it’s impossible to find a place to see them in person before buying.
Been wanting a new e-reader. The power button on the bottom of the Kindle has driven me insane. How somebody could actually design something so stupid boggles the mind.
My experience with ebook readers is as follows: I read mostly scientific PDFs, with formula's, graphs, etc. First I tried the Kindle - it was completely useless because of screen size. I went for PocketBook Inkpad Lite - the page size is more or less fine, but the page turn delay is noticeable. It's so subpar to the real book when you can just browse through pages quickly. Finally I picked up the biggest Chinese tablet I could find (Doogee T20 Ultra 12") and it is the best experience so far except one thing the screen is glossy, not mat, and it affects my reading experience. E-ink ebook readers are perfectly fine for prose etc.
This looks good, but I probably won’t get it. Just today I bought on Kobo the works of Michel de Montaigne, a natural philosopher nestled between the Stoics and later philosophers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
This book I just bought has some color illustrations so I also opened the book on my iPad using the Kobo app, and while I enjoyed seeing the color illustrations, not a big deal.
All that said, I like being a Kobo customer, and I really like that my local physical bookstore gets a little money each time I make a Kobo purchase.
Readit News
To quote the eBook Reader Blog [1]:
> The main drawback with color E Ink screens is they look darker than regular B&W screens because of a color filter layer that is applied over the top of the screen, which makes the contrast appear lower. Kaleido color screens are really just regular black and white E Ink Carta screens with a fancy passive filter over the top (that’s why color resolution is lower than black and white resolution).
[1]: https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2024/04/05/color-e-ink-5-t...
I'm certainly biased (I created BeeLine), but IMO the color screens that Kobo is using are good enough to make the tradeoffs worthwhile. It's also interesting to see innovation among one of the major players in this space. The companies that have made color ereaders before now have been a bit dodgy in some cases, so Kobo will bring a level of legitimacy to the space that's very welcome.
EDIT: the price is also very favorable compared to other color ereaders. Ones I've considered in the past were around $420, which is roughly 2x-3x the price of Kobo's new units.
It's generally halved, i.e. the display is 300dpi in mono mode, but 150dpi in color mode.
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Disclaimer: I've been using e-ink based readers for over 10 years. My current lineup is Kobo H20, Remarkable2 (which I sort of love/hate), and Sony DPT-S1 (which is fantastic for bigger PDFs).
B&W is fine on color e-readers. I actually enjoy the washed out color look as well.
It's a gigantic step forward in speed from my kobo reader, but that one is 7 or so years old at this point . It also crashes less.
"has lower contrast" means absolutely nothing without being able to quantify it.
Yeah, and I remember an interview where they also said that is why colour e-ink's screen are not at all costly to manufacture. But adoption is slow because they sell it at a "premium" price. Even B&W e-ink can be a lot cheaper.
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The Pocket integration is fantastic, as are the physical page turn buttons. I always thought they were unnecessary, but I really do prefer them now. The warm night light is also great. It's a bonus as well not to be in the Amazon ecosystem more than I have to.
The biggest downsides are maybe a bit niche: the dictionary is terrible (although you can upload your own, but not make it the default) and there's no built-in translate function. I read mostly in my non-native language, so these two features make life a bit more difficult, but they're outweighed by the rest.
Copied for posterity:
---
It's now possible to do this 100% within Linux, without running any emulators or Windows software, even though Adobe don't care about Linux support.
Knock is no longer maintained, however apparently it was just a wrapper around libgourou which is still maintained.
Installing libgourou (on Arch Linux it can be found in the AUR) allows you to download the ACSM file to a PDF or ePub:
# Use your username and password from https://account.adobe.com # This registers your device so only needs to be done once. adept_activate -u user -p pass
# Download the ACSM file acsmdownloader -f myfile.acsm
The downloaded file requires a password to open it, but if you need to open it in a normal viewing application, you can also remove the password:
adept_remove file.pdf
This process allows Linux users to access the same materials as their Windows and Mac friends, even without support from Adobe.
---
One reason that I love my Kobo is perhaps very tech-specific in a way this audience may appreciate.
It's great for plain text files. In particular, it's pretty good at reading plain RFCs. I have to choose a font size so the hard-wrapped RFCs fit right, and it doesn't ship with a monospaced font (but you can install and use your own fonts, so that's a minor speed bump).
Reading very dry and technical documents like RFCs can be challenging, so having a distraction-free ereader that handles them can be very helpful.
Only issue I have is syncing. There is no wireless sync, right? I have to plug it in to sync my library and tack on extra files.
The Overdrive/Libby support is excellent, though.
Also glad to get away from the Amazon proprietary formats.
I also read way more now that I've gotten the Libra, largely because it's so light and ergonomic for laying in bed at night and flipping pages. I added a popsocket to the back for easier 1-hand holding.
The Elipsa is better for reading large content like Communications of the ACM or similar, where the Libra was simply too small to be readable. I hardly use the pen for either highlighting or notes, but it's there if I want it.
If/when either of those die, I'll look at the color versions as potential replacements. It highly depends on how much of an effect the lower resolution has on readability. If it's less pleasant to read at night, or if PDF journal articles are a little fuzzier, I'd rather stick with B/W. If the only downside is that the screen is a bit darker so I have to turn the backlight up, then only get 2 weeks between charging instead of 4, I might consider it.
Which Kobo model would you recommend for both reading and creating notes that can be saved as text?
I am considering getting one for my software development work, so that I can read on the go, while sitting, or in bed, and also jot down short and medium length notes about my project ideas, during my daily walk (in the rest break).
Walking helps me to think better.
A laptop is too heavy to carry around everywhere, and particularly when walking.
https://forge.soutade.fr/soutade/libgourou
After aching eyes from being a heavy reader of ebooks on my iPhone, I got the cheapest most basic kobo - basic even by the standards of the day when I brought it - and instantly fell in love.
Haven’t needed to change default software, haven’t needed to enable WiFi etc. just need a usb cable and calibre app and it all just works great.
My fiction addiction is through the roof. Never realised how big a deal getting a kobo is.
In my experience koreader integrates much better with calibre and allows managing my library with a filestructure. So that is a requirement for me.
Also the stock firmware on the Pocketbook was able to deal with my huge epub archive, because it didn't require indexing the library on the device, which Kobo struggled with.
From that experience I would pick a Pocketbook over a Kobo.
But maybe I should give Kobo another look.
Is this info up to date? It was not the case with our 2E - an option to start koreader just got added to the menu.
I understand that some users currently have access, and it will be rolled out to everyone in the next month.
I felt that one, the reason I love those buttons is, because that way I can keep my display clean as I don't have to touch it.
You can check beforehand by installing Calibre with the de-DRM plugin and transferring a few books: Once they are on Calibre you are good to go.
One thing I only learned today is that you can set up web sync from Calibre to Kobo [0], [1], but just plugging in to sync has been working fine for me.
For the initial sync, it used to be you could directly de-DRM your whole collection from the storage of the kindle desktop app. At some point the desktop app was using a DRM that had not been broken: I do not know if this is still the case, or if there is another way to download everything from your account.
[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39996455 [1]: https://brandonjkessler.com/technology/2021/04/26/setup-kobo...
Problem: it was a lot of work getting my kindle to this state. I'm terrified to turn on WiFi for fear Amazon will send an OTA update and nuke KOReader from orbit.
So, when this kindle dies, I am thinking I'd like to get something that KOReader runs on without any of the shenanigans I had to go through. Would folks here recommend Kobo? Seems like a nice equivalent.
A few months ago, I attempted to do install KOReader on a kindle, and the experience is definitely not for the faint of heart. Plus, I can't use the wireless capabilities for the reason you mentioned. It was (one) of the reason I wanted to install KOReader in the first place, but live and learn.
I actually also own a kobo and have been running KOReader on it for a couple years now, but my memory is that when I first got it I booted it up and it requested to be connected to the internet, then wouldn't allow me to progress without logging in through a 3rd party (there were many offered, walmart.com was the first option listed). I remember having to do something weird to bypass that (removing a .db file I believe after connecting via commandline?), and then ending up in a state where I don't need to connect to some company's cloud login but I also can never connect this device to wifi, ever, or it will do that again.
Are they more open these days?
non-obvious but you just use it like a usb device ereader when you receive it:
got one and use it more than my remarkable because it has a backlight for indoors (in addition to e-ink for outdoors)Of course they make it very easy for you to buy books from their own store, but I've never felt like they made it artificially hard to ad content through other methods to benefit their own book sales. That's different from what my friends tell me about their Kindles.
KOReader sounds interesting and the built in Libby support is kind of rad sounding.
I started Using it on a Kobo Aura but now I use a Boox Onyx which just runs the Android version of Koreader installed via f-droid or side loaded APK.
The main difference is that Kobo has its store available, so you can buy and read on the device. I'm more into managing my own ebook library from multiple sources, using Calibre, so I don't need the built-in store; you might want it though!
I had a kindle voyage which I jailbroken to put Koreader on. Because of the micro USB and lack of water proofing I decided to upgrade (the device was around 8 years old).
I got a Kobo Clara 2E, installing Koreader was very easy and works very well. Absolutely recommend.
Also the screen seems huge and the weight is pretty good. I even got it with 25% discount :-D
One thing i'd absolutely need on a new (non-color) device is the light sensor like my current Kindle Oasis(3?) has.
The Pocketbook devices all lack one (they only adjust lighting based on time and such...)
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(Well, maybe not that fast: ImageMagick's best-performing monochrome scheme is, apparently, one that was standardized for literal fax machines in the 1980's [0]. A very basic one called "Group 4").
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fax#Compression
I don't see myself getting one, though, at least not immediately. I'm perfectly happy with my Kobo Sage. While I'd like to one day have a color e-ink device, the color reproduction just isn't good enough for my use case. Reading comics on my AMOLED tablet is a joy, and I don't see e-ink getting to that level for at least another couple years.
Plus, I don't want to take the hit of worse PPI for B&W text just so I can have a book cover or some highlighted text in color.
Would a screen protector fix that? Not ideal but it might be an option.
This book I just bought has some color illustrations so I also opened the book on my iPad using the Kobo app, and while I enjoyed seeing the color illustrations, not a big deal.
All that said, I like being a Kobo customer, and I really like that my local physical bookstore gets a little money each time I make a Kobo purchase.