By June Ramli
Let’s get this out there: reading has never been my cup of tea, yet my career demands it.
I even snagged a Kindle a few years back as a hackathon prize, but guess how often it’s been used?
Barely ever.
It’s even on the brink of being listed on Facebook Marketplace.
Despite owning gadgets specifically designed for reading, like Kobo or Kindle, I usually default to my phone or laptop for reading.
But this year, I had a change of pace — I got to chat with the founder of Kobo during their visit Down Under.
The Kobo Clara Colour e-reader itself has some color capabilities, but don’t expect to be wowed—it’s somewhat underwhelming and not the best for your eyes, especially.
It’s not the ideal visual quality for extended reading sessions.
Size-wise, the Kobo is compact and light which is perfect for holding for long periods without tiring your hands.
It’s packed with features aimed at bibliophiles, tracking reading duration and the number of pages you’ve flipped through.
It even supports audiobooks and allows you to shop for books directly on the device, much like its Amazonian cousin, albeit with the added perk of color display.
The device needs to be connected to WiFi, so it’s more of a stay-at-home gadget rather than something you’d tote around unless you’ve preloaded it with your reads.
One thing it’s good at is minimizing physical book clutter around your home, though it may strain your eyes over time.
Reading at night isn’t great either; the screen’s yellowish backlight makes it tough to read, akin to trying to read under a dim yellow lamp.
There’s a handy Quick Start Guide included, which helps with navigating the features of the e-reader.
So, should you buy one?
Well, if you’re an avid reader, this could be a worthy investment.
But if you’re more of an occasional reader or too strapped for time, maybe skip it.
Your phone or an audiobook app might just suffice.
Catch our full conversation with the Kobo CEO right here.
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