REVIEW: Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Remote Review: Colour eReader Finally Makes Sense

When I first heard about the new colour Kobo ereader a few years ago, I wasn’t sure if I would find it useful. If a buyer wasn’t into manga or other graphic novels, what would colour eInk actually be useful for?

Then I realised recently that many other books have colour photos. Travel guide books and cookbooks are the obvious examples, but they are far from the only ones.

Kobo Libra Colour

The Libra Colour has a 7 inch E Ink Kaleido 3 screen, physical page turn buttons and an ergonomic shape that suits one handed reading. It is also waterproof to IPX8, so a trip to the pool or the bath is not a worry. Storage is 32GB, which Kobo says is enough for up to 24,000 ebooks.

The ComfortLight PRO front light lets you adjust both brightness and colour temperature for night reading. It also supports the Kobo Stylus 2 for notes and highlights, but the stylus is sold separately for $119.95. Kobo rates the battery at up to 40 days, based on 30 minutes of reading a day with the front light at 30% and wireless features off. Your result will be shorter if you read for hours at a time.

Will it last?

If you are wondering whether an ereader will last a long time, Kobo ereaders are well known for having a very long lifespan compared to other popular mobile devices like phones. In fact, many people still use Kobo ereaders that are 5 to 10 years old with no problems with the battery or screen.

Kobo also says the Libra Colour is repairable, so key components can be replaced to extend its life. That makes the $399.95 price easier to justify if you plan to keep it for years.

Planning a Japan trip in colour

I have been using the Kobo Libra Colour recently to plan a trip to Japan. Being able to see photos and maps in colour on the ereader screen has been a much better experience than on my older black and white Kobo.

Photos are where I notice it most. They are simply easier to appreciate when the colours are there. Maps in a guide book also give you a better feel for a place before you go.

There are limits to be aware of. The colour layer on this screen runs at 150 PPI, while black and white content runs at 300 PPI. Text stays sharp, but colour images look softer and more muted than they would on a phone or tablet. For a reading device that is a fair trade, but it is worth knowing before you buy.

Kobo Remote Unboxing

Is the Kobo Remote useful?

The Kobo Remote is a small Bluetooth page turner. You click the larger button to go forward and the smaller one to go back. It pairs with one button press and works with Kobo ereaders that have Bluetooth, including the Libra Colour, Libra 2, Clara Colour, Clara BW, Clara 2E, Sage, Elipsa and Elipsa 2E.

I got mine recently, and whether it is useful for you depends on your needs. If you hold your ereader in one hand while you read, the Libra Colour’s built in page turn buttons already do the job. The remote only starts to make sense when you are not holding the ereader at all.

I think it works best with a Kobo that has a SleepCover, because the cover can act as a stand. The ereader then sits up on its own, and you can page through a book with the remote. That suits reading on a desk, at the kitchen bench or on a bedside table.

If you fly often, there is another idea to try. Some seats have a phone holder area, and you may be able to hang your ereader from it by the SleepCover. Then you can read using the remote without holding the ereader. Whether this works will depend on the seat design, so treat it as an experiment rather than a promise.

The remote is light at around 36 grams and has a gentle 20 degree bend that fits the hand. It has no clip, so nothing gets in the way of the screen. A lanyard is included, and it runs on a single replaceable AAA battery that Kobo says lasts months. It can also skip 30 seconds forward or back in Kobo audiobooks, but that is all it does for audio.

I am disappointed that the Kobo Remote uses a disposable battery. I would have preferred a built in supercapacitor battery that recharges over USB-C, like my new Dell keyboard and mouse (I will review those later). Most of us already charge an ereader, a phone and a few other things from USB-C, so one less cell to buy and swap would be welcome.

To be fair, a replaceable AAA battery has one upside. If it ever runs flat, you can swap it in seconds rather than waiting for a recharge. Kobo says one battery lasts months, so for most people it will not come up often.

Price and Availability In Australia

The Kobo Libra Colour costs $399.95 in black or white, and the Kobo Remote costs $44.95 in black or white. A Libra Colour SleepCover is $49.95, so the full setup for hands free reading comes to $494.85. Kobo’s Australian store lists free shipping on orders over $49 and a 45 day return period.

Verdict

The Kobo Libra Colour is easier to recommend than I expected. If you read only text novels, colour is a bonus. If your reading includes travel guides, cookbooks or other books with photos and maps, it makes a real difference.

The Kobo Remote is a more specific buy. It is a good fit if you prop your ereader up in a SleepCover and want to read without holding it. If you always read with the ereader in your hand, you can skip it and save $44.95. A rechargeable battery would have made it an easier recommendation for me.

More details: Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Remote.