Kobo Glo vs PocketBook

Last updated: July 10, 2023
The Kobo Glo and PocketBook are two popular eReader devices, each with its own set of features and capabilities that cater to different reading preferences.

One of the key differences between the Kobo Glo and PocketBook lies in their software ecosystems and content availability. The Kobo Glo is closely integrated with the Kobo ecosystem, providing seamless access to the Kobo eBookstore and personalized recommendations. It offers a wide range of eBooks, magazines, and newspapers, allowing users to easily discover and purchase new content. The Kobo Glo also supports various eBook formats, including EPUB and PDF, which enables users to access content from multiple sources. On the other hand, PocketBook provides a more open platform, allowing users to access eBooks from various sources and supporting multiple formats. It offers flexibility in terms of content acquisition, as users can import eBooks from different sources and manage their libraries.

In terms of display, both devices offer a 6-inch E Ink display for a comfortable reading experience. However, there may be differences in resolution and lighting. The Kobo Glo typically features a display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels, providing clear and crisp text. It also includes ComfortLight technology, which adjusts the front light to reduce eye strain and provide a more comfortable reading experience in different lighting conditions. The PocketBook eReaders also offer high-resolution displays, often with similar pixel density. They may feature adjustable front lighting or SMARTlight technology, which automatically adjusts the front light based on ambient lighting conditions, ensuring optimal reading comfort.

When it comes to design and build quality, both devices offer a compact and lightweight design, making them comfortable to hold for extended reading sessions. They typically feature a touchscreen interface for easy navigation through menus and pages. However, there may be differences in additional design elements and features. For example, some PocketBook models may include physical page-turn buttons, offering users an alternative method of navigation. The devices may also differ in terms of connectivity options and storage capacity, providing users with flexibility in terms of accessing content and storing their eBooks.
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Kobo Glo
Kobo Glo's revolutionary ComfortLight illuminates the screen with a soft, adjustable glow so you can read any eBook any time of day under the perfect light — no lamp required. Because Kobo Glo’s advanced high-res XGA Pearl E Ink screen doesn’t use a glass overlay for its front light technology, there’s never any glare, even in the brightest sunlight.
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PocketBook
PocketBook - the best choice for reading professional literature, periodicals, work with graphs and tables including PDF and Djvu. PocketBook is perfect for reading both at the workplace and at home. School and college students will appreciate e-reader of such a format.
Kobo Glo vs PocketBook in our news:

2022. Pocketbook to add support for AZW ebooks



Pocketbook has recently started incorporating support for the Amazon Kindle AZW ebook format. The Inkpad 3, a Pocketbook e-reader, became the first device to officially offer this functionality following a firmware update on July 20th. Additionally, the official Send to Pocketbook app, available on all Pocketbook e-readers, now allows users to directly send AZW and AZW3 books to their devices. The AZW format, developed by Amazon specifically for their Kindle e-readers, is commonly used for DRM-protected ebooks. It bears similarities to the Mobipocket PRC file format, which does not require DRM protection.


2022. PocketBook launched Era - 7-inch e-reader with 300 PPI



Pocketbook Era is an innovative e-reader that harnesses the cutting-edge E INK Carta 1200 e-paper display panel. This advanced technology brings a 15% increase in image contrast and a 20% improvement in touch screen response time. With its 7-inch diagonal screen, the Pocketbook Era strikes the perfect balance between portability and readability, allowing you to view more text on a single page compared to traditional 6-inch e-readers. Adapt to any lighting environment with ease, thanks to the SMARTlight function, which enables adjustment of brightness and color temperature for a comfortable reading experience. The Pocketbook Era boasts a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display featuring E INK Carta 1200 technology, offering a resolution of 1264×1680 with a pixel density of 300 PPI. The screen is shielded by a flush, protective layer of glass, ensuring enhanced anti-scratch durability, and making it a reliable companion for even the most active usage. Additionally, this waterproof device is well-suited for reading in the bathroom or outdoor environments.


2020. Pocketbook uveiled Basic 4 e-Reader



Pocketbook has given their entry-level e-reader, the Basic 4, a complete redesign, and it is set to be released at the end of this month. In contrast to previous models, this version features page turn buttons located at the bottom of the display, along with a vibrant and cheerful home button. The overall appearance of the device no longer resembles a budget e-reader, as Pocketbook has essentially revamped the entire industrial design. The Pocketbook Basic 4 sports a six-inch E INK Carta HD display with an expected resolution of 1024×758 and 212 PPI. Under the hood, it is equipped with a Freescale 1GZ processor, 256MB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage, expandable via an SD card slot supporting up to an additional 32GB of storage. With dimensions of 161.3 × 108 × 8 mm and an incredibly lightweight construction weighing only 145g, the Basic 4 offers impressive portability.


2020. PocketBook e-readers get new bookstore



Pocketbook has recently released the highly anticipated firmware version 6.0 for its PocketBook InkPad 3 Pro and Pocketbook Touch HD 3 e-readers. With this update, users now have access to a brand new bookstore where they can purchase bestselling ebooks and audiobooks. The main menu and user interface have undergone a complete redesign, offering a refreshed look and feel. Additionally, a new music player has been introduced. These updated e-readers are also compatible with EPUB3 format. Notably, the redesigned main menu now includes a list of recommendations featuring selected books such as the latest novels and bestsellers. Furthermore, users have the ability to personalize their e-reader's Home Screen by adding application icons and enabling or disabling book recommendations, among other customization options.


2019. Kobo boosts performance of PDF files



Kobo has recently rolled out a firmware update for their complete lineup of e-readers. This update enhances the performance of PDF files, leading to quicker loading times. Moreover, users now have the option to customize the header and footer of their reading interface. They can opt to showcase page numbers, percentage read, time remaining, or even deactivate the header, footer, or progress bar entirely.


2019. Kobo brings many of the Libra H2O features to older Kobo e-readers



Kobo has released a new firmware update for the Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, and Kobo Aura, incorporating several features found in the latest Kobo Libra H2O model to enhance eBook navigation. The headers and footers now provide information on both chapter and book progress, ensuring you can easily track your reading position. Additionally, a progress bar offers a visual representation of your progress within the book. For further customization, you can adjust your page layout through the Reading settings. The book scrubber has been improved, now displaying the entire book instead of just individual chapters, allowing for smoother navigation. Lastly, the addition of page previews enables quick referencing and facilitates navigation to different sections of the book.


2017. Kobo makes managing ebooks simpler



Kobo has recently released a firmware update for its e-readers, introducing several noteworthy features. One of the key additions is the "Manage Books" feature, accessible under the "My Books" section. This new feature allows users to select multiple books simultaneously, enabling actions such as marking them as finished or unread, removing them, or adding them to collections. The "My Books" section itself has undergone a visual enhancement, offering a cleaner layout of information, along with the inclusion of convenient Filter and Sort menus. The reading experience has also been enhanced with this update. Now, by tapping the middle of the page, users can easily access reading menus, navigate to the Table of Contents, or adjust Reading Settings. Additionally, the screen will now refresh after each chapter, as opposed to every six pages, providing a smoother reading experience.


2017. Pocketbook launched Basic Lux and Basic 3 models



Pocketbook has recently unveiled two upcoming e-readers that are scheduled to be shipped in the coming months. The Basic Lux and Basic 3 models are both entry-level devices, offering competitive alternatives to the Kindle Basic and Kobo Touch 2.0. The PocketBook Basic 3 is an entry-level e-reader equipped with a 6-inch E Ink screen boasting a resolution of 800×600 pixels, along with an integrated Wi-Fi module. On the other hand, the Pocketbook Basic Lux features a 6-inch E-Ink Carta display with a resolution of 1024×768 pixels, providing a pixel density of 212 PPI. Notably, it also includes a front-lit display for reading in low-light conditions and physical page turn buttons, providing an alternative to relying solely on the touchscreen for navigation.


2017. Pocketbook announced Aqua 2 e-Reader



Pocketbook has introduced their second generation waterproof e-reader, the Aqua 2, priced at $141. This advanced device showcases a six-inch E-Ink Carta display boasting a resolution of 1024×768 with 212 PPI. With 8GB of internal storage, it can accommodate an extensive collection of e-books. Additionally, it includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing users to enjoy audiobooks. The Aqua 2 comes with a built-in front-light for reading in low-light conditions and possesses IP57 standard waterproof and dustproof capabilities. Utilizing WIFI, it enables internet connectivity. E-books can be conveniently sent directly to the device via the Dropbox connection and the Send-to-PocketBook service. Furthermore, for those reading foreign-language e-books, the Aqua 2 comes equipped with a range of preinstalled Abbyy-Lingvo dictionaries.


2015. Kobo unveiled new e-Reader Glo HD to take on Kindle Voyage



Kobo is set to release its latest e-reader, the Glo HD, which claims to offer the highest resolution at an affordable price point. Priced at $129.99 and launching on May 1, this new device from Rakuten-owned Kobo features a 6-inch display with an impressive 300 ppi pixel density. This resolution matches that of the $199.99 Kindle Voyage, ensuring extremely sharp and pixel-free text rendering. Both the Kobo Glo HD and the Kindle Voyage utilize e-ink's Carta screen technology, delivering text quality comparable to high-resolution e-ink screens found in modern smartphones, albeit with the low-power e-paper technology that provides black and white display, ideal for dedicated text reading devices.