Kobo Aura vs PocketBook InkPad

2024. Pocketbook is now a co-owner of Bigme



Over the past year, Pocketbook has been working on a significant deal and has now become a substantial shareholder and co-owner of Bigme, a Chinese brand known for its e-readers and e-notebooks with E INK screens. This marks Pocketbook's first major acquisition since they began releasing e-readers in 2012. The collaboration extends beyond ownership, involving active participation in mutual product development and cross-sharing of R&D teams. This partnership has already yielded the successful PocketBook InkPad EO, designed for the US and European markets, showcasing the integration of their strengths and expertise. The future potential of this collaboration is highly anticipated.


2023. Pocketbook unveiled its first e-note - Pocketbook InkPad X Pro



Pocketbook has introduced its first e-note, the Pocketbook InkPad X Pro, specifically crafted for digital note-taking. This innovative product is tailored for note-taking, freehand drawing and PDF file editing due to its incorporation of a WACOM screen. The package includes a novel jet-black stylus with an eraser, boasting an impressive 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Nevertheless, the device is also compatible with third-party styluses. The highlight of the device is its 10.3-inch E INK Mobius display, which contributes to its lightweight design. Boasting a resolution of 1404×1872 pixels at 227 PPI, the screen is also capacitive, enabling users to employ finger gestures like pinch-to-zoom, tapping and page-turning swipes. Convenient manual page-turn buttons, a home button and settings button are situated at the device's bottom. Notably, this marks the company's first foray into the Android product realm, as all their previous offerings have been based on Linux. Anticipated to be released in late September, the InkPad X Pro will be priced at $420.00.


2023. Dark Mode is now available on new Pocketbook e-readers



Dark mode is now an option on the Pocketbook Era, Pocketbook InkPad 4 and Pocketbook InkPad Color 2. This addition comes with the latest 6.8 firmware update that is accessible today. Along with dark mode, the update includes various other new features and improvements such as customizable control panel settings, additional filter options in the Notes app, a text suggestions feature and more. In the near future, these enhancements will be made available for other Pocketbook models as well. Utilizing dark mode on your PocketBook device can enhance your reading experience in low-light conditions and during nighttime. This mode adjusts the display settings, showing white text on a dark background, which reduces contrast with the surrounding darkness and minimizes eye strain. Additionally, when reading in dark mode, you have the option to invert book illustrations if desired.


2023. Pocketbook Inkpad 4 gets 7.8-inch screen


Pocketbook announced the release of a new ereader called the Pocketbook Inkpad 4. It has a 7.8-inch E Ink Carta 1200 screen and a frontlight with temperature control. It has 32GB of storage space, built-in speakers for audiobooks and text-to-speech and it’s waterproof with an IPX8 rating. Other specs for the PocketBook InkPad 4 include a USB-C port, a rotation sensor, a dual-core processor, it has WiFi and Bluetooth and it has a 2000mAh battery. The overall design of the PocketBook InkPad 4 looks quite nice, though, with similar characteristics to the design of the PocketBook Era, which is actually really nice all except for the horribly washed-out screen. The newer E Ink Carta 1200 screens have better contrast, but it doesn’t matter when they add a cloudy flush front layer over the top of it.


2023. Pocketbook 6.7 firmware update adds audio pronunciation



Pocketbook has launched a new firmware update for the Inkpad 3, Inkpad Color and Touch HD 3. What are the significant new features? Users can now initiate audio pronunciation in the dictionary and translations can be saved to the device and exported. Additionally, there is enhanced functionality for improved page borders in CBR, CBZ and PDF files. Other updates include a larger pressure area for easier navigation of footnotes (links) in books, more precise page margins in scrollable PDF files and refined note list sorting algorithms.


2022. Kobo is now displaying advertisements on their e-readers



Kobo is now featuring advertisements on most of their e-readers when they wake from sleep mode. A full-page ad now appears, encouraging users to subscribe to Kobo Plus and informing them about the free 30-day trial. This ad is displayed regardless of whether Wi-Fi is turned on or off, as the image is retrieved from the device rather than the internet. This is the first instance of Kobo displaying ads on their e-book readers. Kobo has previously emphasized in their marketing campaigns that, unlike the Kindle, their devices are free from advertisements, but this no longer seems to be the case.


2021. New PocketBook InkPad Lite 970 has cheap 9.7-inch E Ink Screen



PocketBook has introduced a new e-reader featuring a 9.7-inch E Ink Carta display, named the PocketBook InkPad Lite. It’s essentially a budget-friendly e-reader with a large screen, slated for release in autumn 2021. The price is rumored to be $299, making it the most affordable large-screen e-reader on the market by about $50. The PocketBook InkPad Lite is somewhat unusual in 2021 because PocketBook chose to use a low-cost display with the same 1200 x 825 resolution that 9.7-inch E Ink screens had over a decade ago. This results in a resolution of only 150 ppi. Even the Likebook P10 offers a better screen with 200 ppi and is just about $50 more expensive, featuring an upgraded quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM and a more versatile Android OS.


2021. Kobo e-readers get new My Words feature



Kobo has launched a new firmware update (4.26) for its range of Kobo e-readers. This update introduces a new "My Words" option, which can be activated from the list of Beta Features. It's similar to Kindle’s vocabulary builder feature, which tracks the words you look up in the dictionary for easy review later. Other new features include a “Back to page x” button for EPUBs, enhanced annotation synchronization and improved PDF viewing in landscape mode. Additionally, tapping the text field within the note preview window now allows for editing.


2020. Pocketbook Inkpad 3 gets a brand new UI



Pocketbook has released a major update for its popular model InkPad 3. The update features an improved UI design across all applications. Notifications, the control panel and the status bar have also been redesigned. Firmware 6.1 rethinks and streamlines the authorization system: users can now access PocketBook Cloud, PocketBook Store, Send-to-PocketBook and ReadRate services with a single account. Additionally, users can log into their account via smartphone using the PocketBook app by scanning a QR code. New book formats CBR and CBZ have been introduced to support comic reading. The updated Notes application enables users to view, edit, add comments to notes and transfer notes to other devices. Furthermore, all your records are now consolidated in one place, making them easier to locate.


2020. Kobo introduces $99 e-reader Nia to replace Aura



Rakuten has released a new entry-level e-book reader and it stacks up well against the least expensive Amazon Kindle in several key aspects. The Kobo Nia features a 6-inch screen with a 1024x758 pixel resolution and 212 ppi. It comes with Kobo's ComfortLight technology, allowing you to adjust the brightness of the display as needed. The Nia is quite sleek at 172 grams, with a thickness of 9.2mm around the edges. Inside, it has a 1,000mAh battery that provides "weeks" of reading on a single charge, plus 8GB of storage. Amazon's least expensive Kindle, which is a natural comparison for the Nia, starts at $89.99, but that includes Amazon's "Special Offers" ads; without the ads, the price rises to $109.99. It also has a 6-inch screen, but with a lower 165 ppi resolution and half the storage of the Nia. This makes the Nia a strong contender for anyone seeking an affordable e-reader who doesn’t want to be tied to Amazon's ecosystem.


2018. Pocketbook e-Readers get gesture controls



Pocketbook has released a new firmware update for the Aqua 2, InkPad 3 and Touch HD e-readers that introduces gesture controls for adjusting the brightness of the front-lit display and color temperature. While reading an eBook, you can swipe your finger up or down on the left side of the screen to increase or decrease the light intensity. This feature is available whether the e-reader is in portrait or landscape mode. Other enhancements include smoother page scaling with gestures in PDF or DjVu format books, more accurate word selection for note-taking and the option to toggle the position sensor on and off via the settings menu.


2018. Kobo e-Ink readers get rapid Page-Turning


Kobo has released a new firmware update for all their e-readers that enhances the speed of page-turns with a new rendering engine. This updated system allows you to quickly tap or gesture on the screen to turn pages swiftly. You can also hold your finger down on the screen to turn pages. The text may become unreadable while the pages are turning rapidly and you'll need to lift your finger for everything to fully render. The fast page-turning feature works with KEPUB eBooks, which are books purchased directly from Kobo. It does not support CBR/CBZ or traditional EPUB formats and is incompatible with sideloaded EPUB books.


2017. Kobo makes managing ebooks simpler



Kobo has updated the firmware for its e-readers. The update introduced a Manage Books feature: under My Books, you can now select multiple books simultaneously, mark them as read or unread, delete them, or add them to collections. The My Books section has been redesigned with a cleaner layout, including updated Filter and Sort menus. The reading experience has also been enhanced. You can now tap the center of the page to open reading menus, access the Table of Contents, or modify Reading Settings. The screen will refresh after each chapter rather than every six pages.


2016. New 7.8-inch Aura One e-reader - the Cadillac of e-readers



With the new Aura One, Kobo is aiming to challenge Amazon's dominance in the market. Its 7.8-inch screen significantly surpasses the Aura HD, accompanied by a $230 price tag. Despite the addition of several other appealing features, this is a steep price for a dedicated e-reader, especially when Amazon's Kindle Voyage starts at $30 less (for the Special Offers edition, at least). However, Kobo’s previous ventures have been successful and while the company will likely concede that the Aura One isn’t for everyone, it offers exactly what someone willing to spend over $200 on such a device desires: the ultimate e-reader. Kobo earns credit for thinking beyond the conventional e-reader approach and while the Aura One may not be justifiable for most readers, the dedicated few will find much to appreciate, including a large screen, blue-light adjustment, a sleek design and ample storage.


2016. Pocketbook Announces the InkPad 2



Pocketbook InkPad 2 is a new e-reader that was just unveiled today. This device boasts an 8-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1,200 x 1,600 pixels. It includes a front-lit screen and physical page-turn buttons. The InkPad 2 is equipped with a 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM. It has 4 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 32 GB with a Micro SD card. The presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack is likely to attract users, as it allows for listening to audiobooks and music. This e-reader will be available soon for 199 Euros.


2014. Kobo unveiled waterproof Aura H2O Reader



Kobo has introduced a new waterproof device - Kobo Aura H2O - priced at $179 and scheduled for release on October 1. This device is the latest in a series of high-end offerings tailored for avid readers. The Kobo Aura H2O is designed as an all-purpose, durable eReader, suitable for use in various environments where other devices might not be ideal, such as in the bath or on the beach. It is both slimmer and lighter than the Kobo Aura HD, costs $10 more and features an enhanced high-definition screen along with a dustproof, sealed design that withstands water exposure for up to thirty minutes when submerged.


2014. Pocketbook InkPad with Text-to-Speech announced



Ukrainian company Pocketbook has been producing e-readers consistently since 2007 and the company has introduced a new e-reader—the InkPad—that aims to offer more screen real estate with its large eight-inch display. The screen utilizes E Ink Pearl technology and boasts the highest resolution available for such devices—1600×1200 pixels. This high resolution allows you to adjust the font size from very small to very large without losing clarity. A robust 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM ensure smooth page transitions and reliable performance across any application. With 4 GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB, you can build an extensive library that’s always within reach. Additionally, it features a 3.5mm headphone jack for listening to audiobooks or music. Pocketbook has also incorporated Text to Speech functionality in this model, enabling books to be read aloud.