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Kobo releases Glo HD, the e-reader to rival the Kindle Voyage

By Koh Wanzi - on 9 Apr 2015, 4:06pm

Kobo releases Glo HD, the e-reader to rival the Kindle Voyage

Image Source: Gizmag

Kobo has updated its e-reader line-up with the Kobo Glo HD, a 4GB reader featuring the latest Carta E Ink display. Amazon’s Kindle Voyage took the crown last year as the e-reader to have for serious e-book aficionados, but it seems that Kobo has hit back now with the Glo HD.

The new Glo HD features a 1448 x 1072 display with a pixel density of 300ppi, which Kobo claims offers the closest experience to actual printed text. This is actually on par with the Kindle Voyage – Amazon’s device sports a 300ppi Carta E Ink display with a 1440 x 1080 resolution. 

The onboard 4GB of storage can hold up to 3,000 e-books, more than enough for even the most voracious reader. Coming in at 180g and measuring just 157 x 115 x 9.2mm, it is highly portable. The weight and dimensions closely mirror that of the Kindle Voyage, and you won’t find much to distinguish both devices in this area. Both devices also sport 1GHz processors under the hood for faster page turns over previous-generation readers.

As expected of a modern e-reader, the Glo HD packs a front-lit display for reading in low light. Kobo is also claiming two months of battery life with the Glo HD if you do just 30 minutes of reading every day. That’s actually more than the six weeks Amazon says you can get out of the Voyage.

Kobo says the Glo HD delivers a reading experience close to that of actual actual ink on paper. (Image Source: Gizmag)

But unlike its past devices like the Kobo Aura and Aura HD, the Glo HD will not feature a microSD card for expandable storage. This probably won’t affect the reading experience too much as 4GB is still plenty of storage, but it is a nice feature that will be missed.

And even though Kobo readers aren’t as popular as Amazon’s, Kobo has earned a reputation for providing reliable and more affordable alternatives to the Kindle. The Glo HD is no exception – it will be available at just US$129.99 in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on 1 May. This is practically a steal compared to the Kindle Voyage as the cheapest configuration you can get – the Wi-Fi-only model with ads – already costs US$199 on Amazon.

Of course, you do get additional features with the pricier Kindle, such as the tactile page-turn buttons on both sides of the bezel for one-handed reading and an ambient light sensor for automatic adjustment of the front light. But given its price and features, the Glo HD certainly offers unrivalled value to those in the market for a quality e-reader.

However, if past precedent is anything to go by, the Glo HD probably won't be coming to official retailers on our shores and local customers who want to purchase it will have to ship it from overseas.

Source: Kobo (1), (2)

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