Kindle vs Kobo
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You are currently reading a thread in /g/ - Technology
You are currently reading a thread in /g/ - Technology
All right /g/, I've been lurking for a few days and nothing came up so far, so I'm making this thread:
I want to buy an e-book reader and I can't decide between the Kobo Glo HD and the latest Kindle Paperwhite.
Which is better and why?
I own both
go for the paperwhite
Can only talk from the pov of the Kindle user, as Kobos aren't available in my country.
It just werks, has a nice battery life and the conversion/managing via sideloading on Calibre is flawless.
Amazon is very anti freedom, though. You need to jailbreak your device just for having the option of changing your wallpaper or setting it to be your book cover, and that's some bullshit.
The scene is very closed and there's only so many things you can do with an e-reader even if you have it jailbroken.
Also, if you're looking for a kindle for reading manga, 6" is really small and you'll have to close your face in in order to read most lines. Resolution is good, size isn't. Don't know about Kobo.
Anything good that's about the size of a Nexus 7 or larger? Also, how well do these run exhentai?
I own a Paperwhite 2, I read books on it. Does what it's supposed to: rendering text, backlighting, page turning, and the built-in dictionary all werk. It connects to the computer as a mass storage device, so no bullshit 3rd party software needed. I use calibre for ebook management. My only negative experience is that when I open the included Oxford Dictionary too often (which is 27 MB), the device occasionally becomes slow or straight up freezes, and needs a reboot. Omoton case is slim and proved to be durable so far.
Beware, Kindles have 2 versions: with or without ads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFjKXPLayis
>>53502265
This is my experience as well.
Overall, would buy again.
I have a kindle 4th gen and feel no need to upgrade
>muh light
>muh retina ppi
bunch of gimmicks
>>53502469
Backlight can be a game changer. I read a lot while travelling.
kindle pw 2015 owner.
only use it to read books mostly in mobi format.
works perfectly and can read it in total darkness which is how I like to read.
can,t speak for the other kindle specific features like the store or sync etc because I never registered it
Love it but a sd card for carrying more books would be better I guess.
Do you buy books or pirate?
If you buy, get the reader of your store if possible.
If you pirate, it doesn't matter which. Both do not have expandable storage
Kindle has Calibre to take care of any incompatible formats you'd encounter like epub.
Kobo accepts epubs out of the box.
>>53502362
Got a H2O and I just download them then store it in my microSD. The site is horrible to navigate using it.
>>53502588
LMFAO who buys books
there is literally no control on pirated books or torrents
>>53502430
that list sounds a bit pretentious
>>53502610
>that list sounds a bit pretentious
not him but I read 90% of them before graduating high school
it's not a pretentious list by any margin, it's mostly mainstream stuff
>>53502574
>2 GB not enough
Store them on your computer, jeez.
Also OP, you better know that these things can't really into PDF properly.
>>53502610
>Easton ellis
>Vonnegut
>Heller
>pretentious
Hell, they even made it pleb-friendly
>>53502621
beautiful
>>53502619
>>53502636
almost n-nobody has read those in my country - hell, I've read 3 tops from this list
I didn't know they were popular in america
>>53502672
I'm italian.
>>53502653
>>53502693
h-have some food...
>>53502621
most kindles have 4gb storage now. It would be nicer to have access to my total ebook library on it. Key word being nicer you faggot.
>>53502672
I'm venezuelan.
OP here.
>>53502231
What makes it superior to the Kobo?
>>53502265
>Amazon is very anti freedom, though. You need to jailbreak your device
I know that, but as long as it's not an annoyingly complicated procedure, it's not a problem.
>reading manga
I'll just read books.
>>53502430
>the included Oxford Dictionary
The dictionary and the translation features are something I'm very intrested in, since I'm not anglophone but I plan to read books in original language (as long as they were originally written in english) and those features might come in handy. Can they be upgraded, like with a better dictionary?
>>53502588
>Do you buy books or pirate?
I'd pirate them (I'd also like to know where I can find some). If I like a particular book, I'd buy the physical copy.
>Kindle has Calibre to take care of any incompatible formats
Does it have any problem with pirated ebooks?
>>53502679
Ciao anon.
>>53502621
>these things can't really into PDF properly
They can. They don't reflow the text, but if the resolution is high enough (read: you got your device in 2015+1) it will display a full semireadable page at a time, depending on how small the text in the pdf is. I'd say it's pretty mk, although I wouldn't read a paper in .pdf.
And backlighting is based. You can read in your bed with room lights off, fall asleep reading and the device will shut itself off after 10 mins automatically. It's a beautiful way of falling asleep.
>>53502973
Why would you need to jailbreak the device? Amazons own reader quite good.
>>53502973
>>Kindle has Calibre to take care of any incompatible formats
>Does it have any problem with pirated ebooks?
no
except pdf sometimes convert poorly.
>>53502973
I checked, and there's an option to change the default dictionary for each language, although the only language it offers for me is English, and I haven't tried to use dictionaries other than the stock ones. The dictionaries themselves are book files just like any other, you can even delete them.
>>53502973
PS You don't have to jailbreak just for pirating books. Use calibre to convert into .mobi, copy them onto the device and you're done. If you're conserned about Amazon knowing, put the device into airplane mode. But you should do that anyway, as it conserves battery.
>>53502469
same here, i wouldn't trade physical buttons for touch
>>53503010
Calibre has troubles converting to pdf for my kindle paperwhite, I just pirate an epub or mobi format and use that. Where do you pirate your books anon?
>>53503208
>Where do you pirate your books anon?
piratebay, tntvillage (for italian ebooks), otherwise page 16 of google results (if I'm desperate enough)
fuck shady sites and their surveys
>>53503243
oh also rutracker is breddy gud
fuck private trackers, never needed one
>>53503037
>The dictionaries themselves are book files just like any other, you can even delete them.
Well, if that applies to the Kobo as well, the decision might be even more difficult to make: the Kindle seems to have a better software and ecosystem, but the Kobo has a higher screen to surface ratio (in other words it's smaller while having the same screen).
I'm more undecided than before. Fugg :DDDD
>>53503384
also the kobo screen looks better, whiter.
source: seen both at unieuro.
Kobo user here, Kobos are better in my experience.
> no arbitrary walled-garden restrictions
> better format support
> Pocket integration (gdlk)
> ability to easily install a night mode hack (inverts screen)
> ability to easily install KoReader, which is the only acceptable way to read PDFs on a phablet-sized eInk screen
> also comes in 6.8". I'd buy an 8"+ device in a heartbeat.
> cheaper if bought in CAD
>>53503460
>too cheap to write "godlike"
kill urslf
>>53503460
>cheaper if bought in CAD
They're both at the same price here in Italy
>>53504232
get an used old kindle on kijiji
trust me
>>53504232
I only put that because it's pretty much impossible to buy a Kobo in a country it isn't sold in, except through Chapters Indigo.
>>53502134
Buy a Kindle Voyage goy
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I have a Fire tablet, but I cannot read it outside. I want to get a Paperwhite/e-ink display kindle, but all I hear is how ridiculously fragile they are. Soooo many reports of screens breaking from doing absolutely nothing. Or freezing as a result of static shock.
>>53506349
I've dropped my Paperwhite before, and also use it outdoors in about 10 °C. Maybe other people had faulty ones.
>>53506349
only the touchscreen ones do.
I have my kinde4 since 2011 and I literally brought it with me worldwide in shitty backpack, still works.
>>53506699
Aren't they pretty much all touchscreen now?
How does the touchscreen work on an e-ink display? Is it literally like touching a smartphone screen? I always get weirded out when the screen goes all crazy when going to a new page. Plus I still believe that e-ink is synonymous with fragile as fuck, do-not-touch.
>>53506969
It's the same shit as smart phones, the displays are capacitive. If anything, the displays are softer, can bend more, therefore less fragile.
I can't get good books for Ebooks. I refuse to pay 3/4 of the original book price for Ebooks, and there are no spotify-like services in my country.
I got a Kobo laying here around with almost no books on it. There are loads of interesting Dutch books but everything on Torrents is horrible shit for middle aged woman. (English) Thrillers can suck dick. Maybe I'm going to look for some good romans but I'm currently more in the mood for non-fiction books, maybe about politics.
The problem again that American politics is horrible, and boring.
>>53507077
>>53507133
What is this filth?
This is again why I can't find good books. Most top 50 stuff on Amazon are edgy Marxist or way too deep philosophy books. I don't have any existential crisis.
I just bought a Paperwhite for $60 from AWS. Should I cancel it? Is it jailbreakable?
>>53507249
Clearly you have anger management issues.
>>53502517
>Backlight can be a game changer
this. I switch from my sony reader primarily because of this. And it's worth it
>>53507288
Don't know if it is, but ask yourself if you really want it jailbreaked. For what purpose?
>>53503243
until now I found all English books I was looking for on bookz (see sticky on /lit/)
>>53507317
to get rid of the ads and to read epubs
>>53507293
Probably. Can't be bothered to read a book about it.
Recommended /lit/ is also shit. Every list is full of Lenin and Marx books.
My Kindle Paperwhite arrived today.
Feels good, man.
I like kobo except for the store. It also works with Canadian libraries which I like. I think kindle hardware is a bit better but I don't really care since it's just a ereader
>>53507398
The war is over, you know.
>>53507362
Buy the adless version and convert epubs to azw3 seamlessly with calibre. At least it's what I do.
>>53507466
why the fuck would I do that when I can just jailbreak
>>53507362
>>53507466
>>53507476
Contact Amazon support and ask them to remove the ads. They'll do it straight away.
>>53507505
How? Do they parachute into my house?
>>53507074
>capacitive
Kobo Glo HD has IR touch screen
Tfw gen 1 kindle, just werks, 2 weeks of daily use (3-4 hours a day reading) and torrented top 100 us and UK classic literature lists.
Good use of 55 dollars tbqh.
Is paperwhite better? I don't have any problems with how the e-ink display looks rn, I guess without a backlight I can't read in the dark, but it's just more cozy to turn on the bedside lamp.
>>53507619
kek, who thought that was a good idea?
does it even function properly?
>>53507670
Yes it does. It should be even better than the capacitive, because it doesn't even need the extra layer on the screen, resulting in a higher contrast
bought a kobo h2o, had light bleed through on the bottom (from the backlight), exchanged it, got one with the same issue (but far less pronounced), returned that one had had one yet again with the same issue (but as about as bad as the 2nd one, not the first)
probably just going to keep this one since it's a minor issue and it's a huge pain in the cock trying to exchange anything, but otherwise I like it
kindle's software is probably better but I wanted the kobo to do my own development stuff on
>>53507532
It's account-side, so they'll just disable ads for you.
>>53508024
How do you know that?
Seems not legit for me, but i am interested
>>53508293
Because you can pay to remove the ads, BUT contacting the support will work as well free of charge
>>53508293
Not him, they disabled mine when I told them I lived in some place where their ads didn't apply.
For the record, ads only kick in when you register the device with your Amazon account.
>>53505609
>paperwhite
>$139.99
>voyage
>$219.99
Are those 80 bucks worth it?
From my experience, Kobo with KoReader is excellent for PDFs. If you plan on reading a lot of textbooks from LibGen, it's very nice to have
>>53508797
Do you have to install shit or it's already good enough out of the box?
I hate having a touchscreen with all its finicky shit and on my kindle it would accidentally scroll pages, even jumping around chapter by chapter with the different swipes you can do.
No reason to not have comfortable dedicated buttons instead for my opinion.
But none of the good new stuff offers this right?
>>53511302
Only the Kindle Voyage added a sort of buttons (with aptic feedback and shenanigans) on the screen's sides, but kept the touch.
>>53502134
Kobo glo hd. Kobo can read pretty much any ebook format, allows drag and drop without any need for software, doesn't throw ads at you because you bought a cheaper version, doesn't have inbuilt back doors to remove a book you purchased from your device.
>>53507950
can you use it in the shower?
>>53511816
never tried but most likely no, water fucks with the capacitive touch on the screen like it will do with smartphones, causing pages to turn etc
if you shake the screen off it's fine but I'm not sure how well it'll handle a shower
>>53511858
But the H2O should have an IR touch screen like the Glo HD
I got a kobo with over 200 books on there, my only issue is organising and finding books is a bitch considering how I can add on an microSD card and add potentially millions of books onto the device.
If only there was a good way of organising books.
>>53502362
The Kobo Aura HD and H2O are roughly N7-sized, aside from being 4:3 instead of 16:10. Pic related.
>>53512271
New Kobo don't have the SD slot
