New Kobo coming? Which?

[deleted2]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Something weird is going on with Indigo/Chapters's tax calculations. When I did a pre-order on the Libra Colour, it shows the GST as $12.53 which should be $12.50 (5%) while the PST shows as $1.40 (0.56%) which is more than a bit odd since local PST is 7% so should be $17.50 for a total of $279.99 which is exactly what I saw for a pre-order on Kobo.

I don't know either, but it's fine with me.

Maybe Kobo was charging somehow for the shipping?

Maybe the taxes in my province are different for books and ereader by extension?

Anyway... Shhhh. Let it be.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by DNSB

It'd on the left in the image. With 0% brightness, it's just a black blob.

Indeed, in a dark room, the Kindle Paperwhite is not visible at 0% brightness. Just as in a brightly lit environment there is no difference between a brightness level of 0% or 100% (see attached photographs). One has to be very careful about jumping to conclusions based on isolated photographs out of context.

As far as colour e-readers are concerned, I believe that brightness is not an issue. It is used at higher levels to compensate for the darkness of the screen, but adjusted to your taste it looks the same as a monochrome e-reader, neither brighter nor darker. The obvious difference is in the darkness of its unlit screen, and here it depends on how you use your e-reader and your own sensitivity. If you use it with illumination the problem of the darkness of the screen is non-existent and if you use it without illumination it will depend on your own sensitivity to know if it is acceptable or not. For me it is not acceptable to use any unlit e-reader, whether monochrome or colour, because the screens seem dark to me (much more so on a colour e-reader), but everyone has a different level of tolerance. In fact, if you have read the comments to the pictures that were posted on Reddit about the Libra Colour, you will see that there is a diversity of opinions about it.

[Sirtel]

The problem with this is that in summer I often use my Libra with the light at 70-90%, to get the screen look whitish. In those conditions a color ereader would not look like I want even with the brightness at 100% - the screen would still be too dark. Note this is not outdoors or in direct sunlight, just indoors, under a window, on a sunny day (but not with sunlight falling on the screen).

[errenay]

So, we will have Libra Colour, and two Claras: Colour and B&W. Can we expect also new Libra B&W with Carta 1300? I'm not fully convinced to colour e-book readers and I would like to change my Libra H2O to something new but "classical". Are there any whispers about such devices from Kobo?

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The problem with this is that in summer I often use my Libra with the light at 70-90%, to get the screen look whitish. In those conditions a color ereader would not look like I want even with the brightness at 100% - the screen would still be too dark. Note this is not outdoors or in direct sunlight, just indoors, under a window, on a sunny day (but not with sunlight falling on the screen).

I have no idea what the maximum brightness level of the Libra Colour will be. In my case, 100% on my colour e-reader is equivalent to level 22 (out of 24) on my Kindle Paperwhite. Indoors in my sunny house in Spain I never use them at those values. But everyone is different. I still think that brightness is not a problem.

(These photos are taken with the Kindle Paperwhite at level 23 (out of 24) and the Tab Mini C at 100%. You can see the reflection of the sun on the screen, although it doesn't hit it directly. Today is beach day where I live. In fact I'm going to the beach right now).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I have no idea what the maximum brightness level of the Libra Colour will be. In my case, 100% on my colour e-reader is equivalent to level 22 (out of 24) on my Kindle Paperwhite. Indoors in my sunny house in Spain I never use them at those values. But everyone is different. I still think that brightness is not a problem.

There was a photo of the Libra Colour at 100% in bright ambient light. It looked far too dark to me. Yes, I get that photos are not dependable enough for evaluating something like this. But as I also use my b/w Libra almost at 100% in a reasonably bright environment in summer, and the screen certainly looks whiter than on that photo, I'm afraid I wouldn't manage to get the Libra Colour look white enough for my taste in summer. (Winter is another matter, of course, then the frontlight on my ereaders is usually pretty low).

Of course I'm not that interested in color anyway. I just hope Kaleido screens won't replace b/w ereaders altogether (there's no new b/w Libra this year, only the color one).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by cellaris

(These photos are taken with the Kindle Paperwhite at level 23 (out of 24) and the Tab Mini C at 100%. You can see the reflection of the sun on the screen, although it doesn't hit it directly. Today is beach day where I live. In fact I'm going to the beach right now).

This looks quite adequate, but the Tab Mini may be brighter at 100% than the Libra Colour; we don't know at this point.

Thanks for the photos.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I just hope Kaleido screens won't replace b/w ereaders altogether (there's no new b/w Libra this year, only the color one).

Absolutely. We need choice on eink. It's not like LCD where the extra contrast and sharpness of a mono LCD is needed (the LCD panels, even QLED, are still internally inherently mono unlike OLED, colour CRT or colour Plasma).

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

There was a photo of the Libra Colour at 100% in bright ambient light. It looked far too dark to me. Yes, I get that photos are not dependable enough for evaluating something like this. But as I also use my b/w Libra almost at 100% in a reasonably bright environment in summer, and the screen certainly looks whiter than on that photo, I'm afraid I wouldn't manage to get the Libra Colour look white enough for my taste in summer. (Winter is another matter, of course, then the frontlight on my ereaders is usually pretty low).

Of course I'm not that interested in color anyway. I just hope Kaleido screens won't replace b/w ereaders altogether (there's no new b/w Libra this year, only the color one).

I think there are enough reasons not to want or need a colour e-reader. I could cite a few, although personally I am very satisfied and use them in preference to my monochrome e-readers. With today's colour technology I see it very unlikely that monochrome e-readers will disappear. But in the future I am not so sure. Just as non-illuminated e-readers have practically disappeared, as colour evolves, I believe that monochrome e-readers will do the same. Will an evolution in colour be possible? We will talk in a few years' time.

(By the way, where the illumination of colour e-readers does suffer is outdoors, especially in the shade. In colour it still copes quite well, but in black and white the screen still looks dark even at maximum illumination).

[deleted2]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I think there are enough reasons not to want or need a colour e-reader. I could cite a few, although personally I am very satisfied and use them in preference to my monochrome e-readers. With today's colour technology I see it very unlikely that monochrome e-readers will disappear. But in the future I am not so sure. Just as non-illuminated e-readers have practically disappeared, as colour evolves, I believe that monochrome e-readers will do the same. Will an evolution in colour be possible? We will talk in a few years' time.

Great couple of posts here. Thank you for your realistic point of view with examples that helps broaden the discussion.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Claude_C

Great couple of posts here. Thank you for your realistic point of view with examples that helps broaden the discussion.

I do not claim that my point of view is more important than others. It is true that I own a colour e-reader and can give my first-hand impressions, but there are other people who also own or have owned colour e-readers and do not think like me. Some have returned it because they were not convinced and others use it as a secondary e-reader for very specific subjects. My way of using it as a primary e-reader I think is in the minority.

I like to read other users' comments. I think the main causes of return or dissatisfaction are the darkness of the unlit screen and the dull colour. Other issues such as contrast, brightness or background graininess have a much smaller impact than you might think. In the end one has to judge for oneself whether the colour contribution is important enough to compensate for what you lose.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by errenay

So, we will have Libra Colour, and two Claras: Colour and B&W. Can we expect also new Libra B&W with Carta 1300?

Since Kobo released the Clara BW to replace the Clara 2E, it seems likely that a Carta 1300 Libra BW will happen eventually, but you'll probably have to wait another year for that. Perhaps Kobo wants to release the Libra BW, Sage BW, and Sage Colour all at the same time?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

Since Kobo released the Clara BW to replace the Clara 2E, it seems likely that a Carta 1300 Libra BW will happen eventually, but you'll probably have to wait another year for that. Perhaps Kobo wants to release the Libra BW, Sage BW, and Sage Colour all at the same time?

They might not update the Sage at all. They didn't release an updated Kobo Aura One or Kobo Forma. They might release a new 8'' device, but again, maybe not.

[Aleron Ives]

Sure, Kobo might change the name, but if it's 8" it's still the Sage's successor.

[deleted2]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I do not claim that my point of view is more important than others. It is true that I own a colour e-reader and can give my first-hand impressions, but there are other people who also own or have owned colour e-readers and do not think like me. Some have returned it because they were not convinced and others use it as a secondary e-reader for very specific subjects. My way of using it as a primary e-reader I think is in the minority.

I like to read other users' comments. I think the main causes of return or dissatisfaction are the darkness of the unlit screen and the dull colour. Other issues such as contrast, brightness or background graininess have a much smaller impact than you might think. In the end one has to judge for oneself whether the colour contribution is important enough to compensate for what you lose.

It's fun to have the opinion of someone who actually owns a colour ereader.

I went for a walk with my dog, thought about it, fight with my demons, and decided to cancel my order. Until next time I'm tempted. Maybe by an Oasis Colour.

The only thing I prefer in Kobo over Kindle is the availability of book summaries for sideloaded books. And the way collections are handle with Calibre. Oh! And the sideloaded French Wiktionary.