Listen to the audio version of the article
There will come a day when paper notebooks will be just a memory, for the good of everyone. That day is getting closer and closer, also thanks to companies like Rakuten. In fact, the manufacturer already has various ebook reader models in its portfolio that also support a pen for writing but the real change of pace came with the Kobo Libra Color which, without too many surprises, introduces color into a world made of greys.
It is small, with its 7-inch screen, and perhaps this is its advantage. In a market where the size of displays is increasing, with shiny colors and ultra-realistic definitions, an object that fits in your hand is enough to stay connected, without becoming digital zombies. Kobo Libra Color is equipped with an E Ink Kaleido 3 e-paper display with a black and white resolution of 1264×1680 pixels and 300 PPI, which in color are “scaled” to 150 PPI. On the right side there are two buttons to turn the page manually while on the back there is the power button.
In terms of aesthetics, the latest Kobos have always stood out. A plastic-like back texture makes it easier to hold the reader in your hands and protects it better from falls, which is always best to avoid. In addition, and to complete the equipment and take full advantage of the Libra Color, there are two gadgets. The first is almost an obligation: the Kobo Stylus 2, which allows you to apply notes on books in eBook and PDF format but also create pages from scratch, and the SleepCover, which in addition to covering the reader entirely also integrates a slot for the pen, so you have everything in one. A modern notebook for the digital age. Kobo Stylus 2 costs 69.99 euros while the cover has a price of 29 euros.
But let’s get to the point: under the body there is a MediaTek MT8113T processor, dual-core ARM A53 at 2.0 GHz, 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The battery is a strong point: days and days of use with a worsening impact compared to monochromatic models but nothing to worry about. Although the Libra Color can’t swim, it is IPX8 certified for up to 60 minutes at 2 meters deep. Enough to read a few chapters of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” identifying as much as possible with Captain Nemo.
At the bottom there is a USB-C port for charging and transferring data and Wi-Fi with which to connect to the web and even navigate with a browser, the usual, experimental one, which takes as long as Internet Explorer in 2000 to open a site. better than itself, Libra Color returns it in reading: not only more or less famous works but also comics, finally, take on the contours and characteristics that have made characters and authors famous. The chromatic flattening to which ebook readers had accustomed us has always been a limit to accept, in favor of the possibility of carrying around an object weighing just a few grams capable of containing hundreds of works. Colorful fairy tales seem to come to life, and so do atlases and historical encyclopedias. There isn’t the scent of paper but never mind, maybe one day we’ll get to that too. For the good of everyone