Skip to main content

Kobo Aims To Be a Complete Ebook Platform

The consumer electronics market is ablaze with ereaders and the promise of tablet computing, so Kobo’s entry into the field at first blush doesn’t seem all that noteworthy: the Kobo eReader is your basic 6-inch ereader tablet with a d-pad style paging button, 1 GB of onboard memory, and Bluetooth connectivity: no color, no Wi-Fi, no 3G, and high-speed synchronization has to happen via USB. But what might let Kobo give some of the bigger names in the business a run for their money is their multi-platform support: Kobo has an app ready to go for the iPad, it’s already out on the iPhone, BlackBerry, webOS, and Android—as well as Windows and Mac OS X. Kobo is setting itself up to act as a storefront for electronic booksellers and as an ereader platform device makers can embed in their readers supporting ePub and PDF formats.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“We believe consumers want choice, and the freedom to read on any device,” said Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis, in a statement. “Our ‘Powered by Kobo’ program accelerates the time to market for manufacturers of new devices and delivers more options for consumers. By providing a world-class catalog, complementary mobile applications, and global infrastructure, partners can start selling ebooks in a matter of days.”

Kobo’s partners include U.S. bookseller Borders, along with Indigo Books & Music in Canada.

The first Kobo eReader is what the company envisions as the first in a series of devices: it offers 1 GB of storage, a 6-inch E Ink display, USB and Bluetooth connectivity…and that’s about it aside from a thoughtful non-slip rubber backing. However, Kobo envisions a broad ecosystem of devices and applications, and users will be able to sync their purchases and reading via their Kobo account across all of them. Kobo says its catalog encompasses more than 2 million ebooks, including bestsellers, newspapers, and magazines.

The Kobo eReader will be available “for a limited time” through Kobo’s retailer partners for $149, preloaded with 100 “classic books.”

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Apple just announced the dates for WWDC 2024
WWDC 2024 banner.

Apple has just announced the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. WWDC will take place from June 10 through June 14, 2024. A special event will be held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on June 10, and we expect to see the reveal of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2.

WWDC will be free for all developers online. Developers will be able to access a variety of online sessions and labs that will showcase the latest advancements in software across all of Apple’s hardware.

Read more
Does the Moto G Stylus have NFC?
Moto G Stylus 5G 2023 leaning

The Motorola Moto G Stylus is a line of midrange Android smartphones, each of which comes packing a stylus — as the name ,akes clear. The two latest models are the Moto G Stylus (2023) and the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023). Although these models are similar, they have some noticeable differences, including their support for near-field communication (NFC) technology. This article will examine which Moto G Stylus models come with NFC and which do not.
What is NFC?

Near-field communication (NFC) is a technology that lets two gadgets communicate with each other when they are within a few centimeters of each other. It is useful for touch payments, e-tickets, data sharing, and effortlessly linking devices via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Read more
Galaxy AI is now available for these other Samsung phones
A white Samsung Galaxy S23 next to a pink Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus.

In January, Samsung introduced its Galaxy AI features alongside its Galaxy S24 series of smartphones. Since then, if you've wanted to use Galaxy AI, you've needed a Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, or Galaxy S24 Ultra. That's about to change.

Samsung just announced that it's about to bring those Galaxy AI features to a lot more devices, meaning you'll soon be able to use Galaxy AI even if you don't have a Galaxy S24.

Read more