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Kobo Arc 7-inch tablet updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Joshua Pramis
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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Kobo, an e-reader/tablet manufacturer that is quickly gaining traction in the tech world, just announced that its tablet, the 7-inch Kobo Arc (Read our Kobo Arc review), is finally getting an update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The update can be downloaded by all users as of now. According to Wayne White, EVP of Devices, “With the latest Jelly Bean update, Kobo Arc becomes the perfect e-reading companion that offers more with intelligent search recommendations, voice-to-text, and a highly responsive touch screen.”

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With the new update, several key benefits have been highlighted by the company, giving users incentive to download it:

  • Google Now: For those that typically are on the road when using their device, this feature will be quite useful. It organizes schedules, giving traffic updates, train schedules, and restaurant recommendations. (Looking for a nearby spot to kick back and read? This is perfect for that.)
  • Improved Notifications: The update will allow Kobo to send update snippets to the notification area, giving users the option to expand for more details.
  • Updated Search: Users will now be able to access Google Search directly from the lock screen with a simple swipe. Once in the search screen, Voice Search can be activated simply by saying “Google.”
  • Better Voice Recognition and Predictive Typing: Jelly Bean greatly improved its voice recognition technology, allowing for impeccable searching even when not connected to the internet. On top of that, for those who prefer to type out their searches, the software is much better at predicting intended searches.
  • Face Unlock: This is a pretty cool feature. When unlocking the phone, users can opt for the device to require seeing them blink, in order to verify that it’s a real person.

For those unfamiliar with Kobo, its line of e-readers is based on the premise that digital reading availability should be flexible. It offers apps on iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows, so even if you download a file to your e-reader, you can read it on a plethora of other devices.

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Joshua Pramis
Joshua Pramis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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