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The Kobo eReader is less interested in competing with high-end eReaders than giving the  budget-minded customers a dedicated reading device. What it offers is a no-frills aesthetic, a price tag of $149, and a library pre-loaded with 100 classic titles.

Yet Kobo also aspires to become more than just another eReader. It also wants to become an e-book service. Kobo  will be launching an ePub-focused book application that will enable   partner hardwares (such as Mac, iPhone, Blackberry, and other eReaders) to launch an eReader or an e-book store. With Kobo, therefore, you’re not restricted to any particular device. What you buy from the Kobo ebook store, you can also read on other devices.

To put it in another way, the Kobo eReader wants to build an ecosystem, not just a mere hardware.

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Features – Hardware and Software

The Kobo ebook reader comes with a simple yet clever built. The Home/Menu/Display/Back buttons are placed on the left-hand side to reduce accidental presses. The blue D-pad on the front is sized just right for the fingers. The back is covered with a quilt-patterned rubber that ensures better grip, while its skin can be customized (choices include book cloth and literary quotes). When on standby, the screen displays the book cover of your current read.

As standard now among eReaders, the Kobo eReader sports a 6-inch, sunlight-friendly eInk screen and weeks of battery life. 1GB onboard storage can hold 1000 ebooks. The device has also embraced ePub, PDF, Adobe DRM, and a slew of other file formats. Kobo has apps for iPhone, Palm Pre, Blackberry, and Android. A version for the iPad is in the works. 

With a frame measuring 120 mm x 184 mm x 10 mm, the Kobo eReader is easy to bring along anywhere. What the Kobo lacks is 3G and WiFi connection. You can access the Kobo bookstore and its 2 million titles from a web-enabled PC, then transfer the ebook to your Kobo device via USB. There’s also a Bluetooth connection for swapping files with compatible smartphones.

The Bottom Line

The Kobo eReader will retail at all Chapters-Indigo outlets in Canada and at Borders in the US this summer. The Kobo eReader is not for people whose dream device is packed with advanced or multiple features. For people looking for simple yet reliable reading companion, the Kobo eReader looks pretty nice for a device worth less than $150.

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Pros

It seems Kobo has put extra thought in designing the device and making sure that the interface is user-friendly. Perhaps inspired by the iPad, the bookshelves are made to resemble like real ones. There’s an “I’m Reading” page that displays an overview of your recent reads. The device is mostly screen. Thus, while it shares the same screen size with Kindle 2, the Kobo eReader is smaller and lighter. Kobo’s partnership with Border and Indigo stores and a variety of mobile and retail stores from across Europe and Asia give it a worldwide retail presence including Canada, Singapore, and New Zealand.

Cons

The Kobo eReader offers a minimalist, compact form – thanks to a lack of physical keyboard. However, Kobo didn’t make it up with a virtual keyboard either. As such, you won't be able to enjoy functions such as annotation and making notes. Lack of wireless capability is another downside. You have to plug in the eReader to a PC or laptop to get ebooks or to access the Kobo bookstore.

Main Features

•6-inch e-ink screen
•Storage for 1000 ebooks
•Lightweight: weighs 200 grams
•Battery life for 8000 page turns
•Bluetooth connection
•Supports up to 4GB additional storage via external storage
•High screen resolution of 1074 x 768 pixels

Key Features

•Supports 5 font sizes, 2 font styles (serif and sans serif)
•User-intuitive D-pad
•Quilted rubber back
•Bookmarking

Bonus Features

•Customizable skin
•100 ebooks