Kobo, along with Amazon, is one of the leading manufacturers in the e-book market. To try and gain market share, the Rakuten subsidiary has officially unveiled a new version of the Aura H2O , which retains the same name but includes some very interesting new features.
Until now, Kobo had the Aura H2O and Aura One available on the market, and they've incorporated several features from the latter into this new version of the Aura H2O, such as the textured back for a better grip and the ComfortLight PRO function . We've already received this new eReader, and in the coming days, we'll be publishing a full review that will allow us to properly evaluate this new e-reader.
Our initial impressions tell us that the new Aura H2O has changed very little in terms of design, although it does incorporate the textured back for a better grip, a feature we've seen on other Kobo devices. In addition to its larger sibling, it also inherits the ComfortLight PRO function, which ensures optimal lighting depending on the time of day. For example, the light it emits will differ between nighttime and daytime, which is very beneficial for our eyes.
Another of the most interesting features of this Kobo Aura H2O, which we could call the 2017 version, is its water resistance, thanks to its IPX68 certification . This allows us not only to get the eReader wet, but also to submerge it up to two meters underwater for 60 minutes. In the previous version of the Aura H20O, we had to settle for IP67 certification, which is common in many mobile devices on the market.
The possibility of using our device for example in the bathtub, in the pool or on the beach, without any danger, is a great novelty and innovation compared to Amazon's Kindle, which today are the great dominators of the market and against which Kobo wants to fight, and of course gain ground little by little.
Another improvement in this new version of the Kobo Aura H2O is its increased internal storage, which has grown from 4GB to 8GB , allowing us to store even more ebooks. While this isn't a major change, as storage isn't usually an issue for most eReader users, a little extra internal storage is always welcome, just in case.
Kobo Aura H2O Features and Specifications
Below we review the main features and specifications of the Kobo Aura H2O ;
- Dimensions: 129 x 172 x 8.8 mm
- Weight: 207 grams
- 6.8-inch display with 265 dpi e-ink
- 8GB internal storage that will allow us to store up to 6.000 eBooks
- Supported formats: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF or MOBI
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 and Micro USB
Price and Availability
The new Kobo Aura H2O, as confirmed by Rakuten's subsidiary, will arrive on the market in a number of countries, including Spain, on May 22nd . Its official price will be €179.99 and it will be available in department stores, specialty shops, and most online retailers.
What do you think of the new Kobo Aura H2O 2017, which was officially unveiled today? Share your opinion in the comments section of this post, on our forum, or through any of our social media channels.