Monthly Archives: October 2018

Audible 90 Day Free Trial for Prime Members (with a poll)

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If you are a Amazon Prime Member, Amazon is offering a 90 day free trial for its Audible audiobook service. Normally, it is a 30 day trial period.

Audible offers 1 audiobook and 2 Audible Originals each month for $15, and you can also find complimentary access to other audio shows and materials.

I listen to audiobooks from the library via Overdrive and also listen to audiobooks as part of of my monthly Scribd subscription, I do miss the selection offered by Audible though (especially The Great Courses content) and have been considering re-upping my subscription.

What do you think about the service:

Please leave any thoughts in the comments!

Kobo introduces the Forma e-reader

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Kobo is releasing a new premium e-reader and I have one (excited) word to say: BUTTONS!!!!

The Kobo Forma, (Kobo’s answer to the Kindle Oasis) takes blends features of the Kobo Aura One with some of the popular features from Amazon’s high-end e-reader.

Features:

  • The new Kobo Forma features an eight inch display, which is larger than both the Aura One (7.8 inches) and the Kindle Oasis (7 inches).
  • Like the Aura One, the Forma is IPX8  rated and is immersible up to 60 minutes in 2 meters of fresh water.
  • At 197 grams, the Kobo Forma is lighter than both the Kobo Aura One and the Kindle Oasis.
  • The Kobo Forma and the Aura One both feature Kobo’s ComfortLight PRO lighting which reduces blue-light exposure for the best nighttime reading. The Kindle Oasis, on the other hand, has an adjustable light sensor, but does not reduce blue light.
  • Like the rest of Kobo’s e-reader line up, the Kobo Forma features integration with Rakuten’s Overdrive system for libraries. (**Dependent on library participation: Overdrive is available through public libraries in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.)

What’s new and exciting:

There are a couple of important features that differentiate the Kobo Forma from other devices in the Kobo lineup. The Forma has added physical page turn buttons. The back of the Forma is flat and, instead, the buttons are placed on an angled section that is slightly thicker than the rest of the device.

The new hardware also features a gyro so the device can be used either right or left handed as well as in landscape and portrait modes.

Sleep cover:

There is an interesting Kobo sleep cover for the Forma. The design is Similar to the original Origami covers Amazon offered for some of their e-readers and Fire tablets. The Forma sleep cover is priced at $49.99.

Storage, Price and Availability:

The Kobo Forma has 8 GB of storage. The 32 Gb version of the device will only initially be availabe in Japan, with other countries to follow at a later, unspecified date. Price for the Forma is $279.99, which is $50 more than the Aura One’s $229.99 price tag.

The Kobo Forma is available for pre-order now and will be released on October 23, 2018. You can find the complete specs here.

My thoughts:

Mostly, I use my Kobo Aura One for library books (some books are only available in an epub format and can’t be borrowed on the Kindle). I also buy books on sale through the Google Play store which require Adobe Digital editions to download. Since I bought my Oasis, trying to read on the Kobo Aura One has been harder for me because I really, really miss the page turn buttons. Personally, I am going to be watching the reviews on this one carefully. I am thinking that it may be a good candidate for a backup eInk reader.

What do you think?

Amazon introduces new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader

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Amazon has made a new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader available for pre-order. The device will be released on November 7, 2018.

Features:

Here are the features of the new device:

  • The new device is thinner and lighter than the previous generation of Paperwhite. And, yes, that means a new size cover. According to the specs for the new cover, it will not fit any of the previous Paperwhites.
  • The new Paperwhite has more LEDs so it is brighter than the previous generation.
  • The screen is now flush with the bezel of the e-reader.
  • It’s waterproof:  IPX8 rated to protect against accidental immersion in up to two meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes.
  • It’s got more storage: The basic version comes with 8 GB (twice the previous model). Or, you can choose 32 GB to hold more content. (This is a must if you are going to use the content for comics and audiobooks.)
  • Audible compatibility. Amazon had added Bluetooth so you can pair with headphones or speakers. The device is now Whispersync For Voice compatible, so you can not only sync across devices, but can switch back and forth between the ebook and Audible versions of a book.

The new Kindle Paperwhite also includes the ability to invert black and white text, allowing for nighttime reading with white text on a black background. That is one of my favorite features from the Kindle Oasis and it is exciting to see it available on the Paperwhite.

Covers:

Currently, Amazon has three covers available for the new device:

I will be on the look out for 3rd-party covers for this new model and will do a post as soon as new covers are available.

Bonuses:

  • Kindle Unlimited – Amazon is offering 6 months of Kindle Unlimited free with the purchase of a new Paperwhite. The Kindle Unlimited a subscription service that offers unlimited reading of books, magazines and audiobooks. Offer is only available after purchase and terms and conditions apply.
  • Trade in – Take advantage of Amazon’s trade in program and trade in your existing Kindle before you buy a new one. Besides a gift card for your old Kindle, you will get 25% off the purchase price of your new one. (And, yes, some Fire Tablets are eligible for trade in, too!)

The new Kindle Paperwhite prices start at $129.99 (only $10 more than the previous model). It is available in both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G LTE models. Complete specs are here.

So, what do you think? Are these new features worth an upgrade to you?