Other key specs are identical between the two competing premium e-readers, including 8GB of standard onboard storage (32GB is optional), IPX 8 water resistance, standard Wi-Fi connectivity, weeks-long battery life, touchscreen support, and optional sleep covers. As a result, the Oasis looks sleeker, but the larger Forma has virtually the same weight, and the combination of the curved edge and textured back makes it easier to hold. Kobo also went with plastic instead of aluminum. The Forma resembles the Kindle Oasis at first glance, adopting an ultra-thin form factor, with one oversized and thicker bezel that accommodates a pair of physical page turn buttons while offering a “handle.” While the Oasis is flat, Kobo chose to add a curve to that handle, making it more comfortable to hold in one hand. That big display can also be used in landscape mode. There’s no need to shrink text or play with margins in order to get the same amount of print on a page-although Kobo’s Type Genius feature continues to offer an unmatched degree of customization, should you choose to do so. Reading e-books on the Kobo Forma means a display that’s the same size as a standard paperback page. A one-inch difference doesn’t sound like much, but in practice, it’s a game-changer. The big new feature is a 300 ppi E Ink Carta Display (1440 x 1920 resolution) that measures 8-inches. However, the all-new Forma has upped Kobo’s game once again. Kobo Forma front view and back, showing textured surface-note version on left is in a Forma SleepCover. It now has features first introduced by Kobo including a big, 7-inch display and IPX8 water resistance, so you can read by the pool. Leapfrogging the Kindle OasisĪmazon’s latest iteration of the Kindle Oasis is a very nice, premium e-reader. The new Kobo Forma takes some visual cues from the Amazon Kindle Oasis, but after spending the past month testing the Forma, I feel it’s easily the best e-reader I’ve ever used. Going back a few years through my reviews on GeekDad (including the Kobo Aura HD in 2013 and Kobo Aura H2O in 2014), there has been a pattern of pushing the envelope in ways that people who spend a lot of time reading digital books appreciate: side-lighting, bigger displays, advanced typesetting customization, and water resistance.Īmazon’s Kindle e-readers have picked up many of these features, but more often than not, Kobo has been the one leading the way. Looking slick is nice, but Kobo keeps bringing the features readers have been asking for. What I have always appreciated about Kobo has been its constant pushing of the envelope to cater to reading geeks like myself.
(Photo by Brad Moon) Continuing a Trend of Catering to Hardcore Readers
The new Kobo Forma features an 8-inch display, physical page turn buttons, and a curved design that makes it easy to hold. And its latest-the Kobo Forma-makes a strong case for being the best e-reader you can buy. While Amazon’s Kindle line dominates in terms of market share, Kobo has always impressed me with devices that are clearly aimed at reading geeks. And while Barnes & Noble still has the Nook GlowLight 3, when it comes to hardware aimed at true digital reading geeks, it really comes down to Amazon and Kobo at this point. Anyone who spends a lot of time reading digital books knows tablets and smartphones simply can’t compare to a good e-reader. After years of consolidation (I still miss Sony), there are currently two main contenders when it comes to e-readers: Amazon and Kobo.
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