The Libra 2 is also waterproof, but it’s one of those features I don’t actually use every day and I’ll only fully appreciate it if the e-reader gets an unexpected dunking in a hotel pool. Plus, the numerous font, font sizes, line spacing and margin options let me customize text to my liking, making the entire reading experience more comfortable and enjoyable. I keep the temperature adjustment on the “auto” setting so the screen’s lighting becomes less blue and more yellow as the day goes on, making it my most comfortable screen to stare at right before bedtime. It’s a seven-inch E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen with what Kobo calls “ComfortLight Pro,” which just means you can adjust the brightness and color temperature. The screen on the Libra 2 is also noticeably sharper than that of my old Kindle Paperwhite. Landscape reading mode has become a favorite, too, and I also like the tactical feel of the page-turn buttons so much that I rarely, if ever, tap the screen to progress in my current read. My hand doesn’t cramp anymore when I read because I can easily switch from one hand to the other depending on if I’m at my desk, curled up on the couch, or peeking an eye out from under the covers in bed. The practicality of the larger chin and page-turn buttons can’t be overstated they’re some of my favorite things about the Libra 2. Kobo, on the other hand, has four devices with this design, with the Libra 2 being the most affordable of that bunch at $180. On top of the fact that Amazon’s devices support a limited number of file types, I just didn’t want to drop $250 on an e-reader. I knew I wanted one with this design, and if I had wanted to go the Amazon route, I would have been left with only the Kindle Oasis to consider. I primarily read with the device in my right hand, and because the Paperwhite’s size bezels are quite thin, that meant I was often accidentally turning the page when my fingers brushed the screen’s edge.Įnter the Libra 2, one of the company’s latest e-readers whose larger chin is home to physical page buttons. It was also apparent to me how annoying the Kindle was to hold. The experience was noticeably laggy, taking several minutes to properly sync my books and fetch titles I had borrowed from my local library. I came to this decision late last year after pulling out my old 2018 Paperwhite and reading a book on it. The Libra 2 isn’t my first e-reader – an old Kindle Paperwhite still languishes in my drawer – but I wanted a change that would both get me out of a physical reading slump while also lessening my dependence on the juggernaut that is Amazon’s Kindle store. I didn’t want to drag that habit into 2022, so I deleted the biggest scroll-hole culprits from my phone (Instagram, Twitter) and decided to upgrade to the Kobo Libra 2 as a gift to myself. A lot of the time I previously spent reading was now spent doom- and hate-scrolling on my iPhone. I’ll be honest, the pandemic took a toll on my reading habits. This week, Commerce Editor Valentina Palladino gives her take on the Kobo Libra 2 e-reader. From time to time Engadget editors take time out to talk about what they've been buying for themselves, with their own money.
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