Note: This post has been updated since it was originally published to reflect the launch of Kobo Plus in Canada.
One of the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic has been to focus on entertainment. Specifically, how to avoid boredom by isolating or blocking yourself for weeks at a time. There’s only so much Netflix and Disney + you can watch … That puts eReaders in the spotlight. Do you have thousands of books in your pocket on a device that you can use indoors or outdoors, day or night, and don’t have to worry about carrying them for weeks? That is very attractive. Kobo has just released a new basic model that is perfect for those who want to dive into the world of e-books. The $ 99.99 Kobo Nia undermines the cheaper Amazon Kindle, while offering a much sharper screen and more on-board storage.
The new Kobo Nia.
Why do you want an eReader instead of your smartphone or tablet?
Before going into the details about the Kobo Nia, it’s worth checking out why you would want an eReader in the first place, especially when you’re likely to take a smartphone everywhere and be able to have a tablet. You can read e-books on both devices. Amazon and Kobo offer apps to provide a decent reading experience.
However, a dedicated eReader offers huge benefits that come into play if you read e-books at any frequency.
The E Ink display used in eReaders is immune to the overwhelming glare of the sun when used outdoors. An LCD or OLED screen washes in the bright sun, and the glare makes reading on these screens a choppy and unpleasant experience. In any case, an E Ink screen will look uniform best when used outdoors. No glare, and no washing effect.
In low light or in the dark, your smartphone and tablet are backlit. This can cause eye fatigue. However, eReaders use side lighting technology, where their displays are illuminated by LEDs that are projected across the display from the sides of the display. This is much more pleasing to the eye as it reduces fatigue and sleep difficulty that has been associated with blue light emitting displays.
Your smartphone or tablet should be charged frequently, probably daily. An eReader can spend weeks on a single charge. An eReader is also very light, and a compact model like the Kobo Nia (only 6.07 ounces and 6.27 inches at its longest point) is small enough to take anywhere. It fits in the pockets of my shorts.
The Kobo Nia shows the advantage of the eReader over smartphones and tablets in sunlight.
Establish a new high bar for entry-level e-readers
As far as I’m concerned, Kobo currently has the lead over Amazon at the top end of the eReader market with the Forma. You can read my review of that eReader with its massive 8-inch display and ComfortLight PRO lighting with adjustable color temperature if you want to know why.
Kobo’s flagship and new entry-level eReaders, Forma and Nia.
At the entry level, Amazon has been a tough nut to crack. The base Kindle model is priced at $ 109.99, giving it a $ 10 price advantage over the Clara HD, which had been Kobo’s most affordable model. And at this end of the market, price is a big problem.
With the Nia, Kobo is weakening Amazon with an eReader of $ 99.99. Despite being below the $ 100 limit, the Kobo Nia really raises the ante on the Kindle in several key areas. Its 8GB of on-board storage is double the 4GB offered by the Kindle – enough capacity for up to 6,000 e-books. More importantly, Nia’s 6-inch E Ink display is higher resolution, with a density of 212 PPI (pixels per inch) at 167 KPI for the Kindle. That’s a big enough difference that the text appears considerably sharper on Nia’s screen. In testing, I discovered that Kobo also did not cut corners on the processor. As you turn the pages, the screen redesign is quick and the touchscreen responds. ComfortLight lighting is adjustable and evenly illuminates the screen.
The Kobo Nia ComfortLight illuminates the screen evenly.
In terms of size, these two eReaders are compact, but at this price they don’t attempt to replicate the super slim profile of the more expensive models. At 0.36 inches thick and 6.07 ounces, the Kobo Nia is fractionally thicker than the Kindle, but the Amazon eReader weighs slightly more. For all intents and purposes, this is a draw …
The Kobo Nia is small and light enough for effortless one-handed use, and easy to store for portability. It has a textured back panel that makes it a little easier to grip than the Kindle’s smooth plastic.
The Kobo eReader platform in general also offers some significant advantages for Amazon. TypeGenius is Kobo’s content customization tool and is the best in the game. A dizzying array of fonts and font styles are available, and you can also adjust the weight and sharpness of the font. You can even connect Kobo eReaders (including the Nia) to your PC and load additional fonts. In short, if you want each ebook to look perfect to read, Kobo is the best.
Many local libraries lend e-books using the OverDrive platform. Kobo offers the advantage of integrated OverDrive support for its eReaders. You don’t need to worry about a PC. The Nia has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you simply select OverDrive from a menu and you can browse and download e-books from your public library directly from the eReader, with an account, of course. Kobo owners also have more options for buying e-books, including Google Play.
The Nia is constructed of hard plastic, but the textured back makes it easy to grip.
Kobo has also released SleepCovers for Nia. Slide the eReader into the cover and you get protection. Opening or closing the magnetic cover will wake Nia up or put her to sleep. The SleepCover makes the Nia look bulkier, but it’s an inexpensive way to add a splash of color and protection.
The compact Kobo Nia is a great choice to take with you on a bus, while waiting in line, or to use on lunch breaks. With an E Ink display that offers a perfect view in full sun, indoors or in the dark and battery life, meaning it charges only once or twice a month, you can take this eReader anywhere without even think twice.
Kobo Nia Key Specifications:
- 6-inch 1024 x 758 Letter E ink screen (212 PPI)
- 8 GB of on-board storage
- ComfortLight adjustable lighting
- TypeGenius with 12 fonts, 50 font styles, adjustable font weight and sharpness
- 802.11b / g / n Wi-Fi
- Micro usb
- 1,000 mAh battery rated for “weeks” of use
- Native support for 15 file formats, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, TXT, JPEG
- Weighs 6.07 ounces
- MSRP $ 99.99
- Optional SleepCover in three colors ($ 19.99)
What it gives up compared to a Kindle
So far, the story has sounded pretty compelling in favor of the Nia over the Amazon Kindle. However, I don’t want to give the impression that this is a diving situation. Amazon is a tough competitor and its Kindle line remains the dominant player in eReaders. If you haven’t yet spent money on a Kindle eBook collection, then Kobo offers a compelling alternative. However, if you choose the Kobo Nia over the Kindle, there are a few features that will be lost.
The cost of the Kindle can be lowered to $ 89.99, making it even cheaper than the Nia. This requires supporting advertising on the home screen, but it is an option. Kindle owners have access to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription service *, and Amazon Prime members get Prime Reading, a benefit that provides free access to a rotating selection of Kindle eBooks. Finally, the base model Kindle supports audible audiobooks via Bluetooth, while the Nia is strictly an eReader.
Recommendation
Nia in optional SleepCover, showing Kobo’s TypeGenius customization.
If you are looking to try an eReader, or want to buy one for someone who lacks entertainment options, the Kobo Nia is as affordable as technology (at least without putting up with the hype).
For less than $ 100, the Nia offers the ability to load a massive library of e-books into a device that’s convenient to use with one hand. Its 6-inch Letter E ink screen is best in class at this price. ComfortLight allows you to read at night, while the glare-free screen looks even better in the bright sun if you have the opportunity to spend time outdoors. With its Wi-Fi connectivity, you can easily buy new titles from Kobo’s e-book store (with over 6 million titles), and you can also borrow e-books from your local library thanks to built-in OverDrive.
As always, a big part of the equation on which eReader to buy depends on whether you’re already invested in Amazon’s Kindle ecosystem. If you already have a Kindle eBook library, then a new Kindle is your default choice.
However, if you’re starting from scratch, the $ 99.99 Kobo Nia sets a new high bar for entry-level e-readers.
* *Note: Last week, Kobo launched a monthly e-book subscription service in Canada called Kobo Plus.
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