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Daily Roundup: iPhone 5S and 5C rumors, Distro Issue 106, LG Nexus 5 at the FCC, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman09.06.2013Daily Roundup: Yahoo's new logo, Kobo Aura review, Galaxy Note 3 S View cover hands-on, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman09.05.2013
Kobo Aura review: is spending $150 on an e-reader ever worth it?
Outside the US, Kobo is a major player in the e-reader space. Here in the states, however, mentioning the name will almost certainly elicit baffled stares. In 2011, the company was hit particularly hard when Borders, its main retail partner, shuttered. Since then, Kobo's been attempting to rebuild through networks of independent booksellers. One glaring misstep aside, Kobo has since put out solid devices, ones that could even stand up against what Amazon and Barnes & Noble are selling. Earlier this year, the company took this a step further with the Aura HD, a pricey, high-spec, 7-inch device for hardcore readers. Kobo didn't expect to move many units. The HD now accounts for a quarter of Kobo's e-reader sales. Clearly the company was onto something. As the successor to last year's Glo, the new Kobo Aura splits the difference between luxury and mainstream, borrowing some elements from the HD and giving them new life in a more affordable 6-inch device. In this case, "more affordable" means $150 -- that's still $20 more than the Glo and $30 more than the Paperwhite. The company's also made some updates on the software end, including, notably, the addition of the Pocket reading app. So, do the upgrades justify the asking price?
Brian Heater09.05.2013
Weekly Roundup: Peripheral Vision, Samsung's rumored Galaxy Gear, Nexus 4 price drop, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman09.01.2013Daily Roundup: Portable Audio buyer's guide, Nexus 4 price drop, Nintendo 2DS, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman08.28.2013
Kobo's Arc 7 tablet shows up in NYC, we kind of go hands-on
So we've already spent some hands-on time with Kobo's Aura e-reader and the Arc 10HD. That leaves two more devices, right? Well, here's the thing -- as much as the 10-inch tablet wasn't ready in time for tonight's event, the company at least managed to trot it out. As for the seven-inchers, well, the Arc 7HD didn't show, and while the Arc 7 was here, the slate was running a constant demo, meaning we couldn't take it through its paces. As for the hardware? On the face of it, the tablet looks a fair bit like the original Kindle Fire and a number of other seven-inch rectangular tablets. On the top is the standard red Kobo power button, on the right side of the device is a volume rocker and on the left are the headphone jack, micro-HDMI and microUSB ports. Like its bigger brother, the soft touch rear of the device has borrowed some of the angular design language from the Aura HD around the corners. On the bottom, you'll find a single speaker grille. All three of Kobo's new tablets are set to launch on October 16th -- we're sure we'll be able to spend a bit more time with this guy before then. When it does land, it'll run you $150, with its HD sibling starting at $200.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo goes for the top of the line with 10-inch Arc 10HD tablet, we go hands-on (video)
Love the Kobo ecosystem, but hoping for a tablet that's a little... higher end than what the Arc line currently offers? Boy have we got some news for you. The company introduced a grand total of three new tablets at today's event in New York City, and here's the crown jewel, the 10-inch Arc 10HD. Compared to the offerings we've seen from other e-reader makers, this thing really is a beast. It's also a pretty nice piece of hardware with a solid build. The front of the slate is all screen, plus a glossy, flush bezel that also houses the device's one webcam, a 1.3-megapixel offering that can also shoot 720p. On the top of the fairly thin and light device, you'll find Kobo's standard red power button. On the right side is a volume rocker and along the left is a headphone jack, micro-HDMI and micro USB ports. On the back are two speaker grills, which didn't put out enough power to be heard over the event's music. There's also some subtle angular design language borrowed from the Aura HD on the sides of the otherwise flat soft touch back.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo shows off its Aura e-reader, we go hands-on (video)
Remember that new e-reader from Kobo we told you about, not all that many minutes ago? Say hello to the Aura. The successor to the Glo owes more than just its name to the recently introduced Aura HD -- the device has also brought over the high-end specs and a bit of the device language from that Cadillac of e-readers. When the company handed off the reader, the first thing we noticed was that best in class front lighting. Kobo mastered that back with the Glo and has naturally trotted it out on subsequent devices. Also immediately apparent is the size of the thing. The Aura appears smaller than other six-inch readers. Hold it up against the Paperwhite and it's clear that there's considerably less bezel. Also, the bezel lays flush with the display -- Kobo's dumped the old infrared touch for a capacitive screen, so there's no need for a gap. The device is impressively thin and light compared to past Kobo readers -- and the rest of the market, for that matter. This really is an impressive piece of hardware, though even with that in mind, the $150 price tag may be tough for all but the most hardcore readers to swallow. Around the back, you'll notice that Kobo brought a bit of the crooked design from the HD, though it's a lot more subtle than on that reader. As an homage to past Kobo readers, the criss cross diamond design is back, though it's also far more subtle and smaller this time out.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo adds magazines, kids store to its online offerings
Kobo's not quite done with the news tonight. In addition to an e-reader, three tablets and Pocket integration, the Canadian-turned-Japanese company has also got some announcements on the content side of things. First up is the addition of magazines to its store, bringing titles from Conde Nast, Hearst and a number of other publishers to its proprietary tablets and iOS / Android apps. Also on the docket is a brand new kids store that features safe-searching and nearly 100,000 offerings, including the likes of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Hunger Games titles. Magazines are coming to Kobo's mobile app in September and will be available for its new tablets when they launch the following month.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo integrates Pocket into Reading Life, brings the app to its e-readers and tablets
We had some initial misgivings about the usefulness of Kobo's Reading Life ecosystem, but the company has certainly been working to expand the scope of its social / competitive reading offering. Now Kobo's partnering with Pocket (the app formerly known as Read it Later), a deal that integrates the app directly into Reading Life, letting you send articles to the company's new line of e-readers and tablets for offline reading. The app is accessible via Reading Life's new Articles from Pocket feature. You can read more in the press release below right now.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo unveils the Aura, a mid-size luxury e-reader
It was around this time year that Amazon showed off the Paperwhite at an event in a Santa Monica airplane hangar, debuting a front-lit display technology that would blow the months-old Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight out of the water. A few weeks later, Kobo introduced the Glo, which featured illumination that put both of the aforementioned readers to shame. Back in April, the company added another member to the family, a -- get this -- luxury e-reader. Kobo made it very clear that the nearly 7-inch device was a limited time only deal -- that is, unless the thing actually sold. Four months later, the Aura HD comprises nearly a quarter of the company's global e-reader sales. So, naturally, the product is sticking around. It's also serving as the inspiration for the Glo's successor (the Glo, too, will stick around -- though there's no word on price cuts to that device just yet). The Kobo Aura is, as its name implies, a smaller sibling to the Aura HD, with a standard-sized 6-inch E Ink display. And as ever, the company's also including that best-in-class front light technology here. CEO Michael Serbinis tells us that his company has also worked directly with E Ink this time out to greatly reduce those full-page refreshes that we've been accustom to seeing once every six pages or so amongst the last few generations of readers. The Aura is also the thinnest and lightest 6-incher Kobo's offered, at 0.32 inch thick and 6.1 ounces (compare that to the Glo's 0.39 inches and 6.5 ounces) -- a qualifier the company no doubt added to acknowledge the existence of the five-inch Mini.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Kobo unveils three reading-focused Arc tablets
We suspect that Kobo won't be too thrilled about us mentioning the Vox tablet in the introduction to its latest product announcement. All companies have their share of misfires, but that one left us seriously questioning whether the e-reader manufacturer really belonged in the tablet space in the first place. The company set things right with the Kobo Arc, scrapping the Vox line and starting anew. At the end end of the day, however, that seven-inch device left us wondering precisely what void the slate intended to fill in a market overrun with budget tablets. The company thinks it has the answer this time around, building a tablet aimed specifically at its user base of hardcore readers. In fact, the company is so confident in that potential space that it's created not one but three new devices to cater to that need. It's certainly not something Amazon's Fire line has sought to address, with devices that are more interested in the broader multimedia experience. And while Barnes & Noble has put some effort into reading on its Nook Tablet line, the future of those devices are in question. Kobo would no doubt be among the first to admit that, for those truly hardcore readers out there, a tablet just can't match the experience of a devoted E Ink device, but the company has taken some great pains here to offer the best possible experience on this class of device. For starters, that means limiting distractions -- a refreshing move in a world of infinite displays, we'll admit. CEO Michael Serbinis suggested that (aside from the fact that tablets are less forgiving on the eye than e-readers), the reason people aren't reading as much on the devices is due in part to the many other things (movies, music, web browsing, et cetera) we can be doing on them.
Brian Heater08.27.2013
Engadget's back to school guide 2013: e-readers
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! Today, we're taking a look at your best e-reader options. Head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as we add them throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back; in early September, we'll be giving away a ton of gear, including some of the picks in our guides. Schoolbooks? What is this, the late 20th century? Granted, we still have a ways to go before all the world's textbooks go digital, but e-readers should be able to stand in for most of those paperbacks, at least. So lose a little backpack weight, save a couple of trees and take notes without ruining your copy. We have got your e-reader needs covered, no matter what your back to school budget.
Brian Heater08.15.2013
Kobo's newest e-reader leaks, photos show Aura-inspired design
Leaked photos of the next e-reader to join the Kobo family have appeared online today, and from the looks of it, the company isn't out to reinvent the wheel. We rummaged around in the FCC filings to confirm that it'll come with a 6-inch screen and a 1,500mAh battery, which bests the 1,000mAh one in the Kobo Glo. The design is reminiscent of the Aura HD, with a contoured back so that it rests comfortably in hand. Along the bottom, you'll find a microSD slot and a micro-USB port, while a red power button sits at the top. This new model is rocking some asymmetry, with the Kobo logo set on the left side of the bezel and non-parallel lines marking the back ridges with an off-center, vertical logo. We're still waiting on a formal announcement, so stay tuned for more info.
Melissa Grey07.23.2013The Daily Roundup for 04.23.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman04.23.2013
Kobo Aura HD review: a high-end e-reader with 'niche' written all over it
More Info Kobo unveils limited edition Aura HD e-reader Kobo Glo review: another illuminated e-reader lights up the market Kobo Mini review: does the world need a smaller e-reader? What do you get when you ask 10,000 rabid bookworms to help build a better Kobo? The Cadillac of e-readers, naturally: a bigger, beefier and generally higher-end device than we're used to. The Aura HD is a rare thing in this space, built specifically with power users in mind. And for those very reasons, this 6.8-inch, $169 slate isn't long for this world. Announced roughly half a year after the company's flagship Glo (and, it turns out, just in time for Mother's Day), the Aura HD isn't slated to make it beyond the end of the year. "This is something that is designed for this most passionate, voracious reader," the company's CEO Mike Serbinis told us in an interview conducted around the announcement, "and as much as I wish everyone was like that -- it would make us a lot bigger business right away -- that is not the case." It's a strange move for a relatively small company that's currently offering up two 6-inch readers, a 5-inch model and 7-inch tablet. That, and company is convinced such a product isn't destined to ever become anything but a niche device, particularly in a race dominated by two main players. But is there a chance devoted fans might pay the premium? Let's find out.%Gallery-186279%
Brian Heater04.23.2013The Daily Roundup for 04.15.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman04.15.2013
Kobo unveils limited edition Aura HD e-reader: 6.8-inch HD screen, ships April 25th for $169 (hands-on)
Late last year, Kobo went small. The introduction of the 5-inch Mini was no doubt, at least in part, an attempt to offer up a bit of variety in a space whose parameters are largely defined by two Goliaths: Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The device offered a compelling alternative, but ultimately not one enticing enough to recommend it. Announced at roughly the same time, the company's first take at front-lighting technology, the Glo, suffered a similar fate, coming on the heels of the Kindle Paperwhite and Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight. Less than half a year later, the company has announced a new reader that once again rethinks the standard 6-inch screen. With the Aura HD, Kobo is going big, extending things to 6.8 inches, putting it closer to tablet size. With that upgrade comes an impressive resolution: 1,440 x 1,080 (compared to the 1,024 x 768 on the Paperwhite and 1,024 by 758 on the Glo). It's a product focused on hardcore readers. "We got 10,000 customers together across dozens of countries to ask them what we can do for them," Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis explained. As such, it's a limited edition offering, one not destined to replace the flagship Glo. "This is something that is designed for this most passionate, voracious reader," he said, "and as much as I wish everyone was like that -- it would make us a lot bigger business right away -- that is not the case." The reader's priced at $169, and is available for pre-order now, with shipping expected to begin on the 25th. In the meantime, we've got more details and some hands-on photos after the break.%Gallery-185419%
Brian Heater04.15.2013
Kobo finally makes its e-readers available through its own site
Strange, but until now, if you were aching for a Kobo reader, the company's site would redirect you to a third-party like Best Buy or select independent booksellers. The tablet / e-reader maker has finally opened up direct sales of devices like the Kobo Glo, Mini and Arc through its site to interested parties in Canada and the US. Of course, if you're so inclined, you can still buy those products and a number of accessories through the aforementioned partner sites. There's a press release after the break to help you decide.
Brian Heater04.02.2013
Single-text e-reader review: a rising fad with long-term promise
Before Engadget was born, the late '90s saw a rising fear of the millennium bug, not to mention the advent of the first true e-readers. As time went on, e-ink technology on these devices improved, and despite the subsequent rise of tablets, e-readers have persisted thanks to their retina-soothing displays and generally affordable prices. Now, millions sit on bedside tables and in commuters' bags worldwide. Their popularity, however, has given rise to whole new branch of niche e-readers with tiny memories capable of holding but a single text. Join us as we delve into this fledgling fad and ask whether such low-cost hardware can persuade you to put down your Kindle, Nook or Kobo and give them a shot. Is this a new chapter in the e-reader story? Swing past the break and find out.
Jamie Rigg04.01.2013