A color e-reader with physical page-turn buttons and digital notebook capabilities is currently available at a discounted price, according to WIRED. The Kobo Libra Colour, produced by Kobo (a brand owned by Rakuten), challenges Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft by offering a 7-inch color screen with adjustable warm front light and 32 GB of storage, enough for hundreds of books, as reported by Nena Farrell in WIRED.
Device Features and Pricing
According to WIRED, the Kobo Libra Colour is Farrell's favorite color e-reader. It includes a dedicated e-book store, a Kobo Plus membership starting at $8 per week for access to a library of e-books and audio content, and the ability to add library books directly onto the device. The device also supports the Kobo Stylus 2 ($70), which enables annotation and use as a digital notebook — a feature not available on Kindle, per the source.
Comparison with Kindle
WIRED notes that the Libra Colour is priced similarly to the Kindle Colorsoft but provides more features: page-turn buttons and a thicker side for comfortable grip, eliminating the need to tap the screen repeatedly. The article states that Kobo recently raised its prices, making the current sale an opportunity to avoid the higher price tag.
Additional Model
Kobo also offers the Clara BW, a smaller 6-inch black-and-white e-reader with adjustable warm front light, also on sale. WIRED describes it as similar in size to the basic Kindle but comparable to the Kindle Paperwhite in features, though the Paperwhite offers a larger discount.
Implications for Procurement and OEM Sourcing
For industrial procurement directors and OEM sourcing teams monitoring consumer electronics components, the Kobo Libra Colour represents a product that incorporates a color e-ink display, physical button assembly, and stylus input — elements that may be of interest for bill-of-materials analysis or supplier evaluation. The device's 32GB storage and front-light system involve specific NAND flash and LED sourcing decisions. However, no manufacturing or supply chain details were disclosed in the source article.
