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Kindle is undeniably the most popular e-reader today. It brings convenience to bookworms, especially when traveling. Apart from that, you have thousands of eBooks to choose from, and you can keep them in your library.
Also, you can save money as some books in Kindle format are cheaper than print. Plus, you can surf the web, listen to music, and play games. Kindle also offers translations and electronic markers. Of course, you can also save a lot of trees as it’s paperless.
However, it comes with some drawbacks too. One of them is that it does not have a backlight feature. This means you might find it hard to read in the dark without other light sources. This might affect your eyes too.
Moreover, it doesn’t have a web browser. This means you can’t interact with social media and you can’t access any websites. So, you have to use another device instead.
Fortunately, there are other e-readers today that can do both or give you better features for an improved reading experience. If you’re looking for Kindle alternatives, here are some other e-readers that you might want to give a chance.
The Kobo Aura Edition 2 is the most recent e-reader to make its debut. Since its launch, it has often sold out fast in the market. So what’s the hype all about, you say? One of the things many people love about Kobo Aura Edition 2 is its compact form. With dimensions of 5.91 x 4.45 x 3.54 inches and 0.44 lbs, it could surely fit nearly any bag that you own. It’s easy to bring anywhere. It can also support 14 different file formats. Thanks to this, you may upload nearly any book that you already own. Another thing that makes it stand out compared to Kindle is its ComfortLight. This is Kobo’s term for backlight. You can adjust it to your liking so that it’s neither too bright nor too dim. What’s more, Kobo Aura Edition 2 has 4 GB of internal memory. This is now normal for e-readers, and according to Kobo, you’ll be able to store up to 3000 books on your device without issue. However, its size can also be its drawback. Apparently, it only has a six-inch touchscreen.
Another good Kindle alternative from Kobo is Forma. This e-reader has a long battery life, which is a huge plus if you spend a lot of time reading. It’s perfect if you travel often, too, as you don’t have to rush to find an outlet to charge it in the middle of your reading time. Speaking of traveling, another pro of Kobo Forma is its weight. This device only weighs .43 lbs, which makes it easy to bring everywhere. Again, a huge plus if you travel often. However, it can’t fit into all your bags as it’s not pocketable. Despite being lightweight, this e-reader is a bit big. The good news, though, is that you can read on a bigger screen. What’s more, it’s waterproof. Not all e-readers are waterproof, which make them unideal for traveling. But, Kobo Forma is. The bad news, though, is that it’s a bit expensive, as it retails for $209.99. Also, it lacks an SD card slot. However, overall, it’s a great e-reader to consider, especially if you travel frequently. With this, you won’t miss your favorite books while you’re away from home.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is Amazon’s most recent tablet for kids, but it’s far from its first. The online retailer has been producing large, colorful, affordable tablets for kids for several years, and it appears to have gotten very good at it. This new 8-inch model replaces the previous iteration, with a faster processor, more memory, and longer battery life, as well as an update to accommodate USB-C charging at the same time, so you can use the newer chargers you currently own. In terms of aesthetics, this e-reader wins the heart of kids with its good-looking design. It’s essentially the same Fire HD 8 tablet as the 2020 model, but with a thick colorful shell on top. It also has 32 GB of internal storage. This is perfect if you or your kid likes to read a lot. If you require additional storage, simply insert a memory card. Its weakness, though, is its backlight. It could have been brighter for a better reading experience. But, all in all, Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is one of the great Kindle alternatives out there, especially if you have kids.
Kobo seems really good at producing e-readers. Another one of its great creations that could replace Kindle is the Clara HD 6. First, it has leading public library support, so you have plenty of books to choose from. This is a fantastic device even if you don’t borrow from libraries. The Clara HD is an e-reader stripped down to its most basic features: a brilliant screen in a comfortable-to-hold form with long battery life and a soothing, color-changing front light. This is a better buy than the Kindle. Furthermore, Kobo Clara HD 6 works with Overdrive books from public libraries and natively supports a variety of additional formats, including EPUB, PDF, RTF, text files, JPEGs, CBR, and CBZ for books and documents found online. The Clara HD is the reader for you if you read certain types of files. In terms of design, Kobo Clara HD 6 now boasts the finest interface for borrowing and reading books from US-based libraries that use Overdrive software, thanks to a fresh software upgrade. One weakness of the Kobo Clara HD 6, though, is that it’s not waterproof, so you might want to be extra careful when using it, especially when you’re traveling.
Another great e-reader from Kobo is Nia. What you’ll love about this device is that it’s small and light, with dimensions of 7.6 x 8.9 x 0.3 inches and a weight of 6.06 ounces. But, that’s not all. Kobo Nia also has excellent public library integration. With this, you can bring the library in the comfort of your home in a way that Amazon’s Kindle can’t match. Kobo Nia is the base model in the brand’s four-tier lineup. Despite that, it remains a pretty decent e-reader that you can substitute for Kindle. The best part is that it’s affordable. Yes, it may cost a little more than Kindles, which are around $89.99, but, it’s still one of the most affordable e-readers in the market today that has nice features. However, it’s not waterproof, so you’ll want to be more careful when using it, particularly when you’re traveling. Also, it has no audiobooks to offer. This, of course, can be a huge letdown for audiobook lovers. But then, again, it’s already a great Kindle alternative.
Pocketbook’s Touch HD 3 is one of the best mid-range devices the brand has ever made. With the brushed metal and manual page flip buttons, it offers a unique design. The audio functionality, a color temperature glowlight system, Bluetooth, and the fact that it is entirely waterproof are the main selling factors. The Pocketbook Touch HD 3 is wonderfully versatile as it works with the majority of ebook formats, including PDF, DJVU, EPUB, FB2.ZIP, FB2, DOC, DOCX, RTF, PRC, TXT, CHM, HTM, HTML, MOBI, ACSM, and TXT, CHM, HTM, HTML, MOBI, ACSM. Pocketbook pays a license fee to Adobe for their DRM system too. What makes this e-reader a cut above the rest is that it has many functionalities. It has games, a calculator, and more. On top of that, It has a front-lit display that makes it easier to read in the dark, as well as a color temperature system that warms up the screen. However, it doesn’t have SD, so you have limited storage space.
Kobo Aura is also a tough competitor for many e-readers today. First off, it has beautiful edge lighting. Aesthetically speaking, this makes the device look more beautiful, but it’s more than its aesthetics. Kobo Aura also offers great features that will make your reading experience better. One of them is its font customization feature. In addition to that, The Kobo Aura One boasts a 7.8-inch e-ink display, which is much bigger than the 6-inch e-ink displays featured on all of Amazon’s Kindle e-readers. It’s also waterproof, has an integrated light, and has built-in Overdrive library book lending capability. However, it’s a bit pricey, which isn’t a good fit for those who are on a tight budget. Also, it’s a bit big for some people’s hands. It has a weak content ecosystem compared to Amazon too. Because of this, you might find it hard to switch to Kobo Aura. Despite that, it has some distinct features that are worth considering, which still make it a decent alternative if you’re looking for a non-Amazon e-reader.
The Kobo Libra H2O is a great option if you want all of the capabilities of a premium e-reader without paying the premium price. One of the things that make it great (and a better choice than Kindle) is its format support. Unfortunately, however, it lacks the ability to support big PDF files, but for other files, you won’t encounter many problems. Another thing that makes Kobo Libra H20 worth considering is its weight. Apparently, it only weighs 6.77 ounces, so it’s light and easy to carry around. The best part of it is that it’s water resistant, so you can enjoy your cup of coffee, tea, or other drinks while you’re reading. No more worrying about spilling them on your Kobo Libra H2O. The bad news is that it has no audiobooks, so if you’re into audiobooks, this device is not it. Still, it’s a decent Kindle alternative if you’ll look closer at its features.
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