This was a really helpful, informative video! Liked and subscribed! I moved from Kindle to Kobo a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier. One of the things I really love is being able to change the screen brightness by sliding a finger up or down the left side of the screen - that saves diving into menus. But that "only synching one way" drives me nuts. Not enough to make me switch back though.
lmao i love how annoyed you are at the kindle, and I love the honesty haha. thanks for the vid! (: edit: your review has led to me choosing the kobo! thanks!
You mentioned difficulty syncing between Kobo Libra and phone app. That’s the main issue keeping me from switching. Kobo devices are very nice, Libby integration is more convenient, and it’s nice to not give Amazon so much money. I have no problem using Calibre to transfer files, either. But I do a lot of jumping between iPhone app and Kindle, and I want my progress and notes to sync seamlessly. For a lot of folks, like yourself, that’s not an issue. And I’m glad because there are a lot of good reasons to switch to a Kobo device. 😉
someone did comment some potential solutions/work arounds! haven’t got round to trying them yet but yeah doesn’t seem ‘seamless’. unfortunately amazon just do syncing better
These days the Kindle publishing process (KDP) asks writers/publishers to upload the same file type as the Kobo - epub, which is then converted on the fly when you download the file to your Kindle. This *should* make transfers from Kindle to Kobo easier, but I've never actually tried to find a Kindle epub and then just cut and pasted it to my Kobo. I guess the fact that Calibre strips out protection is part of this conversion process. Perhaps everything will become standardized eventually.
i have a ppw 11th gen but am trying out the kobo clara color because its smaller and has color and is not amazon... the UI is really doing it for me. I hope i like it because why do i think i'll have a hard time leaving amazon
Ditto. I am holding off to see if they get discounted before the holiday season, but I'll be going from a paper-white to a clara colour soon. I know the Libra is the one everyone talks about, and buttons might be cool. but the size is really what sells the clara to me. I want to be able to put it in a pocket like I do my paper-white.
@@FreeLatveria i completely understand that and i loooved the clara color but i did find myself struggeling with the size (propably because Im blind) and now tried the libra and will never go back and also sell my kindle. i love it so much
Unrelated: goodness you are pretty Semi-related: I wish Kobo would add page turn buttons to their 6” ereader similar to the early Kindle devices (they used to run along the bezel). I don’t get why all of the ereaders that have buttons now have them jutting out on a separate extended strip.
If you have a hair dryer, take your Kobo out of the case, and heat up the base of the pop socket with the hair dryer until it's easier to pull off and relocate. :)
This is a great review! Do you think you'd be able to show what the writing is like on the Kobo? I've always missed writing in my books when using an ereader.
I 100% disagree about the Amazon fire tablets. I have one right now and it runs so good with the new update. I can pretty much do anything on this and I paid 50 dollars. I watch Hulu and read my books using on my Amazon kindle
Tip for sync. I make a bookmark and then sync manually if it doesn't show up acoss devices. ( librarybooks and books bought in the kobostore only tho) I use a clara for on the go and a libra at home.
If you have an android device, you can get koreader on there and on your kobo for better syncing! I have an iPhone but I’m getting a boox Palma so I transferred my kobo to use koreader and I think it’s really great, also wireless syncing to calibre is so convenient. The UI is not quite as nice as the regular kobo one but it’s pretty customizable. I have an old libra though so I have no idea how it works with writing
@ I’ll report back in a few weeks when I’ve been using it a bit 🫡 also you inspired me to move my pop socket on my Libra h20, it’s much more comfortable now
I love watching videos like this….. they make me feel broken…. lol. I keep buying and returning the kobo color- I HATE page buttons, my thumb doesn’t want to reach that far over or use other fingers when I can easily just turn with my thumb on the screen of a non button device. The bar of light that peeks out from the bottom out side of the screen of the kobo drives me insane. I don’t write in my books so annotation is a non factor for me. The ghosting and lag on kobo kills my reading experience 70% of the time. The biggest thing for me is the weight balance- I can’t easily lay on my back and read one handed. But videos like this make me want to buy another one and try it again.
Do you mean the Kobo Libra Color? There is also a Kobo Clara Color that is 6" and doesn't have page turn buttons and is cheaper. As for the ghosting, it seems to be worse for the color devices. I do believe the color devices will get better, but at this point the BW devices are much better IMO. I hope this helps.
no browser or google drive on the device itself, if you wanted to add books from your drive you would have to do it via calibre edit: i’ve just realised this was a complete lie, sorry 😅 you can access google drive from the settings but i haven’t actually tried adding books from there so no idea how good the integration is!!
I've done the same with my Kindle library, to free it from DRM restrictions. While DRM is a pain, it's not actually Amazon's fault entirely. As a self-published author, when I upload a book to the Kindle store, Amazon gives me the choice of whether to include or exclude DRM. So it's publishers that are actively choosing it. Amazon totally gives publishers the ability to opt out.
@@nikkisbooks_ For publishers, there's a perceived benefit of preventing piracy. But in practice it doesn't work. Every popular book simply will be pirated. The downside for customers is less convenience; you're stuck within the Amazon ecosystem, unless you learn some technical way to get free of it, as you've done. But in my case, anyone who buys one of my ebooks (DRM-free) from Amazon can use Calibre to convert it to epub without the need for a special plugin or a Kindle serial number. The common view that Amazon deliberately restrict their customers out of greed is a myth. Publishers choosing to adopt DRM is the problem.
Yes the kindle is great about syncing where you are in books, it is NOT great at giving you reading credit for a day in their insights. I have read for hours to no avail on a reader insight update for an achievement. Pushing it to synch and update did not work. So I kept my old Kindle 3 around and would synch between devices it to get it to update. Unfortunately, I have the kindle at my mother’s, and that is 3700 km away. They just do not care enough to update the apps or their algorithms. It is nice to see there is now competition for the e-reader market. Yes, I read mostly on my phone because it is lighter than my tablet. As for Kindle Unlimited it is either really old books, or books by a popular author that is not as rated as well as some of their other novels. Plus they push their own classic versions compared to say penguin or other free options in KU. Heck, I never have seen a philosophy book in the KU shop.
completely agree about them just not caring enough to update things and that their stats section is crap. idk if you’ve read any of the amazon classics on KU but i’ve noticed as well they edit the text completely differently to standard prints. they’ll just decide to split chapters or combine them and that just makes me not trust them
Fun fact: You do not own the books. You own a license to read the book. They DRM your downloaded copy and refuse to offer other formats beyond their own custom one to encourage you to ONLY use it for tranfering via USB... to another Kindle. I like dedrm, but I feel it's important people also know they DO NOT own their books. This is why Calibre is so important. Back your stuff up!
Annotation with Kindle might be getting better. The Scribe is getting an Active Canvas aka annotation. So who knows but yeaa...I got enough books on Kindle so I am stuck to Kindle (I am in the thousands!).
New to kobo. LONG kindle user. Kindle is a bit slower 12th gen and 11th gen, and honestly, I’m just tired of the ui and Amazon ads everywhere. I can’t turn it off and not have an ad that I give two shits about without paying extra. Log in and 1st line are my books and the rest ad after ad after ad. Live my kobo color and loving the ui.
Yes. Less eyestrain & migraines due to ereaders being eink & not LED (most phone screens). Being able to change text size & margrins on ereaders also helps.
They are things you can do with your phone app to make it more pleasant. On the Kindle app, I really like dark mode (white text on black background). Kindle apps also have an option for a soft green background (instead of white) that I find quite pleasant. So it’s not as bad as it used to be. But I agree strongly with others that the lack of distractions on a dedicated e-reader is a huge benefit. Plus, if you read on iPad or other tablet, even with the settings I mentioned above, the text just IMO is not as crisp as on an e-ink screen. I hate reading on my iPad Mini 6, despite it having an otherwise amazing screen.
Haha you must have had an ancient Fire tablet since they haven’t called them Kindles for at least 6 years. I’ve had many fires and the battery life is same as my iPads and functionality is the same as an iPad so maybe you jut had a dud. I cannot fathom leaving Amazon ecosystem for books as their selection just dwarves Kobo’s and I read many foreign and slightly more niche books that I can’t always find on Kobo. I so wish Amazon would make a Colorsoft with buttons, notepad functionality, and stylus with ability to write anywhere like with Libra color but I want Amazon interface and content and tech. While both use same tech for the color e-ink screens, Kindle’s implementation is definitely better with richer colors and none of the weird dithering and screen door effect. Also make it 8”. So basically want bits and pieces of each, but I still would likely buy everything from Amazon so hard to make a switch. Also current Kindle Papewhite is faster than Kobo, but ultimately matter of preference .
I loved my kobo libra colour, but kobo plus sucks compared to KU so I had to return it. If kobo plus can improve their book selections, they could beat kindles.
What didn't you like about the colorsoft? The kobo that you returned, was it also the color version? Curious because I'm on the fence for getting a color ereader.
@ I found that it was very grainy and not clear at all and I was struggling to read on it. The yellow strip at the bottom of the e-reader didn’t bother me as much as not being able to read on it without having to take a break. The kobo libra was nice but I didn’t like the book’s available for borrowing. I am a huge Freida McFadden fan and they didn’t have many of her books and if they did they were costly. Kindle unlimited is by far the best. I do own a BOOX Palma which I absolutely love because I have kindle, nook, audible and library borrowing all on it. I did repurchase a kindle paper white but I am pretty upset I traded in my 11 generation for the color soft
@ oh and the Kobo was color. I personally think they haven’t figured out color e-readers just yet but I may try again with a BOOX color go 7 in the near future
I read mostly from Kindle Unlimited and have read many phenomenal books I can't imagine someone feeling there's nothing for them to read there. My daughter teaches high school English and loves to read and she's always reading something from Unlimited.
i think it’s all personal preference. there definitely were books on kindle unlimited i was interested in but it was more the fact that when i was adding my wishlist on kobo i’d say 60% of them were on kobo plus in comparison to maybe 10 or 20% on kindle unlimited. glad you enjoy reading on it though🥰
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I have a Libra 2. It's my first Kobo device after many years of Kindle. BUTTONS! I absolutely love it. I'm seriously considering a Kobo Colour.
I have the Libra 2 and also love it, though I keep watching these Libra Colour videos - I don't really need it, but I do want it. :)
I just bought the Libra Colour last week and it's a game changer. You can always sell your Libra 2 if you like REALLY want the Libra Colour.
That's definitely an option to consider 😊
We have the same moon pop socket, so I know I can trust your taste
twins🥰
This was a really helpful, informative video! Liked and subscribed! I moved from Kindle to Kobo a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier. One of the things I really love is being able to change the screen brightness by sliding a finger up or down the left side of the screen - that saves diving into menus. But that "only synching one way" drives me nuts. Not enough to make me switch back though.
lmao i love how annoyed you are at the kindle, and I love the honesty haha. thanks for the vid! (:
edit: your review has led to me choosing the kobo! thanks!
omg i hope you like it!!💕
You mentioned difficulty syncing between Kobo Libra and phone app. That’s the main issue keeping me from switching. Kobo devices are very nice, Libby integration is more convenient, and it’s nice to not give Amazon so much money.
I have no problem using Calibre to transfer files, either. But I do a lot of jumping between iPhone app and Kindle, and I want my progress and notes to sync seamlessly.
For a lot of folks, like yourself, that’s not an issue. And I’m glad because there are a lot of good reasons to switch to a Kobo device. 😉
someone did comment some potential solutions/work arounds! haven’t got round to trying them yet but yeah doesn’t seem ‘seamless’. unfortunately amazon just do syncing better
i upload the books from calibre to apple books and use that way its long though
These days the Kindle publishing process (KDP) asks writers/publishers to upload the same file type as the Kobo - epub, which is then converted on the fly when you download the file to your Kindle. This *should* make transfers from Kindle to Kobo easier, but I've never actually tried to find a Kindle epub and then just cut and pasted it to my Kobo. I guess the fact that Calibre strips out protection is part of this conversion process. Perhaps everything will become standardized eventually.
Calibre helps with all the conversions, making it easy
See, i didnt know i could download my kindle books and add them to a Kobo. I think i will now switch. I was worried about that
i have a ppw 11th gen but am trying out the kobo clara color because its smaller and has color and is not amazon... the UI is really doing it for me. I hope i like it because why do i think i'll have a hard time leaving amazon
the UI is soooo much cleaner right? and honestly, i totally thought i’d gave a hard time leaving amazon too but it was surprisingly easy👀
@@nikkisbooks_ yeeeahhh im so excited for it to arrive tomorrow and test it !!
Ditto. I am holding off to see if they get discounted before the holiday season, but I'll be going from a paper-white to a clara colour soon. I know the Libra is the one everyone talks about, and buttons might be cool. but the size is really what sells the clara to me. I want to be able to put it in a pocket like I do my paper-white.
@@FreeLatveria i completely understand that and i loooved the clara color but i did find myself struggeling with the size (propably because Im blind) and now tried the libra and will never go back and also sell my kindle. i love it so much
do you use the overdrive/library function at all? it's the main thing making me want to switch to kobo! thanku for this in depth video!
I think it's one of the best features on Kobo. It's been a game changer for me!
i haven’t personally used it because my library stopped being available on Libby but i’ve heard really good things about the integration!
@@nikkisbooks_ how annoying! sometimes a bordering county will let you join theirs as well just to let you know!
oo thank you, i’ll have to look into that
OMG is that a Wiggly in your shelf? :3 Came here to learn more about the Kobo, but very delighted now!! (Also great video haha)
@@kristinthefox YESS IT IS!! his belly’s so squishy 💚
@ awwww yesss, good taste ;)
Unrelated: goodness you are pretty
Semi-related: I wish Kobo would add page turn buttons to their 6” ereader similar to the early Kindle devices (they used to run along the bezel). I don’t get why all of the ereaders that have buttons now have them jutting out on a separate extended strip.
If you have a hair dryer, take your Kobo out of the case, and heat up the base of the pop socket with the hair dryer until it's easier to pull off and relocate. :)
This is a great review! Do you think you'd be able to show what the writing is like on the Kobo? I've always missed writing in my books when using an ereader.
i’ll try to at some point! i was totally supposed to in this video and just forgot😅
I 100% disagree about the Amazon fire tablets. I have one right now and it runs so good with the new update. I can pretty much do anything on this and I paid 50 dollars. I watch Hulu and read my books using on my Amazon kindle
maybe they’ve improved them but in my experience with them they slow down way faster than other tablet brands
Aaaaand they are so heavy and chunky … I just hated using it … gave it away
Here’s a random question, was the German language book on your shelf for a class, or did you learn by reading?
I’m trying to learn by myself (mixture of reading/listening to German music/watching things in German) ☺️
if you use a blowdryer you can remove and move the popsocket super easily!
omg thank you so much, will be doing that asap😂
Tip for sync.
I make a bookmark and then sync manually if it doesn't show up acoss devices. ( librarybooks and books bought in the kobostore only tho)
I use a clara for on the go and a libra at home.
omg thank you!! i’ll try that😁
Kobo only syncs once per day. In settings there is a choice as to when it syncs. Thanks for a great video.
omg THANK YOU!💕
@@nikkisbooks_ You can manually get it to sync again as many times as you want by pressing the sync arrows from the home screen.
If you have an android device, you can get koreader on there and on your kobo for better syncing! I have an iPhone but I’m getting a boox Palma so I transferred my kobo to use koreader and I think it’s really great, also wireless syncing to calibre is so convenient. The UI is not quite as nice as the regular kobo one but it’s pretty customizable. I have an old libra though so I have no idea how it works with writing
would be super interested to hear your thoughts on the boox palma when you get it. i’m so on the fence on my opinion of those 😅
@ I’ll report back in a few weeks when I’ve been using it a bit 🫡 also you inspired me to move my pop socket on my Libra h20, it’s much more comfortable now
"Amazon" and "books" are why this accent is a win.
I love watching videos like this….. they make me feel broken…. lol.
I keep buying and returning the kobo color- I HATE page buttons, my thumb doesn’t want to reach that far over or use other fingers when I can easily just turn with my thumb on the screen of a non button device. The bar of light that peeks out from the bottom out side of the screen of the kobo drives me insane. I don’t write in my books so annotation is a non factor for me. The ghosting and lag on kobo kills my reading experience 70% of the time. The biggest thing for me is the weight balance- I can’t easily lay on my back and read one handed.
But videos like this make me want to buy another one and try it again.
nooo if you know you don’t like it don’t let me convince you otherwise 😅😅
Do you mean the Kobo Libra Color? There is also a Kobo Clara Color that is 6" and doesn't have page turn buttons and is cheaper. As for the ghosting, it seems to be worse for the color devices. I do believe the color devices will get better, but at this point the BW devices are much better IMO. I hope this helps.
Use. A hairdryer to get the pop socket off and you can put it in the right place.
Also can you share if Kobo has browser or Google drive.. can you transport books through Google drive?
no browser or google drive on the device itself, if you wanted to add books from your drive you would have to do it via calibre
edit: i’ve just realised this was a complete lie, sorry 😅 you can access google drive from the settings but i haven’t actually tried adding books from there so no idea how good the integration is!!
I've done the same with my Kindle library, to free it from DRM restrictions. While DRM is a pain, it's not actually Amazon's fault entirely. As a self-published author, when I upload a book to the Kindle store, Amazon gives me the choice of whether to include or exclude DRM. So it's publishers that are actively choosing it. Amazon totally gives publishers the ability to opt out.
that’s actually super interesting and i had no idea that was the case. what would be the benefits of opting for it vs. not?
@@nikkisbooks_ For publishers, there's a perceived benefit of preventing piracy. But in practice it doesn't work. Every popular book simply will be pirated. The downside for customers is less convenience; you're stuck within the Amazon ecosystem, unless you learn some technical way to get free of it, as you've done. But in my case, anyone who buys one of my ebooks (DRM-free) from Amazon can use Calibre to convert it to epub without the need for a special plugin or a Kindle serial number. The common view that Amazon deliberately restrict their customers out of greed is a myth. Publishers choosing to adopt DRM is the problem.
thank you for explaining💕
Yes the kindle is great about syncing where you are in books, it is NOT great at giving you reading credit for a day in their insights. I have read for hours to no avail on a reader insight update for an achievement. Pushing it to synch and update did not work. So I kept my old Kindle 3 around and would synch between devices it to get it to update. Unfortunately, I have the kindle at my mother’s, and that is 3700 km away. They just do not care enough to update the apps or their algorithms. It is nice to see there is now competition for the e-reader market. Yes, I read mostly on my phone because it is lighter than my tablet.
As for Kindle Unlimited it is either really old books, or books by a popular author that is not as rated as well as some of their other novels. Plus they push their own classic versions compared to say penguin or other free options in KU. Heck, I never have seen a philosophy book in the KU shop.
completely agree about them just not caring enough to update things and that their stats section is crap.
idk if you’ve read any of the amazon classics on KU but i’ve noticed as well they edit the text completely differently to standard prints. they’ll just decide to split chapters or combine them and that just makes me not trust them
Is there a limit to the amount of highlights exported, like in the Kindle?
i’m not 100% sure on that, sorry😩
Amazon sells fire tablets still, just took the kindle out it’s name.
I love my kindle fire
Fun fact: You do not own the books. You own a license to read the book. They DRM your downloaded copy and refuse to offer other formats beyond their own custom one to encourage you to ONLY use it for tranfering via USB... to another Kindle.
I like dedrm, but I feel it's important people also know they DO NOT own their books. This is why Calibre is so important. Back your stuff up!
And I do think removing the DRM is illegal right? Because you buy access to read it, not the copy book itself
Annotation with Kindle might be getting better. The Scribe is getting an Active Canvas aka annotation. So who knows but yeaa...I got enough books on Kindle so I am stuck to Kindle (I am in the thousands!).
omg the thousands??? that’s impressive🤣
@@nikkisbooks_ I blame the sales. Plus the double point days these days.
I love physical books, but, my e-reader...Love! Moving to KOBO Clara BW ...f' Amazon...lol.
yessssss🙌🏻
New to kobo.
LONG kindle user. Kindle is a bit slower 12th gen and 11th gen, and honestly, I’m just tired of the ui and Amazon ads everywhere. I can’t turn it off and not have an ad that I give two shits about without paying extra. Log in and 1st line are my books and the rest ad after ad after ad.
Live my kobo color and loving the ui.
Live
You think you can just walk away from Amazon? Amazon decides when any of us walks away. :P
😅🤣
I want to ask if its better to read on e-reader than a phone?
Yes. Less eyestrain & migraines due to ereaders being eink & not LED (most phone screens). Being able to change text size & margrins on ereaders also helps.
@OkamiRose which one do you use kindle or kobo?
i agree with OkamiRose. i also personally just prefer having a separate device free of distractions too!
They are things you can do with your phone app to make it more pleasant. On the Kindle app, I really like dark mode (white text on black background). Kindle apps also have an option for a soft green background (instead of white) that I find quite pleasant. So it’s not as bad as it used to be.
But I agree strongly with others that the lack of distractions on a dedicated e-reader is a huge benefit.
Plus, if you read on iPad or other tablet, even with the settings I mentioned above, the text just IMO is not as crisp as on an e-ink screen. I hate reading on my iPad Mini 6, despite it having an otherwise amazing screen.
I had a kobo but switched to an android tablet and the kobo app instead so I could read manga better and do other stuff like watch this video.
Haha you must have had an ancient Fire tablet since they haven’t called them Kindles for at least 6 years. I’ve had many fires and the battery life is same as my iPads and functionality is the same as an iPad so maybe you jut had a dud.
I cannot fathom leaving Amazon ecosystem for books as their selection just dwarves Kobo’s and I read many foreign and slightly more niche books that I can’t always find on Kobo. I so wish Amazon would make a Colorsoft with buttons, notepad functionality, and stylus with ability to write anywhere like with Libra color but I want Amazon interface and content and tech. While both use same tech for the color e-ink screens, Kindle’s implementation is definitely better with richer colors and none of the weird dithering and screen door effect. Also make it 8”. So basically want bits and pieces of each, but I still would likely buy everything from Amazon so hard to make a switch. Also current Kindle Papewhite is faster than Kobo, but ultimately matter of preference .
it’s been 6 years????😅 but seriously, completely get you. i don’t think there is one ereader that does it all and each one has their pros and cons!
@@nikkisbooks_now if only I can make a decision about these too! Wouldn't hurt if kobo has a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale 😄
I loved my kobo libra colour, but kobo plus sucks compared to KU so I had to return it. If kobo plus can improve their book selections, they could beat kindles.
aw that sucks that you didn’t like the selection on there 😔 it does have very different books in comparison to KU from the looks of it
I didn’t like the Kobo or their library. I have returned the color soft and the Kobo today and re-ordered a paper white
completely fair, we all prefer different things 🥰
@ agreed, I hope you enjoy it
What didn't you like about the colorsoft? The kobo that you returned, was it also the color version? Curious because I'm on the fence for getting a color ereader.
@ I found that it was very grainy and not clear at all and I was struggling to read on it. The yellow strip at the bottom of the e-reader didn’t bother me as much as not being able to read on it without having to take a break. The kobo libra was nice but I didn’t like the book’s available for borrowing. I am a huge Freida McFadden fan and they didn’t have many of her books and if they did they were costly. Kindle unlimited is by far the best. I do own a BOOX Palma which I absolutely love because I have kindle, nook, audible and library borrowing all on it. I did repurchase a kindle paper white but I am pretty upset I traded in my 11 generation for the color soft
@ oh and the Kobo was color. I personally think they haven’t figured out color e-readers just yet but I may try again with a BOOX color go 7 in the near future
I read mostly from Kindle Unlimited and have read many phenomenal books I can't imagine someone feeling there's nothing for them to read there. My daughter teaches high school English and loves to read and she's always reading something from Unlimited.
i think it’s all personal preference. there definitely were books on kindle unlimited i was interested in but it was more the fact that when i was adding my wishlist on kobo i’d say 60% of them were on kobo plus in comparison to maybe 10 or 20% on kindle unlimited. glad you enjoy reading on it though🥰
@@nikkisbooks_ I completely get it and I agree that there's a product for everyone to enjoy!