Kobo Wireless eReader Announced, Priced at $139.99 & Available For Pre-Order Today [Updated Kobo Reader Unveiled, Will Feature Wi-Fi Connectivity, Improved Hardware & Be Available In Onyx, Lilac & Silver]

Posted on TFTS by Robert Nelson on Wednesday, 29. September 2010 under: Devices

Kobo has announced their latest in terms of ereading devices, the Kobo Wireless eReader, and as the name implies — this latest model is now sporting wireless connectivity. And nicely, that is not where the updates and improvements have stopped.

First things first, the new ereader from Kobo is going to match the familiar price point — $139 which should help in terms of competition. As for the Wi-Fi, that is 802.11 b/g. And I do understand I will likely take some criticism for making a big deal over the addition of Wi-Fi to an ebook reader. But that said, this does make sense given Kobo has their own book store — Kobobooks.com. Of course, while Wi-Fi is not required for a successful ereader, I would go as far as saying that it does make things that much easier in terms of getting new content on the device.

Moving on though, other improvements and new features that we can expect in terms of the Kobo Wireless eReader include goodies such as a faster processor which is said to make for faster page turns (up to 2.5x times), longer battery life (up to 10,000 page turns with Wi-Fi turned off) and an improved display. In terms of the display, that is a 6 inch eInk display.

Otherwise, the new reader is also going to be available in a variety of colors including Onyx, Porcelain with Metallic Silver back and Porcelain with a Pearlized Lilac back. And for those not as familiar with the Kobo reader, the previous features will remain in place such as having 1GB of internal storage, an SD card slot and support for files to include EPUB, PDF and Adobe Digital editions.

As for making a purchase, the updated Kobo reader will be available direct with Kobo as well as with Borders in the US and Indigo Books & Music and Walmart in Canada. Lastly, those who go ahead with a pre-order can expect delivery at the end of October.

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