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My introduction to e-readers in 2010 marked a turning point in my reading life. Always an avid reader, I couldn’t go anywhere without a book, especially when I was traveling. I used to lug around multiple books on my travels because I could never be without one on the go … and what would I read when I finished the book I’d brought? So I’d pack a second book. Maybe a third. I preferred paperbacks for their portability but if I wanted to read a new release, then I’d have to pack the heavy hardcover. It was cumbersome and inconvenient, to say the least.
So, when e-readers were introduced, I was thrilled. ALL the books my heart desired, tucked into my bag taking up virtually no room or weight at all. A dream come true! And while I’ve always adored the look, smell and feel of a new book, the feel of the pages as I turn them and having overflowing bookcases around my home, eventually practicality just won out.
The first e-reader I ever used was a Kobo. FYI: The brand name ‘Kobo’ is an anagram of the word ‘book’. For a while, the standing joke with my then-boyfriend-now-husband was: “If you had to pick between me and your Kobo, which would you choose?” He asked me this question one lazy Saturday morning and judging by the look on his face, I’d waited a beat too long to answer. Like I was really weighing my options.
I used my Kobo for many, many years, carting it all over the world with me. But the morning before our honeymoon, in the midst of all the excitement and last-minute packing, my Kobo suddenly froze. I’d had it for so long and had used it so hard, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. The device had stood up to a lot of use. But the timing couldn’t have been worse. I was leaving for more than two weeks to travel to Korea, then Bali and finally New York City and there was no way I could travel without my books. (In telling this story years ago, someone suggested I should have simply left the books behind and focused on enjoying a relaxing honeymoon in Bali with my new husband. I can only assume they were joking.)
On the way to the airport, I asked our driver to make a detour and stop at a store so I could run in and buy a new Kobo.
The photo above is an oldie from the 2012 archives. I’m at Toronto Pearson International Airport frantically trying to download all of my books to my new Kobo before boarding our flight.
Success! I finished just in time to board our flight.
All of this is to say: Kobo had long been a beloved companion. But like any relationship, things can change. Sometimes they end, and you find yourself exploring something new. It was 2016 when I tried a Kindle (the Kindle Oasis) for the first time. I had just welcomed my first baby. I spent countless hours cradling him … nursing, rocking, soothing and lulling him to sleep. With my arms full, there wasn’t much else to do. But when he finally drifted off, I’d steal quiet moments to read, my Kindle balanced in my free hand.
The Kindle Oasis was a solid e-reader that did all the things an e-reader should do. But the standout feature, and what made it an absolute star, in my opinion, was that it had page rotation. The page rotation feature of the Kindle Oasis allowed users to change the orientation of what they were reading, so the text flipped to match how you were holding the device.
If you turned it sideways, the screen content (like a book page) automatically rotated to stay upright and easy to read. This is handy if you prefer holding the Kindle with your left or right hand or want to use it in landscape mode. It adjusts to make reading more comfortable based on how you’re holding the device.
This feature, exclusive at the time to the Oasis in the Kindle lineup, was a game-changer and meant that I could easily read during those long, sleepless nights of nursing and when I switched the baby to my other arm, I could also switch the orientation of the pages on my book to suit my other hand. If you’re reading in bed and switch sides, you can flip the book to switch the pages for a way more comfortable and ergonomic reading experience. I LOVED it.
Amazon has since discontinued the Kindle Oasis and none of its other devices offer this feature. But guess who does? Yup, Kobo.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a winner for many reasons. It’s got a 7-inch e-reader with a color E Ink display that supports 4,096 colors, making it ideal for reading comics, children’s books and documents with illustrations. It offers adjustable front lighting with blue light reduction, it’s waterproof and has 32GB of storage to hold thousands of eBooks. Plus, it is compatible with the Kobo Stylus 2, so you can take notes and highlight in color.
But of course, what I love best is that it also includes an auto-rotate feature that adjusts screen orientation based on how you hold it, allowing comfortable reading regardless of which hand you’re using and in both portrait and landscape modes. It makes reading in bed so much easier because when you turn on to your other side, the page can rotate when you switch hands. It’s one of those features that, once you’ve tried it, you can never live without.
I love how the Kobo Libra Colour feels in my hands. It’s got an ergonomic design that’s tailored for comfortable, extended reading sessions. Its asymmetrical shape includes a slightly thicker right edge with a curved grip and the physical page-turn buttons allow for easy one-handed use.
So, the long and short of it is that I’ve gotten back together with my ex, we’re very happy now and I realize we probably never should have broken up in the first place.
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