Nearly four years after launching its first
waterproof eBook reader, Kobo is releasing an upgraded model with more memory
and an improved screen illumination technology. The 2nd-gen Kobo Aura H20 will
be available for US$ 180 starting May 22nd.
The new Kobo Aura H2O features
a 6.8 inch, 1430 x 1080 pixel Carta E Ink touchscreen display. It has an IPX8
water resistant rating, which means it can safely be dunked in up to 2 meters
of water for as long as 60 minutes. And the eReader supports 802.11b/g/n WiFi
and has a micro USB port.
What’s new is a slightly updated design: the 2nd-gen
model weighs 207 grams and measures 129mm x 172mm x 8.8mm, making it thinner
and lighter than its predecessor (which came in at 129mm x 179mm x 9.7mm and
233 grams).
Kobo has also doubled the built-in storage to 8GB
and removed the microSD card, which means there’s no support for removable
storage. The new model has a Kobo ComfortLight Pro system which adjusts the
amount of blue light shining on the display throughout the day, which may help
you get to sleep more easily if you like to read before bedtime.
If you’d prefer a microSD card to the additional
built-in storage, the original Kobo Aura H20 is still available, and Kobo is
currently selling it for US$ 160, or US$ 20 off the list price.
