Kobo, an e-reading services company, has launched its digital reading platform in India, including its E-Ink and tablets, such as the Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Kobo Arc and Kobo Aura HD; and apps for iOS, Android, Microsoft, and BlackBerry mobile platforms.
Kobo's offering some of its devices at a discounted price ahead of Diwali with the promotional prices being valid till November 3.
The Kobo Touch eReader sports an anti-glare 6-inch Pearl E Ink touchscreen, and is thin and lightweight. The eReader has been priced at Rs.7,999 but will be offered at Rs. 6,999 during the promotional offer. It comes with 2GB storage capacity expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
The Kobo Glo eReader is a front-lit device like the Kindle Paperwhite, allowing readers to read in the dark. It sports a no-glare XGA high-resolution 6-inch E-Ink screen and features the ability to customise fonts and page-turning. The Kobo Glo is available at a price of Rs. 10,999. It comes with 2GB storage capacity expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
Kobo Aura HD claims to offer the highest-resolution screen available in an e-reader. It sports a 6.8-inch front-lit Pearl E-Ink touchscreen with a 1440x1080 resolution and 265 dpi. It is powered by a 1GHz processor. It comes with 4GB storage capacity expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. The Kobo Aura HD is priced at Rs. 13,999.
All the e-reader devices support Wi-Fi and USB connectivity.
The Kobo Arc is a 7-inch tablet that runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with the Tapestries UI on top, which is Kobo's customised interface. It uses a cross-media engine to recommend related content based on the users' activities. It sports a high-definition display (1280x800pixels, 215ppi) with 16 million colours. It's powered by a Texas Instruments 1.5GHz Dual core processor and 1GB RAM and sports a 1.3-megapixel 720p front-facing camera. The tablet comes with Wi-Fi connectivity. The Kobo Arc is priced at Rs. 11,999 but is available at a discounted price of Rs 9,999 till Diwali.
Kobo users will be able to access books through Kobo's ebookstore, which, according to the company features nearly 4-million titles across 68 languages. The company claims its library of ebooks includes ninety-five percent of India's bestselling content featuring work from top-selling Indian authors including Jhumpa Lahiri, Ramachandra Guha and Sachin Garg, in addition to international bestselling authors like Dan Brown, John Grisham and Lee Child.
Free or discounted ebook offers will also be available with the purchase of Kobo devices or with the download of a Kobo app for a limited time, according to the company.
"As e-commerce continues to expand and demand for digital content continues to grow, we are thrilled to be launching in India and look forward to introducing passionate Readers to our world-class digital reading platform," said Wayne White, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Kobo. "India is in the early stages of what we believe is a 25-year transformation from print to digital reading. In partnership with some of the leading booksellers and retailers in the country, Kobo is poised to lead this transformation, by delivering a fully localized experience designed to meet the increased demand for digital content in India."
Kobo's e-readers and tablets will be available in retail locations across India through partnerships with Crossword, WHSmith and Croma.
"Traditionally known as the land of storytelling, it was important to us that we enter the market with an offering that met the expectations of a discerning Indian audience who are passionate about the books they read," said Michael Tamblyn, Chief Content Officer, Kobo. "We are delivering an experience that delivers the very best from around the world and titles from the most beloved local authors. In partnership with some of the best retailers, we'll set the standard for digital reading in India."