Kobo eReader Touch Edition hits Best Buy, escapes Borders
updated 11:45 am EDT, Wed August 24, 2011
Kobo eReader Touch now at Best Buy for $130
Kobo's eReader Touch Edition is now available at Best Buy stores, with Kobo specialists in place at stores to demonstrate the devices to would-be buyers. The $130 device will also show up in other retail stores before year's end.
The Touch Edition uses a six-inch Pearl E Ink touch display and is powered by a Freescale i.MX508 processor. It has 2GB of built-in memory and its battery is said to last one month. Books can be downloaded over Wi-Fi.
The Reading Life social eReading experience is available on the device, letting users keep track of reading stats and share them with friends. Supported formats include ePub, PDF and MOBI e-books, along with JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP and TIFF images. TXT, HTML and RTF documents also work, as do CBZ and CBR comic book formats. eBooks from local public libraries can also be borrowed and read on the device.
The reader is available in lilac, blue, silver and black.
A move to Best Buy is necessary as the company is losing its Borders option. The bookstore chain is in the process of liquidation and store closings that will see it cease to exist. Unlike Amazon or Barnes & Noble, Kobo hadn't made significant pushes into getting extra retail outlets until now.
