Kobo Aura vs Nook GlowLight

2023. Nook firmware update adds useful FAQ and custom book sorting



Barnes & Noble has recently rolled out a new firmware update, version 8.13.160, which introduces a new FAQ system in the support section of the settings menu. This update addresses many of the questions and concerns that new users may have about the Nook brand, eliminating the need to use a computer or visit the Nook website online. Now, you can access this information directly on the e-reader. The Nook also features a new system for custom sorting of shelves, allowing users to reposition shelves or books within a shelf in their preferred order. Select the custom option from the sort-by menu to begin. Essentially, content and shelves now have arrow keys that can be used to adjust the layout. Finally, you can now sort and view all your notes and annotations made in ebooks directly from the search bar. This makes it convenient to look up notes you’ve just taken without having to open the book and find them manually.


2022. Kobo is now displaying advertisements on their e-readers



Kobo is now featuring advertisements on most of their e-readers when they wake from sleep mode. A full-page ad now appears, encouraging users to subscribe to Kobo Plus and informing them about the free 30-day trial. This ad is displayed regardless of whether Wi-Fi is turned on or off, as the image is retrieved from the device rather than the internet. This is the first instance of Kobo displaying ads on their e-book readers. Kobo has previously emphasized in their marketing campaigns that, unlike the Kindle, their devices are free from advertisements, but this no longer seems to be the case.


2021. Nook Glowlight 4 gets smaller and lighter design



Barnes & Noble has launched a new Nook Glowlight 4 and it’s now available for order on B&N’s website. The new Nook is a 6-inch model with 32GB of storage, USB-C and features a new, smaller and lighter design (though the exact weight reduction isn't specified). Like its predecessor, it still has page buttons on both sides of the screen (now positioned closer to the edge) and includes a frontlight with adjustable color temperature, referred to by B&N as Night Mode. It boasts a 300 ppi E Ink display, which likely incorporates the newer E Ink technology with deeper blacks, as B&N notes it has “enhanced contrast.” It is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU and the software is based on Android 8.1. The price is $149.99.


2021. Kobo e-readers get new My Words feature



Kobo has launched a new firmware update (4.26) for its range of Kobo e-readers. This update introduces a new "My Words" option, which can be activated from the list of Beta Features. It's similar to Kindle’s vocabulary builder feature, which tracks the words you look up in the dictionary for easy review later. Other new features include a “Back to page x” button for EPUBs, enhanced annotation synchronization and improved PDF viewing in landscape mode. Additionally, tapping the text field within the note preview window now allows for editing.


2020. Kobo introduces $99 e-reader Nia to replace Aura



In the vast and occasionally perplexing universe of e-book readers, Rakuten has flung a new contender into the cosmic void of consumer electronics. Behold the Kobo Nia, a nifty little gadget with a 6-inch, 1024x758 pixel touchscreen clocking in at a crisp 212 ppi. Thanks to its ComfortLight tech, you can make the screen as bright or as dim as your whims demand, all while clutching a remarkably svelte 172-gram device that’s just 9.2mm thick. Inside this sleek bit of circuitry lies a 1,000mAh battery, cheerfully boasting "weeks" of page-turning endurance, and 8GB of storage for more books than you can realistically read in a year. Inevitably, it invites comparison to Amazon's cheapest Kindle, which starts at $89.99 (but only if you're willing to endure the indignity of ads; $109.99 if you’re not), featuring the same 6-inch screen but with a comparatively meh 165 ppi resolution and half the storage. For anyone feeling mildly allergic to Amazon's ecosystem and looking for an affordable e-reader that doesn’t nag them with special offers, the Nia makes a rather compelling case—perhaps even with a wink and a smug little grin.


2018. Barnes and Noble unveiled charging dock and keyboard for Nook 10.1



Barnes & Noble launched their new Nook Tablet 10.1 this week and has now introduced two accessories. The Charging Dock keeps the tablet powered continuously while you listen to audiobooks or watch movies. It is priced at $34.95 and includes a limited 20% discount with the code STACKED. The Smart Folio Cover with Keyboard features a magnetic clip that attaches to your tablet without the need for pairing. You can use it to take notes or write that great American novel. It is priced at $39.95 and also includes a 20% discount with the same promo code as the charging dock. The Nook Tablet 10.1 runs on Google Android 8.1, allowing you to install all your favorite apps from Google Play.


2018. Nook e-Readers stop working without security update



Barnes and Noble has announced that their Nook e-readers will stop functioning after June 29th if the required security update is not installed. You will be unable to make any purchases, or download and manage your NOOK Content from your NOOK Device. Barnes and Noble is enhancing the security system for all of their websites and servers that handle customer data and process payment information. The e-readers affected by this new security system include the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight, Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, Nook HD+ and Nook Glowlight.


2018. Kobo e-Ink readers get rapid Page-Turning


Kobo has released a new firmware update for all their e-readers that enhances the speed of page-turns with a new rendering engine. This updated system allows you to quickly tap or gesture on the screen to turn pages swiftly. You can also hold your finger down on the screen to turn pages. The text may become unreadable while the pages are turning rapidly and you'll need to lift your finger for everything to fully render. The fast page-turning feature works with KEPUB eBooks, which are books purchased directly from Kobo. It does not support CBR/CBZ or traditional EPUB formats and is incompatible with sideloaded EPUB books.


2017. Barnes and Noble released Nook Glowlight 3



Barnes & Noble, not one to let e-reader enthusiasts float listlessly in a sea of obsolescence, has unveiled the splendidly named Nook Glowlight 3, their first fresh offering in two years. This whimsical contraption boasts a series of features that, were they a species of exotic bird, would undoubtedly make David Attenborough sit up in delight. Its page-turn buttons—clever little devils—can leap entire chapters with a cheeky double tap or whisk through pages at a breakneck speed with a simple press-and-hold maneuver. As if that weren’t enough, the Nook Glowlight 3 is the debutante of its lineage to flaunt a "comfortlight" system, cunningly muting the glaring white of the screen into a soothing, orangey glow. Running on Google Android—because of course it is—it sports an advanced front-lit display that’s bright enough to double as a lighthouse in a pinch. The pièce de résistance, however, is its tactile charm: physical page-turn buttons sit proudly on either side, as though inviting you to a polite but thrilling tug-of-war with your e-books. And lest we forget, the Nook Reading app hums along beautifully, offering zippy page turns and the rather audacious ability to Copy/Paste text directly into its note-taking feature. Clever stuff, really.


2017. Kobo makes managing ebooks simpler



In a small corner of the digital galaxy known as Kobo, a fleet of e-readers received a firmware update of such significance that even the electrons buzzed with excitement. The cosmic architects behind it introduced the Manage Books feature, a sublime tool allowing the bookish traveler to select multiple volumes, mark them as triumphantly finished or woefully unread, banish them to oblivion, or gather them into curated collections with the flourish of a celestial librarian. The My Books section underwent a metamorphosis, emerging with a layout so clean and orderly it might make a Vogon weep. Filter and Sort menus now stand ready like sentinels of user-friendly order. And as if that weren’t enough, the reading experience ascended to new heights—tap the middle of a page, and voilà! Menus unfurl, the Table of Contents beckons, and Reading Settings await your command. In a final act of brilliance, the screen refreshes after each chapter, sparing you the tedious blink every six pages, because in this universe, even pixels deserve a break.


2016. New 7.8-inch Aura One e-reader - the Cadillac of e-readers



With the new Aura One, Kobo is aiming to challenge Amazon's dominance in the market. Its 7.8-inch screen significantly surpasses the Aura HD, accompanied by a $230 price tag. Despite the addition of several other appealing features, this is a steep price for a dedicated e-reader, especially when Amazon's Kindle Voyage starts at $30 less (for the Special Offers edition, at least). However, Kobo’s previous ventures have been successful and while the company will likely concede that the Aura One isn’t for everyone, it offers exactly what someone willing to spend over $200 on such a device desires: the ultimate e-reader. Kobo earns credit for thinking beyond the conventional e-reader approach and while the Aura One may not be justifiable for most readers, the dedicated few will find much to appreciate, including a large screen, blue-light adjustment, a sleek design and ample storage.


2015. Barnes & Noble created waterproof Nook



More than a year after phasing out the Nook and Nook HD+, Barnes & Noble is finally updating its flagship GlowLight e-reader with the GlowLight Plus, the company's first waterproof e-reader. It is the first Nook to feature user profiles, because, after all, couples who read together stay together. Named the Nook GlowLight Plus, the new model costs $130 and is now available. The Plus boasts a 300ppi display with twice as many pixels as its predecessor, an aluminum body that is slimmer but slightly heavier than the GlowLight. Most importantly, the Plus is waterproof, so Nook enthusiasts can read their favorite e-books in the bathtub.


2014. Kobo unveiled waterproof Aura H2O Reader



Kobo, in its infinite wisdom and borderline obsession with waterproofing, has unleashed the marvelously amphibious Kobo Aura H2O, set to splash onto shelves (but not into oblivion) on October 1 for a modest $179. This latest contraption in their lineup of posh page-turners is a veritable Swiss Army knife of reading devices, tailored for those who see no reason why a good book should stop where water begins. Lighter, thinner, and boasting a display so crisp it practically sneers at lesser screens, this $10-pricier cousin of the Kobo Aura HD defies dust, sneers at air, and will cheerfully hold its breath for up to thirty minutes underwater, whether it’s joining you in the bath or braving a beachside splash.


2013. Barnes & Noble releases new ultra-light Nook GlowLight



In a move that would no doubt delight the Galactic Council of Overly Complicated Technology Upgrades, Barnes & Noble has unveiled the utterly reimagined Nook GlowLight, an e-reader that dares to ask the question, “What if slightly better, but $10 more?” This spruced-up cousin of the Nook SimpleTouch with GlowLight now struts about with a $119 price tag—the same as Amazon’s ad-laden Kindle Paperwhite (though GlowLight purists will smugly note theirs comes ad-free). Doubling its predecessor's storage to a positively cavernous 4 GB, the GlowLight graciously invites you to stash over 2,000 ebooks—assuming you’re okay with the departure of the microSD slot, which now seems to have been sucked into a black hole of design simplification. With a 6-inch E-Ink display flaunting 62% more pixels than its ancestor, the text clarity and contrast are downright poetic, while an upgraded LED light source ensures the illumination dances uniformly across your literary escapades. And, in a curious twist of engineering, the GlowLight’s luminescence beams down from the top edge, unlike the Paperwhite’s bottom-centric glow. Both screens are neck-and-neck in their radiant rivalry, leaving us to marvel that, despite the universe of tablets orbiting around us, the humble E-Ink e-reader remains stubbornly (and delightfully) alive, with both Barnes & Noble and Amazon doubling down on their galactic e-reading ambitions.


2013. B&N drops Nook GlowLight price to $99. Undercuts Amazon and Kobo



Barnes & Noble has just revealed a $20 price reduction, lowering the GlowLight’s price to just $99. This makes the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight the most affordable option in the high-end e-reader market. The ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite is priced at $119 and the Kobo Glo is $129.99. Featuring a front-lit display called GlowLight, the Nook Simple Touch GlowLight offers a gentle illumination that differs from traditional backlighting. It’s easier on the eyes, although the light reduces battery life by half — which is not a major issue since it still lasts for 2 months. The price reduction suggests that Barnes & Noble might be aiming to clear out inventory before introducing a new model. Remember, the company recently announced it will cease in-house tablet development but intends to continue producing e-readers.