You’ve been waiting for a revamp of the aging Kobo Nia ? Or maybe even a color reading light? Too bad, it’s a technical update to its stylus reader that Kobo has just pulled out of its hat. Here is everything you need to know about the Elipsa 2E.
The e-reader market seems to be moving more and more towards the high end. Only two years after its Elipsa, the Canadian brand is preparing to launch a second generation. The success of Amazon’s Kindle Scribe probably has something to do with it…
Kobo Elipsa 2E: a technical update more than a real evolution
Remember, we were testing in June 2021 the first generation of the Elipsa. It was the first time that Kobo had embarked on the creation of a large format e-reader. The test had turned out to be rather conclusive, but not perfect. The beauty lacked, in fact, features compared to its biggest competitors. The Elipsa 2E thus tries to erase the shortcomings of its ancestor.
The e-ink display retains its 10.3-inch size, but adopts ComfortLight Pro lighting with color temperature adjustment. A welcome improvement, if not revolutionary. On the other hand, no evolution on the side of the resolution which remains blocked at 227 dpi. The Kindle Scribe therefore retains its leading position by being one of the only 10-inch readers on the market with a resolution of 300 dpi.
On the design side, no big changes either, apart from the use of recycled plastic. The total weight increases slightly, from 383 g to 390 g. Fortunately, the handle so typical of Kobo eReaders is back to make it easier to grip. In the absence of a dedicated button, navigation is done entirely via the E-Ink Carta touch screen.
Significantly improved note taking
The first generation of this machine was sorely lacking in note-taking options. Kobo has therefore gone into overdrive for its Elipsa 2E. First of all, the beauty is adorned with the new Kobo Stylus 2. It does not seem to change a lot compared to its predecessor, except that the eraser button is now placed at the very top of the stylus and no longer at the fingers.
The biggest change is at the level of the interface, completely revisited and improved for taking handwritten notes. We note (it was easy that one) among other things the appearance of new models of notebooks, the possibility of creating folders, the arrival of a lasso selection tool and OCR conversion for handwritten notes. Kobo is therefore aligned with the competition, to the delight of doodle lovers!
Cloud backup should also take a step forward with the upcoming support for Google Drive. Currently, only Dropbox is supported by the brand’s e-readers. Next to that, we will find with pleasure the possibility of listening to audio books thanks to a Bluetooth headset.
Price and availability
The Kobo Elipsa 2E will be available for sale from April 19, 2023, the end date for pre-orders. Its price does not change and remains blocked at €399.99. Add €69.99 for the Sleep Cover case, essential to avoid breakage. The stylus reader seems rather well equipped to face the Kindle Scribe, notably offering 32 GB storage (against 16 GB) and listening to audio books.
We will offer you a complete test as soon as possible to determine if it is pleasant to read a book and annotate a PDF with this Elipsa 2E!
Source: Kobo press release
4