Kobo announced today that they are adding three new Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean devices to their successful line of eReaders, that are really more tablets than anything else. Kobo claims that the new tablets will also support content from the Google Play Store as well as its own “bookstore,” which carries over four million titles, which now includes an expanded magazine section and a dedicated Kid’s Store, all while keeping Kobo’s “unique user experience.” Kobo’s CEO, Michael Serbinis describes this experience:
“Kobo remains focused on reading; a time-honoured passion that keeps people informed, lets them escape, learn about new cultures, see things from a new perspective, travel back in time, and imagine new worlds. With magazines joining our eBookstore, a new kids experience, and the best eReading devices possible, we will help readers find more of what they love – taking them beyond the book.”
While Kobo pushes the “reading-first,” in their tablet line, they also allow the user to experience movies, music, and games as well. In their Reading Mode, the reader is not distracted by notifications, pop-ups from email, apps, or social media, while optimizing the light settings, which in turn boosts the battery life from hours to days.
The Kobo Arc 10HD features an NVIDIA Tegra 4, 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 10-inch 2560 x 1600 HD display, 1080p video playback, 1.3MP FFC, dual stereo speakers, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a price of $399.99
Next is the Kobo Arc 7HD is powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, running at 1.7GHz, 7-inch 1920 x 1200 HD resolution, 1080p video playback, 1GB of RAM, 1.3MP FFC, and priced at $199.99 for the 16GB internal storage model or $249.99 for the 32GB model.
Finally, the Kobo Arc 7 is an entry level tablet with 8GB of internal storage for $183.99, that includes a Media Tek MTK 8125 1.2GHz quad-core processor, a 7-inch 1024 x 600 resolution display, and 1GB of RAM.
Kobo has positioned themselves with a tablet for every budget and to cover the beginner, up to the more demanding user. All three tablets are set to launch in the UK from October 16.