The Kobo Libra 2 is one of the newest members of Rakuten’s ever-expanding e-reader family, which has long carved out a niche in the competitive e-book industry with its Kobo line.

This model, although not the brand’s latest launch, is particularly interesting at this time of year. Thanks to its properties, it becomes an ideal companion for the traditional context of summer holidays. Whether it’s a beach, a pool, or any ecosystem where there’s enough water to get our feet wet, it almost automatically becomes a hostile environment for many electronic devices. With the Kobo Libra 2, we try to prevent that.

Kobo Libra 2 Specifications

The Kobo Libra 2 screen features ComfortLight PRO technology, which, unlike traditional screens, automatically adjusts brightness and reduces blue light to minimize eye strain. This technology is very useful in environments with a lot of light, such as the beach or swimming pool, because the light and contrast perfectly adapt to the external conditions. In addition, the high-resolution E Ink Carta 1200 technology provides a high contrast that facilitates reading without leaving a trace of virtual “ink”, with very fast display and refresh.

As a counterpoint, it also has a night mode in which you can put the text in white on black (like the night mode of any browser on your computer or smartphone), so that, unlike other screens, you can continue reading regardless of the light around you and without disturbing your sleep.

Another point, which is especially suitable for the summer season, is its resistance to water. Not only does it splash, but the Kobo Libra 2 has IPX8 technology, so it can withstand a depth of up to 2 meters for a maximum of 60 minutes. I doubt it’s the best context for reading, but at least we’ll have the peace of mind that whether we’re reading on the beach, in the pool, or even in the bathtub, it won’t be a problem if the e-reader falls over. Also, if by some unexpected turn of events it starts to rain, the Kobo Libra 2 won’t be in any danger.

The Kobo Libra 2 is a very light device if we compare it to other eReader models, it has an ergonomic design that fits very well in the hand, but also allows reading in both portrait and landscape. In this way, it adapts to whatever context you want to read it in, achieving great versatility.

You can turn pages both on the touch screen and with the side buttons (which will be at the top or bottom if you read horizontally). It has a button on the back to turn it on and off, a feature that will be done automatically if you choose to upgrade your e-reader with the Rakuten Kobo SleepCover. So it automatically turns off and on when you open or close the cover. The SleepCover is available in four colors: Poppy Red, Slate Blue, Lavender and Black.

Books to read or listen to

Audiobooks have been in full swing for some time now, and while it’s quite common to download them via your smartphone, it’s very useful (and logical) to use it on your eReader to have a unified catalog of e-books and audiobooks. While a smartphone may be more manageable for listening to audiobooks while walking or doing homework, sunbathing, relaxing, or any other summer task, an e-book reader will be perfect. To do this, we will need to connect a Bluetooth headset or speaker to our Kobo Libra 2, since the eReader does not have an audio output.

From the Rakuten Kobo store, directly integrated into our Kobo eReader, we will have access to 7 million e-books and audiobooks that we will store in our library. In addition, it is compatible with the Pocket application, so we can save and read articles online. Because not everything will be books.

It has a capacity of 32GB of storage, in which you can take around 24,000 e-books, 150 Kobo audiobooks, or a combination of both. Guaranteed entertainment not only for your vacation, but probably from here on out to infinity. As for the battery, it has an autonomy of several weeks, which will vary depending on use, light level, etc.

As we are used to seeing in Kobo eReaders, the Libra 2 is customizable and allows us to customize the typography with up to 13 different types and more than 50 styles. We can change the font size, spacing, margins or alignment. In addition, we will be able to take notes. Although it does not have a stylus and is not one of its most refined functions, if we need it, we can write something down or even make a sketch with our finger.

conclusions

The Kobo Libra 2 is a very versatile device, both at the hardware level (quite versatile) and at the usability level, allowing you to read books and articles and listen to audiobooks. It will thus become the perfect companion for your vacation. It is available in black and white and can be purchased from the official Rakuten Kobo store for €199.99 and retail channels such as Amazon.