Rakuten ventures into the eReader segment in India with the launch of three new products – Kobo Clara 2E, Kobo Libra 2, and Kobo Nia. All three models, along with first-party accessories, will be available for purchase via Flipkart and other online marketplaces. Among the three, the Kobo Nia is the most affordable, retailing at Rs 10,999, while the Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Clara 2E are priced at Rs 19,999 and Rs 14,999, respectively. “The rich reading culture in India presents the opportune time for Kobo to introduce its world-class digital reading experience to the market. With more than a decade of top-rated eReaders under our belt, we are excited to bring a lineup that is sure to please the readers in India.” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. The Kobo Libra 2 is the company's flagship product in India, featuring a 7-inch glare-free HD e-ink display (1264x1680, 300ppi) with touch input support. The e-book reader is powered by a 1 GHz processor and comes with 32 GB of onboard storage, sufficient to store up to 24,000 eBooks or 150 Kobo audiobooks, which can be accessed via the Kobo eBook store, housing over 7.5 million books. Available in two colour options – black and white, the company also offers a sleep cover and a classic cover for Rs 3,999 and Rs 2,999, respectively. The "E" in Kobo Clara 2E stands for environmentally conscious, as this e-reader's outer shell is made out of 85 per cent recycled plastic. This 6-inch e-reader also features an HD (1448x1072p, 300ppi) e-ink display with touch input support and offers 16 GB of internal storage, which can store up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo audiobooks. Available in Deep Ocean Blue shade, the Kobo Clara 2E is water-resistant, and you can get colourful sleep covers in hues of Black, Coral Reef Orange, and Sea Glass Green shades for Rs 2,999. The Kobo Nia also comes with a 6-inch e-ink display with a slightly lower resolution of 1024x758p (212 ppi) and is said to offer an experience similar to a paperback book, weighing just 172 grams. With 8 GB of internal storage, this device can store up to 6,000 ebooks, and unlike the other two variants, it lacks audiobook functionality.
