The summer season is fast approaching so here at Luxury Lifestyle HQ we have turned our attention to our summer holiday woes and are looking to find the best gadget solutions. For many of us the worry of going over the suitcase weight limit due to our book-worm nature is now over, thanks to the creation of the e-book, but one fear still remains – getting the reader wet, or even worse, the fatal swimming pool plunge. Luckily the team at Kobo have created the solution, the Aura H2O, so we’ve put it to the test.
Comprising of the lightweight (just 233g) device and a simple USB lead (for charging), the set up and usability of the device really is quite simple. Taking just moments to set up, it was impressively quick from start to completion meaning that little time is wasted on unnecessary steps. Once an account is created it takes just a few moments to download a book and to get lost in the world of literature.
Small enough to fit in your carry-on bag without taking up precious space or weighing you down, it definitely fits the travel friendly specification that you would expect. Waterproof up to 1 meter with an immersion time of up to 30 minutes, the Aura H2O takes away the panic when the unexpected splash of water hits the device and is also sand-proof meaning the beach need not be a worry either. We reviewed the product both in water and sandy conditions and after the initial ‘is it okay? / did it survive?’ we’re happy to report it really is both water and sand safe!
The lightweight capabilities were impressive and meant that long periods of reading were comfortable and enjoyable. In addition, its extra large 6.8″ HD touchscreen (1430 x 1080 res . 265 dpi) can be adapted to varying brightness levels thanks to the built-in Comfortlight, so whether the sun is blazing down or if the clouds roll in you can still enjoy every word without needing to squint in the light. A slight concern is the device is matt black attracting heat, so, as with all devices, it is best kept away from long periods of direct sunlight or heat where possible.
A big bonus was the ‘sleep’ mode which with a simple touch of the on/off button turns the device to sleep with a reminder left on the screen displaying which novel you have paused reading and how far into the book you are, without the hassle of having to reload that particular novel upon turning the device back on. Further statistics are interesting to read in the extras accessible from the main menu including hours of reading completed, average page turns per minute and more – great for those who like to understand how they read.
With the capability to hold over 3,000 eBooks downloadable from a simple to navigate store the Kobo Aura H20 will ensure those long journeys or relaxing hours during any trip will be fulfilled. Matching style with functionality, we have to say we were impressed by the Kobo Aura H2O and will be adding it to our list of holiday-must-haves .
The Kobo Aura H2O is available at £139.99 from Kobo.
