Didn’t we tell you that the waterproof $230 Kobo Aura One was good? It has a 7.8-inch screen, front lighting adjustable for minimal sleep disruption, and many more typographical options than any of the Kindles.
Lots of people agreed with us about the Aura One. In fact, Kobo says: “This eReader flew off the shelves. More stock coming early 2017.”
The good news, based on a MobileRead post, which I’ve confirmed, is that the Indigo chain in Canada is selling the Aura One for $249.99 in Canadian dollars. A Indigo rep told me that the price for people in the United States would be the same in U.S. dollars, plus shipping, handling and possible customs duties. Arrival time would be around December 9. But back to the price tag. Has Kobo perhaps raised the price from the original $230 due to the Aura One’s popularity?
If nothing else, the Aura One’s success is a lesson for Amazon, which refuses to match Kobo in typographical capabilities, including, yes, the ability to do all-text boldface.
The Aura One’s big drawback, of course, is the inability to read DRMed books bought at Amazon. But in countries where it’s legal (not the U.S., alas), you can get rid of the toxin via the appropriate tool without worrying about breaking the law. What’s more, the Mobi is among the supported formats. Full specs are here.
If your heart is still set on a Kobo now without any delay, consider another E Ink gem. It’s the $180 Aura H2O with a 6.8-inch screen and water proofing (via port covers, unlike the fancier Aura One, which doesn’t need them). You can find open box or reconditioned H2Os for as little as $100 or so on eBay. Last I knew, however, unlike the Aura One, the H2O did not allow direct downloading of library books via the OverDrive service. Perhaps that will change.
Meanwhile let’s root for Amazon to catch up with Kobo’s typography. Jeff Bezos may think people will get tired of complaining of the lack of all-text boldface in Kindles. No! We’ve been at for years and will keep chipping away. Amazon’s near dominance of the E reader market in the U.S. is why the company can be so smug.
teleread.org 
Update: Regardless of the Kobo site’s “sold-out” information, the Aura One appears to be available via the Indigo Chain. https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/electronics/kobo-aura-one-indigo-exclusive/681495007240-item.html (via MobileRead forum). I’ll check with Indigo later today.
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David,
Have you heard if direct library via Overdrive downloads is coming for other Kobo readers? I keep hoping to see such an enhancement for my Aura HD.
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@Dana: Good question. I’ll try to check.
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@Dana: Here’s the latest from Kobo: “At this time, the plan is for Aura ONE only. We’re always looking to expand our eReading offering, and we’ll definitely let you know if it becomes available for other devices in the future.”
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I picked up the Kobo Aura One when it launched a few weeks ago. It’s awesome: the larger screen real estate is a huge selling point for me. I am also finding surprisingly convenient the auto-delivery of library books from Overdrive. I very much liked the original Kobo Aura HD because of the larger screen but this latest edition blowes everything away.
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I believe sales are mostly closed around the world due to the battery drain issue of Aura One – there are lots of complains. I guess they have decided to fix battery problem first before resuming sales. Indigo.ca apparently sells what’s left in stock. This is supported by the rumor that Indigo do not allow refund/return for Aura One.
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There is no sign of “no refunds / no return” at Indigo that I can see for Kobo Aura One. However, the chain is virtually sold out. There is one left in Toronto stores, based on the web inventory tool (which, in the past, I have found to be accurate).
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