Kobo releases waterproof e-reader with 7.8″ screen

A listing on a page of Wehkamp.nl has made it clear that Kobo will soon be launching a new, waterproof e-reader with a 7.8″ Carta e-ink screen with a resolution of 1872×1404 pixels. The device will have the name Kobo Aura One.

Due to the high resolution, the black and white screen maintains a ppi of 300, which is comparable to other HD e-readers from both Kobo and Amazon. The screen of the Aura One has lighting with adjustable brightness. The so-called ComfortLight is said to emit a ‘reduced amount of blue light’, which should prevent sleep disruption.

The device measures 195.1×138.5×6.9 millimeters and weighs 252 grams. For connections to the outside, there is Wi-Fi or a micro-USB connection that, according to the specifications, does not need to be closed separately when submerged in water. The e-reader would be waterproof up to two meters underwater for a duration of up to sixty minutes.

The Aura One has 8GB of non-expandable storage and 512MB of RAM. The reader can last up to a month on a single battery charge. A suggested retail price is not yet known, but Wehkamp.nl lists an amount of 229.99 euros.

Image from a tweet from Kobo’s CEO last month