far-readers were very specific devices, which were intended for the … read books. Over time manufacturers have tried to diversify the uses, integrating and fro new features, such as playing music or an “experimental” web browser on the first Kindle, for example.
Finally, with Apple iBooks and there is probably something the manufacturers have attempted to transform their reading lights shelves oriented reading. The two main illustrations of these attempts are the Kindle Fire and Kobo Arc HD. Both products are e-readers, but with a – very – wide range of additional features such as web browsing, video playback, installing applications. All this is made possible by the use of a traditional capacitive touch screen is held up an e-ink screen.
products clearly play in the same court by offering similar features and are destined to a public all too similar. The business model is almost equivalent even where there is little or no margin on tablet in catching up on content. So rather than offer you two different tests, we confront here to determine which tablet is doing the best. To read, but not only.
summary forces
First and clarity, it should summarize the technical characteristics of the two tablets. We therefore propose a summary table, probably more digestible a tedious enumeration.
As can be seen, so the shelves are almost identical configuration. We simply note on the paper a small advance for the Kobo Arc and is slightly faster processor. What makes him probably lose an hour of self-announced. We will return.
notes that neither tablet only supports micro-SD cards to expand storage capacity. In terms of connectivity, the presence of a Micro-HDMI output on Fire HD may be an advantage in some situations. Both tablets are supplied in Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” largely customized with Amazon, we’ll see.
Design / Design / size
White or black, it must choose. Amazon offers a fairly simple black tablet with black trim and a black Soft Touch coating also at the rear. All is well and is well finished. Kobo chose white borders plastic narrower than the Kindle Fire HD, the rear is also “Soft Touch” gray this time.
This is a matter of taste, but the Kindle and glass edges are a little more “premium” than the Kobo, and seems more a bit more polished. A drop of Kobo revealed that the plastic was slightly separating from the rest of the tablet. It was enough to “reclispser” all for it comes around, but it highlighted a certain fragility. point back here to Amazon.
In terms of space the choice is more difficult, the Kobo is a little thicker (11.5 against 10.3 mm), but is however less, its total area up to 226.80 cm2 so that it takes 264.41 cm2 at Amazon. The Kobo is also 29 grams lighter than the Fire HD. point goes Kobo for the size and especially for its lightness, despite its slightly greater thickness.
Screen
difficult to separate the two devices on the screen. They offer the same definition, the same diagonal and the same technology. To the eye, the brightness is equivalent. However the level of color rendition and including white you get to meet a difference. The Kindle takes a bit to yellow and red to Kobo. This is less pronounced on the Kindle with white are a little better, Amazon points .
Performance and use
start with the Benchmarks. Under Antutu (only benchmark available on both devices) Kindle comes up behind the arc with respective mean scores of 6083 and 10780. The slate comes Kobo so far ahead.
NB: The average score was established by performing three tests then weighted by default. Antutu is version 2.4.2 on Fire HD, with 3.3 on the Kobo.
movie playback, the tablet Jeff Bezos plays the movies 720p smoothly, 1080p saccadera. The Kobo suffers from the same problems, but it is less marked on the Full HD movies. In practice this will have little effect, since the screen is anyway 1280 x 800 pixels. The only real problem is for those who want to read files on its Full HD TV through its Micro HDMI Kindle.
No problem 720p
More troublesome, the tablet from Amazon sometimes suffers from stutters in the web browser on the home page of JDG for example, where the Kobo display any fluidity. point is attributed to Kobo.
Regarding autonomy, Kobo announced 10 hours in reading, Amazon 11am. Once in hand the difference is not significant when we subjected the same things both slates were able to absorb the impact without problem they are on an equal footing .
Photo / Video
Both manufacturers have not seen fit to include a sensor in the back of their devices, he’ll have to settle with a front camera for video conferencing. They offer the same features (movie in 720p and 1.3 mpx) for an almost equivalent result, with perhaps a slight advantage for Kobo and bright colors. Here are two pictures to judge.
Fire HD
Kobo Arc
OS
This is where the differences are most notable. Amazon, with its bloated catalog, considering the tablet as a machine to purchase content in its store, wanted to get rid as much as possible as Google. So much so that no longer recognizes any of Android. By browsing through the settings and try to learn more about the OS does not even mention Android and even less version. Digging a bit in Antutu we finally realize that the thing runs on Ice Cream Sandwich, version 4.0.3.
Under these conditions, do not bother looking for a Google Play, it will settle the Amazon App Shop, much less provided. As we said earlier, we will have not find qu’Antutu a dated version. In the same vein, a lot of applications that have been used to download Google Play are absent. It’s even more annoying when it comes to movies. In France VOD services the merchant does not exist, so you can not rent a movie for example. Fortunately, it is possible to install apps “unsigned” but revert to practicality.
Pastthese considerations, the overlay, finally Amazon OS should we say, is pretty well put together. This lock allows precisely considerably clearer interface. The home page provides access to all content, and recent documents (see the image below). This allows access to the entire contents of a “Tap”.
Kobo imposes a slight overlay, and if we find the services of the brand as the Kobo Store, access to Google Play and all the services of Mountain View are present. It is thus in fact a real Android tablet with 4.0.4 so all the versatility and freedom that entails. Also specify an update to Jelly Bean and supposed to be available from early April, but impossible to get OTA on our model. In terms of this, however, make it more interesting.
Kobo revolves around a system called Tapestry, which is in fact as many folders grouping applications “genres”. Base there is a tapestry “Play”, combining the functions related to books, an “entertainment” where you will find YouTube, music or Rdio, and finally a ‘social’ with Facebook and others.
Tapestries certainly, but also Android
thing is effective and is completed with full access to Android. short, Point Kobo widely.
Liseuses
should obviously address one last point: reading. As we said in the introduction, despite numerous opportunities, the Kindle Fire and Kobo Arc HD tablets are designed to read digital books. In terms of supply, Amazon stays behind with 1.2 million (90 000 in French) works against 3 million announced for Kobo, without information on the number of books in French.
“stores” and the prices are very similar, we just note that the Kobo good idea to introduce a category of free books that will easily find work without paying a dime. At Amazon it will have little chance to find them. In general, the “classics” are easily free through Project Gutenberg.
At the reading application itself, the Kobo Arc offers almost the same options as the Kindle, there are some useful things like the ability to display white text on black (it would be better night, we did not jump in the eyes …) or behind a sepia filter. A little more useful applications continuously calculate the estimated time needed to finish the book or chapter.
Kobo however good idea to leave the option of displaying the book with facing pages, which mimics a real book a little better. It will just read one page at Amazon. In terms of reading comfort, the LCD screens are not ideal and still e-ink screen is preferred. Both slates offer equivalent comfort, weight will slightly disfavor of Amazon’s tablet. Point Kobo .
The facing pages are nicer
Verdict
Final user experience is enjoyable on both tablets. The Kindle certainly has some arguments, including its finish its simple OS. Simple, too simple really. More simplification was a bit like being more face amputation than anything else. She does as advisor to an audience that wants to have a very basic use of the tablet.
Kobo about it is generally more efficient, provides a full Android in a far more open system. So we end up with a real Android tablet to 200 euros. It is this versatility that makes a device of choice for reading, but not only.
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