kobo Mini Pro Reviews

The Kobo Mini’s strength is not its low price - the basic, touchless Kindle is only £9 more and has a larger display - but its size. It’s perhaps a niche product: one for folk who want an easily pocketable e-reader they can keep with them at all times, though they’ll probably use a phone instead. But it’s particularly apt for kids and if you want the e-reader you take to the beach to be a little more discreet.

The Kobo Mini is one of those devices that people are curious to check out when they see it for the first time. "What's that?" they usually ask. When you tell them it's a smaller e-reader, like a sort of "Kindle Mini," they like to hold it their hands, try putting it in a pocket, and maybe read a few pages on it. Most are surprised that it's as usable as it is, but they come away not totally sure how much they like it. Those who have a larger smartphone, such as a Samsung Galaxy S3, are quicker to dismiss it; "My phone screen is almost as big as that screen," is a typical refrain. I personally don't feel too strongly one way or another about it. I like the small size but I wish it were a bit smaller -- or a bit cheaper ($79 is pretty cheap, but in some ways this feels like a $59 device). But I'm speaking from the standpoint of choice. Here in the U.S. you can pick up the latest entry-level Kindle for $69 or the Nook Simple Touch for $79. The Kindle Paperwhite and Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, which feature integrated lights, will cost you $40 more. I suppose elsewhere in the world where there's less choice -- Kobo has a big international presence -- if you were looking for a modestly priced, very compact e-reader with a touch screen, the Mini would seem more compelling. As it stands, though, it's a likable product that's a bit of an in-betweener -- too small for some and not quite small enough for others.

The $80 Kobo Mini comes with a budget price tag yet doesn’t come off as cheap. Yes, to get to that price point there are sacrifices in quality — you won’t get the crispest screen or the fastest performance. But this is not a crappy dollar store eReader, it’s a good option for consumers whose primary concern is price or who don’t want to spend too much on something for a child who may not treat it as well as they should.

Kobo's got an interesting little product on its hands with the Mini. The hardware isn't especially striking, but it's tough to get too down on a $79 device for looking a bit bland. Plus, Kobo's minimalistic software works is well-suited to a device this small. Amazon is still offering a $69 device in the fourth-generation Kindle, but there are sacrifices to be made there, including advertising in the form of Special Offers and, more importantly, a lack of either a touchscreen or physical keyboard. The question we keep coming back to, then, is precisely who is this device for? Frequent travelers? Those who like to travel light? People who just don't want to shell out $100-plus for a new reader? We doubt many people are looking for a second, more portable device to supplement their primary, 6-inch reader -- and if they were, they would already have to own a Kobo device or have downloaded Kobo's app to make use of the company's syncing technology. If, however, you're looking for a small, light device to stick in your pocket, the Kobo Mini is a perfectly fine (and inexpensive) option.

The screen can't match the Kindle's, and the price isn't that

With its 5-inch touch screen, the Kobo Mini caters to an underserved market: Those who want a tiny, dedicated ebook reader. Unfortunately, it also underperforms.

A small, versatile, customisable and highly portable e-reader that can be held in one hand, the Kobo Mini features a user experience identical to other efforts from the brand, though a slower processor, low-res screen and the need for a computer make this a relatively limited effort. With a screen only just bigger than a passport, the affordable Kobo Mini makes for a great occasional e-reader on long or frequent trips. If you want a punchier ereader then you should consider the Kobo Arc and Kobo Glo, while its biggest competitors are the Amazon Kindle Touch, Kindle Paperwhite and Nook Simple Touch.