Assessment of Kobo eBook and Audiobook Application for iOS Devices - iPad and iPhone Use
Zooming in on the Kobo e-reading app for iOS, it's clear to see that this badass app ain't no rookie anymore! The recast home screen gives you full control, offering a personalized playground for your collections and medias. Let's dive deep into the latest features on this badass app, with a thorough video review that leaves no stone unturned.
First off, Kobo for iOS is packed with three essential elements: the home screen, showcasing recently-added or downloaded ebooks and audiobooks; individual sections for ebooks and audiobooks; and the ability to create custom collections that light up the home screen. Fun fact, underneath the cover art for each book, the percentage read is presented for your perusal.
The Books section is the epicenter of your library, featuring all downloadable titles from the Kobo Cloud, which, bonus points, includes samples. Need to declutter? Ditch unwanted books with a single swipe, and voilà! They're gone, resurrectable once re-downloaded. Each purchased title gets saved to the cloud – how's that for convenience?
Switching gears, when you're engrossed in an ebook, you can embrace the portrait or landscape mode. Creature comforts like font size adjustment and selection of font types are at your fingertips. A myriad of background options are available to simulate the authentic paper feel. My personal favorite? The sepia tones – reminiscent of an old-school library.
Unfortunately, the iOS app seems to lag behind its brethren devices when it comes to reading options. Customization is limited, with no sideloading of fonts or adjustments to line spacing or margins. However, indecipherable words are a mere press-and-hold away from resolution with the pre-installed dictionary. Pop a pin on specific words, highlight them using a variety of hues, scribe notes, and bookmark your favorite pages – all with nary a hitch.
New on the scene, the audiobook player has been wowing users with options galore! Alongside playback options, the cover art is displayed, followed by the play button and forward/backward skipping options. Adjust the playback speed to suit your rhythm, whether you're keen on speed-reading or prefer a slower, relaxed cadence. Lounging in bed? Enable sleep mode to turn off playback automatically after a set duration, from 15 minutes to an hour, or simply at the chapter's end.
To address any audiobook issues, such as technical glitches, there's a handy-dandy report function to alert Kobo of the problem.
Other minor app components? You can browse books by series or collections, manually delete titles, and revel in reading stats like the number of page turns, reading minutes, and other miscellany such as "pages per hour" or "total hours read." Media consumption is broken down per genre, like magazines and newspapers.
The app sports themes, accessibly found in the settings menu. Re-design the entire app with an instant preview feature before applying. And hey, don't forget about Superpoints – a reward system tied to your account. Earn Superpoints every time you purchase an audiobook or ebook, which can later be redeemed for discounts on future purchases.
Lastly, Kobo's app lacks the ability to browse their store or make in-app purchases. The reasoning? Ebooks are a low-margin business, and Apple's 30% cut from in-app transactions may leave Kobo in the red. Consequently, the app only displays books you've already bought from Kobo and have downloaded. Make purchases using the Kobo.com website or opt for their stellar E-Ink devices, like the Kobo Aura One or Kobo H2O Edition 2.
Michael Kozlowski, our fearless leader at Good e-Reader, has led the charge on audiobooks and e-readers for the past 15 years. His journalism has graced the pages of heavy hitters like the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post, and the New York Times, all while residing in rain-drenched Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Amidst the array of gadgets such as smartphones, Kobo's e-reader app for iOS stands as an impressive companion for book lovers, offering features that keep it competitive with technology's latest trends.
- As the number of e-ink e-readers dwindles, the Kobo app for iOS strikes a balance between traditional reading on paper and modern technology, making it a prime choice for those who appreciate both worlds.
