Libra 2 Discontinued

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

Also "still listed" is not correct.
Yes, you can still find the Libra 2 in the kobo store by using the search function, as you can find many other older devices. But it is currently not listed on the overview page anymore.

As I said in my post, at the time of my post it was still listed on the Kobo US website. I have no idea about other countries. At this moment it is still listed on the front page of the US Kobo website - no searching is necesaary.

It may or may not be there tomorrow, it may or may not have been there last week, but at this moment it is there and shows a price of $189.99.

[kyôdai]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think it is discontinued (per Reddit posts) but it is still linked on the front page of Kobo's U.S. site. (Bottom, right corner.) And, if you click "View All" there, it's still in the list.

This seems to be a different website. ("Kobo.com")

That website does not sell e-readers apparently. Everytime you click on any of them, you are redirected to "kobobooks.com", which is the website I (and most others here, I think) have been talking about in this thread so far and which does not list the Libra 2 anymore, regardless of what region.

But sure, so you can still find the Libra 2 easily on "kobo.com". I think, the Point is, that Kobo has clearly started to remove the device from "some" of their websites then.

By the way, "Kobo.com" also still lists the Kobo Forma and Aura One, which have been EOL for a while now, so there is that...

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

This seems to be a different website. ("Kobo.com")

That website does not sell e-readers apparently. Everytime you click on any of them, you are redirected to "kobobooks.com", which is the website I (and most others here, I think) have been talking about in this thread so far and which does not list the Libra 2 anymore, regardless of what region.

If you type kobobooks.com you're redirected to kobo.com and you still see the Libra 2 listed. It looks like kobo.com is the "landing" page. Once you click anything on that page it goes to kobobooks.com/something-more. I don't think it makes a difference how you get there, you're still looking at the same pages. (Not sure why they set it up that way, but it seems to be consistent.)

[kyôdai]

Originally Posted by rcentros

If you type kobobooks.com you're redirected to kobo.com and you still see the Libra 2 listed. It looks like kobo.com is the "landing" page. Once you click anything on that page it goes to kobobooks.com/something-more. I don't think it makes a difference how you get there, you're still looking at the same pages. (Not sure why they set it up that way, but it seems to be consistent.)

This is the website we are talking about:

-> https://us.kobobooks.com/ (and any of its regional sister sites)

Here is where you can actually buy e-readers from Kobo directly and where the Lilbra 2 is not being listed anymore (on the homepage or under "e-readers").

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

This is the website we are talking about:

-> https://us.kobobooks.com/ (and any of its regional sister sites)

Here is where you can actually buy e-readers from Kobo directly and where the Lilbra 2 is not being listed anymore (on the homepage or under "e-readers").

So it's us.kobobooks.com. I didn't even know this one existed. If this is the new Kobo website, I'm surprised typing in kobo.com doesn't redirect to it. This is the first time I've seen this site.

EDIT: If you click books on this site it goes back to kobo.com, if you click eReaders there, it goes back to kobobooks.com. Seems kind of circular and convoluted.

[dhume01]

Looks like Blue Proton is selling them new through Amazon for $200

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by dhume01

Looks like Blue Proton is selling them new through Amazon for $200

Could be what remaining stock they have. But it is not good that they raised the price since it's now discontinued.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Could be what remaining stock they have. But it is not good that they raised the price since it's now discontinued.

When you look at "Where to buy" in the U.S. on Kobo's website, it's either directly from Kobo, or Amazon (Blue Proton), Walmart (Blue Proton) or Blue Proton (directly). You can even go to eBay and find "open box" and used Libra 2s (also sold by Blue Proton for $200). Somehow Blue Proton went from being one the companies (besides Kobo) selling Kobos in the U.S. to the only company selling Kobos in the U.S.

[Cedros]

I went to the nearest Chapters store over a week ago and bought a Kobo Libra 2 in white while they were still available. Almost changed my mind a few days later and returned it for a Libra Colour, but discussions on this forum, and images comparing the Libra Colour screen with the Libra 2 screen made me nervous that the Libra Colour might not be optimal for reading. Thanks, everyone, who took the time to do that!

I can understand the appeal of colour for readers of Manga and comics and illustrated material on the new colour Kobos. But for me, a good crisp screen is what matters.

I too can't fathom why Kobo would discontinue the Libra 2 and not replace it with a similar e-reader. Perhaps they need to reach sales targets with the new Libra colour?

[DNSB]

One friend of mine who was looking at my Libra Colour but decided he wanted the Libra 2 picked it up at the the Indigo store at Metrotown which showed a couple of black Libra 2's in stock. After he picked his up on Saturday, their website says that store has one black left which seems to be the last in this area. If you want it in white, there's about a dozen scattered around various stores.

[readthinksurvive]

wow .. apparently its' true!
no more ); the future is color...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by readthinksurvive

wow .. apparently its' true!
no more ); the future is color...

If color is the future, then it's the end of eInk.

[Penny]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If color is the future, then it's the end of eInk.

Maybe for luddites, color is the doomsday prophecy that spells the end of eInk. Kaleido is to Carta what cars were to bicycles. Bicycles haven't seen significant innovations in centuries; while they still get you where you need to go, they become more outdated each year. Similarly, eInk technology has seen minimal improvements between the Carta 1200 and 1300 series. The release of Kaleido color should have accompanied the Libra 2, considering the technology was already available in 2021.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Penny

Maybe for luddites, color is the doomsday prophecy that spells the end of eInk. Kaleido is to Carta what cars were to bicycles.

Rubbish. Kaleido is a downgraded bicycle. Adds poor colour and degrades the monochrome (Black & white) disastrously. OTOH colour doesn't make LCD any worse, only better.

ACeP is hugely better electronic paper color, but's not traditional eink and is ten times slower than regular eink, which is 100 times slower than LCD/OLED/CRT. It's still poor colour compared to LCD or QLED or OLED with a matt face plate.

Unless there is a new technology, there is no future for color eink. It's a gimmick and not even new. Over 3 years old in actual retail products. It's really only of value for comics and similar on 10″ or larger screens. Abysmal for either regular novels or real illustrated books.

Also read about what the original Luddites were about. They were against greed, not technology.

[Pjama]

"No future for color eink" - that is very funny. My Kobo Libra Colour is actually really nice! Not only of value for comics etc. My opinion is based on reading on it four hours every day for the past month plus. Reading novels (8 Patricia Highsmiths and others), DK illustrated encyclopedias, Asterix books (bliss for me on this device) doing puzzles, everything.

I don't even know why I'm posting this - but the way people speak on here, as if their opinion (and that is all it is) is the one and only holy gospel. I love my new color e-ink device - clearly I am exceptionally stupid.

Anyhoo - I will be selling my Libra 2 and Clara 2E as neither are needed by me any longer. My opinion is different from your opinion. But obviously you will think your opinion is the only one that matters!