I held off getting the Kindle ColorSoft to wait for the reviews. I m one of those people who highlight a lot and I think the Kobo will be best for me. Great video, thank you. Good luck with your channel.
@@eileens_behindthescenes Do you use Readwise? I'm thinking of buying a Kobo but am worried about losing all the annotations and highlights - apparently they don't back up and you can lose them if you restart or log out. Plus when you check in a library book apparently they go away? Just wondering if Readwise works well for annotations / Kobo Libra Colour, I haven't found much information about it
100% agree. I panicked a little thinking that I jumped on the kobo colour too quickly and that maybe the kindle colorsoft would be better but nahh. the big price difference + size difference made me realize that I made the right choice! Plus not having to pay extra for no ads (wtf is that about amazon?)
@@ASliceOfPakwanI held out on the kobo Libra colour for Amazon’s coloured kindle. Felt the price was a bit high for the colorsoft but pre-ordered it anyway. Then my order got back ordered and I cancelled and got the kobo libra colour. I’m happy with it. I shouldn’t have waited.
My old DS Lite has gotten a yellowing on the top of the lower screen and while it doesn't bother me I would never accept it on a new device. If there's a yellowing when it's new then just imagine what it'll be in a few years. Yuck! it's also very noticeable with white images and books are like 80% white.
Thanks for sharing your insight. I too will be returning my Colorsoft. I also tried two 2024 Paperwhite and all had splotchy yellowish gradients. Going back to my perfect Paperwhite 11 which has been a faithful companion. Maybe in a year when they get the kinks worked out I’ll reconsider.
@ same here. There was a moment I was able to compare the Paperwhite 11 with the 12 and the Colorsoft and the 11 wins hands down. It sounds corny but I almost felt bad leaving it behind.
Also the kobo, when you press the button to rest mode it will show the book cover THAT YOU ARE READING for a second and then dim down, its a very nice touch
I have a Kobo Libra 2, the predecessor your colour version, and the 2021 Paperwhite. I prefer the Kobo because of the buttons, also it allows me to read articles I've saved to the Pocket app from other devices. Finally, to adjust the brightness I simply slide my finger along the left side of the screen. No having to go to settings. Those three pluses swing it for me.
I just found your channel, the algorithm sent me to you. I returned my colorsoft, for the same reason. I tried to get past the yellow blur at the bottom, but it felt like a coffee stain on a brand new $300 (after tax) device. I do plan to repurchase the colorsoft once they get their issues fixed. I don’t annotate or highlight my books. Once I’ve read them, I don’t usually go back to them. It’s such a let down. I’m glad I still have my old 6 year old paperwhite to fall back on.
@@chickie3376 I’m glad to see you here! Tbh I love my paper white and I think they’re very reliable. You’re super valid for retuning the color soft, hopefully they’ll fix it soon!
I revisit books all the time but I also don't highlight or annotate. And I turn off that crazy feature that shows what other people have been highlighting. Who cares? I'm my own person. And also, you are collecting and displaying what people are highlighting? That's an invasion of privacy.
Color EReaders are really for specific use cases, if you read graphic novels, manga, comic books, kids books and very dependent on color highlighting, etc. then the color EReaders are a positive/enjoyable experience but if you only read books that are text heavy (and do NOT highlight passages) then color might be a luxury or a trend setter item but not a necessity.
The problem is that the size of this kindle is only good for manga and similar sized graphic novels. I would love a coloe eink reader for BD but this is too small to read a page comfortably.
I just got my Kobo Libra Colour today and I LOVE IT!! I’ve also been a long time Paperwhite user… I’ll likely continue to use it to read the books I have that are stuck on there, but moving forward - Kobo is King 👑 Also, thanks to the algo for helping me find your channel. Excellent video, super chill and genuine.
Hi! I just want to say that the is a GREAT video! I love the detail you shared and your reasons for returning the new Kindle. I did reach out to Amazon support and asked them about the yellow bar at the bottom of the screen, and they said it will be a firmware update that should fix this, releasing in the next two-ish weeks. Just wanted to share with anyone who is making a decision based on this, that Amazon is working on making this fix, and fast!
Shoutout from Brazil. Great review. The kindle color is not officially available in Brazil yet. Probably in the beginning of next year. But this review really helped me to decide if I want to swap from my old paperwhite or not. Thanks!
The fact that the sleep button on the kobo is in the back is great because it's impossible for it to go to sleep accidentally like on the Kindle. Also, the kobo and its pen are available in black and white and made out of recycled materials which is amazing
@@fatine7290 yes! I love the button placement! And that’s really cool of them. I do think the kindles are somehow made out of recycled something as well but 🤷♀️
I love my kobo libra colour, my favourite kindle was the oasis which was discontinued. I like the kobo’s interface better, the colour looks great, the library and google drive integration is fantastic. The contrast can be turned up actually! You just have to turn on developer mode. Kindle Colorsoft isn’t available in Canada until 2025, but seeing these reviews actually makes me glad I went with Kobo when it first came out
Greetings from Russia! I was just thinking about whether to change my old Kindle paperwhite to a new color one or take the onyx book. Thanks to your video, I'll probably choose the second one. Thank you very much, you are very sweet!❤
I am so glad I waited for the reviews I was really considering buying this but first of all the price was a bit high for my liking and now seeing that there are a lot of problems with it I am glad I waited. Thank you for your video it is very helpful. I will check out more of your videos right now.
Thanks for this review and Kobo overview-- I was not aware of this brand. I had (still have it, but it's semi retired) the Kindle generation 3 which had a full tactile keyboard and page turn buttons on either side. I loved that kindle so much. I usually use the paperwhite now because I want to protect my gen 3 from the world. I would love to have buttons back on paperwhite, but buttons would keep it from being waterproof, I imagine.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been following the Colorsoft since its announcement - and the controversy / issues with the yellow banding. I’m still rocking the Paperwhite 10th gen (with ads lol) and will likely stick with it, at least for now. I’m hoping they will eventually move to a dual screen fold or single panel folding screen color design - would immediately pick one of those up. Great video!! So glad yours showed up when I was searching :)
Nice review/comparison. :) When you're considering the stylus, keep in mind that you don't have to go with the official Kobo stylus. The Kobo Libra Colour is compatible with Microsoft Surface styluses. I have a Metapen M1 (about $25 on Amazon) and it works fine. The Colorsoft is definitely more saturated, but in the comparison pictures I've seen, you lose some detail in the darkness, so I think it's largely a matter of taste. I got the Kobo Libra Colour because of the pen support. I just think Amazon is asking a lot for a device that isn't even pen-enabled. As you were saying, it's more comparable to the Clara Colour.
@@BrianHartman yeah! I was a little scared to recommend the off brand pen just bc I haven’t used it, but u like that there’s options out there and I’m glad it works for you. Personally I find the KLC to be good enough for the color like you said. Thank you for the comment :)
I’m in Australia and the Colorsoft is not available yet here, I’m glad in a way that we in other countries are getting these honest reviews months before we have to make a decision. Thank you for your thoughts!
I'm from India and currently amazon isn't selling any kindles. They'll soon be selling these new kindles. Meanwhile Kobo is available on Amazon. I ended up buying the Clara BW for ₹14,999 (177 USD) and my friend bought Clara Colour for ₹16,999( 201 USD) When we compared both, Clara colour just isn't worth it. For some reason, the page flipping speed is slower and colour is also washed out. In zero brightness, the Clara colour just becomes dark whereas Clara BW is very much readable and looks like a real paper. KOBO is also selling Libra Colour for ₹19,999( 237 USD) but Kobo isn't selling the stylus in India so it doesn't seem value for money. 7 inch screen with 32GB storage but rest is same as Clara Overall I'm happy with my purchase. My friend retuened his colour and bought bw version.
ah very interesting! im glad the kobo bw worked out for you, i did hear the color clara was less good but its also a lot cheaper compared to the kindle so i give it some more grace
Hey, I'm Indian and was waiting for the new kindles to be available but also thinking of getting a kobo. How useful is it & is the contrast really not good? The contrast matters a lot to me because I'm photosensitive .
@ATinyWarrior the kindles will eventually come. Kobo is good but the new kindle paperwhite has a larger screen and is apparently faster when it comes to page turning. Sideloading is much easier in Kobo but if you already have a library of books bought from Amazon then you should wait
Scribe user here. (Previously all Kindles back to the original keyboard one, including the Voyage and the Oasis.) Been looking around for a color device for certain things, but not as my main device due to the darker screens and lower contrast of all devices with an added color layer. That said, in the color market I‘d wager to say you might like the Pocket Book Ink Pad Color 3 a lot. I‘ve seen it compared directly with your Kobo, and it impressed me a lot more. As for the color banding, other reviewers are also mentioning it, but not all are afflicted by it.
can you make comparison between kindle oasis 2 and the new paperwhite 12gen? Thinking about upgrading my kindle oasis 2(2017), not sure is it big of a difference.
Ah cool! I’ll look into that for sure :) and yeah I wasn’t sure if all of them were affected but I know a decent number of them were according to the reviews
@@Jawenw3HLI can answer your question. I have had nearly every Kindle model since they first came out, except for the Voyage and the Scribe. I have 2 of the Oasis models (one with the warm model and one without.) I love both of my Oases, but I bought the Paperwhite Signature edition just to see what improvements had been made. I found the contrast to be better and the page turns, etc. faster. The battery also seems to be lasting longer. I do like the USB C charging and the wireless charging. It also weighs slightly less than the Oasis. It does not have the metal body of the Oasis, the glass screen, the page turn buttons, or the autorotation of the Oasis. I will continue to use my Oases until the batteries die but the Paperwhite Signature model is a worthy successor and Amazon will sell more of them than an improved Oasis because of the purchase price. I believe that the regular Paperwhite shares most of the same features as the Signature Edition (better contrast, faster, USB C charging) but comes with less memory. I have over 2,000 books (regular and audible) so I wanted the extra memory.
New subscriber here. While I would like to see my book covers in color and being able to use different highlighting colors I don’t read comics, graphic novels, or manga. The Colorsoft was just not worth the extra money especially since the Paperwhite Signature has basically the same features without color for $100 less. The yellow bar or banding issue will be fixed by Amazon since a ton of them are being returned because of that problem. Amazon had the same problem with a splotchy screen years ago. They underplayed the issue for a while but eventually fixed it by increasing and rearranging the LED’s.
I tried the Kobo Libra Color and a whole bunch of other color units. None of them hold a candle to the Kindle Oasis and / or the Kindle ecosystem. The button action on the Kobo Libra Color was just kinda mushy and a little inconsistent. It was a tempting unit to keep, for sure, but it wasn't as bright as the Oasis, either. Also, t's just much nicer and easier to get books on Amazon and sync with your Kindle. Also, as I recall, Kobo Kindle app doesn't work with Kindle Unlimited. Getting books on a Kobo is not straightforward. I'm actually surprised anyone wants to deal with the extra step or two. In the end, I've all of them back. Still waiting for a true Oasis in Color.
Oh interesting, i should try the kindle oasis soon! But I personally really like the KLC’s buttons and I use the kobo store and can put any downloaded books on very fast. But to each their own, and an oasis color would make so much sense and I hope they make it soon!
@@eileens_behindthescenes Good luck finding one! If you live outside the U.S. you can get one for a very cheap $135, but not shipping to U.S. addresses. I don't know why. And, yeah, if you're using books from everywhere, then the Kobo is a solid choice, for sure. I tried the KLC and liked it, but the screen was too dark and unsharp for me, personally, plus the mushy buttons.
I'm a big reader of comic books and manga, so really wanted the color to be awesome. When you're paying $300 (with tax) for an eReader you expect it to be PERFECT. That is such a premium price point and then I got the yellow band issue at the bottom + realized the colors are really washed out and dull. Also the page turns are not as fast as the 12th gen paperwhite even when only reading black and white pages. You can't ask the premium price when there's this many drawbacks and that's why I returned mine. Also the pages are all grainy and 'fuzzy' looking due to the screen technology. It's just a defective and half baked product release that needed more time, maybe they rushed it due to Kobo competition?
sorry to hear! maybe an ipad mini would be good for you or a fire kindle tablet, something with a vibrant screen. i agree the price is wild! i think the kobo has been out for awhile though so idk what the rush was, maybe the holiday season.
What a wonderful review. Thank you. I will def hold off purchasing the Colorsoft. Another thing I don't like about it is the size. While I prefer this normal Kindle size for reading books, with color I would prefer something a little larger format. Some of the French/Belgian Bandes Dessinées I read are much larger format, so the Colorsoft's small size would mean that the lettering would be tiny. Again, thanks!
That's the reason you don't buy tech as soon as it comes out. Statistically it's imposible to catch every qualitu issue until it gets mass produced. Better wait six months give or take.
I’m currently using the Kindle Oasis and it also has the two buttons on the side, which I enjoy using. I also still have the very first original Kindle and it comes with a ON/OFF sliding switch on the back of the unit, where it can’t be accidentally activated. It seems like they are taking away key features that Kindle users have appreciated in newer models.
@@0rl weird… 👀 I mean I get that designs will come and go but I do think listening to consumers is pretty important or at least having the option for page turn buttons in a flagship model
@@redhed515 thank you for watching! I def get it, I really liked parts of it like the contrast and the yellow banding wasn’t too bad on my model. All personal preference!
Same. For now I'm opting to keep my Colorsoft. I have the yellow on the bottom too, but it isn't tooooo obnoxious. If they can make it better with a software update I'll be content. If not, I'll probably end up returning it. I'll give them a little time to see about this supposed software fix they have planned for what I hear is a hardware issue due to the adhesive they used.
You can get software called Calibre which allows you to download your kindle library and then transfer to a kobo. I know it works with Windows and they’re maybe a Mac version. I know this means you have to have access to a computer and I know not everyone does. I used it with my laptop. The website has a great video tutorial too. Hope it can help you.
Oh how I dislike that button placement at the bottom. I constantly shut it off when reading laying down. I'm so tempted once they fix the yellow to get the colorsoft. I'm guessing in black and white mode it is the same as the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition right?
Yeah getting case a case should fix the button problem! But I used to find it really annoying when i didnt have a case. I believe the black and white is very similar to the paper white, although some of the reviews say it looks darker and more grainy, but to me I didn’t see a huge difference.
I really hope Kobo are able to increase the contrast on their next colour model and make it less clunky. I really want one, but these are deal breakers for me. Plus I already have a decent amount of free stuff your kindle day books on my kindle app
I agree I did not buy the Kindle ColorSoft and I was seriously considering it. I do love the ergonomics of the Kobo Color Libra the page turning buttons and the stylus.
same here, I'm in love with the colour libra and the page turn buttons alone :( sadly I have a lot of books on my Kindle so can't really make the move 😢
@@gabriellaarchiveyou can move them over with calibre. There are loads of tutorials on here on how to do it. I have over 1k books on my kindle and I’m starting to convert them because I plan to get a kobo on Black Friday. It is time consuming but, for me, it’ll be worth it.
With another Kindle Colorsoft review, I've heard that Amazon is aware of the bottom yellow banding and they're addressing it now. Something about that they've delayed new shipments of more units until after Thanksgiving (and that the fix is at least a software update). I don't know if eventually it's a fix that could be a software upgrade: maybe contacting customer support, and see if it's a software upgrade or an exchange return. I currently have a Kindle Oasis, and I love the form factor. From what I can see, it's also nicer to hold than the Kobo (IE there's more of a palm handle and feels more premium). The main items I'd like upgraded for it is USB-C and option for wireless charging. If Amazon had made it more premium and made it the Oasis form factor, I think it would be a real hit (as if the yellow band is fixed, I have seen many impressions that it has nice E-Ink color).
I'm hoping they do fix the colorsoft! It's a good device, but personally I wanted both buttons and color, and atm no kindle offers both. But, i'm glad you enjoy your oasis, i've heard good things about them!
@@eileens_behindthescenes Yeah, the only real thing I don't like about the Oasis is its micro-USB port---it's a pain to try to get the cord in there! But the nice shape of it: you can hold it with one hand for hours. Since I mainly just read with an e-reader, I don't really need a color one. My family usually gives me Amazon gift cards for the holidays, so I may try getting a color E-Ink. Perhaps going with a Boox E-Ink tablet (that would be bigger for comics, recipe books, art books). Currently with those, I use Amazon Kindle on iPad.
Several years ago I upgraded from a Kindle to Oasis to be able to have color tint (at the time it was the only Kindle model that did it). The premium form factor with buttons was also nice. I'm like you in that now that I'm used to buttons, I don't want to go back! I really just read books with it: the main thing that's outdated is the micro-USB port. It's so cumbersome to get plugged! My family tends to give me Amazon gift cards over the holiday. I may try getting a Boox E-Ink tablet (they also have a stylus and buttons with a large screen for comics/art books). Though now I load my art books and cooking books through Amazon app on iPad (we have first world problems 😄).
I'm from Brazil and here we can only continue with the Kindle, as I wanted to buy a Kobo libra color, but the taxes are very high, double the price. It's not worth importing. Unfortunately . Years ago a bookstore had a partnership with Kobo and I got a KoboGlo and it was perfect. The Kindle is losing a lot by abandoning the buttons, my current device is an oasis and I'm sad because I don't know what it will be like when it dies. No other company besides Amazon currently sells e-readers in Brazil.
aw man i didn't realize that, even through amazon you can't buy a kobo? i know it can be frustrating but at the end of the day its more about the reading and less about the device, so hopefully the oasis keeps kicking for you!
I told my husband I wanted the kindle color soft for Christmas, but after watching a ton of reviews that stain will bother me too. Tablets don't even do that, so I told him nevermind. I also think they will come up with better models in the future. I like the scribe, so hopefully they come up with something like the scribe but in color.
Kobo also has a neat pinch-to-zoom for the font size, where it does a bit of a magnifier spot where you can see the font size adjust accordingly before finishing the selection and refreshing the whole book.
i was considering trying to get a colorsoft if it goes on sale because i have a 2018 paperwhite & i want the warm light and faster page turning that the 2021 has... but i'm not going to spend that much for just those 2 features. i've never liked that the kobo screen isn't flush, but now i'm looking at them again 👀
i originally didnt like that the kobo screen wasnt flush but i actually like it now bc i feel like it prevents scratches. but also i hear good things about the new kindle paperwhites!
I have used been through several Paperwhites (that I loved) before getting the Oasis in 2018 as well & I gotta say that I’m still super happy & LOVE MY OASIS 🥰 It’s the perfect size, weight, etc. & works great almost 6 years later! Idk what Amazon has been thinking with their kindles the past 5 or so years but there hasn’t been anything I felt the need to replace my Oasis with & in fact, the ones, beside the brand new Scribe maybe, felt like a downgrade 🫤
I’m not sold on the color kindle because it is ten years too late as far as I’m concerned. Once they created the kindle scribe but left it black and white completely turned me off. Now, they create a colored kindle on one end, but then have a scribe without real annotation was assed backwards. Amazon doesn’t deserve the money.
@ plus, on the first scribe, you could not annotate on the actual epub page, but you could on PDF. I hear that now, they have an adjustable screen (a bit better). But it’s still black and white. I like the kobo better, because it’s smaller and you can write in color. I just need to learn how to download EPUB and PDF files into kobo and I’ll be getting it.
As someone in the US the only thing stopping me from getting a kobo color is that I use my public library to check out ebooks and in the US it’s locked for kindle.
I did the same and returned the colorsoft. I’m hesitant about switching to the kobo because I don’t want have to figure out how to transfer all my kindle books.
I know some people will be brand loyal.. but the balls it took Amazon to release a color Kindle for almost $300 when the completely upgraded Kobo Colour is just over $200… And a Clara Colour is $150? Crazy
Thx for your review. I think Kobo Libre is too big for me. Just like Kindle Oasis I don't like the size. I am using Kindle Signature, I am happy with it. But you know, people always want the new thing. I might try the Kobo Clara color.
you think with how much money amazon has, they would take the kobo and be like we have to beat this in every way possible, and then do it and even find a way to make it similar in price. The QC from what I have been reading and what you mentioned has been a disaster. Does the kobo feel cheaply made? I have books on kobo from bundle buys and might just get that one to easily read them instead of using calibre and go through that process.
Yeah I agree, they’re just banking off of being Amazon imo. I don’t think the kobo was cheaply made. Is it the absolute highest quality machine ever? No, but it feels sturdy enough to withstand a good life and the features of it being waterproof and having a very responsive touch screen and color help.
Their mentality is: we're going to make the cheapest thing possible but keeping the same slow user unfriendly software we started with, encompassed in cheap plastic, take out truly useful things like buttons to keep cost down...and people will still buy it. Amazon is so popular that it's just the automated choice for a lot of people. Monopoly stifles competition and real development.
It would behoove those to remember that the B&W versions have far-superior PPI. At least twice that of the colour models. Why bother when you can get a full-colour tablet that has full high-quality colour for the same price?
I really believe that this is just a first generation of the Kindle in color. I will wait for the next generation to see what is going to be happened. Meanwhile I will continue to read my books and KindlePaperwhite.
It can work well for some people, but I get distracted easily and will end up using TikTok instead of reading on my phone or playing Tetris on my iPad instead of reading I like having a separate device for reading to stop myself from getting distracted by such things
Just fyi, I think the links in your description to the products got a little mixed up! I was going to check out the price of the Kobo reader but the links all redirect to the Colorsoft haha
Used my kindle paperwhite since 2015 in bed, the bath, the train, cafes etc - don't recall ever turning it off by mistake via the button at the bottom - even whilst I'm sprawled out on my bed with it. Definitely a you problem 😵
I returned my new 2024 Signature Paperwhite because I just didn't feel that the 'upgrades' were worthy of spending the money and sacrificing my existing Signature Paperwhite (last edit.) and Kindle Oasis as trade-ins. Amazon: NO!
@eileens_behindthescenes It's become my go to digital notebook. It has a Kindle app, but it's fairly easy to upload your own books and PDFs. I'm a PhD candidate, so having my notebooks and readings on one device that I can throw in my bag is handy. For color/backlight, I know Boox has a number of color options, but they are very pricey. The downsides are that it doesn't have physical buttons besides the power button and it doesn't have a backlight. But the writing experience is incredible, especially with their ceramic tip styluses. A cheap book light is fine for late night reading. Since supernote focused on the writing experience, having a backlight would compromise the writing experience, according to the Supernote people.
I love the fact about colour screen and pen, but I still have my kindle Oaisis wich it’s perfectly fine and doesn’t feel that old and also has physical buttons. So the colour screen e-reader will be an option when my current kindle starts breaking and feeling old. Thanks for a really good review 😉
I got the Paper-white 11 and I do like it I was trying to get the Oasis but I couldn't find it at the time, then other site that were selling it was overpriced for me so got the green paper-white lol I really wanted a big screen and buttons so I might consider the kobo or anything else like it with the buttons 😅
This is in no way the flagship model. If anything that is the paperwhite signature. The Voyager I think was the best kindle and should bring that back!
Personally, I am not into coloured e ink screens. I prefer the Paperwhite and OCCASIONALLY read books with colour (graphic novels or manga/webtoon) on my iPad. The iPad screen is obviously better than any e ink screen. Most (99.9%) of the books I read are text only anyways, so lack of colour isn't a con.
A Kindle is not supposed to hurt your eyes rather than be addicting….which still is…to me at least. 😄 And I’ve been waiting ages for a Kindle with a color screen to read my mangas and see the book covers properly, so I’ll definitely get myself one as soon as it’s available again - right now it’s sold out and is expected back in stock “within 5-7 weeks” (hopefully with the yellow banding issue solved). And I’m not a fan of Kindle Unlimited either, but for another reason - if you unsubscribe from Kindle Unlimited, all the books you got through it will vanish….they’re not really yours. I prefer to “own” the books, so I prefer to pay for each one.
I got the kobo color libra when it came out bc I knew even if amazon released a color eReader soon in the future, it wouldn't allow us to annotate directly on the page. They did make it so u can basically write in a text box on the scribe but it's not the same for me 😂
Super helplfull video :) I still have and use my Kindle 4th Gen and it has 5 buttons, I just wish Amazon Kindle would bring that form factor back but update it to some newer features like a backlit display, not make it a touch screen, and keep the page-turning buttons then I would totally upgrade my device.
Great review! I have had the Oasis for 5 or so years now and I love it as much as day 1 so it’ll take a lot for me to upgrade especially considering I have an iPad Pro and listen to mostly audiobooks now 😅 ❓Question: what is that mm graphic novel you’re reading around 2:16 ?? I’m in the market for some smutty mm graphic novels❣️
Thank you! It’s heartstopper, there’s not really any smut I think maybe until book 3. A lot of fluff tho!! They’re very cute I recommend, there’s a Netflix show also
I don’t know if this is the case but I’m wondering if kindles attempt to make a colour e-reader is actually pushing more people towards kobo for people that wouldn’t have considered moving over. They said “you want colour don’t you?” And we all said yes but not from you. I’m happy with my 2022 paperwhite but I’d definitely consider moving to kobo if I wanted colour
@@justinboudreaux7347 so, you’d probably have to convert it using a program called calibre and then sideload it to kobo. But you can also buy books off of the kobo store itself.
I was eying the Colorsoft or the new Paperwhite as I have the Paperwhite from 2018 and want to upgrade, but I might just stick with black and white. I don't highlight or annotate so that's not a big deal to me, and I don't like comics and such on Kindles, just thought the color would be something interesting for a "what if I get this?" sorta deal, maybe more for books that are heavy on illustrations, such as for D&D or something. But I think I'll keep the extra $100 in pocket when I finally upgrade, unless they fix the current issues people have in the nearby future.
I think that you should only buy a coloured e reader IF: - you read a lot of graphic novels OR - you don’t own an ereader There’s no reason to upgrade if you read regular novels and already have an ereader
Agreed! Or if you love to color code I think, bc for me I usually tab my physical books by color for each item. But only if you like already actively do that
My fan theory for why they don't move the power button: They want to keep releasing the Kindles with marginal upgrades each time. Kinda like how Skyrim and GTA have been sold a MILLION times whilst remaining virtually the same. This applies to basics with their waterproofing and warm light missing, to the 12th gen with the power button still on the bottom... If amazon moved the power button on the Colorsoft, despite being a revolutionary device as is, they would've been expected to do so on all the other devices, costing more money. It's a lot easier to claim something is 25% brighter instead of redesigning the layout and format of your device. This is also why I believe they discontinued the Oasis, and publicly claimed we the customers prefer button-less (not verbatim) designs.
i did a little, but it was about the same amount as any ereader i've used. sometimes there will be be ghosting, but it usually is able to refresh itself pretty fast
Did you ever take it outside to see if the screen still has antiglare? I really don't want to give that up from my paperwhite and I think it would be a deal breaker for me😂
I did and I didn’t notice any glare issues, but it wasn’t super sunny out, I’m pretty sure both the kindle and kobo have anti glare display. I’ll double check for you tho in the sun!
Given yellow band it’s evident that Amazon released it before ready for sale or they have huge quality control issues. Pity because I would get one to pop in a large pocket or handbag if it was without this defect. Amazon have put a halt to all sales in U.K. until they ironed out issue with yellow band I assume it same in USA . Feel sorry for original design team it had so much promise and colour is brilliant ok muted but that’s fine it’s best colour e ink out there but no yellow band please 😂 Anyway I have a first gen kindle scribe for reading which I got last week which I love like reading a regular size book and screen clarity brilliant and no obvious defects.
yeah...i'm hoping it'll get better with some quality control. I wonder if they'll offer exchanges to those of us with defective models. i'm glad you're happy with the scribe tho!
I held off getting the Kindle ColorSoft to wait for the reviews. I m one of those people who highlight a lot and I think the Kobo will be best for me. Great video, thank you. Good luck with your channel.
I think that was smart! I love the kobo :) thank you
@@eileens_behindthescenes Do you use Readwise? I'm thinking of buying a Kobo but am worried about losing all the annotations and highlights - apparently they don't back up and you can lose them if you restart or log out. Plus when you check in a library book apparently they go away? Just wondering if Readwise works well for annotations / Kobo Libra Colour, I haven't found much information about it
100% agree. I panicked a little thinking that I jumped on the kobo colour too quickly and that maybe the kindle colorsoft would be better but nahh. the big price difference + size difference made me realize that I made the right choice! Plus not having to pay extra for no ads (wtf is that about amazon?)
@@ASliceOfPakwanI held out on the kobo Libra colour for Amazon’s coloured kindle. Felt the price was a bit high for the colorsoft but pre-ordered it anyway. Then my order got back ordered and I cancelled and got the kobo libra colour. I’m happy with it. I shouldn’t have waited.
I returned my Colorsoft because of the yellow banding. It's ridiculous they didn't catch that in QC.
Yeah…. It’s not a cute look and the reviews show
My old DS Lite has gotten a yellowing on the top of the lower screen and while it doesn't bother me I would never accept it on a new device. If there's a yellowing when it's new then just imagine what it'll be in a few years. Yuck! it's also very noticeable with white images and books are like 80% white.
I didn't have the yellow banding, but Amazon is taking back affected units.
Thanks for sharing your insight. I too will be returning my Colorsoft. I also tried two 2024 Paperwhite and all had splotchy yellowish gradients. Going back to my perfect Paperwhite 11 which has been a faithful companion. Maybe in a year when they get the kinks worked out I’ll reconsider.
@@TheSmellworthyReport dang that’s so unfortunate I’m sorry so many didn’t work! But yeah I love my kindle paper white 11th gen :) cant go wrong
I think the Paperwhite 11th generation is really the sweetest spot for now. I’m super happy with mine.
@ same here. There was a moment I was able to compare the Paperwhite 11 with the 12 and the Colorsoft and the 11 wins hands down. It sounds corny but I almost felt bad leaving it behind.
Also the kobo, when you press the button to rest mode it will show the book cover THAT YOU ARE READING for a second and then dim down, its a very nice touch
yes! but i do think thats a setting on kindle as well you just have to turn it on
@@eileens_behindthescenes I am sorry, I thought they used that screen to display adds. My bad! Great video!
On some models they do, but not the color soft since it’s their more expensive model !
@@ANDIBO987they do! The kindle basic model displays nonstop ads. How damn greedy
I have a Kobo Libra 2, the predecessor your colour version, and the 2021 Paperwhite. I prefer the Kobo because of the buttons, also it allows me to read articles I've saved to the Pocket app from other devices. Finally, to adjust the brightness I simply slide my finger along the left side of the screen. No having to go to settings. Those three pluses swing it for me.
Yes I LOVE the brightness and the color. I def recommend upgrading if you ever get a chance bc the color is a really cute bonus and the pen support
Will libby books work on kobo?
I just found your channel, the algorithm sent me to you. I returned my colorsoft, for the same reason. I tried to get past the yellow blur at the bottom, but it felt like a coffee stain on a brand new $300 (after tax) device. I do plan to repurchase the colorsoft once they get their issues fixed. I don’t annotate or highlight my books. Once I’ve read them, I don’t usually go back to them. It’s such a let down. I’m glad I still have my old 6 year old paperwhite to fall back on.
@@chickie3376 I’m glad to see you here! Tbh I love my paper white and I think they’re very reliable. You’re super valid for retuning the color soft, hopefully they’ll fix it soon!
I revisit books all the time but I also don't highlight or annotate. And I turn off that crazy feature that shows what other people have been highlighting. Who cares? I'm my own person. And also, you are collecting and displaying what people are highlighting? That's an invasion of privacy.
Color EReaders are really for specific use cases, if you read graphic novels, manga, comic books, kids books and very dependent on color highlighting, etc. then the color EReaders are a positive/enjoyable experience but if you only read books that are text heavy (and do NOT highlight passages) then color might be a luxury or a trend setter item but not a necessity.
Yes totally agreed. TBH id rather have annotation than color
Even then, the kindle colorsoft is too small for manga. I went with a Kindle Scribe for that and it's been great so far!
The problem is that the size of this kindle is only good for manga and similar sized graphic novels. I would love a coloe eink reader for BD but this is too small to read a page comfortably.
I just got my Kobo Libra Colour today and I LOVE IT!! I’ve also been a long time Paperwhite user… I’ll likely continue to use it to read the books I have that are stuck on there, but moving forward - Kobo is King 👑
Also, thanks to the algo for helping me find your channel. Excellent video, super chill and genuine.
True, and kinda same unless I get a random burst of motivation to move all my books with Calibre. And Aw thank you so much slayer!
Hi! I just want to say that the is a GREAT video! I love the detail you shared and your reasons for returning the new Kindle. I did reach out to Amazon support and asked them about the yellow bar at the bottom of the screen, and they said it will be a firmware update that should fix this, releasing in the next two-ish weeks. Just wanted to share with anyone who is making a decision based on this, that Amazon is working on making this fix, and fast!
Thank you so much! This is good news to hear!
welcome to the kobo clan :) recently got my first ever ereader kobo clara colour, and im so happy with it
Yay i love it!!
Shoutout from Brazil.
Great review. The kindle color is not officially available in Brazil yet. Probably in the beginning of next year. But this review really helped me to decide if I want to swap from my old paperwhite or not.
Thanks!
thank you slayer! glad i could help
I appreciate the honest review. It gives me some things to consider. And I certainly appreciate the My Chem rep! 🤘
thanks!! i'll never escape my emo phase
Great review and your positive energy is so contagious! ❤
@@MindfullyMina aw thank you so much!
The fact that the sleep button on the kobo is in the back is great because it's impossible for it to go to sleep accidentally like on the Kindle. Also, the kobo and its pen are available in black and white and made out of recycled materials which is amazing
@@fatine7290 yes! I love the button placement! And that’s really cool of them. I do think the kindles are somehow made out of recycled something as well but 🤷♀️
@@eileens_behindthescenes Oh yeah? They don't really advertise it but that's cool if that's true😃
@@fatine7290 on the kindle site it says the colorsoft is made of 28% recycled material and the box it comes in is 100% recycled
I returned mine. Couldn't ignore the yellow discoloration.
@@lizziet3695 yeah it looked like a weird stain, I hope it gets fixed in a new version
amazon said theyre working on fixing it
@@lovedem5429 that's good to hear!
I just wanna say your so pretty 🫶 you’re hair and makeup suite you so well!
Omg thank you so much :)
I love my kobo libra colour, my favourite kindle was the oasis which was discontinued. I like the kobo’s interface better, the colour looks great, the library and google drive integration is fantastic. The contrast can be turned up actually! You just have to turn on developer mode. Kindle Colorsoft isn’t available in Canada until 2025, but seeing these reviews actually makes me glad I went with Kobo when it first came out
oh thank you for letting me know ill see if i can turn the contrast up! i really like it too :)
I love my Oasis, I can't accept an e-reader without buttons to turn the pages. When it stops working, I'll move on to Kobo.
Greetings from Russia! I was just thinking about whether to change my old Kindle paperwhite to a new color one or take the onyx book. Thanks to your video, I'll probably choose the second one. Thank you very much, you are very sweet!❤
Thank you too slayer!! Glad to help
I love mine so much, don’t have issues. I also have the Kobo and like that too.
@@robynkahle7240 that’s good I’m glad it worked for you!
I am so glad I waited for the reviews I was really considering buying this but first of all the price was a bit high for my liking and now seeing that there are a lot of problems with it I am glad I waited. Thank you for your video it is very helpful. I will check out more of your videos right now.
thank you slayer!!
Thanks for this review and Kobo overview-- I was not aware of this brand. I had (still have it, but it's semi retired) the Kindle generation 3 which had a full tactile keyboard and page turn buttons on either side. I loved that kindle so much. I usually use the paperwhite now because I want to protect my gen 3 from the world. I would love to have buttons back on paperwhite, but buttons would keep it from being waterproof, I imagine.
I’m glad to show you kobo! It’s a bit underrated imo and I really like it compared to my paperwhite!
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been following the Colorsoft since its announcement - and the controversy / issues with the yellow banding. I’m still rocking the Paperwhite 10th gen (with ads lol) and will likely stick with it, at least for now. I’m hoping they will eventually move to a dual screen fold or single panel folding screen color design - would immediately pick one of those up. Great video!! So glad yours showed up when I was searching :)
twinsies with the paperwhite with ads (crazy) thank you!!
Nice review/comparison. :)
When you're considering the stylus, keep in mind that you don't have to go with the official Kobo stylus. The Kobo Libra Colour is compatible with Microsoft Surface styluses. I have a Metapen M1 (about $25 on Amazon) and it works fine.
The Colorsoft is definitely more saturated, but in the comparison pictures I've seen, you lose some detail in the darkness, so I think it's largely a matter of taste.
I got the Kobo Libra Colour because of the pen support. I just think Amazon is asking a lot for a device that isn't even pen-enabled. As you were saying, it's more comparable to the Clara Colour.
@@BrianHartman yeah! I was a little scared to recommend the off brand pen just bc I haven’t used it, but u like that there’s options out there and I’m glad it works for you. Personally I find the KLC to be good enough for the color like you said. Thank you for the comment :)
I’m in Australia and the Colorsoft is not available yet here, I’m glad in a way that we in other countries are getting these honest reviews months before we have to make a decision. Thank you for your thoughts!
good to know, thank you for watching!
I'm from India and currently amazon isn't selling any kindles. They'll soon be selling these new kindles.
Meanwhile Kobo is available on Amazon.
I ended up buying the Clara BW for ₹14,999 (177 USD) and my friend bought Clara Colour for ₹16,999( 201 USD)
When we compared both, Clara colour just isn't worth it. For some reason, the page flipping speed is slower and colour is also washed out.
In zero brightness, the Clara colour just becomes dark whereas Clara BW is very much readable and looks like a real paper.
KOBO is also selling Libra Colour for ₹19,999( 237 USD) but Kobo isn't selling the stylus in India so it doesn't seem value for money. 7 inch screen with 32GB storage but rest is same as Clara
Overall I'm happy with my purchase. My friend retuened his colour and bought bw version.
ah very interesting! im glad the kobo bw worked out for you, i did hear the color clara was less good but its also a lot cheaper compared to the kindle so i give it some more grace
Hey, I'm Indian and was waiting for the new kindles to be available but also thinking of getting a kobo. How useful is it & is the contrast really not good? The contrast matters a lot to me because I'm photosensitive .
@ATinyWarrior the kindles will eventually come. Kobo is good but the new kindle paperwhite has a larger screen and is apparently faster when it comes to page turning. Sideloading is much easier in Kobo but if you already have a library of books bought from Amazon then you should wait
Scribe user here. (Previously all Kindles back to the original keyboard one, including the Voyage and the Oasis.) Been looking around for a color device for certain things, but not as my main device due to the darker screens and lower contrast of all devices with an added color layer. That said, in the color market I‘d wager to say you might like the Pocket Book Ink Pad Color 3 a lot. I‘ve seen it compared directly with your Kobo, and it impressed me a lot more. As for the color banding, other reviewers are also mentioning it, but not all are afflicted by it.
can you make comparison between kindle oasis 2 and the new paperwhite 12gen?
Thinking about upgrading my kindle oasis 2(2017), not sure is it big of a difference.
Ah cool! I’ll look into that for sure :) and yeah I wasn’t sure if all of them were affected but I know a decent number of them were according to the reviews
Maybe… I was thinking of buying the current kindle line up and seeing them
@@Jawenw3HLI can answer your question. I have had nearly every Kindle model since they first came out, except for the Voyage and the Scribe. I have 2 of the Oasis models (one with the warm model and one without.) I love both of my Oases, but I bought the Paperwhite Signature edition just to see what improvements had been made. I found the contrast to be better and the page turns, etc. faster. The battery also seems to be lasting longer. I do like the USB C charging and the wireless charging. It also weighs slightly less than the Oasis. It does not have the metal body of the Oasis, the glass screen, the page turn buttons, or the autorotation of the Oasis. I will continue to use my Oases until the batteries die but the Paperwhite Signature model is a worthy successor and Amazon will sell more of them than an improved Oasis because of the purchase price. I believe that the regular Paperwhite shares most of the same features as the Signature Edition (better contrast, faster, USB C charging) but comes with less memory. I have over 2,000 books (regular and audible) so I wanted the extra memory.
New subscriber here. While I would like to see my book covers in color and being able to use different highlighting colors I don’t read comics, graphic novels, or manga. The Colorsoft was just not worth the extra money especially since the Paperwhite Signature has basically the same features without color for $100 less. The yellow bar or banding issue will be fixed by Amazon since a ton of them are being returned because of that problem. Amazon had the same problem with a splotchy screen years ago. They underplayed the issue for a while but eventually fixed it by increasing and rearranging the LED’s.
I tried the Kobo Libra Color and a whole bunch of other color units. None of them hold a candle to the Kindle Oasis and / or the Kindle ecosystem. The button action on the Kobo Libra Color was just kinda mushy and a little inconsistent. It was a tempting unit to keep, for sure, but it wasn't as bright as the Oasis, either. Also, t's just much nicer and easier to get books on Amazon and sync with your Kindle. Also, as I recall, Kobo Kindle app doesn't work with Kindle Unlimited. Getting books on a Kobo is not straightforward. I'm actually surprised anyone wants to deal with the extra step or two. In the end, I've all of them back. Still waiting for a true Oasis in Color.
Oh interesting, i should try the kindle oasis soon! But I personally really like the KLC’s buttons and I use the kobo store and can put any downloaded books on very fast. But to each their own, and an oasis color would make so much sense and I hope they make it soon!
@@eileens_behindthescenes Good luck finding one! If you live outside the U.S. you can get one for a very cheap $135, but not shipping to U.S. addresses. I don't know why. And, yeah, if you're using books from everywhere, then the Kobo is a solid choice, for sure. I tried the KLC and liked it, but the screen was too dark and unsharp for me, personally, plus the mushy buttons.
With the Libra fo to the font settings hit advanced and see if making the text heavier of that will make the contrasts better.
@@wade196840 thank you!
I'm a big reader of comic books and manga, so really wanted the color to be awesome. When you're paying $300 (with tax) for an eReader you expect it to be PERFECT. That is such a premium price point and then I got the yellow band issue at the bottom + realized the colors are really washed out and dull. Also the page turns are not as fast as the 12th gen paperwhite even when only reading black and white pages. You can't ask the premium price when there's this many drawbacks and that's why I returned mine. Also the pages are all grainy and 'fuzzy' looking due to the screen technology. It's just a defective and half baked product release that needed more time, maybe they rushed it due to Kobo competition?
sorry to hear! maybe an ipad mini would be good for you or a fire kindle tablet, something with a vibrant screen. i agree the price is wild! i think the kobo has been out for awhile though so idk what the rush was, maybe the holiday season.
Thank you for your honest review! I will save my money on this.
Of course! I love saving money ✨
What a wonderful review. Thank you. I will def hold off purchasing the Colorsoft. Another thing I don't like about it is the size. While I prefer this normal Kindle size for reading books, with color I would prefer something a little larger format. Some of the French/Belgian Bandes Dessinées I read are much larger format, so the Colorsoft's small size would mean that the lettering would be tiny. Again, thanks!
aw thank you so much! yeah i would hold off at least a little bit
That's the reason you don't buy tech as soon as it comes out. Statistically it's imposible to catch every qualitu issue until it gets mass produced. Better wait six months give or take.
real! i just get so excited on release day
I’m currently using the Kindle Oasis and it also has the two buttons on the side, which I enjoy using. I also still have the very first original Kindle and it comes with a ON/OFF sliding switch on the back of the unit, where it can’t be accidentally activated. It seems like they are taking away key features that Kindle users have appreciated in newer models.
@@0rl weird… 👀 I mean I get that designs will come and go but I do think listening to consumers is pretty important or at least having the option for page turn buttons in a flagship model
I loved my v1 Kindle. Still my favorite.
Thanks for your take on the Colorsoft. I'm keeping mine and hoping a software update will fix the yellowish tone.
@@redhed515 thank you for watching! I def get it, I really liked parts of it like the contrast and the yellow banding wasn’t too bad on my model. All personal preference!
If it doesn’t then return get your cash back and purchase mk2 😊
Well, that yellow tone is a hardware flaw, I doubt a software update will do much about it.
Same. For now I'm opting to keep my Colorsoft. I have the yellow on the bottom too, but it isn't tooooo obnoxious. If they can make it better with a software update I'll be content. If not, I'll probably end up returning it. I'll give them a little time to see about this supposed software fix they have planned for what I hear is a hardware issue due to the adhesive they used.
I’m so interested in the color Kobos, but I’d have to start over again 😢
You can get software called Calibre which allows you to download your kindle library and then transfer to a kobo. I know it works with Windows and they’re maybe a Mac version. I know this means you have to have access to a computer and I know not everyone does. I used it with my laptop. The website has a great video tutorial too. Hope it can help you.
Yeah that’s def a con :/ but to me it was worth it and I’m pretty sure there’s a way you can move all your books in bulk with calibre
Excellent video, thank you. I can relate to sitting alone at lunch and reading. Liked and subscribed!
aw thanks slayer! books will always be our friends
Idk if you know this but the stylos also magneticly attaches to the space between the screen and buttons
yesss i saw, im glad or else id lose it so fast lol
Left Kindle (Amazon) for so many reasons... Using a Kobo now and couldn't be happier.
Same!!
Amazon is craazy for that price and them being defected with that yellow line 😅 I’m looking forward to the second generation of it though
IKR same
Oh how I dislike that button placement at the bottom. I constantly shut it off when reading laying down. I'm so tempted once they fix the yellow to get the colorsoft. I'm guessing in black and white mode it is the same as the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition right?
Yeah getting case a case should fix the button problem! But I used to find it really annoying when i didnt have a case. I believe the black and white is very similar to the paper white, although some of the reviews say it looks darker and more grainy, but to me I didn’t see a huge difference.
I really hope Kobo are able to increase the contrast on their next colour model and make it less clunky. I really want one, but these are deal breakers for me. Plus I already have a decent amount of free stuff your kindle day books on my kindle app
I think there’s a setting for contrast apparently! But yeah the design is a little large, but I suppose that’s the trade off for buttons :/
I agree I did not buy the Kindle ColorSoft and I was seriously considering it. I do love the ergonomics of the Kobo Color Libra the page turning buttons and the stylus.
I really do like the kobo libra color !!
same here, I'm in love with the colour libra and the page turn buttons alone :( sadly I have a lot of books on my Kindle so can't really make the move 😢
@@gabriellaarchiveyou can move them over with calibre. There are loads of tutorials on here on how to do it. I have over 1k books on my kindle and I’m starting to convert them because I plan to get a kobo on Black Friday. It is time consuming but, for me, it’ll be worth it.
With another Kindle Colorsoft review, I've heard that Amazon is aware of the bottom yellow banding and they're addressing it now. Something about that they've delayed new shipments of more units until after Thanksgiving (and that the fix is at least a software update). I don't know if eventually it's a fix that could be a software upgrade: maybe contacting customer support, and see if it's a software upgrade or an exchange return.
I currently have a Kindle Oasis, and I love the form factor. From what I can see, it's also nicer to hold than the Kobo (IE there's more of a palm handle and feels more premium). The main items I'd like upgraded for it is USB-C and option for wireless charging. If Amazon had made it more premium and made it the Oasis form factor, I think it would be a real hit (as if the yellow band is fixed, I have seen many impressions that it has nice E-Ink color).
I'm hoping they do fix the colorsoft! It's a good device, but personally I wanted both buttons and color, and atm no kindle offers both. But, i'm glad you enjoy your oasis, i've heard good things about them!
@@eileens_behindthescenes Yeah, the only real thing I don't like about the Oasis is its micro-USB port---it's a pain to try to get the cord in there! But the nice shape of it: you can hold it with one hand for hours. Since I mainly just read with an e-reader, I don't really need a color one. My family usually gives me Amazon gift cards for the holidays, so I may try getting a color E-Ink. Perhaps going with a Boox E-Ink tablet (that would be bigger for comics, recipe books, art books). Currently with those, I use Amazon Kindle on iPad.
Several years ago I upgraded from a Kindle to Oasis to be able to have color tint (at the time it was the only Kindle model that did it). The premium form factor with buttons was also nice. I'm like you in that now that I'm used to buttons, I don't want to go back! I really just read books with it: the main thing that's outdated is the micro-USB port. It's so cumbersome to get plugged!
My family tends to give me Amazon gift cards over the holiday. I may try getting a Boox E-Ink tablet (they also have a stylus and buttons with a large screen for comics/art books). Though now I load my art books and cooking books through Amazon app on iPad (we have first world problems 😄).
I'm from Brazil and here we can only continue with the Kindle, as I wanted to buy a Kobo libra color, but the taxes are very high, double the price. It's not worth importing. Unfortunately . Years ago a bookstore had a partnership with Kobo and I got a KoboGlo and it was perfect. The Kindle is losing a lot by abandoning the buttons, my current device is an oasis and I'm sad because I don't know what it will be like when it dies. No other company besides Amazon currently sells e-readers in Brazil.
This monopoly is outrageous.
aw man i didn't realize that, even through amazon you can't buy a kobo? i know it can be frustrating but at the end of the day its more about the reading and less about the device, so hopefully the oasis keeps kicking for you!
I told my husband I wanted the kindle color soft for Christmas, but after watching a ton of reviews that stain will bother me too. Tablets don't even do that, so I told him nevermind. I also think they will come up with better models in the future. I like the scribe, so hopefully they come up with something like the scribe but in color.
Valid! I’m sure with waiting it should work out ok!
Kobo also has a neat pinch-to-zoom for the font size, where it does a bit of a magnifier spot where you can see the font size adjust accordingly before finishing the selection and refreshing the whole book.
Oh coollll yeah I see
i was considering trying to get a colorsoft if it goes on sale because i have a 2018 paperwhite & i want the warm light and faster page turning that the 2021 has... but i'm not going to spend that much for just those 2 features. i've never liked that the kobo screen isn't flush, but now i'm looking at them again 👀
i originally didnt like that the kobo screen wasnt flush but i actually like it now bc i feel like it prevents scratches. but also i hear good things about the new kindle paperwhites!
What about the Boox devices? like the Palma or Note Air 4c?
i haven't tried any but in reviews for them i heard they were a little buggy
I'm probably sending mine back, too. It's cool and all, but I prefer my 2018 Oasis as it has a much better build quality and crisper screen for B&W
Yeah, I've been seeing a couple reviews about the grainy display on the colorsoft, i don't blame you!
I have used been through several Paperwhites (that I loved) before getting the Oasis in 2018 as well & I gotta say that I’m still super happy & LOVE MY OASIS 🥰 It’s the perfect size, weight, etc. & works great almost 6 years later!
Idk what Amazon has been thinking with their kindles the past 5 or so years but there hasn’t been anything I felt the need to replace my Oasis with & in fact, the ones, beside the brand new Scribe maybe, felt like a downgrade 🫤
I’m not sold on the color kindle because it is ten years too late as far as I’m concerned. Once they created the kindle scribe but left it black and white completely turned me off. Now, they create a colored kindle on one end, but then have a scribe without real annotation was assed backwards. Amazon doesn’t deserve the money.
@@pagandeva2000 agreed, also why is the scribe 400 dollars ??? This is an ereader, be for real Amazon
@ plus, on the first scribe, you could not annotate on the actual epub page, but you could on PDF. I hear that now, they have an adjustable screen (a bit better). But it’s still black and white. I like the kobo better, because it’s smaller and you can write in color. I just need to learn how to download EPUB and PDF files into kobo and I’ll be getting it.
@ interesting. I use epub and pdf on kobo! I just used the google drive connection and download it on the kobo
As someone in the US the only thing stopping me from getting a kobo color is that I use my public library to check out ebooks and in the US it’s locked for kindle.
I use the public library on both the kobo and kindles! I just use Libby or overdrive and it should sync with each device
I did the same and returned the colorsoft. I’m hesitant about switching to the kobo because I don’t want have to figure out how to transfer all my kindle books.
Yeah that’s valid, hopefully they fix issues with the kindles soon!
I know some people will be brand loyal.. but the balls it took Amazon to release a color Kindle for almost $300 when the completely upgraded Kobo Colour is just over $200… And a Clara Colour is $150? Crazy
@@MollyMA13 Ikr, Amazon can do anything they want tbh just because they’re Amazon
The yellow banding is a hardware issue so they won't fix it.
Dang, maybe they’ll have an exchange program tho
Love the kobo. Why they don’t make more white ereaders ? They are so much cuter
eek i knowww
Thx for your review. I think Kobo Libre is too big for me. Just like Kindle Oasis I don't like the size. I am using Kindle Signature, I am happy with it. But you know, people always want the new thing. I might try the Kobo Clara color.
I get it! The kindle basic is super super small and portable as well!
Thank you for this great review!
You are gorgeous btw!!
Thanks slayer!!
How do you switch to Kobo when you have maybe over 1000 books in your amazon account. Basically the entire library? It doesn't make any sense...
I would check out a software called calibre! A lot of my books are library books tho
you think with how much money amazon has, they would take the kobo and be like we have to beat this in every way possible, and then do it and even find a way to make it similar in price. The QC from what I have been reading and what you mentioned has been a disaster. Does the kobo feel cheaply made? I have books on kobo from bundle buys and might just get that one to easily read them instead of using calibre and go through that process.
Yeah I agree, they’re just banking off of being Amazon imo. I don’t think the kobo was cheaply made. Is it the absolute highest quality machine ever? No, but it feels sturdy enough to withstand a good life and the features of it being waterproof and having a very responsive touch screen and color help.
Their mentality is: we're going to make the cheapest thing possible but keeping the same slow user unfriendly software we started with, encompassed in cheap plastic, take out truly useful things like buttons to keep cost down...and people will still buy it. Amazon is so popular that it's just the automated choice for a lot of people. Monopoly stifles competition and real development.
It would behoove those to remember that the B&W versions have far-superior PPI. At least twice that of the colour models. Why bother when you can get a full-colour tablet that has full high-quality colour for the same price?
This is def something to consider! Especially if you don’t use a lot of color when you read
@eileens_behindthescenes
Indeed. If people want better-quality text, B&W is the way to go. Want better-quality colour text? Phone or tablet.
Yep. Avoid disappointment and always wait for the third revision of everything.
Real
I bought the kindle basic 11th generation. Great review
I think that’s good choice! What color did you get? I’m so jealous of the matcha color
I really believe that this is just a first generation of the Kindle in color. I will wait for the next generation to see what is going to be happened. Meanwhile I will continue to read my books and KindlePaperwhite.
yeah the paperwhite slays
What about using something like an iPad mini as a reader?
I think it def can work! It’s just a little distracting for me to have more apps on there and also there’s a pretty big price difference
It can work well for some people, but I get distracted easily and will end up using TikTok instead of reading on my phone or playing Tetris on my iPad instead of reading
I like having a separate device for reading to stop myself from getting distracted by such things
Just fyi, I think the links in your description to the products got a little mixed up! I was going to check out the price of the Kobo reader but the links all redirect to the Colorsoft haha
oh thank you i'll go fix them now! (this is my first day) here's the kobo link, looks like it dropped in price! amzn.to/4hYSMZp
The three cheers for sweet revenge font mcr tee, I love it (I need a new e-reader too, thanks algorithm)
Thanks slayer!! I 🫶 three cheers
Used my kindle paperwhite since 2015 in bed, the bath, the train, cafes etc - don't recall ever turning it off by mistake via the button at the bottom - even whilst I'm sprawled out on my bed with it.
Definitely a you problem 😵
story of my life
I returned my new 2024 Signature Paperwhite because I just didn't feel that the 'upgrades' were worthy of spending the money and sacrificing my existing Signature Paperwhite (last edit.) and Kindle Oasis as trade-ins. Amazon: NO!
real i agree, i think it wasn't that big of an upgrade from a previous signature edition
They’re allowing a trade-in on the Kindle color because of the orange at the bottom of the page
Heard…,
I would just choose between somethings like: Boox Color 7, Boox Tab C, or whatever came recently as an upgrade.
I need to look more into them 👀
Im obsessed with my Supernote, even though it's not in color.
Ooo I’ll have to check it out
@eileens_behindthescenes It's become my go to digital notebook. It has a Kindle app, but it's fairly easy to upload your own books and PDFs. I'm a PhD candidate, so having my notebooks and readings on one device that I can throw in my bag is handy.
For color/backlight, I know Boox has a number of color options, but they are very pricey.
The downsides are that it doesn't have physical buttons besides the power button and it doesn't have a backlight. But the writing experience is incredible, especially with their ceramic tip styluses.
A cheap book light is fine for late night reading. Since supernote focused on the writing experience, having a backlight would compromise the writing experience, according to the Supernote people.
That’s pretty cool! It’s like the remarkable then right?
I love the fact about colour screen and pen, but I still have my kindle Oaisis wich it’s perfectly fine and doesn’t feel that old and also has physical buttons. So the colour screen e-reader will be an option when my current kindle starts breaking and feeling old. Thanks for a really good review 😉
True! Or you could prob sell it on eBay for a decent price! Thank you for watching!!
It's insane Amazon keeps putting the button on the bottom.
ikr
There are $20 styluses got the kobo. Like the metapen. Even sticks on the side the same
yes! i almost got one but i was a little scared incase it didnt work, i hear it does though
I got the Paper-white 11 and I do like it I was trying to get the Oasis but I couldn't find it at the time, then other site that were selling it was overpriced for me so got the green paper-white lol I really wanted a big screen and buttons so I might consider the kobo or anything else like it with the buttons 😅
I LOVE the buttons
This is in no way the flagship model. If anything that is the paperwhite signature. The Voyager I think was the best kindle and should bring that back!
yeah.... and i always hear such good things about the voyager
I had an original kindle and an original Kobo back in the day..... I just used Calibre to upload books . It works for allllllll ereaders
nice!!
Personally, I am not into coloured e ink screens. I prefer the Paperwhite and OCCASIONALLY read books with colour (graphic novels or manga/webtoon) on my iPad. The iPad screen is obviously better than any e ink screen.
Most (99.9%) of the books I read are text only anyways, so lack of colour isn't a con.
And that’s very valid! I think that’s a good system and that’s what I used to do
Can you highlight one book, remove it from your library and download it again later, will the notes still be there?
unfortunately no i dont think so, unless it was purchased with the kobo book store
A Kindle is not supposed to hurt your eyes rather than be addicting….which still is…to me at least. 😄 And I’ve been waiting ages for a Kindle with a color screen to read my mangas and see the book covers properly, so I’ll definitely get myself one as soon as it’s available again - right now it’s sold out and is expected back in stock “within 5-7 weeks” (hopefully with the yellow banding issue solved).
And I’m not a fan of Kindle Unlimited either, but for another reason - if you unsubscribe from Kindle Unlimited, all the books you got through it will vanish….they’re not really yours. I prefer to “own” the books, so I prefer to pay for each one.
Yeah I feel that, I hope you get one that’s fixed! :)
I got the kobo color libra when it came out bc I knew even if amazon released a color eReader soon in the future, it wouldn't allow us to annotate directly on the page. They did make it so u can basically write in a text box on the scribe but it's not the same for me 😂
yeah i agree, annotating on the screen is way more fun and realistic !
Super helplfull video :) I still have and use my Kindle 4th Gen and it has 5 buttons, I just wish Amazon Kindle would bring that form factor back but update it to some newer features like a backlit display, not make it a touch screen, and keep the page-turning buttons then I would totally upgrade my device.
thank you! i agree, if those older kindles had a backlight they'd be fire
you can change the saturation :) devmodeon :)
oo thanks ill look into it
Great review! I have had the Oasis for 5 or so years now and I love it as much as day 1 so it’ll take a lot for me to upgrade especially considering I have an iPad Pro and listen to mostly audiobooks now 😅
❓Question: what is that mm graphic novel you’re reading around 2:16 ?? I’m in the market for some smutty mm graphic novels❣️
Thank you! It’s heartstopper, there’s not really any smut I think maybe until book 3. A lot of fluff tho!! They’re very cute I recommend, there’s a Netflix show also
I don’t know if this is the case but I’m wondering if kindles attempt to make a colour e-reader is actually pushing more people towards kobo for people that wouldn’t have considered moving over. They said “you want colour don’t you?” And we all said yes but not from you. I’m happy with my 2022 paperwhite but I’d definitely consider moving to kobo if I wanted colour
haha yeah it was strange for sure. if they step it up tho im sure plenty of people will flock back to kindle.
can you read kindle books on a kobo
@@justinboudreaux7347 so, you’d probably have to convert it using a program called calibre and then sideload it to kobo. But you can also buy books off of the kobo store itself.
Excellent video. You covered everything I have been thinking about. Kobo may be my way to go. Thank you.
Omg yay thank you! I really love my kobo. If you can use da link in the description to buy ✨
2:31 I mean I’m color blind especially with yellows so I probably wouldn’t notice it
This is probably true!
got one for my wife she loved it
I’m glad to hear!
I was eying the Colorsoft or the new Paperwhite as I have the Paperwhite from 2018 and want to upgrade, but I might just stick with black and white. I don't highlight or annotate so that's not a big deal to me, and I don't like comics and such on Kindles, just thought the color would be something interesting for a "what if I get this?" sorta deal, maybe more for books that are heavy on illustrations, such as for D&D or something. But I think I'll keep the extra $100 in pocket when I finally upgrade, unless they fix the current issues people have in the nearby future.
hm yeah, i think the paperwhite is a very solid device at least as someone who also has an older kindle !
Does the yellow show in dark mode?! Because most of the time my kindle is used at night.
It doesn’t show up in dark mode! But if you click on the menu it will show up.
Ugh that’s annoying 🥲. I’ll just wait until they fix it. :D
Anyone that plans on returning their Colorsoft I will buy it off you! I don't want to wait until December 19th from Amazon. I am serious!
you should check ebay!
A kindle oasis with color and pen would have been amazing. I would have paid the hefty price tag... But definitely not getting the colorsoft.
Same!!
Same here.
that doesnt sound very low key. They are experiencing a lot of screen issues with this model.
Haha you’re right
I think that you should only buy a coloured e reader IF:
- you read a lot of graphic novels
OR
- you don’t own an ereader
There’s no reason to upgrade if you read regular novels and already have an ereader
Agreed! Or if you love to color code I think, bc for me I usually tab my physical books by color for each item. But only if you like already actively do that
I really don't like the sunk screen on the kobo, I prefer the flush screen
im not the biggest fan of it either, but i do think it's helped prevent some scratches
My fan theory for why they don't move the power button: They want to keep releasing the Kindles with marginal upgrades each time. Kinda like how Skyrim and GTA have been sold a MILLION times whilst remaining virtually the same.
This applies to basics with their waterproofing and warm light missing, to the 12th gen with the power button still on the bottom... If amazon moved the power button on the Colorsoft, despite being a revolutionary device as is, they would've been expected to do so on all the other devices, costing more money. It's a lot easier to claim something is 25% brighter instead of redesigning the layout and format of your device.
This is also why I believe they discontinued the Oasis, and publicly claimed we the customers prefer button-less (not verbatim) designs.
i mean yeah true, but also i feel like they should be testing more with consumers.
On the kindle did you notice the word ghosting when you turned the page
i did a little, but it was about the same amount as any ereader i've used. sometimes there will be be ghosting, but it usually is able to refresh itself pretty fast
Did you ever take it outside to see if the screen still has antiglare? I really don't want to give that up from my paperwhite and I think it would be a deal breaker for me😂
I did and I didn’t notice any glare issues, but it wasn’t super sunny out, I’m pretty sure both the kindle and kobo have anti glare display. I’ll double check for you tho in the sun!
Given yellow band it’s evident that Amazon released it before ready for sale or they have huge quality control issues.
Pity because I would get one to pop in a large pocket or handbag if it was without this defect.
Amazon have put a halt to all sales in U.K. until they ironed out issue with yellow band I assume it same in USA . Feel sorry for original design team it had so much promise and colour is brilliant ok muted but that’s fine it’s best colour e ink out there but no yellow band please 😂
Anyway I have a first gen kindle scribe for reading which I got last week which I love like reading a regular size book and screen clarity brilliant and no obvious defects.
yeah...i'm hoping it'll get better with some quality control. I wonder if they'll offer exchanges to those of us with defective models. i'm glad you're happy with the scribe tho!