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Kobo Arc

Looking for a device to help entertain the kids while you travel this summer…or back-to-school shopping for an educational tool to help your student do research, read, and get organized…you might want to look into the Kobo Arc. I know – you are thinking “it’s just an ereader”. Well dear readers, I had the chance to test drive a Kobo Arc and I can tell you it is a cutting edge multi-media tablet on an android platform. And more…

kobo arc

 

Kobo Arc out of the box experience

Taking the Kobo Arc out – I noticed how light it was. This 7 inch tablet is perfect size for a bag (or backpack!). Set up was easy (except for the google sign up – which was to no fault to Kobo – finding an available gmail username proved to be a challenge). However, past this point the interface is extremely user-friendly.

The screen is brilliant (really). Great HD definition. Not only do pages of books and magazines read well…website pages are perfectly clear. Did I mention the 1.5 GHz dual core processor? Well, it makes browsing on this HD screen – kinda awesome.

Kobo Arc

Kobo Arc Tapestries

A very cool feature – this exclusive Kobo Arc interface allows you to pin apps, games, and videos into tapestries on the main pages. Great for organization – making it a “what you see is what you get” layout (great for students and busy parents who don’t want to spend valuable time searching for apps). Tapestries is a smart feature.

kobo Arc games

Kobo Arc Entertainment

This android device allows you access to the apps, games, and entertainment in the Google Play store (over 700,000 apps available and many FREE). It was difficult to photograph the quality of  moving video on the screen – but games and videos are stellar.

Discover Kobo Arc

There is a Discover section at the bottom of the home screen where Kobo recommends (related to things you have pinned). For example, I pinned Anne of Green Gables to my reading list and the Discover section recommended a Wikipedia page of Gilbert Blythe.  I have also “discovered” the reading time tracker in the kobo ereader section (handy to keep track of how long you spend ereading). This feature might also be helpful for parents tracking how long it takes their child to finish a book.

The Kobo Store has all the latest bestsellers with many other categories including children’s books (love that with this one device you could stock the whole family library). It also has a great emagazine section. Note: though there are free emagazines and ebooks to be had…kobo still wants you to put in a credit card number before they allow you to download. Hopefully, this will faze out in the next generation of the Kobo Store.

I am very impressed with the Kobo Arc – it’s not only an ereader but a go-to multi-purpose tablet with all the functionality a busy family needs.

Have you thought about getting a tablet or ereader?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. nikki oconnor says

    This sounds like a great way to get interactive with our child before bedtime with reading. We could then turn the lights out while we read! My daughter gets motion sickness easy so we wouldn’t be able to use this in the car and I’m paranoid of thieves at school as much as this would be a cool tool at school. I just wish it had a case good for in case her little sister grabs and throws it!

  3. Anne Taylor says

    This is definitely on my “have to have” list! I think probably Christmas will bring these to my family!

    thanks

  4. parentcl says

    I agree devices shouldn’t go to school – but wouldn’t this be a great research tool at home for homework?!

  7. Soozle says

    This may be a really stupid statement – but I had no idea you could do more than just read on a Kobo!

    A Kobo was already on my ‘want’ list for the reading factor – but even more so now for the added app bonus! 😀

    Thanks for your review

  10. Doris Calvert says

    I have a Sony e reader and have not used it, they are the same size as an ipad so I use that, would love a smaller one like this!

  11. Eva Mitton-Urban says

    I know a nine-year old that would call Dibs on this ! But…might have to pull rank, would love to own one of these gems – best perk compact/lightweight and a great size screen.

  12. parentcl says

    Absolutely not a stupid statement – because I was totally the same – thought Kobo was just for ereading. The Kobo Arc has everything you want from a tablet with the ereading feature. So great!

  16. parentcl says

    Know what – from my 2 yr old to my 12 year old…they all call dibs on this. It is so user friendly.