Having recently tested the Kobo Vox eReader (thanks PTPA), I really didn’t know what to expect from the Android powered device since it’s no secret that I’m a heavily invested Apple gal. But it didn’t take me long to adjust and if you’re already an Android smart phone or tablet owner, you’ll probably feel right at home with the Vox.
If you love to read, the Kobo Vox makes an excellent reading companion. It has 8GB of internal memory (enough to hold up to 8,000 digital books) but what makes the Vox unique is its ability to share comments about the book and see how many others are reading along with you. The stats page provides details on how many hours, days, minutes, pages you’ve read so far (great to keep tabs on the kids).
The 7″ multi touch colour screen was a hit with me, although my husband preferred the ink screen of the Kobo Wi-Fi and Kobo Touch. Being that the Vox has tablet capabilities, the colour screen was the only way to go in my opinion. Its size lends perfectly to adult or child sized hands and the diamond quilted back provides a bit of traction to keep it from slipping or getting scratched.
Being a bit app crazed, I quickly navigated to the apps and was surprised to learn that the Vox has over 15,000 FREE apps (Angry Birds, Cut the Rope to name a few) available for download via Wi-Fi through GetJar, the world’s largest free app store. Apps that come already pre-loaded to the Vox include: Zinio (4,200+ magazines), Rdio for music streaming, PressReader (2,000+ international newspapers), Scrabble and Facebook. Admittedly, I was disappointed to discover that Google Play (formerly Android Market) was missing for those wanting access to paid apps.
If you’re a bit gun shy about spending more than $200 on a colour tablet for the kids, the Kobo Vox eReader is a worthwhile alternative to consider. Priced at $199 and available at Indigo Chapters stores and online, with fun colours such as Hot Pink, Lime Green, Ice Blue and Jet Black, it’s perfectly suited to kids of all ages. Being that the Vox is an eReader/ tablet (in that order), you can feel good knowing that it’ll encourage your child to read, whether you’re at home or traveling by planes, trains or automobiles.