Kobo eReader now Available in India & Daily Free Kobo Books!

Kobo is a very popular online book store, based out of Canada. Their platform is similar to Amazon Kindle and they deal with eBooks exclusively. They have their own range of eInk eReaders, Tablets, eBooks and even a self-publishing  platform for authors. You can read Kobo books on their eBook readers, any other eReader (via Calibre) or any mobile/tablet, by downloading the free apps.

I already noticed that they were pricing their books in Rupees for customers from India and now, they have announced that they will be selling their eReaders in Crossword, the popular bookshop in India – Online & Offline (I guess). Here is the list of Kobo eReaders and their prices (in rupees).

I wish I had this option when I bought the Kindle, but I am happy with the Kindle – So, no worries! But, it’s always good to have options 🙂 I was expecting Sony or B&N (Nook) to come to the Indian market first, but Kobo has shown why they are popular and how quickly they can move. Kudos!

One great thing about eBooks is, since it is a digital platform and there are no production/delivery costs, some authors release their eBooks for free or make them free for a limited period of time. Some authors release the first book of a series, for free. You can find these free books in Kobo’s online store, but there are sites that track free Kobo books for the day, and list a few of them. Have a look at this site for one such free daily Kobo eBooks list.

Of course, you can read eBooks in computer/laptop, mobiles, tablets, etc. but the best option is to buy the eReader. Reading from an eInk screen is an excellent experience and your eyes will not get tired quickly, unlike the LCD monitors! You can download the ePub formatted eBooks from Kobo site, and hence you can read it using any eReader – Even Kindle (upon converting ePub into Mobi using Calibre). Now you know why I am excited! 🙂

Destination Infinity

10 thoughts on “Kobo eReader now Available in India & Daily Free Kobo Books!

  1. Praveen

    you know but Amazon got the best deals in books I think. However, I don’t prefer Kindle.:P

    1. Rajesh K

      When you start working, you’ll appreciate the mobility offered by light-weight Kindle – The small device allows you to carry your library anywhere! Besides, eInk technology is similar to reading from books (no backlight, only a screen that reflects natural light).

      Destination Infinity

  2. kirtivasan

    Hope US make a standard for readers, something like ASCII etc.. Kindle, Flipkart and possibly kobo now as you say, all most probably have their own readers and require different apps for reading their books.
    I recently bought “Running with the mind of meditation”,”Einstein”,”Windows 8 development for dummies” and “360 degree cartoon” from flipkart.
    Kobo is a good suggestion and thanks for this post.

    1. Rajesh K

      Open standard is there – ePub. The issue is, Amazon doesn’t follow it and the majority of eReaders are Kindles! With Kobo reader, you can read eBooks from any vendor (except Flipkart).

      Destination Infinity

  3. Rachna Chhabria

    Will have to check out Kobo, had not heard about it. Though I prefer to read a hard copy, I have read a few books on my Kindle for PC.

    1. Rajesh K

      Reading from the PC might be difficult, at least for me it is. I prefer the eReader – try it sometime. It makes our reading-life, very simple! 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  4. Shilpa Garg

    Will check out Kobo and have added Kindle in my wish list though physical books is what I prefer. But have been reading such rave reviews from Kindle users!

    1. Rajesh K

      Amazon doesn’t much advertise Kindle. It is always bought on recommendation from other users – that’s how I came to know about it and that’s what made the decision easier, for me.

      Destination Infinity

  5. SG

    Kobo is one of the fast growing eReading services. Good to check it out. Just one clarification. Kobo is not based in the US. It is based in Toronto, Canada. All over the world, people mistake Canadians for Americans. That is OK with the Americans. But the Canadians don’t like that.

    1. Rajesh K

      Oh, I didn’t know it. Thanks for the correction, I will correct the mistake in the article now.

      Destination Infinity

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