Kobo Aura H2O launching in Australia – early 2015

I must admit it seems strange these days to announce a product for launch so far out from its actual availability, but with the Aura H2O available internationally already, it seems Kobo want to assure their local Aussie users that the product they might be hearing about is coming to these shores.

EFTM took the H2O to the beach to test its waterproof capabilities, and while the bath at home might be the most common place to read where the waterproof nature of this device will be most handy, the beach seemed a better place for photos.

Alongside the 2 month battery life and a high-resolution display, being waterproof makes this a compelling product for the e-book-readers out there.  The Aura H2O has a 6.9 inch e-ink screen which offers excellent clarity as well as a good range of backlight/brightness levels for reading in all conditions.

At a small beach on the NSW coast, the Kobo Aura H2O took a pounding from the waves and stayed alert and ready for page turning action.

When wet the screen shows a notification to wipe it clear – because the water on the screen can and will interfere with your basic touch-functions, but with a quick shake of the Kobo I was able to get back to page turning without wiping it down.

It’s IP67 certified, so you “could” take it down to 1 meter depths for 30 mins.  Why you would I don’t know, but it will certainly survive any drops into water or spills it might encounter.

Exact dates may change, but the Kobo Aura H2O looks set to go on sale in Australia in early February from JB HIFI and at KOBO.com for a price of $229.

[schema type=”review” rev_name=”Kobo Aura H2O” rev_body=”Top class e-reader, high resolution screen, and waterproof to 1m – perfect for the bath or beach” author=”Trevor Long” pubdate=”2014-11-24″ user_review=”4″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]