Kobo’s new e-reader includes first color display

Rakuten has launched three new Kobo e-readers, including the company’s first two e-readers with color displays. On Wednesday, the company launched the $220 Kobo Libra Color and $150 Clara Color, as well as the single-color Clara BW for $130. You can pre-order them today ahead of their release on April 30th.

The Kobo Libra Color features a 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display, which is a significant improvement over E Ink’s previous generation technology, with 16 levels of grayscale, 4,096 colors and 30% color saturation. Libra Color is the only one of Kobo’s new e-readers to support stylus-enabled e-book annotation and highlighting. But you’ll need to add the $70 Kobo Stylus 2 (also compatible with the Elipsa 2E) to take advantage of this feature.

This device adopts a curved “ergonomic” design and is equipped with page turning buttons. It supports portrait and landscape reading and has 32GB of storage space (can hold approximately 24,000 e-books or 150 audiobooks). Rakuten says its battery will last up to 40 days on a single charge, but that’s for 30 minutes of reading per day with the headlight at 30% brightness and wireless turned off. (Expect less if you read more than this or turn on wireless radio and turn the brightness up.)

Meanwhile, the six-inch Kobo Clara Color and Clara BW ditch the Libra Color’s page-turn buttons and stylus support in favor of more affordable prices. The Clara BW differs from its predecessor, the Clara 2 (Engadget’s pick as the best e-reader), with a faster processor, more storage (16GB) and the latest E Ink Carta 1300 display technology.

Rakuten says the Clara Color and Clara BW can last up to 53 days on a charge, but that’s based on reading for half an hour a day, with brightness set to just 10% and WiFi/Bluetooth turned off.

All three devices feature ComfortLightPro, which automatically adjusts blue light. They have an IPX8 waterproof rating, making them suitable for reading by the pool or in the shower. These e-readers are made from recycled and ocean-bound plastics, and Rakuten has partnered with iFixit to repair them themselves.

You can buy individual cases (made from recycled materials) with built-in kickstands for the three new devices. The Libra Color comes in a standard $30 sleep case and a $40 laptop sleep case with a magnetic stylus slot. Clara Color and Clara BW have $30 sleep covers and a cheaper $20 basic sleep cover.

Starting today, you can pre-order the new e-book reader from Rakuten Kobo. The Kobo Libra Color is priced at $220, the Clara Color is priced at $150, and the single-color Clara BW is priced at $130. All three devices will be available on April 30.