Kobo Touch

 Touch is all the rage these days in the e-reader market, and just as Barnes & Noble has moved to a touch-screen interface for its latest Nook e-ink model, so, too, has Kobo with its 2011 eReader Touch Edition.

If you've run across any of Kobo's previous e-readers, the Touch Edition doesn't look so different from last year's Kobo Wireless, though it certainly has a more refined design. It's understated yet it looks sleek, with a quilted back, and is overall slightly smaller and lighter than the Nook Touch (and Amazon Kindle). It comes in a variety of colors (black, blue, silver, and lavender) and because it's slightly narrower than the Nook, it's arguably a little bit more comfortable to hold in your hand.

As its name implies, Kobo's new e-reader has a touch screen and uses the same Neonode infrared technology that's found in Sony's touch-screen e-readers and the new Nook Touch. It also has E Ink's latest-generation Pearl e-ink screen.

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