Kobo Plus is here in SG and MY, but is it worth S$9.99?
Also, what's with the Plus moniker for subscription services?
Rakuten Kobo finally launched its ebook subscription service in Singapore and Malaysia today. The S$9.99 a month Kobo Plus comes with unlimited access to 2 million ebooks and 300,000 audiobooks.
But having searched through the Kobo Plus selections, I’m not really sure it’s worth it for someone who reads mostly genre fiction like fantasy. I couldn’t find any titles from fantasy heavyweight Brandon Sanderson, horror-meister Stephen King, or romantasy queen Sarah J. Maas. None of the top ten books in the New York Times bestseller lists are in Kobo Plus. You’ll have to buy these books in the Kobo store separately.
To be fair, Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription service doesn’t have most of Sanderson’s or Maas’ books either, but it did have at least one book available. So what then do you get from Kobo Plus?
Well, if you’re willing to settle, based on my quick browsing, there are Piers Anthony fantasy books, BattleTech books, and one Wesley Chu book (Taiwanese SF). But honestly, most of the available ebooks look like self-published novels. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with self-published works, but the quality of the writing (and the editing) can be debatable.
I probably have better luck connecting to my National Library Board account through Libby, and checking to see if the book I want is there (and it’s free, too). There’s one thing I want to give Kobo credit for, though. The company is working with local publishers in Singapore and Malaysia to get their books available on Kobo Plus.
You also get access to graphic novels (but don’t expect the usual Marvel or DC fare), which will be perfect to read on your Kobo Libra Colour. Anyway, Kobo Plus Read comes with a 14-day trial. If you prefer audiobooks, Kobo Plus Listen is available for S$9.99, or you can get both Read and Listen for S$12.99.
This week, we checked out the iPad-like Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, Lenovo’s new Legion Go S gaming handheld, and a great recliner add-on for your Secretlab chair.
Looking for an iPad-like experience but on Android? The answer is the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, which is a capable, lightweight 11-inch tablet with a crisp and bright display. It even has a keyboard cover that’s practically a clone of Apple's Magic Keyboard, and supports a stylus that you can magnetically attach to the tablet for charging.
Lenovo has slimmed down its Legion Go gaming handheld, which also comes at a lower price point. But the new Legion Go S features a less-powerful AMD chip that doesn’t do as well in games as the original. The battery life isn’t much better, either, though it’s quite nice to hold. Unless you’re playing mostly casual or indie games, you may find the new handheld a bit too sluggish without much upside.
The Secretlab Ergononic Recliner is an add-on for the brand’s chairs to support your calves. It’s easy to install — there’s a helpful video tutorial — and it can fold away, staying out of your way until you need it. The recliner also makes lying fully down on the chair better, since your legs are no longer dangling off the chair.