Technology is gradually getting ever more green, as opposed to evergreen, and Rakuten’s latest Kobo definitely has recyclables in mind.
Not everyone is happy about the way techonlogy is made and constructed, but companies are beginning to improve designs to account for a more green style of development.
You can find recycled materials used in packaging design and indeed in the hardware itself, while some companies turn to creating their own robots for recycling components.
In the world of eReaders, you mightn’t find all that much being talked about in regards to eco-friendly options. We’re not sure if anyone at either Amazon or Rakuten has ever mentioned anything remotely green about the hardware in recent years, except for maybe how eBooks can save on paper in the most obvious way (no paper printing means no trees being used for pages).
This year, though, Rakuten appears game to change that, using IFA this year to launch an eBook reader where much of its construction has been made from recycled plastic.
The latest model is the Kobo Clara 2E, a 6 inch touchscreen eReader with 16GB storage and weeks of battery life using a casing made from 85 percent recycled plastic, which itself includes 10 percent ocean bound plastic, such as compact discs and water bottles.
The covers being made for the Clara 2E also follow that logic, with the Kobo SleepCover back case made from 97 percent recycled plastic, against with 10 percent ocean-bound plastic, while the micro-fibre lining on the inside is made with 40 percent recycled fibre from plastic bottles.
While much of the focus in the new Clara 2E is on what the model is made of and how recyclable its construction is, Kobo also points out that it’s the first 6 inch waterproof eReader from the company, given the high-end Kobo Sage is an 8 inch waterproof eReader and the mid-range Kobo Libra 2 is a waterproof 7 inch eReader.
An inch smaller, it’ll still include an HD electronic ink screen with colour temperature and brightness control, plus support for audiobooks using Bluetooth, something you can’t easily find in competitor options. Even Kindle’s Signature Edition misses out on audiobook support over Bluetooth, something that may surprise you.
Something else that may surprise you is the price, and unlike most IFA announcements, this one actually does come with a price tag, with the eco-friendly Kobo Clara 2E set to come with a $229.95 price tag when it launches near the end of the month.
Interestingly, Kobo’s team in Australia told us the $229 price won’t impact any other current Kobo models, so if you were eyeing one now, the price won’t change, but there will be something new to consider from September 22.
