Switched from Kindle to Kobo

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• After 14 years as a dedicated Kindle user, I recently made the switch to Kobo.

• I bought my first Kindle in November 2010. It had a keyboard and global 3G connectivity, and it quickly became my favorite device. Later, when I joined Amazon's devices organization in 2016, it felt meaningful to contribute (even in small ways) to a product I loved.

• Every few years, I would gift my current Kindle to someone and upgrade to the latest model. Earlier this year, after gifting my Kindle Paperwhite, I realized the Kindle line hadn't seen any updates in over three years. This led me to explore alternatives, and I decided to try the Kobo Clara BW. The switch has been a pleasant surprise.

• What made me choose Kobo?

  • Clean, simple, user-focused interface. Unlike Kindle's marketing-heavy home screen, Kobo puts your content front and center.

  • Sideload mode enables a truly offline mode. You don't need to be connected to Wifi or register/login at Kobo. You can manage your books easily with Calibre app.

  • I prefer supporting authors directly when possible. For instance, I can easily read books purchased directly from authors like Derek Sivers through his website. Kobo's better support for open formats means less lock-in, giving you more control over your digital library.

  • No forced advertisements. While Amazon charges extra to remove ads from Kindles (that you already paid for), Kobo provides a clean, ad-free experience right out of the box.

  • Better font options. You can upload custom fonts and adjust font weights.

• On a related note, I've also moved away from Audible to prioritize reading over listening, and I'm now exploring more open alternatives to Audible.