Kobo Aura H2O Is an E-Reader That Doesn't Mind Water

Kobo Aura H20 can be submerged 3 feet deep into water.
Kobo Aura H20 can be submerged 3 feet deep into water.
Image: Stan Schroeder, Mashable

BERLIN — We're used to seeing a couple of waterproof gadgets at Showstoppers, the "extra" show that accompanies IFA (and most other big tech conferences). This year, however, we've had a chance to get our hands on one that we haven't seen before: a fully waterproof e-reader called Kobo Aura H2O.

Announced a couple weeks back, the 6.8-inch e-reader is pretty much the same as its brother, the Kobo Aura HD, but with an important difference: it's IP67 certified.

That means it can be dipped 3 feet underwater for 30 minutes, and it won't even blink.

We've tried it out, and it works as advertised: when you place it into water, it detects it's getting wet and indicates that on the screen.

Pull it out, and after a few wipes it's ready to use.

It might sound like overkill, but it makes sense: the fact that it's waterproof doesn't make the Kobo Aura H2O any clunkier than it needs to be, and we're betting many beach goers will appreciate the fact that they don't have to fear water anymore.

The rest of the specs are identical to the Kobo Aura HD: a 1GHz chip, a 265dpi (dots per inch) resolution (very high for an e-reader) and 4GB of storage, further expandable by 32GB via microSD cards.

The Kobo Aura H2O will become available Oct. 1 for $180.