When offered the chance to give the Kobo Arc 10HD a trail run, I couldn't wait to compare it and its functionality against the recent review of the Kobo Aura eReader I recently did. This unit is vastly different to the Aura, not better as it would be like comparing chalk and cheese.

by Chris Jones | 19th December 2013

The Arc is an eReader, but goes further and is a serious iPad competitor. It allows you the usual e-reader experience, offering a vast library of books and magazines but also moves into games, movies and net access to make this a more rounded experience and a more popular option.

The design is sleek, and doesn't really stray from the usual black and glass. It isn't radical, but to be honest, I think most manufacturers are leaving that end of the market to Apple and are concentrating more on price-points. This unit being no different, coming in at under £300, and offering a similar experience to the iPad.

The operating system is smooth, with the capacitive touchscreen running as quickly as anything Apple produces. It is as intuitive as other models, with icons and buttons being simple, clean and clear. It comes with a selection of pre-loaded apps which includes Facebook, Twitter, Skype and OfficeSuite, making this one workhorse of a tablet. It supports all major file types, allowing you to work across formats - when out and about you can now access your Office files from emails, alter and share.

My only issue with it is that it isn't Apple - thats how highly I rate this item. I am an Apple fan, and it would take something major to make me buy another brand, but this comes close! Similar to the fact that the Aura made me a fan of eReaders, this tablet could prise me away from Apple. It has everything you need in a tablet, it is a portable computer, offers thousands of books at your finger tips, prefect web browsing, easy set-up and access to over 1million apps from Google.

The item has a clear 10” HD display, 16GB storage and weighs a lotted over 600grams. It has the usual sockets, micro USB and micro HDMI out, allowing you to link this little beauty with other pieces of kit. It also has a front facing 1.3 megapixel HD camera, allowing you to snap and share your memories.

The Positive

▪ Ease of use and set-up

▪ HD display, clean and clear

▪ An office on the go

The Negative

▪ The brand - needs time to establish itself more

Price: The Kobo Arc 10HD comes in at £299.99 RRP, and is readily available from:

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/kobo-arc-10hd-black-16-gb-tablet/product/36787517

For me, this tablet is worth its cost. Some may hold out for a cheaper model, however - you do get what you pay for. This item doesn't feel cheap, you can see where the money has been spent. It runs smoothly, its simple to use and add to, the apps that come with it are enough to get you going with plenty more available to suit your needs. If you are looking for something as a alternative to Apple, then loo no further.

Our Rating: ★★★★

Specifications:

• 10” HD LCD display

• 2560 x 1600 screen resolution

• NVIDIA Tegra 4 T4OS, 1.8 GHz quad core processor

• 2 GB DDR3L RAM

• 253 x 172 x 9.9 mm dimensions

• 627g weight

• 16 GB storage

• Micro USB, Micro HDMI out and 3.5 mm headphone jack ports

• Front facing 1.3 MP (720p) HD camera

• Dual stereo speakers, microphone for audio

• dual band wifi and bluetooth connectivity

• battery life of up to 9.5 hours of continuous reading

• Andriod 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system

• Google Play access

• File support for ePub, JPG, PNG, GIF, mp4, flac and many more