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Kobo Announces Partnership with Leading UK Retailer WHSmith to Deliver the Kobo eReading Platform and eReaders to Customers
Brings Best-in-Class Kobo eReaders to UK Consumers
Largest Global Bookstore with over 2.5 Million Titles and over 1
Million Free Books
TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Kobo, a global leader in eReading with
over 5 million users worldwide, announced today a partnership with
WHSmith to sell Kobo eReaders in over 750 High Street, airport, and
railway stores across the United Kingdom - as well as online at http://www.whsmith.co.uk. This partnership builds on the recent news announcement that Kobo has
launched in France, expanding on the Kobo strategy of delivering
eReading globally, with the objective of delivering local content and
an immersive reading experience to more readers, in more countries
around the world.
"Readers in the UK have been looking for an eBook service that
encompasses an end-to-end eReading experience, best-in-class eReaders,
and a world class catalogue - we are excited to be able to partner with
WHSmith and fulfill that need. This announcement expands on several
recent partnership announcements from Kobo building on our
international strategy to secure top-tier retail partners", said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. "As we continue our expansion into Europe, WHSmith was Kobo's first
choice to bring our best-in-class eReader to UK stores. We value our
partnership and look forward to delivering a superior reading
experience to UK consumers."
Kate Swann, CEO of WHSmith, said: "WHSmith is pleased to be working with Kobo to bring its world class
eReaders and eBookstore to the UK and Irish markets. The partnership
with Kobo further extends our presence in this developing market whilst
complementing our physical books business".
Starting on October 17, 2011, WHSmith will offer two models of the Kobo
eReader; the Kobo Wi Fi and the Kobo Touch to provide customers with a
choice of devices that best meets their reading needs. The eReaders,
starting at just £89.99, are available in an array of colors and debut with a line of stylish
accessories, making them the perfect gift for the upcoming Holiday
season.
Kobo has developed a line of eReaders that are focused on delivering an
easy, simple, reading experience - intuitive navigation, with a
contemporary design to allow for a clutter free reading experience.
All Kobo devices are designed with the signature Kobo quilted back, to
provide the optimal in reading comfort. Kobo eReaders are light and
stylish, and make the perfect travel companion, as they fit easily into
a purse or suit pocket. Plus, consumers can easily connect easily with
Wi Fi to shop and browse the Kobo eBook store on the go. With a
selection of fonts and font sizes, consumers can customize their
experience to best meet their reading needs.
THE KOBO WI FI FOR THE LOW PRICE OF £89.99 - Everything the booklover
needs!
-- Single D-pad navigation - easily navigate books with the soft
navigation pad
-- Includes 100 pre-loaded free and engaging classic reads
-- Easy-on-the eyes - E Ink screen lets you read comfortably, even
in bright sunlight
-- Holds up to 1,000 eBooks - up to 10,000 eBooks with a 32 GB SD
memory card
-- Comes in three stylish colors: Lilac, Silver and Onyx
THE KOBO TOUCH EDITION £109.99 - Ultimate reading experience: lighter,
faster, and with touch!
-- Simple and intuitive touch screen navigation, that is just like
reading a book with Real Touch(TM) technology
-- Free Previews - free excerpts of 15 popular books ready to read
-- Newest E Ink Screen with Pearl Technology and featuring 16
level grey scale for the sharpest reading experience
-- Holds up to 1,000 eBooks - Expandable storage for up to 30,000
books
Comes in four stylish colors: Lilac, Silver, blue and Onyx
Earn awards just for reading - with Reading Life!
ACCESS MILLIONS OF TITLES
The Kobo global store offers one of the largest content catalogues -
with a selection of over 2.5 million eBooks, newspapers and magazines
with bestselling titles, the hottest new releases, thrillers, romance,
and more. In addition to its global store, Kobo has locally
merchandised English language stores in the US, Canada, Germany
(localised), UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
WHSmith consumers will have access to the largest eBook catalogue in UK
with over 2.2 million titles- featuring a rich assortment of local
content, merchandised to the tastes and preferences of readers across
England, with the latest releases and bestsellers from popular English
authors.
Plus, Kobo offers over 1 million free engaging contemporary and classic
titles from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, to Dracula - for
consumers to download and read for free.
BUILT ON AN OPEN PLATFORM
Kobo believes that open standards for eBooks are best for consumers,
publishers, retailers and hardware manufacturers. Kobo proudly supports
EPUB and encourages our users to read a Kobo-purchased eBook on their
smartphone, laptop, Kobo eReader (other eReaders using open standards),
or other popular devices they choose.
With Kobo users can read ePUB, PDF and MOBI format eBooks; view JPEG,
GIF, PNG, BMP and TIFF images; review TXT, HTML and RTF materials; and
enjoy CBZ and CBR comic book formats. Consumers can also easily borrow
and read eBooks from the local public library. Kobo is dedicated to an
open cloud-based platform, enabling users to read on any device, and
with open standards that give users the freedom to build their lifetime
libraries as they choose.
TOP RANKED EREADING APPS
As part of the partnership WHSmith consumers will be able to access free
Kobo eReading apps so users can read across the most popular devices
such as desktops, laptops, tablets, Android(TM) phones, iPhones® , iPads® , Blackberry® Smartphones and PlayBooks. They
can easily sync and read from one device to another and pick up from
the page they last read.
INDUSTRY FIRST SOCIAL READING PLATFORM - READING LIFE
Kobo will also offer popular social program - Reading Life to WHSmith
consumers. Reading Life is a leading, industry-first social experience
that lets passionate readers track and share their love of reading.
With Reading Life, users can connect with friends or book clubs and
discuss their favorite books on Facebook, they can track their
statistics which provide a tally of their library and reading activity
- an insightful way for users to learn about their reading habits.
Plus, users can earn awards - just for spending time reading.
About Kobo, Inc.
Kobo is a global eReading service with more than 2.5 million eBooks,
magazines and newspapers - one of the largest eReading catalogues in
the world. Read freely - Kobo believes consumers should have the
freedom to read any book on any device and has attracted millions of
readers from over 100 countries across the globe. Kobo has top ranked
eReading applications for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows
and MacOS, and is the eReading application of choice for leading tablet
OEMs. The Kobo Wireless eReader and the Kobo eReader Touch Edition are
available at leading retailers, including Indigo, Walmart, Best Buy,
Target, WHSmith, Collins Booksellers and Whitcoull's. Kobo's
innovative Reading Life is an industry-first comprehensive social
eReading experience - Kobo users can earn awards simply for time spent
reading and encouraging others. Kobo is backed by majority shareholder
Indigo Books & Music Inc, Cheung Kong Holdings, and institutional
investors.
About WHSmith
WHSmith currently operates from over 1100 stores in the UK and a growing
number of international locations, including Melbourne, Delhi and
Oman. WHSmith High Street comprises of more than 600 stores and sells
a wide range of stationery, books, newspapers and magazines. WHSmith
Travel comprises of over 560 travel retail units in airports, railway
stations, hospitals, workplaces and motorway service areas and sells a
tailored offer to meet the needs of people on the move. Customers can
discover the full range of Kobo eReaders and accessories at WHSmith.co.uk/kobo and browse the eBook range at WHSmith.co.uk/eBooks.
# # #
iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. App
Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc. Android is a trademark of
Google Inc. BlackBerry is a registered trademark of Research In
Motion. PlayBook and BlackBerry App World are trademarks of Research
In Motion.
SOURCE Kobo Inc.
Kobo Inc.
CONTACT: Wendy Zaas/Jim Hughes
Rogers & Cowan
310. 854.8278/310.854.8275
wzaas@rogersandcowan.com
jhughes@rogersandcowan.com
Kobo Announces Partnership with Leading UK Retailer WHSmith to Deliver the Kobo eReading Platform and eReaders to Customers
Brings Best-in-Class Kobo eReaders to UK Consumers
Largest Global Bookstore with over 2.5 Million Titles and over 1
Million Free Books
TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Kobo, a global leader in eReading with
over 5 million users worldwide, announced today a partnership with
WHSmith to sell Kobo eReaders in over 750 High Street, airport, and
railway stores across the United Kingdom - as well as online at http://www.whsmith.co.uk. This partnership builds on the recent news announcement that Kobo has
launched in France, expanding on the Kobo strategy of delivering
eReading globally, with the objective of delivering local content and
an immersive reading experience to more readers, in more countries
around the world.
"Readers in the UK have been looking for an eBook service that
encompasses an end-to-end eReading experience, best-in-class eReaders,
and a world class catalogue - we are excited to be able to partner with
WHSmith and fulfill that need. This announcement expands on several
recent partnership announcements from Kobo building on our
international strategy to secure top-tier retail partners", said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. "As we continue our expansion into Europe, WHSmith was Kobo's first
choice to bring our best-in-class eReader to UK stores. We value our
partnership and look forward to delivering a superior reading
experience to UK consumers."
Kate Swann, CEO of WHSmith, said: "WHSmith is pleased to be working with Kobo to bring its world class
eReaders and eBookstore to the UK and Irish markets. The partnership
with Kobo further extends our presence in this developing market whilst
complementing our physical books business".
Starting on October 17, 2011, WHSmith will offer two models of the Kobo
eReader; the Kobo Wi Fi and the Kobo Touch to provide customers with a
choice of devices that best meets their reading needs. The eReaders,
starting at just £89.99, are available in an array of colors and debut with a line of stylish
accessories, making them the perfect gift for the upcoming Holiday
season.
Kobo has developed a line of eReaders that are focused on delivering an
easy, simple, reading experience - intuitive navigation, with a
contemporary design to allow for a clutter free reading experience.
All Kobo devices are designed with the signature Kobo quilted back, to
provide the optimal in reading comfort. Kobo eReaders are light and
stylish, and make the perfect travel companion, as they fit easily into
a purse or suit pocket. Plus, consumers can easily connect easily with
Wi Fi to shop and browse the Kobo eBook store on the go. With a
selection of fonts and font sizes, consumers can customize their
experience to best meet their reading needs.
THE KOBO WI FI FOR THE LOW PRICE OF £89.99 - Everything the booklover
needs!
-- Single D-pad navigation - easily navigate books with the soft
navigation pad
-- Includes 100 pre-loaded free and engaging classic reads
-- Easy-on-the eyes - E Ink screen lets you read comfortably, even
in bright sunlight
-- Holds up to 1,000 eBooks - up to 10,000 eBooks with a 32 GB SD
memory card
-- Comes in three stylish colors: Lilac, Silver and Onyx
THE KOBO TOUCH EDITION £109.99 - Ultimate reading experience: lighter,
faster, and with touch!
-- Simple and intuitive touch screen navigation, that is just like
reading a book with Real Touch(TM) technology
-- Free Previews - free excerpts of 15 popular books ready to read
-- Newest E Ink Screen with Pearl Technology and featuring 16
level grey scale for the sharpest reading experience
-- Holds up to 1,000 eBooks - Expandable storage for up to 30,000
books
Comes in four stylish colors: Lilac, Silver, blue and Onyx
Earn awards just for reading - with Reading Life!
ACCESS MILLIONS OF TITLES
The Kobo global store offers one of the largest content catalogues -
with a selection of over 2.5 million eBooks, newspapers and magazines
with bestselling titles, the hottest new releases, thrillers, romance,
and more. In addition to its global store, Kobo has locally
merchandised English language stores in the US, Canada, Germany
(localised), UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
WHSmith consumers will have access to the largest eBook catalogue in UK
with over 2.2 million titles- featuring a rich assortment of local
content, merchandised to the tastes and preferences of readers across
England, with the latest releases and bestsellers from popular English
authors.
Plus, Kobo offers over 1 million free engaging contemporary and classic
titles from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, to Dracula - for
consumers to download and read for free.
BUILT ON AN OPEN PLATFORM
Kobo believes that open standards for eBooks are best for consumers,
publishers, retailers and hardware manufacturers. Kobo proudly supports
EPUB and encourages our users to read a Kobo-purchased eBook on their
smartphone, laptop, Kobo eReader (other eReaders using open standards),
or other popular devices they choose.
With Kobo users can read ePUB, PDF and MOBI format eBooks; view JPEG,
GIF, PNG, BMP and TIFF images; review TXT, HTML and RTF materials; and
enjoy CBZ and CBR comic book formats. Consumers can also easily borrow
and read eBooks from the local public library. Kobo is dedicated to an
open cloud-based platform, enabling users to read on any device, and
with open standards that give users the freedom to build their lifetime
libraries as they choose.
TOP RANKED EREADING APPS
As part of the partnership WHSmith consumers will be able to access free
Kobo eReading apps so users can read across the most popular devices
such as desktops, laptops, tablets, Android(TM) phones, iPhones® , iPads® , Blackberry® Smartphones and PlayBooks. They
can easily sync and read from one device to another and pick up from
the page they last read.
INDUSTRY FIRST SOCIAL READING PLATFORM - READING LIFE
Kobo will also offer popular social program - Reading Life to WHSmith
consumers. Reading Life is a leading, industry-first social experience
that lets passionate readers track and share their love of reading.
With Reading Life, users can connect with friends or book clubs and
discuss their favorite books on Facebook, they can track their
statistics which provide a tally of their library and reading activity
- an insightful way for users to learn about their reading habits.
Plus, users can earn awards - just for spending time reading.
About Kobo, Inc.
Kobo is a global eReading service with more than 2.5 million eBooks,
magazines and newspapers - one of the largest eReading catalogues in
the world. Read freely - Kobo believes consumers should have the
freedom to read any book on any device and has attracted millions of
readers from over 100 countries across the globe. Kobo has top ranked
eReading applications for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows
and MacOS, and is the eReading application of choice for leading tablet
OEMs. The Kobo Wireless eReader and the Kobo eReader Touch Edition are
available at leading retailers, including Indigo, Walmart, Best Buy,
Target, WHSmith, Collins Booksellers and Whitcoull's. Kobo's
innovative Reading Life is an industry-first comprehensive social
eReading experience - Kobo users can earn awards simply for time spent
reading and encouraging others. Kobo is backed by majority shareholder
Indigo Books & Music Inc, Cheung Kong Holdings, and institutional
investors.
About WHSmith
WHSmith currently operates from over 1100 stores in the UK and a growing
number of international locations, including Melbourne, Delhi and
Oman. WHSmith High Street comprises of more than 600 stores and sells
a wide range of stationery, books, newspapers and magazines. WHSmith
Travel comprises of over 560 travel retail units in airports, railway
stations, hospitals, workplaces and motorway service areas and sells a
tailored offer to meet the needs of people on the move. Customers can
discover the full range of Kobo eReaders and accessories at WHSmith.co.uk/kobo and browse the eBook range at WHSmith.co.uk/eBooks.
# # #
iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. App
Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc. Android is a trademark of
Google Inc. BlackBerry is a registered trademark of Research In
Motion. PlayBook and BlackBerry App World are trademarks of Research
In Motion.
SOURCE Kobo Inc.
Kobo Inc.
CONTACT: Wendy Zaas/Jim Hughes
Rogers & Cowan
310. 854.8278/310.854.8275
wzaas@rogersandcowan.com
jhughes@rogersandcowan.com