Amazon recently rebooted its popular range of eReaders with the online retailer finally adding a model with a colour display (called the Colorsoft), along with improving its note-taking Kindle Scribe. They were both welcome upgrades but one of Amazon’s rivals is now fighting back. The team at BOOX have just confirmed the release of a pair of Go 7 eReaders that sound very similar to those latest Kindles.
The Go 7 and Go Color 7 feature 7-inch E Ink displays with a 300 PPI resolution and adjustable front lights for reading at night. As the name suggests, the Colour 7 also boosts things with colour visuals rather than the usual black and white.
To add to their appeal, they both allow note-taking via a digital stylus – similar to Kindle Scribe – which means users can scribble on the display, highlight text, and mark up their books.
You can, of course, get all of these features on Amazon’s trusted Kindle brand but BOOX has another trick up its sleeve that Amazon will never match. The Go 7 range is powered by the popular Android operating system.
That means owners can head to the Google Play Store and add extra apps to the devices.
“Running on Android 13, both, Go 7 and Go Color 7 provide access to the Google Play Store, enabling users to install their favorite apps for reading, podcasts, or leisurely activities,” BOOX explained.
Other extras include 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage which can be expanded via microSD.
They weigh in at 195g, making both models compact and lightweight. BOOX also boasts that they have been designed for comfortable one-handed use with wide bezels and new ergonomic page-turn buttons. The paperlike textured back is also meant to provide a secure grip while maintaining a slimline aesthetic.
“BOOX is thrilled to unveil the Go 7 series, the latest addition to its esteemed Go Series. It features Go 7 and Go Color 7 (Gen II), Android-based eReaders with writing capabilities for immersive reading and instant idea capture,” the company added.
If any of that sounds enticing, then prices for the BOOX Go 7 start from £219.99, which is cheaper than the Kindle Scribe.
The Go Color 7 (Gen II) will launch soon and cost £249.99.
Right now, the devices have availabilty in the US and Europe but are showing “out of stock” for those trying to buy in the UK. Express.co.uk has been told they are coming to Britain and we will update this article as soon as we have confirmation that they are on sale.
We’ve not tried BOOX devices before so can’t confirm how they stack up against the competition, but previous models have been received well.
If you’d rather stick to the Kindle brand, you’ll find our full Colorsoft review and Kindle Scribe reviews below.
• Kindle Colorsoft review
• Kindle Scribe review