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Kobo Arc gets limited release in Europe & N. America

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Kobo Inc release the Kobo Arc tablet in the UK and Canada. A release in France is due next week, USA coming soon?

Kobo, a relatively new Canadian subsidiary owned by the Japanese company Rakuten, released its Arc tablet on 16 November 2012. The device has seen a limited regional release, with availability currently restricted to Canada and the UK (with a release in France scheduled for Monday, 19 November 2012).

The subsidiary company is hoping that it will find customers for its tablet amongst its already established e-reader user base (which according to the company numbers over 10 million). The tablet has a 1.5 GHz OMAP 4470 dual core processor and offers a storage solution starting at 16 GB and up to 64 GB.

The 7-inch size means that it will compete against established devices such as the Google Nexus 7. Other specifications of the Kobo Arc include 1280x800 resolution, 1.3 MP front facing camera, and a claim of a 10 hour battery life after a single charge. The OS is Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with an update to 4.1 (Jelly Bean) in the works.

The hook? Kobo says the Arc tablet will remember the likes of its user and will help find media which is tailor-made for its owner. The user interface, known as Tapestries, has been designed to cut down on pointless searching and make the tablet more personalized to the user. The price for such customer friendly service? From £160 (~$254) in the UK and starting at CAD$199 (~$198) in Canada, for the 16 GB tablet. Kobo have filed with the FCC so a USA release is planned.

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Daniel R Deakin, 2012-11-17 (Update: 2012-11-17)