Kyobo, the largest bookseller in South Korea, has been experimenting with e-readers for over a decade. For many years, they exited the space, and now they are back with a 10-inch and the brand new 7.8-inch, called the Sam Plus. This is a dedicated book reader that has the Kyobo bookstore available, and it also supports English. This is available now from the Good e-Reader Store for $379.99.
The Kyobo SAM Plus features an E INK Carta screen with a resolution of 1404×1872 with 300 PPI. A WACOM screen and a drawing app allow users to draw freely, take notes, or edit PDF files. The body is white on the front and back, which makes it stand out in a crowd. There is a home button on the bottom of the screen. It has the typical plastic stylus with a black body and an eraser at the top.
Underneath the hood are a quad-core 1.8 GHz processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. An SD card is available, and storage can be increased to a maximum of 512GB. WIFI 2/5 is available to connect to the internet via a web browser, and there is a single mono speaker to listen to audiobooks, music or podcasts. However, Bluetooth 5.0 can pair earbuds or wireless headphones for better audio. It is powered by a 3,200 mAh battery, which should be suitable for a few weeks. The dimensions are 138x197x7.94mm and weighs 305g.
Google Android 11 is the operating system, although it is unclear when publication if you can access Google Play. An A2 speed mode increases the performance of apps, such as the Kyobo reading app.
Kyobo Bookstore has been a trailblazer in the e-reader market, consistently selling over 10,000 devices annually. The surge in content purchases, with a remarkable 46 percent increase from e-reader owners, underscores the growing popularity of digital reading. The sam7.8 is not just a device; it’s a testament to Kyobo Bookstore’s commitment to evolving with the digital era, providing readers with a revolutionary way to immerse themselves in the world of literature.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.