Kobo Desktop Editor's Review

Read hundreds of eBooks with this great, alternative, multiplatform book reader.

eBooks are all the rage. There's a war being fought for your eBook dollar, and unless you've been stuck under a rock, you know that its Apple, vs. Kindle/Kindle Fire vs. Nook vs....well, could be Kobo Desktop. It’s a multiplatform eBook platform, and it could be the alternative you've been looking for.

Kobo Desktop lets you read, shop for eBooks, and transfer them easily to your eReader from your computer or laptop. All you have to do is download the Kobo Desktop software and install it on your computer. Thankfully, there's version available for both Windows and Macintosh.  Once you sign in, you can instantly access the eBooks you've already purchased and download them to your computer.

The desktop software lets you customize the font style and size, alignment and margins you need to make your reading experience the best it can be on your computer screen. You can even choose from three great reading themes to suit your personal reading needs.  After you're reading preferences are set, and you're reading books, you can start and stop at your leisure with Kobo Desktop's Automatic Bookmarking feature. You can pick up reading right where you left off the last time. Your bookmarks follow you no matter how you use Kobo to read — you can seamlessly switch between your computer, your smartphone, tablet, or eReader.

Finding new content to consume on your reader is easy with Kobo Desktop.  You can use its integrated Kobo Store to make shopping and downloading eBooks a breeze. Its controls are all familiar and very easy to use.

Kobo, also sports its own dedicated eReader, in case you were looking for an iPad, Nook or Kindle alternative.  You can use Kobo's eReader to easily transfer your books from Kobo Desktop to your Kobo eReader.

Pro’s: Integrated store, Seamless content transfer between PC and mobile devices, multiplatform, ePub formatted eBooks

Con’s: Limited store, not widely known alternative

Conclusion: The Kobo Desktop is a great eBook alternative for those that are tired of the iPad-Kindle-Nook eBook wars.  Its Android powered tablet/eReader, however, is just that – yet another Android powered tablet that further fragments the Android ecosystem.  I give kudos to Kobo, however, in that it tries to directly compete with Amazon via its own color tablet, smartphone/tablet software and eBook store. Perhaps the vendor is more popular in other countries, but here in the States, this little known vendor doesn't stand much of a chance at taking a large piece of the eBook pie, despite the desktop and/or device software or tablet it produces.