Technologies

Kobo Releases the Elipsa 2E to Rival the Kindle Scribe

Kobo’s second-generation Elipsa features a redesigned stylus and costs $399.

Kobo is improving the Elipsa, its flagship E Ink tablet. The Amazon Kindle rival launched the Kobo Elipsa 2E, the second generation of E Ink tablet that lets its users write directly on Kobo books, as well as PDFs and ePubs. The Kobo Elipsa 2E costs $399 and is available for preorder starting Wednesday and will be released on April 19.

The Elipsa 2E retains many of the features of its predecessor –such as its 10.3-inch E Ink display with adjustable warm and cool lights, as well as its 32GB of storage –but adds a redesigned stylus to improve the handwriting experience. The new stylus on the Elipsa 2E is also now rechargeable, comes with an eraser on the back and connects magnetically to the Elipsa 2E.

The original Elipsa will still be available and will also cost $399, though it will include both the stylus and a case. The case for the Elipsa 2E is sold separately for $70.

This news comes on the heels of the new Kobo Plus ebook subscription in the US, a rival to the all-in-one Kindle Unlimited subscription plan.

While Kobo Plus offers an almost identical service to Kindle Unlimited, the Kobo Elipsa offers a feature that the Amazon Kindle Scribe lack: the ability to handwrite notes directly on the page of an ebook.

That’s because Kobo is currently the only company that lets its users write directly on all ebooks in the Kobo library. Elipsa owners can mark up any page of a Kobo book or library book just as if they were writing in the margins of their books at home.

This is in stark contrast to Amazon’s treatment of its vast ebook library, where this practice is not allowed. Instead, users have to open a sticky note application to jot down their thoughts. The notes are aggregated in the Notes and Highlights section and do not appear on the page as you read.

«We understand that, for many of our valued customers, reading is more than words on a page. It is about engaging with ideas. Marking up, highlighting, capturing inspiration in infinite notebooks of almost magical capability using a versatile, intuitively-designed stylus – these are essential for capturing the thoughts and ideas that reading inspires,» Michael Tamblyn, CEO of Rakuten Kobo, said in a press release on Wednesday.

While the original Elipsa was great for annotating books, its notebook functionality was limited. When comparing the top E Ink tablets, CNET found that the stylus experienced some lag when handwriting notes and we wished there were more note-taking templates. Kobo has yet to announce any additional notebook functionality, so we’ll have to wait to see if the new device addresses some of our initial complaints.

Technologies

Adorn Your Wrist With a 45mm Pixel Watch 3 for Just $200 This Black Friday

Both Amazon and Walmart are selling Google’s Pixel Watch 3 for just $200, but for how long?

There are tons of reasons to pick up a new smartwatch, not the least of which is monitoring your health and tracking your fitness goals. If you’re in the Android world, there are plenty of options to choose from right now. The Pixel Watch 3 is a solid choice, and it was our favorite Android smartwatch until the new Pixel Watch 4 took its place in the lineup. But the Watch 3 still boasts some great features that can help you stay on top of your wellness goals into the new year as well. And both Amazon and Walmart are running Black Friday deals that make it significantly cheaper than the Pixel Watch 4.

Both retailers are selling the bigger 45mm model with a solid $100 discount, so you can pick one up for just $200. That’s $100 less than the Pixel Watch 4’s Black Friday price. Again, this offer is available at both Walmart and Amazon, so take your pick as to where you place your order. Just do it soon because we don’t know how long these Black Friday deals will last.

The impressive watch was previously our top Android smartwatch because of its attractive design, large screen and speedy charging. It no longer requires a Fitbit Premium membership to access your readiness score, and it has plenty of great tools for runners. However, although the watch comes with Google Assistant, it doesn’t include Gemini, Google’s AI.

Lisa Eadicicco, a former senior editor, said in her CNET review, «The Pixel Watch 3’s upgrades are enough to keep it as my top pick for a general-purpose Android smartwatch. If you’re anything like me and consider yourself a casual runner in need of a general-purpose Android watch that’s sleek and comfortable, the Pixel Watch 3 won’t disappoint.»

If this isn’t the Pixel Watch for you, take a look at our full roundup on the best Pixel Watch deals going on right now.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band):

$339 (save $60)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth, Graphite Band):

$280 (save $70)
Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Matte Black):

$300 (save $50)
Garmin Venu Sq 2 GPS Smartwatch (Shadow Gray):

$150 (save $100)
CMF Watch 2 Pro Smartwatch (Blue):

$49 (save $30)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Google Watches don’t go on sale often. These rare discounts on the Pixel Watch 3 are thanks to the release of the Pixel Watch 4 earlier this year. This deal drops the 45mm model to just $200 — a new all-time low, and a strong value for one of the most versatile Android smartwatches available.

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Technologies

I Regularly Buy Belkin Gear at Full Price, but You Can Save Up to 63% for Black Friday

Belkin makes excellent mobile accessories, from cables to wireless charging stands. Snag some of our favorites for less this Black Friday.

You can never have too many charging options, especially when you can stock up during an epic sale. We’re just hours away from Black Friday, and Belkin is offering up to 65% off its mobile accessories at Amazon. Belkin regularly shows up in our best lists, including our roundup of top wireless chargers.

The brand makes excellent gear at reasonable prices, and those prices just got even lower. Whether you’re looking for a charging station for your nightstand or a sleek power bank for travel days, there’s a Belkin Black Friday deal for you.

The Belkin MagSafe three-in-one wireless charging stand landed on our list of best wireless chargers for its impressive fast-charging performance. Our expert, David Carnoy, praised the stand’s convenient design and its ability to fast charge Apple’s entire ecosystem. That means you’ll be able to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and any AirPods with a wireless charging case — all at once. Carnoy’s only complaint was the price; however, it’s substantially discounted for Black Friday. Belkin’s MagSafe three-in-one wireless charging stand is now just $78 — 35% off the usual $120 price.

If you spend a lot of time in your car, be it a long commute or regular road trips, a good car mount is a must. The Belkin MagSafe car mount is another one of our favorite accessories. The magnets provide a strong, secure hold for your phone, and you can rotate it for easy access. The mount plus charger is currently available for $55, down from $80.

Speaking of road trips, if you’re traveling this holiday season, you definitely need a portable power bank. Belkin has a 10,000 mAh power bank with a built-in USB-C power delivery cable for $15. This 20-watt charger typically retails for $40, so you’re saving 63%. There are four colors, but this price only applies to the black model. Other colors are available for $30.

If you’ve got a Nintendo Switch 2 or you’re gifting it to a loved one, you’ll love Belkin’s Switch 2 travel case. It’s lightweight with a hard shell and has storage pockets for up to 12 game cards. Snag one right now for $22. Just make sure you click the on-page coupon to get the full discount.

Belkin also has huge discounts on headphones and earbuds if those are on your gift list this year.

Why this deal matters

Phone accessories, including chargers and earbuds, can wear quickly and are easy to lose. Third-party retailers like Belkin offer a solid selection of mobile accessories for all budgets. This Black Friday deal makes now an excellent time to shop with up to 63% off top-rated charging stations, car mounts and even headphones.