Kobo Vox gets Google Play injection for fuller tablet feel
When we first reviewed the Vox, our immediate inclination was to root and sideload applications on to the 7-incher, taking it into unsanctioned territory. Much to our surprise, those efforts fell mainly flat, resigning our app indulgences to the officially and sparsely supported Get Jar store. Skip to now, and it appears Kobo's keen to shore up that glaring flaw, enabling access to Google Play and a handful of GApps (like Gmail, YouTube and Maps) via a software update. Users will have to connect to the internet to download the newly available perks, but after that you should see the tab putting on its big boy shorts and taking on a more well-rounded tablet functionality. Have one to call your own? Then let us know how you fare in the comments below.
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Kobo Announces Support for Google Play on Kobo Vox eReader
Kobo Continues to Deliver a Leading Social Reading Experience - Now Made Even More Engaging with The Addition Of 500,000 Apps for its Kobo Vox Readers
TORONTO (PRWEB) June 14, 2012
Kobo Inc., a global leader in eReading, today announced that Kobo Vox™ eReader customers now have access to more than 500,000 apps as part of its support for Google Play™. Consumers can now take advantage of more music, movies, Android™ apps, and games than ever before with the Google Play store app preloaded on the Kobo Vox.
"Google Play is the perfect addition for the content-rich eReading environment of the Kobo Vox," said Dan Leibu, Chief Technology Officer, Kobo. "This is another big step in our ability to give people an open and compelling multimedia device that can be customized to suit their needs. Having access to the thousands of games, apps and tools offered by Google Play makes the Kobo Vox an eReader and so much more."
Google Play is a new digital content experience from Google offering one place to find, enjoy and share movies, games and apps. Ideally suited for the Kobo Vox, apps and games like the Google Play ™ Movies app and Cut the Rope™ come to life on the vivid colour 7" FFS+ multimedia touchscreen with its dynamic display features. The Kobo Vox is perfect for the multi-tasking consumer who wants to enjoy a best-in-class reading experience as well as send email, check Facebook, or browse their favourite websites.
In addition to Google Play, Kobo Vox customers will have access to Google Mobile™ services including: Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™ for Android, Google Calendar™, Google Contacts™ and Google Play™ Movies, and customers in the United States will be able to store up to 20,000 songs for free through Google Play™.
For current Kobo Vox users, Google Play will be automatically included in the software update the next time they connect to the internet. For more information on Kobo and its award-winning eReaders as well as the Kobo Vox, please visit http://www.kobo.com.
Google Play, Android, Google Mobile, Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts are all trademarks of Google Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
