Amazon's Kindle Click Challenges Kobo Remote in the Ereader Page-Turner Market

Both remotes address the same inconvenience: reaching over to tap an ereader whenever a page needs to be turned, whether the device is mounted to a stand under the covers or propped on a treadmill during a workout. Both connect over Bluetooth, both remove the need for physical contact with the screen, and both ship with an optional wrist lanyard. Beyond that, pricing, design, battery setup and compatibility separate the two.

The Kindle Click is a compact remote with two large, equally sized buttons for paging forward and back. Dedicated buttons on the side adjust screen brightness without opening a menu, and pressing both at once puts the Kindle to sleep. It comes in a single white-and-grey colorway. Compatibility covers the new Kindle models Amazon just launched as well as any Kindle from 2024 or later, which leaves older Kindles out. A USB-C port replaces disposable batteries, so users plug it in every few weeks rather than swapping cells.

The Kobo Remote carries a 20-degree curve for a more ergonomic grip and uses two differently shaped buttons, a larger concave one and a smaller convex one, so they can be told apart by touch. It pairs almost instantly and reconnects automatically whenever a compatible Kobo eReader wakes from sleep, and it runs on a replaceable AAA battery that Kobo says lasts months. It is offered in black and white. Kobo said demand caused the remote to sell out for months after launch; it is now available at $29.99 on Rakuten's website, though retailers such as Target list it at $31.99 and Amazon at $33.99.

In a feature-by-feature comparison, the two devices differ most in function and price. The Kindle Click costs about $5 more but adds screen-brightness control and the ability to lock the ereader, while the Kobo Remote emphasizes ergonomics and battery replaceability. Color choice is limited on both. Because each remote works only within its own ecosystem, the price gap is unlikely to decide a purchase for readers who already own a Kindle or a Kobo device, though Engadget judges the Kindle Click the stronger option on features alone.