Press Release: Rakuten Kobo Partners with Retailer D&R to Bring World-Class E-Reading Service to Readers in Turkey

TORONTO —April 27, 2016— Rakuten Kobo, a leading innovator in the digital reading space, today announced it has partnered with D&R, Turkey’s largest book and media retailer to bring Kobo’s world-class e-reading platform and devices to avid Turkish readers. Customers can now access the service through D&R, both in-store and online at www.dr.com.tr. Coming in May, customers will also have access to Kobo through leading e-commerce platform www.idefix.com, a subsidiary of D&R.

D&R offers a localized e-bookstore built with Turkish readers in mind, offering 15,000 Turkish language ebooks, within a global catalog of 4.7 million ebooks. Readers can explore a diverse selection of bestsellers, curated recommendations, best-of-the-month, and seasonal suggestions. Through the Kobo platform, customers receive tailored recommendations based on their reading preferences – creating the best possible reading experience.

"Kobo's commitment towards its readers has created a distinguished reading experience among its users. This is also important for D&R, which is the largest bookstore chain in Turkey. Kobo is committed to the written word and keenly understands that technology must exist to facilitate the escape into stories and ideas, it should never impede that journey. This sound relationship will allow us to offer the widest selection of books and reach more readers in more places. At D&R, we undertake the mission of endearing books and increasing the book-reading rate in our society. We are profoundly excited and proud to become a part of this evolution of the publishing sector, in promoting our mission," said Kürşat Demircioğlu, CEO, D&R.

In addition, Kobo’s award-winning e-reading devices are now available. Customers have three options to choose from: the Kobo Glo HD for 429,00 TL, the waterproof Kobo Aura H2O for 649,00 TL, or the Kobo Touch 2.0 priced at 329,00 TL. For those wanting to read on devices they already own, the free Kobo e-reading app allows customers to access and read from their libraries anywhere, anytime, on any iOS or Android device.

“As digital reading continues to grow around the world we are pleased to be able to build on the momentum we have established in other countries, partnering with the retailer booklovers know and trust the most. We very much look forward to spreading the love of reading with D&R,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo.

Falling in love with e-reading is easy

Here are just a few of the benefits Kobo e-readers offer:

• Carry an entire library in the palm of your hand – with ample onboard storage, gone are the days of having to decide which books to take on vacation or on the daily commute.
• Various font options allow for a highly-customized reading experience, and with exclusive weight and sharpness settings, readers will be able to find exactly what is comfortable for them.
• People can read for days without needing to charge their e-reader, with a battery that lasts up to two months depending on usage.
• Discovering new ebooks is made easy with on-device recommendations based on readers’ activity and preferences. Reading Life also gives people the ability to take notes, highlight text, make bookmarks, and track statistics to learn more about their own reading habits.

More about Kobo e-readers

Kobo Glo HD – An e-reader with the highest-resolution E Ink display currently available

The Kobo Glo HD’s 6” Carta E Ink HD 300 ppi touchscreen offers a print-on-paper experience, allowing booklovers to read with crisp clarity. With the built-in ComfortLight, readers are able to read in the dark without disturbing others with bright bedside lamps. The device’s 1GHz processor ensures swift page turns, which means no delay while immersed in a great story.

Kobo Aura H2O – Perfect for the bath or beach – waterproof, anti-glare, dustproof
The Kobo Aura H2O is IP67 certified, which means it is waterproof for up to 30 minutes in 1 metre of water with the port cover closed. This enables people to read more, more often, anywhere they like worry-free without damaging their device if accidently dropped in or splashed with water. Reading on a sun-drenched beach is also encouraged, due to the device’s dustproof design and anti-glare display. At 265 ppi, the spacious 6.8” touchscreen with Carta E Ink technology showcases text and high-resolution images beautifully.

Kobo Touch 2.0 – A simple, personal and convenient reading experience

The Kobo Touch 2.0 provides a natural reading experience on a 6” 167 ppi anti-glare touchscreen – making it easy to read in direct sunlight. The device’s 1GHz processor ensures flipping pages is a breeze.

About Rakuten Kobo Inc.
Rakuten Kobo Inc. is one of the world’s most innovative e-reading services offering more than 4.7 million eBooks and magazines to millions of customers in 190 countries.  Believing that consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device, Kobo provides consumers with a choice when reading. Kobo offers an e-reader for everyone with a wide variety of E Ink e-readers to suit any Reader’s style including Kobo Touch 2.0, Kobo Aura H2O, and Kobo Glo HD. Along with the company’s free top-ranking e-reading apps for Apple®, BlackBerry®, Android®, and Windows®, Kobo ensures the next great read is just a page-turn away. Headquartered in Toronto and owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten, Kobo e-readers can be found in major retail chains around the world. For more information, visit www.kobo.com.

About the Doğan Group
D&R, as a subsidiary of Doğan Holding, was established in November 1996, and opened its first store in May 1997 in Erenköy. With 150 stores in 27 cities in Turkey, D&R remains the market leader in the industry. D&R offers a wide range of product portfolios, including books, music, movies, electronics, toys, hobby materials, gifts and stationery equipment, and fulfills its social responsibility duty by supporting the reading, music listening, and movie watching habits of the society. Meeting its visitors with fun and cultural products, D&R contributes to the formation of a reading and music listening Turkish society. D&R stores, are located on the busiest streets and in modern shopping malls, bringing Turkish and global brands together. For more information, please visit www.dr.com.tr.