Small, robust, good: the fifth Tolino Shine almost passes my test with flying colours

2013, 2015, 2018, 2022 and 2024. No, that’s not a strange list of bingo numbers. These are the years that saw the launch of a new model of the small Shine e-book reader. I have personal experience of both the model 3 (from 2018) and 4 (from 2022) from my own use and reviewing them. So, what’s changed in the fifth generation?

Cover and finish: robust and handy

At first glance, you can hardly tell the devices apart. It’s only when I measure exactly that I discover the Shine 5 is a whole millimetre thicker as well as one wider. Moreover, it’s one gramme heavier than its predecessor.

The thing you notice more is that the device is made of a different plastic. Its surface is somewhat rougher, making it less susceptible to fingerprints. As with the predecessor, it’s comprised of 85% recycled plastic. When you hold the Shine, it still feels a bit cheap. If you tap the back with a finger, it sounds hollow. That being said, I can’t find any fault with the handicraft or finish. Everything holds together, it’s solid and nothing creaks. The housing can also withstand the odd fall. This Tolino reader bags itself extra points in the robustness category for being waterproof to IPX8 standard, meaning it could withstand up to 30 minutes in the bath (under water).

In terms of the display, nothing has changed here either, with it still being surrounded by a raised edge. This is where Kindle Paperwhite devices with their flat front surface look more modern in comparison. However, one advantage of the Shine design is you’re less likely to accidentally turn the page by touching the screen.

The Shine charges via USB-C. A white LED is built into the top right edge of the device as a status indicator, and the on/off button is at the top on the back. Everything as it usually was.

Given the (almost) unchanged size, I still have the same opinion about what the Shine is like to use. At just over 11 cm wide and 16 cm tall, the device fits easily in one hand. If I just want to hold the reader with my thumb and index finger, I look for a place on the lower, wide edge. Or better still, on the narrow side edge, where with a bit of dexterity, I can read with one hand by briefly tapping my thumb on the screen.

Internal results: a slower chip

The Shine 5 is equipped with a 1 GHz 1-core processor, or the MediaTEK MT8113L – ARM A53 1.0 GHz to be more precise. Notionally speaking, this is a downgrade from the predecessor, which still boasted a 1.8 GHz chip. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this entry-level Tolino device is now also about 20% cheaper than the previous model.

I didn’t actually notice the lower computing power when I put it through its paces. 99% of the time, you’ll be using the e-reader for just that: reading. The 286 chip on my first PC probably also had enough computing power to load a new page onto an e-ink display.

A slightly slower chip is also more economical, which helps the battery life. But again, one hour more or less is neither here nor there. Tolino claims that the 1,500 mAh supply provides «a full week’s battery», especially if the Shine is mostly in standby mode. On that setting, it can still have enough power two months later. If you use the device a lot, it might need to light up the display, which takes a toll on the battery life. When I tested it out, I read for about an hour a day and didn’t have to charge it until three weeks later.

Display: usual sharpness

There’s nothing new about the screen. It features a Carta 1300 display with 300 ppi resolution, resulting in 1478 × 1072 pixels. That’s perfectly adequate. Letters are sharp; you can’t see fringing or jaggies with the naked eye.

New software: lots of adaptation options

There’ve been some notable changes to the software, with the 5th gen seeing a new operating system from Kobo, the e-reader brand from Japanese Rakuten Group. In the past, the company already supplied the hardware, and the operating system is now also part of the Kobo family.

You can now also play audiobooks on the new Shine, but not directly from the device, as it doesn’t have its own speakers. Instead, you need headphones or a Bluetooth-enabled speaker. It’s best to listen to your audiobook in one sitting, because when I was testing it out, the Shine sometimes didn’t remember where I last stopped.

Apart from audiobook functionality, the user interface in the new operating system looks tidier and more modern – I tested version 5.3.195056 from 25 September 2024. However, the fonts used are smaller. In some of the books, there were also display errors with fonts not supported by the publisher. What’s more, none of the operating system’s ten fonts can separate syllables. This can lead to unsightly gaps, especially in justified text.

Apart from that, you can configure the reading experience exactly as you want, from font size and weight (boldness) to line spacing and paragraph style.

I like the fact the Shine automatically adjusts the brightness of the display to your surroundings. When I read during the day, the integrated lighting is switched off. But it’s on at night when I’m using the e-reader without a bedside lamp. The device ensures the colour temperature changes after a predefined time – from less blue to more orange. Of course, you can also adjust the brightness and colour temperature manually at any time.

Not for surfing or shopping

E-reader fans have long been aware of this, but it’s worth mentioning for those who’re just seeing the light when it comes to switching from paper: e-readers aren’t a replacement for tablets. Although the new Shine also comes with a web browser, the significantly more sluggish touch operation combined with page loading delays makes going online an almost inhumane test of patience. It’s probably no coincidence that the browser on the Shine is under Beta functions in the menu.

I did manage to buy an e-book for this review in the pre-installed Orell Füssli store. But browsing via smartphone or laptop is much more convenient. And any books you buy that way sync with the Shine anyway.