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

Martin Jungfer

16/10/2024

Pictures: Martin Jungfer

Tolino’s small e-book reader is now onto its fifth generation. Externally, the new model hardly differs from its predecessor – yet it’s been improved in some areas.

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.

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.

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

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.

Martin Jungfer

Head of Content

Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.ch

Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment. more

---

Product test

Our experts test products and their applications. Independently and neutrally.

Show all

These articles might also interest you