The Kobo Aura HD was the e-reader surprise of the spring. Now, it's getting smaller and less pointy.

Today, Kobo announced the HD-less Aura, a 6-inch e-reader that uses mostly the same technology as its limited-edition predecessor. Unlike the HD's 265 ppi screen, the new Aura is only 212 ppi. Fear not, though. The best front-lit screen for your novel-devouring eyes is still part of the package.

It even comes with a low-flash waveform screen that Kobo says will space out page refreshes and eliminate ghosting. So instead of refreshing every six to eight pages, the e-reader can refresh at the start of each chapter. Impressive, but it'll take real world tests to see if the Aura can deliver on it's ghost-busting promise.

There is one hardware item that has changed dramatically from the Aura HD. The slightly odd ergonomic triangular back has been removed from the new Aura. In its place is a soft-touch, micro-quilt with a more traditional flat back. It may not be as ergonomic, but third party cases will come in handy when certain fantasy writers kill off all your favorite characters.

If you're using your e-reader for more than just reading about the Stark deaths, Pocket integration with Kobo's line of products will make you happy. The save-it-for-later platform is a convenient way to store all those long reads you don't have time to finish while you're supposed to be working.

Throw in Kobo's font manipulation capabilities, including a new font designed for dyslexic readers called Dyslexie, and the Aura is poised to compete with a new crop of e-readers from Barnes & Noble and Amazon coming this fall.

The new Aura is available for pre-order now in black or pink for $150. It'll start shipping September 16.