YMO's Fetish for e-Ink Tech (General E-Ink Thread)

Discussion in 'Geek Cave: Computers, Tablets, HT, Phones, Games' started by YMO, Aug 2, 2019.

  1. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    Pretty pleb compared to some of the devices you guys are talking about, but the new SE Paperwhite Kindle looks awesome. I have the 2018 Paperwhite (first one with the water resistance) and love it, but a slightly bigger screen, wireless charging(!), plus the ability to change the color temp on the leds is huge. While they are offering peanuts for it, I may trade my Paperwhite in for the $30 they are offering (plus 20% off) and get the new one.

    https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-kindle-paperwhite-Signature-Edition/dp/B08B495319/
     
  2. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    SE Paperwhite Kindle is going to be the best Kindle/Value ATM. The Kindle Oasis Gen 3 is not a good value at this moment unless you need page turn buttons. I wouldn't be shocked if Amazon stop selling the Oasis since it is aimed for the TOTL market. Funny, Oasis Gen 3 came out in 2019 and it is still using MicroUSB as its connector. While I love my Oasis 3, I still tell people to get the Paperwhite instead since it mostly has the same stuff as on the Oasis.
     
  3. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    That typewriter is such a good use of e-ink tech!
     
  4. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    That 7 color display is cool, but 15 seconds to refresh display seems much worse than regular e ink. 0.067 hz. Not that it would matter much for most e ink uses
     
  5. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    It would be cool for a picture frame project or daily weather display

    I just saw a video where a guy shows how to convert pictures in photoshop with a 7 color processing filter to work with the display.
     
  6. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Also color e-Ink is still in it infancy. Low PPI, very washed out colors, etc. It will take multiple generations to get color e-Ink to be affordable enough for mainstream use and good enough for general acceptable. There's e-Ink reading devices in color, but those second gen color screens still have a long way to go.
     
  7. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    Anyone tried an RLCD device? ex: Hisense Q5 (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002467792282.html)

    EDIT: In related news, I snagged a Boox Mira 13" e-ink display. It is quirky and dope. I'm not sure if I like it or not yet, and I think it might be better used with its internal backlight turned off and one of those desk task lights used to illuminate it instead.

    Here it is in the "travel office":

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2022
  8. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Not me personally, but I do have two Android eInk tablets that is similar to your Boox. Same faults applies:

    • Android not really designed for eInk screens.
    • Very limited software support from the hardware maker (I believe Hisense is infamous for this)
    • 1080p screen
    • Questionable ways of getting Google Play store on a CN origin product.
     
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  9. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    • PDF reflow smackdown
      • Like I periodically do, I got to wondering if I have THE BEST. In this case, the best PDF reflow capabilities on my Boox Note Air. The built-in reader app on the Boox does a pretty solid job with PDF reflowing, and my main squeeze KOReader does pretty well too. But some reddit randos claimed that Adobe's Acrobat Reader "liquid mode" and Xodo are better. Let's see!
      • This is a challenging PDF: https://sci-hub.se/10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820160076009
      • Adobe Acrobat liquid mode:
        • [​IMG]
      • Xodo:
        • [​IMG]
      • KOReader:
        • [​IMG]
      • Results:
        • Acrobat liquid mode: [​IMG]. Just shows it un-reflowed, even after spending like 5 minutes attempting to process the PDF before silently giving up without any kind of error.
        • Xodo: LOL. Garbage.
        • KOReader: does a great job! Page turns are slow, because the Boox is underpowered and PDF reflowing takes real CPU work (same deal w/Boox's built-in reader app), but the results are super readable and usable.
      • KOReader is still the king for me.
     
  10. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    YMOs viewpoint of 2022 regarding e-Ink readers:
    • 100% avoid the Kindle Oasis current generation and get the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition for great all rounder and just big enough for manga and PDF.
    • Only get regular Kindle model if on a budget and really only care for B/W text.
    • YMO as of today recommends most people to get the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition.
    • Kindle Oasis is overdue for an upgrade.
    • If hate Amazon, Kobo devices are a good alternate while avoiding Google e-Ink devices.
    • Boyue is now under Meebook branding with Meebook P78 Pro and P10 Pro models.
      • Only get P78 Pro since it has a built in MicroSD Card slot and higher PPI.
      • P78 Pro even with worse software than Onyx is the perfect device for manga scans since most manga books are in 7.8 in spread.
      • P10 Pro I would avoid, lower PP than P78 Pro and no MicroSD Card slot.
    • Onyx devices still have the best fleshed out software support, but none of their devices offer built-in MicroSD Card slots.
    • Now we are hitting e-reader devices that have smartphone form factor.
      • Not going to lie @philipmorgan the Hisense Hi Reader looks great.
      • However, Hisense Hi Reader for under $400 shipped to US doesn't have warm comfort light or built-in MicroSD card slot, but at least it has 64 GB built in.
      • Still, Hisense Hi Reader is very very very overpriced.
    • Good bit of Chinese origin e-ink devices still and won't have have Google Play Store support unless you do some slide loading/work.
     
  11. Metro

    Metro Friend

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    My wife's very old Kindle has low contrast (basically dark gray text on a light gray background), but I'm sure the technology is much better now. Is there much difference in display quality between current e-reader models?
     
  12. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    From basic Kindle Model to Kindle Paperwhite....yes. Kindle Paperwhite has higher PPI, warm front light option, and nicer screen.

    Other companies low/higher end model have differences regarding refresh rate, higher PPI, cold/warm front light, higher refresh rates, etc.

    Real question is what's the purpose someone is buying an e-ink device?

    Just reading casually B/W text and just want something that works? Regular Kindle model unless you prefer not to use Amazon so you get the basic Kobo model.

    Want something more with better scree/more LED lighting/higher PPI/reading comics? Kindle Paperwhite (recommend pay more for the Signature edition) or higher end Kobo model if you are avoiding Amazon.

    What about a screen that handles PDF files? Look at the Onyx Boox tablets 10 inches and up since it is useful to have good software to back it up (and there's tons of companies making 10 inch e-ink tablets running on Android).

    Being a virgin living with their parents who downloads Japanese manga and have 200GB worth of it on your end? Get something like the Meebook P78 Pro with a MicroSD Card slot.

    What about the 400 lb American comic book fan who are heavily into color comics and have subs with Marvel's app service? Just use a tablet since e-ink color isn't even there yet on the technology.

    You want something that has smartphone form factor but is also overpriced for what it is and smallish screen? Hisense Hi Reader.
     
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  13. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    I own a Pocketbook Color: https://www.pocketbook-int.com/us/node/91031

    Everything @YMO said above about the current generation of color eInk displays is true. I tried reading a comic on it once, and that’s no fun at all. The colors are just not good enough to enjoy anything where color adds to the art.

    However, my main use case apart from reading books is reading a digital subscription (PDF) of Spektrum der Wissenschaft (German partner magazine of Scientific American). The images don’t look very good, of course, but on a grayscale eInk display, they are sometimes completely unreadable. It works well for reading magazines or specialized books.

    I can recommend Pocketbook readers in general, btw. The software is good, including PDF and all kinds of other formats, and they work well for lending eBooks from German libraries (which doesn’t work at all with Kindles).

    Note, though, that you’ll have to buy the devices directly from Pocketbook. Devices bought at local bookstores don’t have the library functions enabled. It is possible to switch from local store to Pocketbook store to have them enabled, but that’s a bit of a hassle.
     
  14. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    [​IMG]

    Got it today. Hisense Hi Reader

    Overkill, overpriced, 64 GB storage…bleh.

    But damn it is useful….
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I have some questions about e-ink

    It seems to only use power for changes. What happens when you turn off a device? Does it remain on the last thing displayed or does it do some sort of wipe before shutting off?

    If I am making my owns files to display, what are the best practices? Black & white saved in PDF?

    Mainly asking in the context of reading recipes while cooking. Scrolling requires constantly drying off my hands. I have been able to reformat recipes to one page but the tablet either sleeps after awhile or runs out of battery. Printing recipes and sticking them to the fridge works well however this seems like a great use case for e-ink.
     
  16. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    <smack> palm hammering forehead... that is such an outstanding use! If YMO answers correctly, then I'm immediately purchasing one so I can toss my cheapo lenovo kitchen tablet out the window.
     
  17. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Most devices if you turn it off, it will wipe off the screen into a power down mode. However, on Android e-Ink Tablets you can go into Power Settings and don't have Auto Turnoff/Screensaver on. You can be looking at the same thing on your e-Ink tablet for hours (less hours if Wi-Fi is on and if you put the front lights on max brightness).

    Doesn't really matter, B/W is slightly preferred but Color ones will do the trick.

    Outdated, but people were using e-ink for their music sheets: https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-best-e-readers-for-musicians-and-pianists

    For you just get a solid Onyx Boox e-ink tablet, turn off all screensaver/sleep modes, and have the tablet show the same thing for hours with little hit on battery (unless you need to have Wi-Fi on and brightness max). Since it is e-ink, you do not need to worry about screen burn-in.


    @philipmorgan can you check your Onyx Boox and see if you can turn off Sleep/Screensaver modes (might be in Battery/Power Settings)?
     
  18. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    Yes, you can use eInk devices this way. Most of them show a power-off screen or the title of the last book you read, but that doesn’t matter, just leave them on, they more or less last forever (well, a few days) if no light is switched on and the page isn’t turned.

    On most devices, there’s a switch off timer if you don’t turn pages, but it can be configured and often completely deactivated.
     
  19. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    A little off-topic but I saw they released an LCD version

    https://alphasmart.com/reveal/

    Reminds me a bit of the some electronic toys they made for kids in the 80s. Also I seem to recall typewriters with this kind of display that allowed you to type a section where you could backspace and fix errors before committing to page
     
  20. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    Sorry it took me a while to look into this. So...

    Yes, on my Boox Note Air you can disable the sleep mode, which should keep the active app running and displaying whatever it's currently displaying. You go to Boox Settings (not the Android settings) > Power > Auto Sleep and select Never.

    [​IMG]

    There is *also* another way to approach this. There is a Boox-provided *app* that controls the screensaver. It's called... get this... Screensaver. In that app, you can set what's called a Transparent Screensaver style, which seems to be whatever is currently showing on the display becomes the screensaver when the device goes into sleep mode. So that would combine sleep mode with showing the last page you were reading if the device entered sleep while you were reading a book, etc. You'd have to exit sleep mode to get back to reading, which would introduce a small delay in the action, but it might be the EVEN MOAR POWERSAVING way to handle things.

    [​IMG]
     

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