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

Just a quick note that the Boox Poke 3 is awesome. Great 1-handed-use form factor that fits in a back jeans pocket (probably only on dudepants tho), a 2-liter sling/fanny pack, etc. Light and sturdy feeling.

The Boox case with magnets is really great and worth the price because when you open it up, the device wakes up, so it really feels like a book-like reading experience, and the case makes you comfortable casually tossing the device in almost any bag. The case also makes holding the device feel more secure and less likely to slip/drop. Unlike the Boox-made case for the Note Air, the case for the Poke doesn't obscure the charging port, allowing you to charge the device with the case closed.

The lack of a Wacom layer makes the Poke's display incrementally sharper and crisper and more contrasty. Not night and day better, but incrementally better. You can't use a stylus to do handwriting/notetaking on the Poke, but one of those cheap mesh/foam-tipped capacitive styli is a useful accessory with the Poke when your fingers are greasy from eating chips and salsa and a burrito at Toribios in El Prado (best cheap Mexican joint in Taos).

With KOReader's excellent PDF reflowing feature, even academic PDFs are easily readable on the Poke, meaning my Boox Note Air has been mostly relegated to note-taking during meetings moreso than reading. Visually, the Note Air is technically better because of the large screen size, but in every other UX touchpoint (weight, portability, 1-handed usage), the Poke wins for me.

 

Would you recommend this over a Kindle, especially if note taking is not a concern?

 

I would, but perhaps for idiosyncratic reasons:

1. I read (relatively) a lot of acadmic PDFs. I never succeeded in easily getting them on a Kindle Paperwhite and effortlessly enjoying them on a small screen. DriveSync and KOReader changed that totally. Can you hack a Kindle to do the same? Maybe? I don't know. But with Android and the Google Play store on a Boox device (including the Poke), it's easy. It's not a hack, it's just installing and lightly customizing apps that do what I want.

2. Most of the other ebooks I read are in EPUB format. I know Amazon is converging that direction, but I prefer to manage my ebook library outside of the Kindle library, and so that's yet another reason I feel liberated rather than hindered by the Boox/Android approach.

I haven't seen a recent-model Kindle device in person, so I can't comment on that. All my reasons for preferring Boox hinge around the software. @YMO is more likely to have good input on the hardware comparison.

 

if 99.9% is reading stuff that you purchase from Amazon, get a Kindle.

If you need to read stuff that isn't from Amazon and need flexibility on what formats to use, then get an Android eReader like the Boox products.

 

I'm not sure if this is the same in the USA and other countries, but in Germany, further arguments for not buying a Kindle are:

• It's possible to support local bookstores by buying ebooks in their online shops.
• It's possible to lend ebooks from libraries (not with all readers, I'm sure that it works with Tolinos and with Pocketbook readers).
• It's a good feeling not to support that ugly giant Amazon that uses the unfair business tactics of every corporate giant in the world and is a threat to local stores everywhere.

(I've been a bookseller for ten years of my life, so forgive me if I'm a bit unhappy about what Amazon did to the book market.)

 

A little awkward to follow up an anti-Amazon post with this, but from a device standpoint, this is an interesting entry from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BS26B8B/ 10.2" writeable Paperwhite screen. If sync with something like Onenote is possible, I might finally upgrade from my OG Kindle Paperwhite. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 for notetaking right now, but something more discrete and low-power would be nice.

 

Forgot to make a post here regarding the new Amazon Scribe. My thoughts as someone who been in the e-Ink game for awhile:

• Amazon's first 10 in e-ink tablet that is writeable and have the right feature set for the price.
• Those who would consider a 10 in e-ink tablet will default to the Scribe first.
• First 10 in e-ink tablet with 300 PPI screen.
• Amazon's whole ecosystem on the device (for better or for worse).

I do not think it will make the other 10 in e-ink tablets go out of style since they have special software like Remarkable and Android solutions like Onyx. However, Amazon is the top seller of e-ink devices in the world so I wouldn't be surprised if the Scribe becomes a top seller.

One thing I'm concerned is if Amazon will release a brand new Kindle Oasis model. With the Scribe base price is it isn't too far off from the base price of the Kindle Oasis. The other Kindle models have recently been refreshed, except for the Oasis Third Gen that came out in 2019. With the not so big difference price difference (and the newer Kindle Paperwhite Signature has most of the features from the Oasis on a cheaper price) I have a feeling that the Oasis might be sunset and the Scribe will be the new TOTL Kindle.

I'm considering getting the Scribe, but the screen is too big for manga and I don't write at all.

 

I’d put money on them retiring the Oasis. The fact they’re offering the Scribe with the lower end stylus makes me think this is the replacement.

 

I don't think this will be the case. I've used a 10 inch reader before and this will be a non starter for people that just want to read books, which I would bet is 99% of people that buy the Oasis at the moment. There will still be a market for a normal sized premium device.

 

For @ColdsnapBry:

If you aren't in the Amazon ecosystem, I wouldn't get any of the Kindle devices (and this is someone who owns both the Third-Gen Oasis and the new Scribe, which as @zerodeefex stated it is very solid after the FW updates for writing). Reason is IMO that if you buy nothing but e-books from the Amazon Store, it is very integrated with their devices/software. Loading external stuff is still mostly manual (cable connection) or email to a certain Amazon email account within your account.

I never used any of the Kobo devices, but I have heard some QC issues. If you are using nothing but external files, it might be worth it to look at the Onyx Boox Android devices. By far Onyx makes the best Android e-ink devices since their software is super solid when comparing to the other Chinese e-ink Android devices. I would check the Onyx lineup and see which one will work for you. I would avoid any of their Color e-inks since Color e-ink is still many generations away from being good and the B/W PPI isn't as good since it has to support the Color.

 

I have the Onyx Leaf 2 and the Android version isn't bad at all, but my biggest problem of the product was the slow as balls SOC. Onyx just announced the Onyx Page, which is just the Leaf 2 with solid improvements (better SOC and RAM upgrade), but now it is $250. If just reading something like manga the Onyx devices are fine (provided if you don't need the MicroSD card slot), but don't get one with the shit SOC since the Android experience is balls. I even got the Hisense Hi-Reader which is in a smartphone form factor, and that shit slices and dices. Downside is the high $400 cost without warm light, but I was retarded enough to buy it.

If anyone getting into Kindles, just get the Paperwhite. It's has most of the Oasis features and it is a great improvement over the stock model for a more competitive price. The Kindle Oasis while I love it, it is four years old and it is heavily outdated. However, it is my most use Kindle due to form factor and size. I just want a new Oasis with the SOC from the Scribe (for a Kindle, the Scribe is a best of a screen and beast of the SOC).

Scribe is great, but being 10 inches I don't use mine all the time.

 

How are you managing notes? I have been using Onenote for close to 20 years so it will be hard to break away. As I understand it you can email notes or use Word?

 

Thanks all, I'll read through this thread and reccomendations and make a decision. Gut feel is I might go for something with a pen, now that I'm seeig some have this capability.

 

I like the Kindle 1st gen Oasis 6":

• small enough to pocket on the go, bring on the train or plane
• v light, even with included battery pack cover (which gives it superpowers when it comes to batt. life--28 hrs)
• physical page turn buttons
• 300 PPI screen
• asymmetrical "side-loaded" design w fully flat front, which feels more ergonomic than the Paperwhite or Voyager
• waterproof
• price is right as a used model

Cons:

• slow af compared to modern eReaders (reading books is fine, but making notes and going from page 17 to 177 is a pain in the ass, as is switching books, or looking up a word)
• low storage comparatively

 

This can be a major topic on its own. I currently have my notes spread across 5 different applications. Some of it is because I need to migrate my notes to what I currently use but also because I still can’t figure out what to stick with

 

@artur9 Answering here:

I own a PocketBook Inkpad Color, see my posts above for some info about it. It’s a bit slow compared to other readers, but I guess that’s more because of the display than because of the processor.

The software can display a wealth of book formats but has less Kindle-style gimmicks like showing how many % of the book you have read or guessing how long it will take you to read to the end—no such stuff is present in PocketBooks, but the software is solid and does what it is supposed to do: Displaying books.

I never tried to use it for audio books, though.

 

Thanks, that's all I'm looking for, displaying books and the occasional color magazine/comic.

I figured, since it does audiobooks, it might be possible to bring a few and some tunes to listen to when traveling.

How's the size feel to you? 7.8in?

(edit) Some background. Had e-ink nook years ago, like them fine except they were too small. Then they went to "tablet" Nooks, which sounded good on paper and were bigger but was too tiring to use and gimmicky.

Would like a bigger eInk display than that original nook (600 × 800 pixel, 6 inch E Ink (167 PPI)).
Would like to transfer over the Nook Books I have (bonus points for a Nook reader).
Download and read a lot of PDFs.
Never buy Amazon/Kindle books.
Page buttons a big plus.
Borrowing using Libby (library app) a necessity.
Don't intend to do any sort of note taking or highlighting of the books.

I love the recipe loading idea. I get them from the NYT and save them in PDF.

Would the Powerbook Inkpad X be too heavy?

(edit 2) Inkpad X for note taking. The Viva looks good, but pricey!

 

The size is ideal for my taste. To me, 6" is too small, 7.8" is roughly the size of a printed book.

About color: Bear in mind that the color is shit. Definitely not good enough to read a comic and really enjoy it. The new second generation Inkpad Color is said to be better, but I doubt it’s actually good. It’s good enough for illustrations in magazines or non-fiction books (and much better for this use case than the b/w displays), but looking at color photos or anything artsy like a comic isn’t satisfying at all.

The Inkpad X doesn’t have color, anyway, though. For me, it would be too large and too heavy. My Inkpad Color, which is roughly 100g lighter than the Inkpad X, is on the verge of being too heavy for my taste, at least including a cover. When I have to hold it up to read, like in the bathtub, I wouldn’t want it to be any clunkier. The Inkpad Color isn’t suitable for note taking, though, the display is too slow.

Note that, at least in Germany, the Inkpad X isn’t available anymore directly from PocketBook. It will be replaced by the PocketBook Inkpad X Pro in fall.

The Viva might be very nice with its E-Ink Gallery 3 display. This might be the first E-Ink display with actually nice colors—but I’d still want to see it first. However, there is no release date. According to PocketBook, it had to be delayed until further notice due to “suppliers’ problems”.

P.S.: Libby seems to work using a PocketBook’s browser for book download. Never tried that myself, though.

PDFs work well with many functions for reading. Personally, I especially use the feature a lot to remove the margins around the page.

 

Color e-ink is going to take a few more generations to get good. Until then I would just stick to B/W e-ink.