Tag Archives: e reader

Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers

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E-book Readers, a.k.a. e-Readers, are becoming popular again thanks to the introduction of new technologies like Color E Ink, as well as the proliferation of new brands like Onyx BOOX, Bigme, and reMarkable. That said, some people prefer to stick to the slightly large screens of their smartphones rather than carry a separate device, but that kind of digital reading experience brings its fair share of discomfort. Even disregarding eye strain, reading for long periods on a smartphone means potentially blocking part of the screen or giving your hand cramps in the long run. This iPhone accessory offers a solution that tries to make reading on a phone slightly more comfortable, even if it only addresses one very specific problem.

Designer: Astropad

While smartphones and tablets are banishing bezels, e-Readers are insistent on keeping them around. It isn’t because they can’t make screen borders incredibly thin but because they want to offer an ergonomic design where one or two hands can comfortably hold the device without worrying about accidentally touching the screen or blocking part of the content. Without that kind of “margin,” holding a smartphone can become awkward and uncomfortable for an extended period of time.

Astropad Bookcase is an accessory that adds handles to the sides of a phone without forcing owners to put on a protective case. A MagSafe-compatible phone attaches to the middle of the tray-like accessory when you want to read, giving your hands something stable to grasp. And when you’re done, you simply detach the phone, put away the Bookcase, and be on your merry way. The accessory is made with lightweight polycarbonate that makes it feel like you’re adding nothing to the smartphone, and it uses vegan leather to add a bit of style and elegance to the design.

The Astropad Bookcase has a few gimmicks that make the e-Reading experience a bit smoother. A companion app, for example, can automatically launch your favorite e-Reader app the moment you attach the iPhone to the Bookcase thanks to an NFC chip inside the MagSafe mount. Although it’s primarily compatible with iPhone 12 and later models, the package includes a MagSafe conversion kit to support older iPhones as well as Android phones.

While the Bookcase does solve one part of the smartphone ergonomic problem, it doesn’t fully address the reasons why it’s not ideal to read on a smartphone for too long. For one, there are no convenient physical buttons that would let you turn the page without having to swipe or tap on the screen, similar to how some apps allow you to use the volume buttons for the same purpose. And there’s no escaping the fact that LCD and OLED screens, regardless of advertised advanced technologies, cause eye strain over prolonged use compared to eye-friendly E Ink displays.

The post Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers

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E-book Readers, a.k.a. e-Readers, are becoming popular again thanks to the introduction of new technologies like Color E Ink, as well as the proliferation of new brands like Onyx BOOX, Bigme, and reMarkable. That said, some people prefer to stick to the slightly large screens of their smartphones rather than carry a separate device, but that kind of digital reading experience brings its fair share of discomfort. Even disregarding eye strain, reading for long periods on a smartphone means potentially blocking part of the screen or giving your hand cramps in the long run. This iPhone accessory offers a solution that tries to make reading on a phone slightly more comfortable, even if it only addresses one very specific problem.

Designer: Astropad

While smartphones and tablets are banishing bezels, e-Readers are insistent on keeping them around. It isn’t because they can’t make screen borders incredibly thin but because they want to offer an ergonomic design where one or two hands can comfortably hold the device without worrying about accidentally touching the screen or blocking part of the content. Without that kind of “margin,” holding a smartphone can become awkward and uncomfortable for an extended period of time.

Astropad Bookcase is an accessory that adds handles to the sides of a phone without forcing owners to put on a protective case. A MagSafe-compatible phone attaches to the middle of the tray-like accessory when you want to read, giving your hands something stable to grasp. And when you’re done, you simply detach the phone, put away the Bookcase, and be on your merry way. The accessory is made with lightweight polycarbonate that makes it feel like you’re adding nothing to the smartphone, and it uses vegan leather to add a bit of style and elegance to the design.

The Astropad Bookcase has a few gimmicks that make the e-Reading experience a bit smoother. A companion app, for example, can automatically launch your favorite e-Reader app the moment you attach the iPhone to the Bookcase thanks to an NFC chip inside the MagSafe mount. Although it’s primarily compatible with iPhone 12 and later models, the package includes a MagSafe conversion kit to support older iPhones as well as Android phones.

While the Bookcase does solve one part of the smartphone ergonomic problem, it doesn’t fully address the reasons why it’s not ideal to read on a smartphone for too long. For one, there are no convenient physical buttons that would let you turn the page without having to swipe or tap on the screen, similar to how some apps allow you to use the volume buttons for the same purpose. And there’s no escaping the fact that LCD and OLED screens, regardless of advertised advanced technologies, cause eye strain over prolonged use compared to eye-friendly E Ink displays.

The post Astropad Bookcase turns iPhones into slightly more ergonomic e-Readers first appeared on Yanko Design.

reMarkable Paper Pro amps your E-Ink writing experience in color

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Back in 2020 reMarkable 2 was a good alternative to the iPad for people who write a lot. A couple of years later Amazon Kindle Scribe took the e-reader market by surprise with its premium reading and writing experience. Now the Norway-based company has released the reMarkable Paper Pro to capture the market share back from Amazon.

Touted as the world’s thinnest color paper tablet, the low-glare 11.8-inch display of the gadget is tailored for a pen-on-paper-like writing experience to help knowledge workers capture, refine, and elevate their thoughts in a world full of distractions. According to Phil Hess, CEO of reMarkable, “We’ve built upon the success of reMarkable 2 to create a device that offers the best writing and reading experience ever on a paper tablet.”

Designer: reMarkable

Inspired by the form of a stack of blank paper sheets, the tablet is 5.1 mm thin and doesn’t compromise on the battery as it lasts a couple of weeks on a single charge. This is the first ever reMarkable tablet to read and write in color, made possible by the new custom-developed Canvas Color display stack. The users will now have the option to write notes, sign documents, annotate PDFs, or mark up notes in a wide range of colors. The writing experience is honed by the reduced latency of 12ms when the stylus hits the screen and the corresponding input is registered. The e-reader is free from any distracting apps and is strictly meant for people who love reading and writing without any frills.

The e-paper slate comes with a stylus, or can also be connected to a wireless keyboard. The size of the bezels on this version has been reduced, the edge band is sharper and the chin sleekly hugs the display making it a treat to hold – just like a sheaf of paper. Made from anodized aluminum and glass it is lightweight and has a lot of grip to hold while lying down or while walking in a rush. The included backlight on the display makes the E-reader ideal for nighttime reading and is gentle enough on the eyes. Even on maximum brightness levels, it doesn’t induce eyestrain.

On the inside, the tablet is powered by a new 1.8Ghz quad-core Cortex A53 processor mated to 2GB RAM and 64GB storage. That’s almost twice as powerful as the previous model. Overall the gadget gives or more reasons than not to go for the investment priced at $579 with the standard Marker. For the Marker Plus version, you’ll have to shell out $629. reMarkable Paper Pro can be ordered right now and orders will be fulfilled within 10-21 business days.

The post reMarkable Paper Pro amps your E-Ink writing experience in color first appeared on Yanko Design.

Onyx BOOX Go 6 proves it has become the Nokia of eReaders

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eBook readers or eReaders, for short, have come a long way since the day of the first Kindles and Nooks. While they still retain that book-centric DNA, many of them have become more capable and adopted new functionality, from writing down notes to becoming digital notebooks and organizers. In fact, many of these eReaders have become Android tablets and phones with E Ink displays instead of LCDs and OLEDs. Of the growing number of players in this arena, Onyx BOOX stands out as one of the most prolific brands as proven by the launch of its third new device in three months, almost like the mobile phone giant Nokia that flooded the market with innumerable and indistinguishable models.

Designer: Onyx BOOX

Fortunately, Onyx does have just a dozen models under its name, but that’s only if you count the ones it currently sells. There are a few that have already been taken off its shelves, even just a year or two after they launched or even less (looking at you, BOOX Tab Ultra C). It’s not unusual for some of these models to have overlapping feature sets, at which point the older one gets booted out. And that seems to be the case with the newest member of the BOOX Go family, the BOOX Go 6.

The Onyx BOOX Go 6 is basically the offspring of the BOOX Go Color 7 and the BOOX Go 10.3. With a 6-inch E Ink Carta Plus 1300 screen, it’s smaller than both, as expected of a child, making it the ultimate portable reading device. Like the BOOX Go 10.3, it has a monochrome display, which offers crisper and sharper text but at the expense of displaying any hue of color other than shades of gray. But unlike that larger “digital notebook” and more like the BOOX Go Color 7, it actually has a frontlight that makes it usable in the dark.

Those familiar with BOOX’s lineup before this would probably remember the BOOX Poke 5 which, despite the name, is also a 6-inch eReader with nearly the exact same specs except for one or two details. The biggest difference is the slightly more powerful processor (octa-core versus quad-core) and running a more updated Android 12 operating system. The latter is still old, but that’s actually the latest that Onyx has to offer.

The BOOX Go 6 is also cheaper by $20 and is a bit lighter than the Poke 5. That said, the BOOX Poke 5 was only taken off the brand’s online store recently, so it’s unsurprising that there are many disgruntled customers about this unexpected turn of events. On its own, the BOOX Go 6 does offer the company’s most portable and simplest reading experience, though it remains to be seen if that will still be true in just a few months should BOOX come out with another 6-inch or smaller device that makes this one pointless.

The post Onyx BOOX Go 6 proves it has become the Nokia of eReaders first appeared on Yanko Design.

Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 E-reader Review: Bringing Back the Simple Joys of Reading

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PROS:


  • Compact and comfortable size for long reading

  • Stylish textured back cover

  • Impressive color E Ink display and performance

  • Google Play support out of the box

CONS:


  • Gapless page turn buttons

  • Some ghosting with color content

  • Fine-turning display settings per app can be overwhelming

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Wrapped in a highly portable and stylish design, the BOOX Go Color 7 delivers a joyful reading experience without the distracting and sometimes confusing extra features.

Onyx BOOX is one of the more prolific E-book Reader manufacturers in the market today, always pushing the envelope of what these devices can do. It has almost a dozen models under its name, not counting discontinued ones, and every new release adds a few more features on top of the pile. While it’s good to advance the state of E-readers, sometimes one can mistake the forest for the trees and lose sight of what’s important. With the new BOOX Go line, the company is stepping back and focusing on the essentials, and while the BOOX Go 10.3 is presenting itself as a replacement for paper notebooks, the BOOX Go Color 7 is promising a return to what E-readers are meant to do: make reading pleasurable anytime, anywhere. So we pull off the shrink wrap and press the power button to see where the BOOX Go Color 7 stands in this growing sea of similar E Ink devices.

Designer: BOOX

Aesthetics

The Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 is at once both minimalist and stylish, depending on which side you’re looking at. The front has your typical asymmetrical design where one side extends beyond the screen bezel, creating not only a convenient place to hold but also a home for the physical page-turn buttons. It’s extremely bare, without even the BOOX name, making the 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 the sole focus of your attention. The glass protecting the screen sits flush with the bezels, creating a seamless and clean appearance that speaks to the maturity of this design.

Flip the device over and you have something more interesting, both for your eyes and your fingers. Eschewing the typical matte plastic cover on these devices, BOOX uses a paper-like material that adds not just texture but also improves your grip. In a way, it tries to bring back the tactile experience of holding a paper book in your hands, a small pleasure that is lost with these devices.

The BOOX Go Color 7 is hardly the thinnest nor the lightest, even among 7-inch E-readers, but it is definitely in that group. Its compact and portable design makes it a familiar face, one that makes it clear that this is a device for reading books. It just so happens to run Android, just like a tablet.

Ergonomics

While the BOOX Go 10.3 aimed for maximum thinness and minimum weight, its smaller but more colorful sibling is admittedly a bit all over the place. Compared to BOOX’s other 7-inch devices, it’s only slightly lighter but a bit thicker than the monochrome BOOX Page, but it definitely trumps the BOOX Tab Mini C in every dimension. Suffice it to say, it’s not going to break records, but it won’t break your wrist either.

The BOOX Go Color 7 is designed with ergonomics at its core, and not just because it’s small and light. That textured back cover does more than just make the E-reader look good, it also adds to its grippiness. You definitely won’t have to worry too much about the device slipping off your hand, nor do you even have to fret about leaving greasy fingerprints on the paper-like material.

The small E-reader is also designed for one-handed use, even for turning pages. The physical buttons, or button rather, are positioned precisely where you’d rest your thumb, so you easily press down either end to move forward or backward. It doesn’t even care if you’re right-handed or left-handed, because thanks to its support for auto-rotation, the buttons know which way is up all the time. The one design gripe we have is that the page-turn button is just a single, indistinguishable bar with no gap to separate the two functions. You’ll find yourself losing a few precious seconds either trying to feel for which end is which or, more likely, looking at the button to make sure you’re hitting the right half.

Performance

Anyone familiar with the BOOX family of devices pretty much knows its DNA. Every single one at this point is practically an Android device decked with an E Ink panel, not the custom operating systems used by Kindles and Kobos. Even better, it actually has Google Play support already built-in, which means you have access to almost all Android apps available, including those that you can sideload on your own.

Of course, you’ll have to set your expectations correctly, despite all the potential that the platform has. This is not a powerful Android device, not with an aging Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and just 4GB of RAM. It’s enough to run a few apps, especially those related to reading or even browsing the Web, but it won’t be as fluid an experience, especially with the E Ink display, which we’ll get to later. There’s 64GB of onboard storage that you can expand up to 1TB with a microSD card. Definitely plenty of room for books and even audio files or recordings.

The killer feature is, of course, the E Ink Kaleido 3 screen, which also separates the BOOX Go Color 7 from the almost identical BOOX Page. This former supports 4,096 colors while the latter is just different shades of black and white. On top of this, BOOX adds its own technologies to tweak the performance of the E Ink panel, like introducing different refresh modes to make you choose between quality and speed, among other things. Suffice it to say, Onyx’s expertise in this area clearly shows how clear, crisp, and colorful the screen can be. Plain black and white text renders at 300ppi and is a joy to read, while colored content is halved at 150ppi, which is typical for this display. Nonetheless, reading comics and magazines is still comfortable and meaningful, even with muted tones.

The BOOX Go Color 7 brings back a bit of sanity by having front lighting and configurable light temperature, something that the BOOX Go 10.3 removed for the sake of thinness. This means you can easily read with the device at night, in the dark, or in any low-light situation, whenever and wherever you feel the urge to knock a few pages off your reading list. Onyx, however, did exclude a few features to keep the product light not only in weight but also in cost. There is no Wacom digitizer for scribbling notes, for example. It also doesn’t feature the company’s famed BOOX Super Refresh or BSR, a technology that significantly reduces ghosting at the expense of battery life. Otherwise, the E-reader’s 2,300mAh battery wouldn’t last the days that it did.

At the end of the day, the Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 is hyper-focused on doing only one thing and one thing well: be an enjoyable E-book Reader, whether that’s a plain-text book or a colorful magazine. It doesn’t distract you with features only tangential to that activity, like taking notes, making sketches, or even watching videos. While you can install almost any Android app under the sun, the hardware limitations actually serve to dissuade you from subverting the product’s spirit and purpose. And when it comes to that, the BOOX Go Color 7 is definitely one of the best choices in the market today.

Sustainability

Onyx is a company that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. The number of devices it has launched is quite significant, but that also means the amount of material waste that comes from these devices is substantial as well. Fortunately, these devices are made for long-term use, unlike phones and tablets which still have a very high turnover. That only delays the inevitable, however, so we’re still looking forward to the day that the company starts switching to more sustainable materials or recycled plastics for its products.

Although Onyx does make devices with longevity in mind, the same can’t be said for the version of Android they use. The BOOX Go duo, for example, uses a nearly three-year-old Android 12, and most of its products were using Android 11 before that. Granted, E-readers aren’t exactly known for keeping up with the latest software fads, but those don’t run Android either. What this means is that not only are BOOX devices behind in terms of potentially useful features and optimizations, they’re also lagging in security patches and bug fixes that would protect users from digital harm.

Value

The Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 is a delightful little device designed to make reading enjoyable anywhere you are. It has a solid set of capabilities that focus on this core use case and isn’t encumbered by extraneous features, though it still leaves the door wide open for other experiences. On its own, it is quite a competitive product, especially with a $249.99 tag, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum and, in a way, even competes with BOOX’s other 7-inch readers. Fortunately, the distinction between them is quite clear, especially when it comes to their price tag.

Closest to it is the BOOX Page, to the point that it could have very well been called the BOOX Page Color. They share many things in common but are ultimately separated by color or the lack of it. If all you need is a plain E-book reader and don’t mind reading colored content in shades of gray, the BOOX Page actually offers a sharper screen and a slightly more affordable $219.99 price tag. On the opposite side stands the BOOX Tab Mini C, which is the portable productivity partner. It has all the bells and whistles, including a stylus, but also a heavier figure and a heavier cost at $399.99. If all you really want to do is read and enjoy it in color, then you can’t go wrong with the BOOX Go Color 7.

Verdict

BOOX’s new Go devices are quite bold, but not because they’re debuting something new and exciting. On the contrary, their audacity comes from going in the completely opposite direction, shedding off the baggage that they’ve accumulated over the years. It’s not like all those powerful features are bad, just that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. And for those who truly love sneaking in a page or two during unexpected moments of freedom, the portability and clarity that the Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 brings could very well be what they need.

The post Onyx BOOX Go Color 7 E-reader Review: Bringing Back the Simple Joys of Reading first appeared on Yanko Design.

Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 E-reader Review: Hitting the Brakes to Go Back to the Roots

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PROS:


  • Incredibly slim and lightweight design

  • Pleasurable reading and note-taking experience

  • Google Play Store support

  • More accessible price tag

CONS:


  • No front lights for reading in the dark

  • No microSD card slot

  • Included pen has no eraser function

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The BOOX Go 10.3 brings a refreshing change in pace that focuses on comfort and enjoyment for both reading and note-taking, but be sure to read the fine print to know what you'll be getting for that super slim profile.

E-book Readers or E-readers have come a long way since the earliest days of the Amazon Kindle, and much of the innovation in that space can perhaps be credited to companies like Onyx BOOX. The brand has been aggressive in pushing new technologies and designs, from E-readers that are actually Android tablets in disguise to bringing a pinch of color to this predominantly monochrome world. In fact, it might have gotten too aggressive with almost a dozen models under its belt. The competition is tough, of course, but it’s also easy to lose sight of the gold in the heat of the race. It seems that BOOX took a step back to take stock of where it is now and out of that introspection came out what is probably the thinnest E-reader or even tablet in the market. But what sacrifices did the Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 make to reach that achievement? We give it a spin to give you that answer.

Designer: BOOX

Aesthetics

The first thing you’ll notice about the BOOX Go 10.3 will naturally be its thickness or rather its lack of it. At only 4.5mm, it is undeniably the thinnest E Ink device in the market, at least in the 10-inch or larger category. It’s probably not a coincidence that Onyx launched this reading and note-taking wonder a little after the launch of the thinnest iPads ever, so drawing parallels isn’t exactly that difficult. For a device category that was once characterized by bulky chassis and cheap plastic, such a slim and sleek entry is a breath of fresh air.

The BOOX Go 10.3’s beauty goes beyond its remarkable (no pun intended) profile, however. It carries a minimalist and clean aesthetic that makes sure your focus is on the page and not on any extraneous decoration around it. The 10.3-inch screen is surrounded by an admittedly thick bezel, but its light gray tone makes it look less offensive as it almost blends with the white theme of the UI. The left side of the device has a white border, mimicking the margin of a notebook or the spine of a book, and is one of only two places you will see the BOOX branding.

Flip the device over and you will see a design that BOOX has never tried before. Instead of a matte metal or plastic surface, you get something akin to fabric or faux leather, definitely a much-welcome stylish detail. The metal-like strip that runs down the side, however, is an accent that will probably prove to be a bit controversial. It’s not that bad a design, just a little distracting both for the eyes as well as the fingers that will be touching that part.

All in all, there’s a very good reason for all the buzz surrounding the BOOX Go 10.3. Its mind-blowing thinness is definitely one, but its simple yet beautiful design also elevates its character even among its other BOOX siblings. And it’s definitely not just for show, because that slimness does have other usability implications as well.

Ergonomics

The Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 isn’t just incredibly thin, it’s also extra light as well at only 365g (0.8 lbs). OK, that’s not exactly the lightest figure, but it is when you put it side-by-side with other 10-inch E-readers, let alone 10-inch tablets. That’s already enough for bragging rights, but it also has an important consequence: it’s comfortable to hold up for long periods of time.

Unlike desktops and laptops and even some tablets, you often hold E-readers while using them, whether you’re sitting back or lying down in bed. With a typical 10-inch screen, your hand and your arm are bound to tire out quickly, but not so with such a lightweight device. It also helps that the BOOX Go 10.3’s textured back helps improve the grip so you can hold it with confidence for longer periods of time. Of course, smaller and lighter BOOX readers do exist, but you’ll miss out on some features like an expansive screen or note-taking.

It bears noting here that the stylus that comes with the device is also designed for better ergonomics. This special version of the Onyx BOOX Pen2 Plus has vertical ridges on its barrel for a better hold, but even the “vanilla” design of the stylus has a faceted design that makes it easier to grip like a traditional wooden pencil. Considering writing down notes or even sketching is the secondary purpose of this slate, any improvement in the pen’s ergonomics goes a long way in making that a more enjoyable experience.

Performance

Given the thinness of the BOOX Go 10.3, you’ll be forgiven for wondering if there’s any catch to that impressive design. You’d be right, of course, since there’s only so much you can cram inside a very cramped space. Onyx naturally had to drop a few things from its usual repertoire, but it didn’t do so willy-nilly. It made a conscientious effort to only cut off features that won’t be essential to reading and writing enjoyment, except for one rather controversial thing.

There is no front light, or what other brands would call a glowlight, which sounds like a rather critical flaw at first brush. It means you won’t be able to read in the dark without some external light, but even some low-light situations can prove to be challenging given the nature of E Ink screens. That said, the removal of built-in lighting does also have some advantages, and not just for the sake of making the tablet super-thin.

Having no front light means there is one less layer in between the E Ink panel and the protective glass, so there is barely any gap that could diffuse and blur the content being shown. In other words, text on the BOOX Go 10.3 looks extra sharp and crisp, which means they’re also easier on the eyes. The same principle holds for the lack of color support since the device uses the E Ink Carta Plus rather than the now-popular Kaleido 3, which removes yet another layer of interference. Yes, you give up seeing a limited number of colors, but in exchange, you get one of the best reading experiences in the market, at least with sufficient lighting.

This “gapless” display also has some bearing on the second thing that the BOOX Go 10.3 is great at: note-taking and even a bit of sketching. Thanks to a more direct interaction with the panel and Wacom digitizer, there is very little lag or parallax when writing on the screen. There’s still a bit, given the nature of E Ink displays, but it’s almost unnoticeable except to well-trained eyes. The texture of the screen, paired with the nib of the stylus, also produces this scratchy sound that makes it really feel like you’re writing on paper. If you’re the type who loves to write by hand, you’ll definitely love the device’s writing experience, along with some of the apps and features that support it. In fact, Onyx itself calls the BOOX Go 10.3 an “E-paper Notepad” to emphasize this use case and, in a way, temper the expectations of reading aficionados.

With how thin the device is, it’s probably more impressive how much BOOX was able to cram inside than how much it left out. It’s still a true Android device, running on an 8-core processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It even has some decent-sounding speakers and a mic, though you’ll probably find few uses for those outside of recording and playing back lectures and talks. There’s a large 3,700mAh battery that’s going to last you days if not weeks, considering there will be no lights or colors to drain it quickly. Unfortunately, it does leave out the microSD card slot, so you’ll have to be smarter about the apps you install or the books you save on the device.

The BOOX Go 10.3 is clearly not your average E-reader, not just from its looks but also from the way it works. With a 300ppi pixel density, it has one of the sharpest E Ink displays in the market rivaled only by the 10-inch Amazon Kindle Scribe. The lack of front light and color is responsible for that feat, but it will also be a deal-breaker for many E-reader fans. Suffice it to say, it won’t be for everyone.

Sustainability

As mentioned earlier, Onyx has been making a rather aggressive push in the E-reader market, bringing out new products regularly. For better or worse, that also means it is also contributing to the growing volume of material waste from production as well as carbon emissions. Thankfully, it designs its devices for longevity, and some even use more sustainable materials like aluminum, but the overall situation isn’t looking too positive as far as eco-friendliness is concerned. As the company grows, we hope that it will also shift its focus on such issues to help make every device not only enjoyable but also a guilt-free purchase as well.

Value

The Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 definitely turned heads and raised eyebrows with its super slim design and, consequently, its lack of a front light. It’s definitely a unique design, even among other BOOX products, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum either. Despite its distinctiveness, it actually aims for a rather specific market known to many E-reader fans, a market currently dominated by the Remarkable 2 and the Supernote A5 X. These 10-inch devices, while more than capable of displaying e-Books, are geared more as paper notebook replacements than plain E-readers.

That’s pretty much the same proposition that the BOOX Go 10.3 is making but with a twist. It’s still a BOOX device, which means having most of the features that define the brand, including full Google Play support. This immediately takes it beyond just being an e-Paper Notepad slash E-reader into almost anything you want it to become, at least within the limits of an E Ink display that doesn’t have any lighting whatsoever. For avid note-takers who also happen to love reading plain-text books on large screens, that $379.99 price tag might not look so bad after all.

Verdict

Even with the prevalence of computers and smartphones, there is still a strong culture that extols the benefits of writing things down by hand. But while paper notebooks and layouts have gained a cult following, there are many who consider digital solutions to still be more efficient and, in the long run, less expensive. The Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 is designed for such people, trying to recreate the experience of writing on paper but with a stylus. And just like paper, it doesn’t have a light of its own, which may make it sound less convincing as an E-reader. It’s admittedly still a niche market, but for those squarely living in it, the BOOX Go 10.3 offers a striking and slim design focused just on the essentials, no more, no less.

The post Onyx BOOX Go 10.3 E-reader Review: Hitting the Brakes to Go Back to the Roots first appeared on Yanko Design.

eBook readers are about to become a little bit more sustainable

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eBook readers, often just called eReaders, have come a long way since the earliest days of the likes of the Amazon Kindle. Not only do some of them now support pen input for jotting down notes, some even have color E Ink screens that add a bit of life to There are also some that are practically Android tablets with e-paper displays instead of LCDs or OLEDs, offering a more eye-friendly digital lifestyle. Unfortunately, those new features do add up, making the newer generation of these devices more expensive than their forebears. That means that these color eBook readers are even more of an investment than before, and their longevity is now more important compared to the past. Thankfully, manufacturers are taking notice and may have started the journey toward a greener future for this market with Kobo blazing the trail.

Designer: Kobo

Amazon’s Kindle might be the household name when it comes to eBook readers, but it is hardly the only game in town, not by a long shot. In fact, when it comes to innovation, you could even say that it lags terribly behind, banking only on its industry clout and expansive library to maintain its lead. As far as major brands are concerned, Kobo can be considered second place, but its latest moves have definitely put it ahead of the game in some aspects.

It has recently launched three new eReaders, two of which have color E Ink screens. While the technology is hardly new, it is the first time a major brand adopted it. In contrast, Amazon has only been rumored to be working on a similar device, but given how long it took to come out with a pen-enabled Kindle, it might still take a while. Then again, now that Kobo has stolen its thunder, it might be a bit motivated to expedite its schedule.

What’s more interesting, however, and one that almost flew under the radar, is that Kobo’s three new readers will also be its most repairable devices. It has apparently partnered with self-repair experts iFixit in making the new Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Clara Colour, and Kobo Clara BW more repair-friendly, which means that repair kits and instructions will be made available. As of this writing, details are still non-existent, but it’s still a huge step forward and a first for the eBook industry.

What this practically means is that these three devices could very well become the longest-lasting of their kind, allowing owners to replace certain parts for as long as those parts are available. As eReaders graduate from cheap and almost disposable plastic devices into powerful and sophisticated machines, the need to make them more durable and resilient also grows. To its credit, Kobo has been making major strides toward sustainability, including the use of more than 85% recycled plastic in its devices. This pleasant surprise goes above and beyond what any eReader manufacturer has so far done, putting Kobo on the same track as the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google in the smartphone market.

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Onyx BOOX Note Air3 C E-Reader Review: Solid Basics

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PROS:


  • Simple, Elegant, Lightweight Design

  • Crisp, comfortable, and fast color E Ink display

  • Perfect size for comics, magazines, and A5 documents

  • Google Play Store pre-installed

CONS:


  • Quite pricey

  • Reduced battery capacity

  • No keyboard folio like the Tab Ultra C

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

With a crips color E Ink display and a more affordable price tag, the BOOX Note Air3 C delivers the essential modern e-reader experience without unnecessary cruft.

The current generation of e-book readers has torn down the walls separating it from typical Android tablets. In fact, except for the display and customized home screen, these devices are pretty much Android tablets using E Ink panels instead of LCDs or OLEDs. While this empowers e-readers to be able to do more things, there’s also the risk of going overboard with features that may burden the user, both literally as well as figuratively. Fortunately, there’s quite a wide range of options for those who want different things from an e-reader, ranging from the most basic to the most powerful, but that also makes it harder to choose the right one for your needs. The new Onyx BOOX Note Air3 C promises the middle ground between these two extremes, so we give it a good test to see if it really offers a new experience or is just a rehash of a recent product.

Designer: BOOX

Aesthetics

Although BOOX is probably better known for blurring the lines between e-readers and tablets, it can also be credited with changing the face of e-readers for the better. While these devices started out as simple yet uninspiring small slabs of plastic, the current generation can stand with their heads held up high, proudly displaying their more elegant designs. The BOOX Note Air3 C carries this tradition with a minimalist yet elegant appearance that attempts to resemble the appearance of a thin book. In addition to the wide bezels surrounding the display, the left side has a very wide margin similar to the spine of a book. Of course, you can flip the e-reader around if you prefer that margin to be on the right side, and the UI will rotate as well.

The overall design of the BOOX Note Air3 C is mostly flat, from the front to the back to the edges. It’s the trend in tablets these days, so it gives the device a more modern appearance compared to the curved backs of typical e-readers. It’s arguable whether this design is more ergonomic, as we’ll see later, but there will be little debate that it looks premium. It also feels premium, with a light yet solid aluminum chassis that is sure to stand the test of time and your bag. There are very few markings on the device, most of them on the “margin” side and its edge. There isn’t much visual noise that will distract you from what matters the most: reading on the screen.

That 10.3-inch screen size is admittedly still a novelty among e-readers, most of which are designed to easily slip inside small bags or hold comfortably in bed above your head. It is, however, also the perfect size for viewing most reading material, including comics, manga, and magazines. Some papers, particularly those in A4 size, will look a bit compressed, but the crisp and sharp Kaleido 3 E Ink panel still makes such content comfortable to read. Of course, it’s a color E Ink panel, which looks fantastic on the matte screen. Of course, colors are limited and muted compared to regular tablets, but we’re talking about eye-friendlier e-paper displays here anyway.

All in all, the BOOX Note Air3 C presents a minimalist design that really contains the basics for an e-reader. There isn’t even a camera, a.k.a. document scanner, unlike its BOOX Tab Ultra C look-alike. Save for the minimum branding accents, it has very few distractions in terms of appearance and even controls, allowing you to be fully immersed in what you’re reading instead.

Ergonomics

The Onyx BOOX Note Air3 C is by no means a small device, especially when compared to common e-readers like the Amazon Kindle. While that does mean it has more screen space for comfortable reading, it also means it’s larger and heavier than your typical e-book readers. That, in turn, has implications on how comfortable it is to use, especially for long periods of time.

With a weight of 430g and a size of 226 x 193 x 5.8 mm, it is almost comparable to a 5th-gen iPad Air (2022) but also considerably lighter. That still means it’s going to tire out your arms when you hold it up too long and it will hurt a lot when you accidentally drop it on your face while lying in bed. There’s still an ongoing debate on whether flat edges are more ergonomic because they don’t easily slip from your hand or if curved is the way to go because it’s kinder to your skin.

Where the BOOX Note Air3 C really shines is in the comfort it brings to your eyes thanks to E Ink technology. Unlike typical LCD or OLED screens, it doesn’t shine light directly toward your eyes and uses front lighting instead. It is gentler on the eyes and solves most of the blue light problems that screens have (if you don’t turn on the front light), so it’s definitely a significantly better option for those who love reading all the time. Like most of BOOX’s devices, you also get to select the level of brightness and the warmth of the light that you’re comfortable with, allowing you to fine-tune the reading experience to your personal tastes.

Performance

Similar to the latest generations of BOOX devices, the BOOX Note Air3 C is really an Android tablet at heart, both in hardware and in software. It’s powered by a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, most likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The screen is a 10.3-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 panel with a 300 ppi pixel density for black and white content and 150 ppi for colors, pretty much the gold standard for now. It has a Wacom digitizer layer for input with a stylus, which we’ll get to later. Rounding up the specs is a microSD card slot, built-in speakers and mic, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a fingerprint scanner on the power button.

If most of these sound familiar, you might have already seen or even bought the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C. They’re almost identical, save for the smaller 3,700 mAh battery and the lack of a camera that serves as a document scanner. The latter is honestly something that felt quite superfluous on the BOOX Tab Ultra, so it’s a bit encouraging that an unnecessary feature was removed to help cut down on costs. Cutting the battery capacity in half, however, is a bit too drastic, even if it results in a lighter build. Battery life is still a lot better than regular tables, running for days rather than just hours, but it won’t last more than 2 or 3 days of constant use, especially when running a lot of apps.

Those apps will mostly come from the Google Play Store, thanks to being a certified Android 12 device. That means you have access to the same library of apps available to tablet owners, whether or not they make sense to use on an E Ink screen. Performance won’t be the same of course, especially for apps with fast-changing content like games and videos, but you can run them at least. It also means that you won’t be lacking sources for content since you can install the likes of Amazon, Kobo, and more. And yes, you can do your Web browsing, social media, or even work on this device. The built-in speakers are serviceable but not that great, so you’ll want to pair it up with wireless earphones if you really want to enjoy audiobooks or podcasts.

Of course, the real star is the Kaleido 3 E Ink screen, which shows clear, crisp, and sharp text, especially in black and white. Colors are naturally not vibrant and look more like pastels, but that’s on par with current technology. The screen is quite responsive and fast, thanks to the BOOX Super Refresh technology, and it is really at the top of its class. The BOOX Note Air3 C offers the usual four speed modes where you get to trade quality for quick refreshes. Thankfully, the custom user interface lets you choose the mode on a per-app basis rather than just as a global switch.

The BOOX Note Air3 C ships with the Pen 2, the version of BOOX’s Wacom-compatible stylus that doesn’t come with a dedicated eraser on the opposite end. Thanks to using a standard technology, however, you can use different kinds of Wacom styluses if the free one isn’t your cup of tea. On built-in apps as well as a few chosen ones like OneNote, the stylus is smooth, fluid, and accurate. Unfortunately, any other app outside those will reveal the lag that is more a limitation of the slow E Ink screen rather than a flaw in Wacom technology. Hopefully, BOOX will open up its pen optimizations to all apps soon.

Another big difference from the BOOX Tab Ultra C is a lack of pogo pins for connecting a keyboard folio cover. In fact, BOOX doesn’t have such an accessory for this model, which means people who want to type will have to make do with a Bluetooth or USB-C keyboard instead. It’s not a huge deal-breaker per se, but it does change the narrative a bit. While the BOOX Tab Ultra C seems almost geared for productivity, including typing documents, the BOOX Note Air3 C goes back to the roots of enjoyable reading, just with a few productive apps on the side.

On the one hand, the feature set of the BOOX Note Air3 C doesn’t sound so sensational, especially compared to the discontinued BOOX Tab Ultra C and the new BOOX Tab Ultra C Pro. On the other hand, it actually checks all the right boxes and delivers on its promise without excessive features that few people actually use or even ask for. It performs admirably, with just a few kinks here and there, offering a solid E Ink tablet experience without unnecessary cruft that comes at a literal price.

Sustainability

Onyx hasn’t really scored well in this department and, unfortunately, it is keeping its track record. It’s definitely comforting to see it use more metal and less plastic in its devices, though that seems to only be true for its larger readers. It at least has been quite restrained in its packaging and doesn’t ship with a charger, so material and e-waste are reduced. It still uses plenty of plastic, though, so that knocks off a few marks from its grade.

The BOOX Note Air3 C is, fortunately, built to last thanks to its durable body and solid build quality. There’s no formal dust or water resistance, of course, but that’s also not surprising for this line of devices. When accidents do happen, repairs are going to be quite difficult considering there won’t be many shops offering services. You’ll have to gamble on sending the unit back to Onyx or the few authorized service providers they have around the world.

Value

At $499.99, the BOOX Note Air3 C is hardly inexpensive as an e-reader or even as an Android tablet. That price does include the BOOX Pen 2 and a folio cover, so you do save a bit in the long run. It’s still not something you’ll be buying on a whim and will definitely require some decision-making. How many of the things you read are magazines, comics, manga, or other kinds of content that are easier to read on a larger screen? How many of those would require color to really enjoy? And why would you choose it instead of Onyx’s other e-readers that come in a variety of sizes and prices?

It all boils down to having the right ratio of features and price, bringing the core features you need for an E Ink device, including a few hues of color, without bumping the cost up too much. The BOOX Tab Mini C might be good for reading anywhere, anytime, but it might be too small for some types of content. The new BOOX Tab Ultra C Pro, on the other hand, has all the bells and whistles, practically replacing the BOOX Tab Ultra C, but has a significantly higher asking price as well.

Verdict

Where there were once just three or so e-book readers in the market, we now have a wide variety of brands and models to choose from. While that’s great for the market and users, it can also make things a bit more complicated when choosing to buy one. Onyx itself has quite a selection, and its newest lineup expands the roster even further. With the discontinued BOOX Tab Ultra C, the new BOOX Tab Ultra C Pro, and the smaller BOOX Tab Mini C, you will definitely wonder what the new BOOX Note Air3 C can offer to make a difference. The answer: a solid E Ink experience with a reasonable price tag.

The BOOX Note Air3 C doesn’t simply heap on features just for the sake of having them there. It carefully distills the experience down to the basics but delivers it in a way that’s almost perfect. You get a well-performing Android tablet with a fast and sharp color E Ink screen wrapped in a subdued but elegant design. Yes, it could use a bit more battery, though that would have also made the device heavier as well, and yes, the price tag is a bit hard to swallow. But if you’re looking for a long-term investment in an e-reader that’s going to last you for years, then the BOOX Note Air3 C is definitely something you should consider adding to your cart.

The post Onyx BOOX Note Air3 C E-Reader Review: Solid Basics first appeared on Yanko Design.