Tag Archives: e-ink display

Dasung introduces a portable color E Ink monitor for eye-friendly computing anywhere

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We have become very dependent on our computers, including the ones we keep in our pockets, but these powerful devices come with very harmful impacts on our health and lifestyle. Never mind the poor posture and negative social practices we develop through the use of computers and smartphones, even the very screens we look at affect not just our eyes but also our sleeping patterns. E-paper displays like E Ink have long been praised for their eye-friendly technology, but the old generation of these screens were so bad that they were good only for text that barely changes, like those in books. E Ink has thankfully evolved significantly over the years to the point that you can now have a portable monitor that combines E Ink and color to give your eyes a break when using laptops or smartphones.

Designer: Dasung

E Ink devices are getting larger and more complex as seen with the variety of color E Ink readers moonlighting as powerful Android tablets now available in the market. Despite their benefits in terms of comfort and power savings, E Ink screens are still significantly slower and show considerably fewer colors than even the most basic and cheapest LCD panel. That’s why selling an E Ink monitor for regular computer use sounds almost outlandish if not impractical, but that’s exactly the proposition that Dasung has been making with its line of Paperlike Color E Ink monitors.

The new 12-inch Paperlike Color takes that idea to a whole new level by making that E Ink monitor portable. It has a 12-inch screen that has an impressive 2560×1600 resolution, but only if you’re viewing black and white (or grayscale) images and text. The E Ink Kaleido 3 technology that it uses is able to display only 4,096 colors and usually at half the resolution, so it won’t exactly be mind-blowing. Of course, that’s the price to be paid for a screen that won’t tire out your eyes, at least not as much and as often as regular monitors.

The Paperlike Color (12-inch) also has other benefits, like an extremely light and slim profile made possible by having no battery at all. E Ink uses very little power, only when changing what’s being displayed, so it won’t drain your laptop or phone too much. Then again, if you will be using it like a regular monitor, that means content will be changing a lot, which would nullify this benefit and possibly produce visual artifacts. That said, companies that use color E Ink have strategies to address and improve the speed performance, but not to the same level as LCDs and OLEDs.

And therein lies the biggest question mark on this curious design, whether the benefits far outweigh the costs, both figurative and literal. Reading mostly static content and text is definitely more pleasurable, but it will only make sense if you use it on the side as a second monitor for your laptop. But then, it won’t really help you give your eyes much of a break if you’ll be using the laptop’s regular screen most of the time anyway. The E Ink monitor could be a nice external display for your smartphone, but that would run into the same limitations as color E Ink eReaders today. And with Dasung’s typical pricing, the Paperlike Color (12-inch) will probably be out of reach for many computer users, limiting it to a few enthusiasts who might find a place for it in their workflow.

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Dual-screen E Ink reader doubles as a laptop for double productivity

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Just like smartphones, laptops are undergoing a bit of change and experimentation with foldable, dual-screen, or even transparent laptops coming out of the woodwork. It’s only a matter of time before that trend makes its way to other devices, though there are signs of that happening in the e-book reader industry already. E-readers, as they are called, are breaking out of their shell, and some are even Android tablets that just happen to use e-paper displays. Compared to this unexpected design, however, those Android-powered E Ink readers sound almost unambitious, because this particular device actually puts together two E Ink displays to offer an almost literal book reader, a notebook, and a laptop all rolled into one.

Designer: LCFC (Hefei) (a Lenovo subsidiary)

Dual-screen laptops might not be new to our ears after the aborted Microsoft Surface Duo, the ASUS ZenBook Duo, and the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. The idea behind this design is to bring the same dual-screen experience some users enjoy on desktops to the laptop without completely losing the advantage of portability. That use case might make perfect sense for a laptop that runs a conventional operating system with plenty of applications, but it isn’t as straightforward for e-book readers, even the ones running Android.

And yet, that’s exactly what the Gemini “Dual Screens Wisdom E-Ink Book” is trying to do, albeit with a slightly different focus. It connects two 7.8-inch E Inks screens using a 360-degree hinge that lets you fold it close like a book or fold it in the opposite direction completely to transform it into a tablet. In addition to reading, the device is designed to make it more natural to write down notes, possibly on what you’re reading. Note-taking is so central to the Gemini’s purpose that other features are framed in that perspective.

You can, for example, fold it half upright like a laptop for typing out notes. Of course, you’ll have to make do with an on-screen keyboard, but typing on an E Ink screen is notoriously awkward, uncomfortable, and inefficient, far worse than typing on a regular LCD or OLED display. You could potentially connect a Bluetooth keyboard, though that does lose the charm of being able to use this as a laptop. The Gemini also has a stylus you can write with, but the more interesting aspect of the pen is the detachable microphone module that you can use to record voice notes or even lectures.

The design of the Gemini is actually a bit peculiar thanks to an extended edge that’s thicker than the rest of the device. Not only is this where most of the electronics are housed, but it also seems to have controls like a dial and buttons, almost reminiscent of those display tablets for drawing. When using the Gemini like a laptop, you will be resting your wrist on this “bump,” but that will actually force you to reach further down to actually type on the E Ink screen, not to mention you risk triggering those buttons. There is no definite word yet on when and where the Gemini will launch, but it will happen sometime this year, though it remains to be seen whether it will elicit the same interest as dual-screen laptops.

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3D-printed E Ink typewriter offers distraction-free writing with modern perks

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Most if not all of us may have dreamed of writing some form of literature like a book or even a novel. It may be an adventure inspired by the latest bestseller that you read, a tear-jerking drama drawn from personal experiences, or even a technical matter intended to pass down knowledge to future generations. Although we still call it “writing,” the fact is that books today are all typed on some kind of machine or another, be it a computer or even an old-school typewriter, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. A computer, of course, delivers plenty of flexibility and convenience, but those also come at the cost of complexity and, more importantly, distractions. Distraction-free typing devices have been popping up here and there to cater to the needs of writers, but this particular design lets you create your own solution and, if necessary, even repair the digital typewriter yourself.

Designer: Vicente Cruz

There are quite a few distraction-free typewriter designs, but almost all of them have one important feature in common: they all use an e-paper display like E Ink. This usually monochrome screen is not just eye-friendly, it is also not that conducive to the colorful images and animations on the Web that distract us from our writing task. The technology is starting to catch up, though, but the advantages of E Ink still make it the perfect screen for such a purpose.

The Tapico Typer is a design that leverages that technology but also goes to the extreme when it comes to offering a distraction-free environment. You basically just have a keyboard with a somewhat small 4.2-inch E Ink screen centered on top. It doesn’t even have a battery, at least in this iteration of the design, so you’ll have to rely on an external power source like a power bank. It does have an SD card slot, however, which is the only way to get your files off the device since it has no network connectivity or even a USB data connection.

If that sounds extreme, it’s because it really is by design. The Tapico Typer is, interestingly, inspired more by a calculator than the old mechanical typewriter. It’s a single-function device that does only one thing but does it to perfection. It also means you have complete ownership of your content, free from subscription services and cloud storage. And, of course, there’s nothing to distract you on the screen, though the phone you place beside it could still steal your focus.

The digital typewriter is mostly 3D-printed and self-made, so it would be possible to follow the original’s design to make your own. Many of the components are available off shelves and there isn’t much soldering involved, so most of the work boils down to designing the chassis. A future plan is to include some internal power source or at least a way to use AA batteries that could last for months thanks to how little power E Ink displays consume. This also means that The Tapico Typerc can also be easily repaired, ensuring it will be your writing partner for a very long time.

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Infinix E-Shift Color promises near-infinite phone design customization

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Although we look at our phone screens almost all the time, it is really the back of our phones that gives them their personality. From the colors to the textures of their back even to the camera bump or bumps, this side of the phone is what other people see the most and, therefore, provides the most motivation for personalization and customization. A phone’s design, however, is permanent once it leaves the factory, and unless you put stickers or cases on it, its appearance will never change. Infinix, however, is presenting a solution to that design problem with a piece of technology that adds an almost literal splash of color to the back of your phone and changes that into a mesmerizing display of colors as often as you want, especially while it’s charging.

Designer: Infinix

Putting stickers or whatnot on the back of your phone is a sure way to ruin its future. Cases, on the other hand, are more temporary, but they not only add bulk but also limit your design options to what’s already available. Wouldn’t it be rad if you could change the color or even the colorful patterns on the back of your phone on a whim, similar to how you’d change your wallpaper every so often? Infinix’s E-Shift Color technology first unveiled at CES 2024 does exactly that, and it’s getting a little help from the same technology that powers your favorite e-book reader.

E-Ink Prism 3 is the latest iteration from the e-paper display expert that brings color to this traditionally colorless screen. In a nutshell, it uses electric charges to cause microstructures in the panel to change their color, similar to how an E Ink screen works. And just like an E Ink screen, it only uses power when changing colors, so displaying that static colored pattern will use almost no power to maintain that appearance, unlike a typical LCD or OLED screen. In practice, this means that you can change the phone’s back to a particular color and have it stay that way for as long as you like without draining the battery.

This opens the door to dynamic designs and personalization, with users picking the colors they want and having it change when they grow tired of it. It even has the possibility of rapidly animating these color changes while charging the phone, presuming you like to put it down flat on its face. Either way, it’s a fun experiment that will definitely appeal to the more youthful audience that Infinix targets, and it’s not hard to see how brands can also take advantage of this feature for marketing.

Because of E-Ink Prism’s segmented nature, the Infinix E-Shift Color is also limited to following certain patterns only, patterns that are also set in stone during manufacturing. It’s not like having access to a digital canvas where you create arbitrary pixel art images or animations. That could probably come in future iterations of the technology, but even this first attempt could very well be a huge selling point for people who want to make their phones look as alive and expressive as they are.

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This portable E Ink typewriter reveals its guts to spirit you away to novel worlds

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NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month, has come and gone, but the joy and chore of churning out words never ends. Most people use a computer these days for writing any sort of content with words. Some might even use a smartphone to give their thoughts some form when a computer isn’t available. These devices are, of course, sufficient and practical, but that doesn’t mean they offer the best typing experience. They can become sources of distraction as well as cause of eye strain, both fatal for serious writers. Fortunately, there is now a class of devices that promise distraction-free typing, and this latest addition to that roster takes it up a notch with a design that will spark curiosity and flights of the imagination, hopefully, to better cajole those words out of your brain and onto a digital sheet.

Designer: Freewrite

The Freewrite Traveler is hardly a new gadget. In a nutshell, it is a portable digital typewriter that uses an eye-friendly E Ink screen for displaying the words you type. Unlike a laptop or phone, it doesn’t have any other function, which means there are no notifications or inessential features to distract you from the task of writing. It’s meant to deliver the joy of uninterrupted writing while still offering conveniences like a comfortable mechanical keyboard, saving files on the cloud, and a portable design.

The “Ghost” builds on this solid foundation and adds a design twist that, while not exactly necessary, could help lead your mind to new ideas. It takes inspiration from products that flaunted transparent or translucent shells, including old Game Boy models, the candy-like iMacs, or even Crystal Pepsi. As its name implies, the Freewrite Traveler Ghost sports a transparent shell that lets you take a peek at the electronics that make the device tick.

It’s admittedly gimmicky, but one shouldn’t underestimate the subconscious effects of such gimmicks on our creativity. Humans have always been interested in discovering what lies within, even if it consists of a jumble of wires. The play of light on the translucent white case also gives our eyes plenty of interesting visual points that, in turn, could help trigger the brain and spark new ideas. At the very least, it could offer a nice visual break while you stretch your fingers and arms after a long period of typing.

Granted, not everyone will be keen on spending a solid $600 on a device that does one thing and one thing only, but that limitation is also the very same appeal of the Freewrite Traveler. And when you’re a writer stuck in a rut or are easily thrown off your groove by distractions, every little bit counts to get you focused and inspired, even if it means staring at the indecipherable mess of modern electronics.

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E-ink wall frame lets you read your newspaper’s front page

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Believe it or not, there are still newspapers around and there are people (and not all of them old) who still prefer reading through this “old school” way of getting news. There has been a countdown to the demise of the printed versions of these publications but they are still alive and kicking. But we have to admit that there is so much new technology out there and these news organizations need to be able to adapt or eventually go the way of the dinosaurs.

Designer: Alexander Klöpping

The newest device that can help you consume news in a blend of digital and sort of analog way is Project E Ink which is basically a frame that you can hang on your wall. But instead of just having a static piece of art on this device, it will display the first page of the newspaper that you’re subscribed to so you can read the most important pieces of news for that day while drinking your coffee and staring at your wall. And from its name, it uses electronic ink.

The newspaper front page reader is a 32-inch screen which is the same size of an actual newspaper front page when it is unfolded. There are no other buttons on the device and it is not a touchscreen that you can swipe through. All it shows you is the front page of the newspaper and it will be refreshed every day. The battery can last for weeks since that’s one of the advantages of e-ink. It weighs just 17.6 pounds so there should be no danger of it falling off your wall.

At $3,050, it is an expensive piece of newspaper but should appeal to those looking to have a conversation and statement piece on their walls rather than as an actual way of consuming news. The creators also encourage people to subscribe to their favorite newspapers since they’re not really affiliated with any of the publications. You can subscribe to their online portal for content management at €60 annually.

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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.

Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C: Color, Productivity, and Fun in a More Convenient Package

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PROS:


  • More comfortable and portable size

  • Excellent color E Ink display

  • Google Play Store pre-installed

  • Impressive performance and battery life

CONS:


  • A bit pricey

  • Design looks a little bland

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C is a coming-of-age for E INK tablets, combining the best features in a more ergonomic and convenient size.

If you thought that eBook readers have gone the way of the dodo because of smartphones and tablets, you probably haven’t been paying attention to the tech market in the past two or so years. As people become more weary of the harmful effects of screens on their eyes and bodies, especially at night, the desire for E Ink devices has started to grow stronger. And just in time, these devices have started growing out of their humble roots, blurring the lines between extremely simple eReaders and powerful tablets. Leading this new wave of innovation is Onyx BOOX, which has been pushing the boundaries of what these devices are capable of in terms of power and size. Its latest BOOX Tab Mini C tries to distill all these new features down to a more manageable size, so we take a deep dive to see whether it successfully pulls off this hat trick or if it cuts too many corners along the way.

Designer: BOOX

Aesthetics

It’s hard not to compare the BOOX Tab Mini C with its older, larger sibling, the BOOX Tab Ultra C. Just by the name alone, you can already tell they’re related and you might easily write off the Tab Mini C as the smaller version and nothing more. There’s some truth to that, of course, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you stop there because you could be missing out on a device with a lot of potential. The two E Ink readers do have notable differences and, fortunately, most of them work in the Tab Mini C’s favor. Most, but not all.

The biggest difference is, of course, the size, with the BOOX Tab Mini C’s 7.8-inch display coming in a more familiar size for eBook readers. Of course, that’s just the display size, because the actual size of the device is a lot larger. That’s thanks to the substantial bezels around the E Ink screen, which sadly makes the device look more like an unappealing blast from the past. The AG glass cover does lie flat across the front, making it look a little modern, but it’s nothing compared to the sleeker look of the BOOX Tab Ultra C or, closer to its size, the new BOOX Page.

The back of the device is also very different from some of the more current selection of BOOX devices, sporting a somewhat old-school design where the edges are inclined and curved rather than completely flat. This makes the device look and feel thicker, though it also has the benefit of giving your hand a bit more comfort, as we’ll see later. Unfortunately, this along with the wide bezels make the BOOX Tab Mini C look a bit unflattering and uninteresting, if not for the E INK display that, by default, shows its colors even when the device is locked or powered off.

Ergonomics

Size does matter, especially when it comes to portable devices like phones and tablets. It defines what you can and can’t do with the product, at least on a comfortable level, and it dictates how portable and convenient it really is. That’s definitely the case with the BOOX Tab Mini C, which addresses one of the biggest pain points of the BOOX Tab Ultra C, no pun intended.

Weighing only 310g, the BOOX Tab Mini C makes the device easier to hold for longer periods of time, especially with just one hand. It’s a little over the size of an iPad mini, but significantly lighter than its Ultra sibling. The curved edges of the tablet’s back help with that comfort, too, letting it settle into your hand with fewer sharp edges to cut into your skin. In short, this is the ultimate color E Ink reader in terms of comfort and portability, ensuring that you’ll want to have it in your hand all the time.

When it comes to comfort, its selling point is, of course, that 7.8-inch Kaleido 3 E ink display. It doesn’t strain the eyes as a regular LCD or OLED screen would because it doesn’t shine light in the direction of your eyes. It doesn’t even have backlighting but instead employs front lights that let you pick not only the brightness but also the temperature warmth, mixing it up to your comfort depending on what you’re reading. And since it supports 4,096 colors rather than shades of gray only, this eye-friendly benefit applies not only to ebooks but to every piece of digital content as well, from comics to PDFs to webpages and, if you’re really up to it, social media. It’s the ultimate reader’s dream, now in a more convenient package.

Performance

What sets Onyx BOOX’s devices apart from the older generation of eBook readers is the fact that they’re really Android devices, both in terms of hardware and software. Nowhere is that more evident than in the BOOX Tab series, including this newest arrival. You could even call them Android tablets with E Ink displays and you wouldn’t be off the mark.

In terms of specs, the BOOX Tab Mini C would be the equivalent of a mid-range Android tablet, powered by an unnamed octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Interestingly, these are the very same specs as the larger Tab Ultra C, save for half the internal storage capacity. It even has the same dedicated graphics processor that is responsible for the display’s unbelievably fast performance. You do have options of whether to prioritize speed over quality, but the Tab Mini C is able to deliver satisfactory results on every level.

The small eBook reader slash Android tablet houses a large 5,000 mAh battery, which, truth be told, isn’t that significantly lower than the 6,300 mAh on the Ultra model. Battery life is what you’d expect from an E Ink device, lasting for days or weeks rather than hours. The one caveat is that it’s actually shorter than your average eBook reader, depending on how many non-reading apps you use. It’s a powerful device that can run almost any Android app, but that comes at the cost of battery life, especially if you leave some of those running in the background.

Rounding up the specs is Bluetooth 5.0, which you will mostly use for hooking up wireless earbuds, USB-C for charging, and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac for Internet connectivity. There’s also a gyro sensor that’s useful for automatically rotating the user interface depending on the device’s orientation. Unlike its larger sibling, there is no rear camera for document scanning. The BOOX Tab Mini C ships with a stylus, though the BOOX Pen Plus is the kind that doesn’t have an eraser on the opposite end of the tip.

The Tab Mini C runs Android 11 with Onyx BOOX’s special skin running on top. It’s not exactly the latest Android release, but that’s not surprising for the brand either. Although Onyx does support devices for about five years with regular updates, they rarely upgrade the Android version during their lifetime. The Onyx BOOX OS, as it is sometimes called, has changed a lot since the early days, and this most recent incarnation brings it closer to being a more familiar Android interface without completely removing the eReader experience. It even comes with Google Play Store already pre-installed, so you’re just a few simple steps away from installing your favorite Android apps. The device comes with Onyx’s own Neoreader, which is quite impressive for its wide support of file formats and a plethora of features. You aren’t limited to that, however, and you can install any kind of eBook app or library you want, including Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Comixology, and more.

The device’s crowning glory is really that color E Ink display, now available in a more convenient size. With a pixel density of 300 ppi for black and white and 150 ppi for color, text always comes out crisp, regardless of their color. Those colors are also vibrant, at least as far as 4,096 colors go, and they’re well-saturated and not washed out. The 7.8-inch size is perfect not just for reading books but also for comics, manga, magazines, and PDFs, hitting the sweet spot between small and large screen sizes. That said, it isn’t an ideal size for A5, much less A4, documents, which is where larger devices like the BOOX Tab Ultra C shines. It’s not that big of a sacrifice, though, especially if you’re getting convenience and comfort in return.

The BOOX Tab Mini C is more than just a reader, though, especially with that stylus it ships with. The BOOX Notes app and Neoreader’s built-in annotation capabilities transform it from a consumption device to a learning tool and more. Writing on the screen is smooth and fluid, and the matte glass surface adds a bit of toothiness and resistance that makes it almost feel like writing on paper. It only supports the most basic colors, of course, but true colors are viewable on regular screens once you export the note as a PDF or image. One important caveat, however, is that the pen’s smooth performance really only applies to BOOX’s first-party apps and a few choice ones like OneNote, Evernote, and the WPS Office Suite. There is a considerable lag when using other apps, which is something that avid note-takers might want to consider.

Sustainability

Although Onyx has been playing the eReader game for a long time, it hasn’t yet jumped on a trend that is gripping big device manufacturers. Given the ubiquity and relative affordability of these kinds of devices, it almost behooves Onyx to also have a strong sustainability commitment in place. Unfortunately, we have yet to see that happen, though it’s also reassuring that it is at least doing some minor steps in that direction, intentionally or otherwise.

Using aluminum-magnesium alloy for its casing, for example, helps reduce the amount of plastic each device uses, and keeping the packaging to a minimum also helps a bit. Onyx doesn’t ship with a charger either, so that’s another point in its favor. Long-term software support helps keep the device running smoothly and securely for years, though eReaders, even Android-based ones, aren’t as high-maintenance as their full tablet counterparts anyway. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have much going for it when it comes to repairing and servicing its products, forcing owners to send in their devices to a few authorized service providers spread in a few countries. We’re still keeping our fingers crossed that Onyx BOOX will step up soon and be a role model in this industry.

Value

The Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C is definitely a smaller version of the Tab Ultra C with very few differences, and you might ask why you would favor it over the “fuller” version at all. That said, the question works the other way around as well, where you might ask why you’d even want a larger and heavier tablet if you can have one that is lighter, more comfortable, and more convenient to carry around. It all boils down to what you’d use an E Ink device for.

The BOOX Tab Ultra C is clearly marketed more as a productivity device, one whose reading capabilities are put at the service of learning and working. It’s best for A5 or even some A4 documents, which is what most academic or scientific papers come in, not to mention magazines and periodicals. The larger screen size is also conducive for having two documents or apps side-by-side, and it supports a decent-sized keyboard for typing out notes, emails, and the like.

While it’s possible to do all those on the BOOX Tab Mini C as well, it isn’t as conducive for these use cases with its smaller display. Split screen, for example, will feel very cramped, and since there’s no official keyboard folio case, you’ll have to arrange for a separate Bluetooth keyboard for your typing needs. The hardware is very much capable of doing almost everything, but the smaller and lighter device feels best for reading and writing on the go rather than working on a desk.

As far as price goes, the Tab Mini C isn’t exactly inexpensive, though that $449.99 price tag, fortunately, includes a magnetic folio case. Compared to other E Ink devices, it’s quite pricey, but it is also in a class of its own. There are very few color E Ink readers that come in this compact size, and the closest competitors are either using older E Ink Kaleido technology or are even more expensive. At the moment, there is pretty much no contest when it comes to a pocket-book size color eReader, making the BOOX Tab Mini C one of a kind.

Verdict

There is thankfully a resurgence in consuming text content that goes beyond scrolling through social media, whether it’s reading ebooks or tons of articles on the Web. This trend, however, has also made people more aware of how common screens wreak havoc on our eyes and our health, especially at night. ePaper Displays are becoming more popular because of this, to the point that there are even computer monitors that use it on the side or in their entirety. For readers of all kinds, however, a portable E Ink device is a better choice and investment.

Of these, the Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C probably represents the culmination of all the innovations available in this segment to date. Its 7.8-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display brings a splash of color in a more ergonomic and comfortable size, while tablet-like hardware and a Google-enabled Android platform bring all the power and functionality you need on a portable device. Yes, it’s a bit on the pricey side and its design isn’t exactly inspiring, but these thankfully tend to get out of the way once you start immersing yourself in a world of text and colors that bring joy to your life without straining your eyes.

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Onyx BOOX Palma is a mobile e-Reader that you can literally slide into your pocket

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E-Book readers have become more diversified in the past few years, but there seems to be a trend of making them a lot bigger than what people are used to. Of course, there are uses for tablet-sized devices, like the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra and Tab Ultra C that we reviewed previously, but the power and productivity they offer comes at the price of some portability and convenience. In fact, some people might even consider the typical Kindle sizes of eReaders to already be too big, especially if they can’t fit inside small handbags or pouches. Trying to cast its net even wider, Onyx BOOX has come up with a solution for this group of readers, one that can easily fit in anywhere almost like a smartphone, without being an actual smartphone.

Designer: BOOX

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. The BOOX Palma may look like a smartphone and may sometimes even act like a smartphone, but it is not a smartphone. At least not in the traditional sense of smartphones. You can send messages or make calls but only through Internet services like social apps and instant messaging. The smartphone look-alike is completely bereft of cellular connectivity, so you’ll have to rely on Wi-Fi for any and all online activities. To some extent, you can consider the BOOX Palma as a phone-sized tablet, albeit one with an eye-friendly and battery-friendly E Ink screen.

That 6.13-inch E Ink touch screen bears a sharp 300 PPI density, which means you get crisp letters on all your reading materials. It’s an E Ink Carta 1200, though, so you won’t be seeing colors outside shades of gray and black; standard fair for an e-Reader. It has a water-repellent design on its back, which also gives it a distinct appearance and a better grip. If you’ve ever dreamed of a literal pocket e-book, the BOOX Palma fits the bill perfectly and then some.

Just like Onyx BOOX’s other devices, the device runs the brand’s own flavor of Android 11, and this one thankfully also supports Google Play Store. With an octa-core processor and 6GB of RAM, this means you can run plenty of your favorite apps on it, whether they’re for reading, browsing the web, or even social media. The usual e-Paper caveats apply, aside from the lack of color. Refresh rates are terribly slow compared to the LCDs and OLEDs of typical smartphones, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them for things other than reading, depending on your level of patience.

But what need would you have for an E Ink phone that isn’t a phone, especially when there are more “standard” devices from Onyx’s own fleet even? The brand is trying to sell the image of a new way of life, a distraction-free lifestyle with an eye-friendlier e-Paper device. You might be able to install almost any Android app you want, but the display technology puts limits on your use of them. It also forces you to disconnect while you read, at least when you’re not within range of a Wi-Fi access point. The Onyx BOOX Palma is an admittedly charming device with a unique proposition, but it remains to be seen if it will be worth its $279.99 price tag.

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Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C brings a colored E-Ink reader wrapped in a fun little package

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e-Book readers have definitely come a long way. Not only are they now capable of stylus pen input, some even come bearing a swath of colors, limited as they may be. This has opened the doors to many new use cases, from reading magazines in color to a bit of creative digital painting to even watching a few short videos. Most of these colored E-Ink screens, however, come in large sizes and solid yet heavy bodies. They pack plenty of power but come at the expense of some convenience and comfort. While there will definitely be a place for these devices, some might prefer a more leisurely reading experience that they can bring with them anywhere, which is where the new Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C comes in, bringing that same splash of color in a more compact size.

Designer: Onyx

In our recent review, we found the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C to be quite the heavyweight in more ways than one. It definitely had plenty of features, putting it squarely in the Android tablet market, but it came at a literal cost and with a hefty size. As its name suggests, the BOOX Tab Mini C cuts down on some of that, offering a more accessible alternative that doesn’t cut too many corners.

It’s the same E-Ink Kaleido 3 screen technology, which ultimately means sharper black and white texts alongside clearer colored images, except now it’s on a 7.8-inch device. In addition to the smaller size, the weight has nearly been halved as well, making it easier on your arms. Onyx also tweaked the general design a bit, curving the back towards the edges for a more comfortable grip. In other words, it’s meant to be a joy to hold in your hand, even for long periods of time.

That doesn’t mean that the BOOX Tab Mini C is skimping on the power, though. It still has an octa-core processor with 4GB of RAM, and the 64GB of storage is often more than enough for eBooks or even PDFs. Like its older and bigger sibling, it runs Android with Google Play Store installed, which means you’ll have access to almost any mobile app you want or need. And, yes, you can write on it with Onyx’s stylus, though you might have to buy it in a bundle or separately.

The Onyx BOOX Tab Mini C’s smaller size might make it more portable and less cumbersome to hold, but it also makes it less ideal for certain kinds of electronic documents. It fills in a need but hardly replaces the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C, especially when it comes to the latter’s productivity chops. At $450, it does make Kaleido 3 technology a bit more affordable, getting more people interested in coming to the Onyx fold.

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