For the Love of E-ink

My desire for e-ink technology has grown substantially over the years.

It isn't a surprise that I have been interested in e-ink readers and tablets ever since I bought my first Kindle many years ago. But in the past this was mostly just a tool that I saw for reading, I never considered using e-ink for other uses until the last year or so.

One of the reasons I never considered an e-ink device over just reading ebooks is because I always felt a tablet computer, like an iPad, was way more useful than a larger e-ink device. What helped change my mind the most though was no longer wanting to support Amazon which includes no longer buying books from the Kindle store. So my desire to find another e-reader opened up a huge world of other e-ink devices that exist.

This has changed for me a lot for a number of additional reasons. For one, I am in need of more focus in my life. I have struggled with using my phone and iPad too much for doom scrolling and other non-healthy related activities and e-ink, usually, provides a more focused environment.

I have also never enjoyed handwriting on an iPad very much. In the past I found it useful to have a computer that I can use for computer-things but also be a journal and brainstorming tool with the use of an Apple Pencil. Since I am not using the iPad anymore, and using a Mac, my iPad isn't with me as often.

The iPad Mini is a great device for journaling but again, this is also a device I find myself doing other things than reading or writing so I have no desire to pick one up again. Instead I have been searching for that perfect e-ink tablet that fits all my needs, the unfortunate part is that like every piece of technology nothing is ever perfect for all of my individual wants and needs.

Before I go into some of the devices I have tried out, I want to talk a bit more about why e-ink is so appealing to me. Yes, the marketing push for a focused device has always been something that got my attention, but I never really considered the handwriting part of e-ink that has been growing a ton in the last few years.

E-ink provides a more limited experience than what we typically see in laptops, phones, or TVs, as the refresh rate, clarity, and performance will always feel inferior to the traditional screens we are used to. This can seem like a negative but for what e-ink offers, this is what most people appreciate about e-ink. The limitations are actually a feature.

The biggest benefit that I see with e-ink though is the lack of blue light allowing for a more comfortable experience over using other screens we look at all day. This has always been the biggest selling point for e-readers since it gives you a paper-like experience that allows you to read anywhere without the issues of glare or discomfort when using for long periods.

Even with models that have a front light, these are still usually not as harsh as a typical backlight that you see on an iPhone or iPad, but because it is shining the screen from the front, the light isn't being beamed directly at you. I actually prefer e-ink tablets with a front light because it is rare that I will only use it in a well-lit room.

Another feature that comes inherent with e-ink, but is also a choice by the manufacturer who makes and sells the device, is how focused the software can be. Because the refresh rate is so slow, instances of ghosting, and the lack of vivid colors available on e-ink, watching something or scrolling through images is not going to be ideal.

Some companies are a lot more open and flexible when it comes to their devices, like the Boox for example, since they put Google Play Store on the device allowing customers to put whatever they want on it. You can download TikTok, Instagram, and even YouTube or Netflix on a Boox device (black and white or color) and suffer through watching something on technology that isn't really made for those use cases.

Other companies like reMarkable, Kobo, and SuperNote actually restrict access to downloading apps from the Google Play Store, and some like reMarkable lock things down so much it is literally just for writing and viewing specific types of documents. By pairing e-ink's limiting yet powerful technology with software designed for focused, specific tasks, certain companies can produce a remarkably (pun intended) productive device overall.

Don't get me wrong, Boox devices are fantastic. The Boox Go 7 and the Note Air can provide an iPad-like experience in that you can download most apps like any other tablet but also have the comfort and limitations of e-ink to provide a more focused experience. My problem is that having too many options can have the opposite effect.

Which leads me to my journey through e-ink devices and what I am using today. I have tried quite a few, especially if you count Kindles, but for specific e-ink tablets I have tried over the last few years I would like to provide a brief summary of the good and bad for each device.

Kindle

Let's first start with Kindle even though I am no longer in the Amazon ecosystem. I am not a huge fan of Jeff Bezos, but I have to admit that I have always been a fan of Kindle hardware. Especially in the years of the Kindle Voyage and Kindle Oasis. Not only were those fantastic devices but the physical page turning buttons are sorely missed — the Voyage actually had capacitive buttons but still better than tapping the screen.

I still have the Kindle Voyage which I jailbroke and put KOReader on it. It is a fantastic device, though the battery I can tell is starting to degrade pretty badly on it. With it being such an old device it makes sense that the battery is getting worse, I haven't looked into replacing it but that may be an option in the future.

Like I said earlier, my favorite Kindles are ones with buttons to turn the page, the Voyage's capacitive buttons work great, and it is sad that the Oasis no longer exists anymore. Which leads me to the Kindle Scribe which I tried for a while and immediately didn't like it.

I haven't tried the new models of the Scribe and from what I have seen in reviews the note taking side of things seems to have improved a lot. The reason I chose not to keep the Scribe at the time was because I didn't feel reading on such a large device was very comfortable. The handwriting seemed fine, but at the time I didn't see the value in that either.

The other models of Kindle I have also tried are: multiple generations of the Paperwhite, the newer regular Kindle with 300 PPI, and the last generation of the Oasis. All were and continue to be great devices, but because I am no longer buying Kindle ebooks it makes sense that I moved away from them.

I don't have a plan yet for my Kindle Voyage, but it is still a fantastic device for reading. I feel I have too many options for reading now, that I will go over more later, that is preventing me from using it more than I used to.

Boox

I have already touched on some of the benefits in the flexibility that the Boox devices offer but regardless of my preference I have to say that the Note Air line are really great devices in the e-ink/e-paper space. The hardware is fantastic and the software is so sophisticated.

I had a Note Air2 Plus for a few months in 2024 and absolutely loved it. At the time though, I just couldn't justify the price and decided to sell it. Since the Air2 Plus, all of the Note Air models now only have a color display option which is disappointing but I have heard the Note Air5 C is one of the best implementations of it out there.

I also had a Boox Go 10.3 and a Boox Go 7 Color for a brief period and again the hardware is just fantastic with these devices. The metal body and textured backs, plus the buttons feel very premium and clicky. I never felt like a Boox device was cheaply made.

The Boox Palma 2 was also something I tried for a short period of time, but again it felt redundant with my phone and Kindle. I preferred to just use my phone for something that it did better than the Palma, and my Kindle Voyage with KOReader was my reading device of choice, so the Palma 2 felt like a step down.

The reason I have withheld my eagerness to buy and try a Note Air5 C is because of the ability to use the Google Play Store. Even though it is appealing to have a more focused device that can do very similar things to my iPad Pro, I realized that I need something with more focus and restrictions.

Kobo

For about six months I used a Kobo Libra Color and really enjoyed that device. Though it had a pretty dim screen without the front light, the colors looked good and reading, for the most part, was pretty good. After a while though, I decided that I wanted something different.

The reason the Libra didn't stick was the lack of clarity when reading black and white text (books), and the size of the device. Because of the Kaleido display the text wasn't as crisp as a Carta (black and white only) e-ink display which was very annoying since I rarely read anything with color.

Having the book covers colorful was a cool feature, but other than that I never really took advantage of the color options for highlighting or reading comic books. The size of the device was also something that caused annoyances. If I brought the Libra with me, I had to have some kind of bag to put it in, since it didn't fit in any pockets.

I usually have a bag with me, either my Cotopaxi sling that could fit the Libra, my larger TomToc sling, or my Timbuk2 Backpack. But sometimes when I am running out of the house, or running out for lunch, I don't like to always take a bag or sling with me. So being able to just throw something in my back pocket is preferred.

XTEINK

Small e-ink devices are really appealing, that is why I initially tried out the Boox Palma 2. The Palma 2 Pro looks good, but again I don't need a phone-sized e-ink screen, I would rather just keep my iPhone and have a secondary e-ink device that does more for me.

Except of course when it comes to the XTEINK X4. This little device I saw recommended on a few YouTube channels and immediately had to drop the $40 to pick one up for myself. It took a while for it to eventually get to me but once I got it, I was obsessed.

But then I wasn't. When I originally got the device I was using whatever Chinese software that was installed, and the formatting of my books was just awful. I love tinkering with gadgets, but after a few days of trying to reformat my books and change settings I just couldn't get it right and the device just sat in my bag unused for a long time.

It wasn't until I stumbled on the XTEINK subreddit recently that I realized that enthusiasts have created a ton of hacks and solutions to problems I was dealing with as well. One of those solutions was installing a new OS on the X4 called Crosspoint which has literally changed the usefulness of it for me.

My books are now formatted correctly so the spacing of words and wrapping of sentences are way better. Plus navigating the interface is so much more intuitive. Since I have installed Crosspoint the X4 is now a mini e-reader that is always with me.

The size of it is so ideal to just throw in my front pocket and found myself reading a ton more having it with me all the time. Syncing books with other devices I haven't really setup yet, but I try to at least finish a chapter every time I pick it up so it is easy for me to pick up where I left off on another device.

Though the screen isn't super crisp at about 220 PPI, the size makes the text seem perfectly fine when out and about. I also did worry about turning pages too often with such a small device, but so far it hasn't been an issue at all. I think because I can use the volume buttons on the side to turn pages makes it so easy to keep reading and not think about it.

XTEINK markets the the ability to stick the X4 on the back of your phone with MagSafe or using a magnetic ring that comes with the device, but I found that it didn't work very well and didn't really like the added bulk on my iPhone. So instead I bought a simple case for it that magnetically connects to the device and adds some minimal protection when it is in my pocket.

I really love this little device, and even though it doesn't have my desired front light, it has been great to have during the day to read a few pages of a book instead of pulling out my phone.

reMarkable

Another very popular e-paper tablet that has had a ton of hype over the years are the reMarkable devices. I was never that interested in the original reMarkable or the reMarkable 2, but the reMarkable Paper Pro Move caught my eye right away once I started seeing people talking about it in YouTube videos.

It wasn't until I was introduced to the Paper Pro Move that I realized reMarkable had released a third e-paper tablet, before the Move, called just the reMarkable Paper Pro. I never really felt the pricing of reMarkable hardware was worth what you got for it, until of course I tried one for myself.

Now I have gone back and forth journaling with a small paper notebook and an iPad for years. The iPad Mini was great for this, but I seem to always go back to a paper notebook at some point because I love the feel and tactile experience of pen on paper.

It wasn't until I used the reMarkable Paper Pro Move that I finally found something that fit perfectly in the middle of these two areas. I have the ability to keep my notes digitally to share or go back to easier than flipping through a paper notebook, plus the writing feel on the Move was better than any other digital e-paper device that I have used in the past.

The Paperlike screen protectors do provide a different but somewhat similar experience for iPads, also the Rock Paper Pencil screen cover, but if you are using an iPad you want the best clarity and always felt those were just not worth the sacrifice on such a beautiful display.

The Move on the other hand provides really great clarity but also the feel of writing on paper without the compromises. Another thing I realized, which came much later, was the fact that the software was so limited it forced me to use the device in specific ways.

Because journaling is so important to me, this is where I realized the reMarkable Paper Pro Move really shined. A $450 notebook is ridiculous compared to a $20-$60 paper notebook from companies like Studio Neat, Leuchtturm1917, or Baronfig so obviously justifying the price for just a journal was not ideal.

What really stood out as I started using the Move more was how much it helped me at my day job, but also as a pretty good e-reader. Not only has the Move become a great personal journaling device for me, but I have been using it as a daily to-do list for work, I read articles sent to me daily using the papeer.tech service, and books.

Reading books can be limiting in that reMarkable only lets you format or use fonts that they provide, and it can be a little tedious when it comes to sharing documents either to the device or from it. But again, I don't need anything too fancy and for the most part it has become a notepad that is always with me and is always available.

I have been trying out the larger Paper Pro, after loving the Move so much, but so far I am not seeing the appeal as much on such a large device. I considered picking up a reMarkable 2 as well, but I really do like a front light as an option so I am not sure if that will work for me.

A whole review of the reMarkable Paper Pro Move is coming soon, but I had to end with my favorite since my love for e-ink has really grown substantially after picking it up. I really do find it useful in so many areas of my life and have come to the conclusion that e-ink as part of my life is here to stay.

My Continued Love Of E-Ink

Like I said, I think my journey with e-ink devices may have started a while ago, but the true joy of using them has just started recently. So I plan to use and explore more areas of these devices in the future.

I haven't even touched on the other e-ink opportunities out there like monitors or status board devices that are really popular right now. I also feel like e-ink phones are also going to continue to get more popular and see great improvements too.

Overall I am happy with my Kindle Voyage, X4, and Move, and even though I don't know how the Voyage fits yet with all these devices, I am happy to be using tools a bit more intentionally over using my iPhone and iPad so much. E-ink technology isn't new, but the growth in devices and the workflows they offer is really great and I am happy to be a part of it.