The Future of Paper? Honest Supernote A5X2 Manta REVIEW

[@scottbecker3485]

Revisiting your video to see the parts I didn‘t finish watching before commenting yesterday. You know I reviewer is fantastic when you feel drawn to actually come back to and finish watching a (longish) review. :-) And now, big credit where credit is due: Further to my remarks yesterday as a happy Manta user, I want to thank you for providing the community with the absolutely best content on this device that has been produced on YT so far (and yes, I‘ve seen it all). Not that other reviewers are not producing great input for us, but their delivery is often rather chatty and long-winded, and go-with-the-flow, and that - although fun to watch and also welcome - pales in comparison to your well-researched, well-balanced, objectified and very well-scripted review! You cover all the bases in sufficient (but not excessive) depth, and touch on all the points of importance to possible buyers of this (or other) devices. And I appreciate I guy who goes to the trouble of thinking things through and scripting so us viewers can benefit to the max without meandering. Your channel deserves a huge (bigger-than-now) following. May things flourish for you as you wish them to.🙏🏼🌈✨

[@anadolulu]

As usual, it is a very competent review. My takeaways match with yours. I owned an A5X and sold it 6 months ago for 400€. Tried an RMPP and returned it, thanks to their satisfaction policy. Bought a Go 10.3 and sold it for 300 € (I lost 120 €). My A5X2 was delivered appr. 10 days ago. I am happy with it and decided to keep it. The only bothering issues are ghosting and pen loop. The housing feels nicer than I imagined. Yes , it is plastic but more stable and robust than of A5X. What I like is the writing feel in conjuction with HOM2 and linking features of the notes. Additionally, you can use a pdf document as a template for notes. This means you can use hyperlinks and create links. Boox implemented this in the latest firmware, which will be released in the coming weeks.

[@rudifacchini2191]

What made you return the go 10.3 vs the manta if I may ask?

[@VladimirKostek]

Great review Chalid, I'm hoping people start making pen loops soon. I was glad to see from your test the latency dropped ~.05 -.07 ms from the Nomad!

[@0xKruzr]

Vlad do you think that's about the digitizer layer on the Carta 1300 display? it's a little surprising because text input is so much slower than on the Nomad. agree with Chalid that it's probably a matter of having the same SoC doing the processing on a screen that's both larger and higher ppi, but it's a little weird that it doesn't apply to the pen latency too.

[@VladimirKostek]

@0xKruzr My guess would be that it is well optimized for the pen input as that is the core experience on the device and Carta 1300 has responsiveness improvements as stated by E Ink. The keyboard I'm not so sure, but I would guess it will improve with a software update. Also if a type folio comes out that would have to be seamless for typing haha

[@53r3]

The price was above my pain threshold, so after waiting about a year for the A5X2 to be released, I went ahead and got a great deal on the Boox Go 10.3 (370 EUR shipped, without folio). I am enjoying it so far, and having the Play store is a big plus in my book.

[@Wouter-d5b]

Where did you get the 10.3 for that price??? I’m seeing 419,- EUR everywhere. Haven’t found the option to order without folio either.

[@53r3]

@ I was, at that time, visiting somebody in Romania, and their Amazon rival, called eMag, was running a -10% campaign for many electronic devices. I just checked and the price is still discounted.

[@DreamsOfLegend]

I owned the Boox Note Air 2 and I returned it and kept the A5X that I bought (and I just bought the A5X2 and Nomad for my wife!) Since we BOTH have Android tablets (I have the Galaxy Tab 9 Ultra) we didn't need "another tablet" we just needed the BEST pure e-ink writing tablet on the market. Having tried all the others from Kobo to Remarkable, if WRITING/DRAWING is what you're after, Supernote CANNOT be beat. But yes, if you need that "jack of all trades" kinda tablet (and don't have a regular tablet) the Boox is great

[@JMaxwell1000]

Excellent review! Frankly, I wouldn't replace my Nomad for any of the Boox devices. Supernote's motto is "For those who write," and that is what the devices do splendidly. Now I can't wait for my newly ordered Manta to arrive. It's shocking that the Manta is much more expensive in Europe than in the USA. Thank you, Chalid, for these excellent insights.

[@DreamsOfLegend]

I owned the Boox Note Air 2 and I returned it and kept the A5X that I bought (and I just bought the A5X2 and Nomad for my wife!) Since we BOTH have Android tablets (I have the Galaxy Tab 9 Ultra) we didn't need "another tablet" we just needed the BEST pure e-ink writing tablet on the market. Having tried all the others from Kobo to Remarkable, if WRITING/DRAWING is what you're after, Supernote CANNOT be beat. But yes, if you need that "jack of all trades" kinda tablet (and don't have a regular tablet) the Boox is great

[@scottbecker3485]

Totally happy to have the Manta, following the Kindle Scribe, a Boox device (earlier one) and recently the Remarkable Paper Pro. (which I immediately returned). The Manta does exactly what I want it to, beautifully, and nothing of the stuff I don‘t want it to. As for your mention of the half folio attachment without magnets, for me that‘s a stroke of genius, since magnets (on all devices using them to date) interfere with writing in the margins close to the magnets. As for the rubber feet not being in use when the half folio is folded back: Sure, that‘s true, but nothing slides around for me, and I use the Manta both with the cover folded back AND just opened, meaning the rubber feet are sometimes in play even during use. The savings in weight are brilliant, and I don‘t find the device too heavy for carrying around, especially since I only use it flat on a table or desk, so then it virtually weighs nothing. Agree fully on the Heart of Metal 2 pen, which is incredibly enjoyable to behold, hold and write with. Glad I waited for the Manta instead of trying to make do with a Boox Go 10.3 (which has such a cluttered UI that it would have given me lots of chagrin, plus option paralysis). The Manta is now my daily device for planning, journaling, creativity, some reading, etc. The Scribe (and a smaller Kindle) are my main reading machines for dim light and bed, and Boox is a thing of my past…at least until they streamline their UI. As for the Paper Pro, I feel there should have been just an updated non-color Remarkable, instead. Couldn‘t stand the color flashing, lack of vibrance and basically unusable frontlight. Color just isn‘t good enough for me, yet. Would rather wait for new tech and just use my iPad for that if and when desired.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Thanks - appreciate the insides!

[@Ghazalmetal]

Please tell me how difficult is it to read pdf on mNta? Have returned scribe rm2 an rmpp for this reason

[@scottbecker3485]

@@Ghazalmetal Sorry I cannot comment yet on that, since I haven‘t yet tried to read any PDFs on the Manta. However, according to a couple reviews I watched, the PDF reading experience is probably not excellent, but rather only acceptable. I suppose it depends on your particular needs and expectations (e.g. whether you need to zoom around a lot, whether you also want to annotate, how you wish to use the PDF afterwards and how your notes, if any should appear, etc. Maybe you could redirect your question to the maker of this video, who will be in a much better position to comment.

[@Cid-vr4mt]

Great review. It is really expensive indeed, especially for EU users because of import taxes. I intend to pair my use with the Nomad that I managed to get for a fair price (second hand). As the Manta was bought full price this time, I really expect high level of follow-up and development from Ratta; regarding this point, they have been paying careful attention to users needs, so I am pretty confident. A homepage for better user-experience could be improve the workflow and bring in a lot of new users, I agree with you.

[@jacksonier]

Regarding the "leaving cap in the loop lifting up the back of the device" issue there is an easy fix - to pu the Clip of the cap into the pen loop. That way, when only Clip of the, for example, HOM2 pen would be in the pen loop, the pen can be easily taken out of the pen cap, and the pen cap would be at some distance from the device, on the right hand side. At the same time, since we are actually writing on the device and not moving it all the time, it would comfortable to write, while the device won't lift up, when laying on the table.

[@kritischelezer]

I don't understand any of these complaints.. when I write, I always put the cap of my pen either on the table, or on the back of the pen. I assume both are possible with the Manta. I expect Supernote didn't think people would work like this and leave the cap in the loop? I also think it is asking for problems if people continuously pull so hard on the loop that the pen comes free, it probably means the loop will wear out a lot faster.

[@jacksonier]

@@kritischelezer > I don't understand any of these complaints.. when I write, I always put the cap of my pen either on the table, or on the back of the pen. - Yes, but that's how You do it. - I personally leave the cap in the pen loop of Manta. - Other people may follow your way or other way. The point of My concern is that, when the Pen cap is left in the Manta Pen Loop , in the "standard way", like "when entire pen cap is put into the pen loop", and when writing on the right hand side, those pen cap Does interfere with the tablet, writing, lifting it up a bit, etc... My OP comment related to the point, that : Instead of "puting the Entire Pen Cap into the Pen Loop, to put only the Pen Clip into the Pen Loop", that way , when the Pen Clip only in the Pen Loop, the pen does not interfere with the Manta, and also it is secured in the Pen Loop, so, it's good workaround.

[@ashprime3701]

Thanks for the review, but I think the conclusion needed the following points on why you would purchase the Supernote over the competition: 1) No subscription for syncing your notes (👀 Remarkable) 2) The only company doing a modular E-ink tablet that I know of, minimal e-waste 3) Ceramic Nib pens that don't ever need to be replaced Here in Canada the price for the Manta is over $1K with taxes + duties, 😥but I will definitely be getting one of these in the future!

[@islamegy]

I think the global search is another killer feature! What is the point of having digital notes if I cannot fully search through them.

[@dom_leary]

@@islamegydo others like Boox not have universal search? This is a mandatory requirement for me too

[@JamieAdams-vu6if]

Completely agree on the pricing. It's at least $100 too expensive given the alternative options that are available now. There is no way that this should be in the same price bracket as the RMPP. I'm happy that there are a range of options though!

[@MetalEffort]

I have the boox go 10.3 and have the Manta on order. I agree on the price issue you brought up. I think the feature I will miss the most going from the boox to the manta will be the auto shapes gestures in notes. The battery life is a bit disappointing to me as well. I wonder if that tapered shape they went with is what compromised the size allowed for the battery.

[@jeffreybarker357]

The prices people outside the U.S. are paying are wild. Seeing posts in Reddit had me checking out the store. Not even $500. European and Australian taxes are brutal.

[@NeilLavitt]

Australian tax is 10%, however, the US$ is mighty high at this moment. This is exacerbating the issue.

[@MatteoCampinoti94]

It’s not as much the taxes as the ridiculous extra margin (it’s around 15-20% on top of the taxes price) that Supernote’s distributors charge in the EU. Supernote should just find a better distributor and swallow the extra costs, just like every other manufacturer of their caliber does. Or at least allow EU and Australian users to buy from the international store because paying VAT costs much less than buying it from their local retailers.

[@NeilLavitt]

@ a SuperNote A5x2 is US$459 which at the current exchange rate (US$0.596 US for AUS$1) is AUS$737. Add GST and you get AUS$810. The price advertised is AUS$819. They are not adding an extra tax.

[@MatteoCampinoti94]

​@@NeilLavitt It's not as much adding as they are not adapting the price like other manufacturers do to avoid importing the device costing less than buying it locally, which is currently the case for the A5X2: the difference is over 50€ depending on which country's VAT you apply.

[@NeilLavitt]

@ , just don’t buy it champ. I’m not.

[@anytimeuwnt]

For a professional, looking for the most robust note taking feature set possible, the Manta is best in class IMO. My coaching files, board meeting notes, and management functions will be well taken care of within the powerful digital walls of the Supernote system. And I am in total agreement about a home screen but think I prefer making my own with hyperlinks as a way to personalize my experience. Thank you for the review!

[@sam.abadyah]

I’m currently sitting downstairs, tossing and turning about whether to pull the trigger on the Manta or the Nomad. My main gripe with the Manta is the price. I can afford it, but I’m thinking about other financial obligations that may come up on a whim and I don’t want to feel any ounce of buyer’s remorse whatsoever. I love the idea of the nomad and I’m definitely an on the go person with many journals, but I also like the size of the Manta. I want to publish a book someday and I would like something with a bigger size, especially with the idea of coupling a keyboard for the E-Ink screen.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Between the Nomad and the Manta, I would pick the Manta most of the time. The Nomad's size is great to carry it around, but that size can be limiting when writing a lot. Really depends on the use case, but I'd say the Manta is the more versatile device because of that. Price is probably the biggest drawback. If Ratta released the Manta a year ago, it would have been much easier to justify (still expensive though), but with the Boox Go 10.3, Viwoods AiPaper, Remarkable Paper Pro and Boox Note Max, competition grew A LOT in that niche. I'd say the Manta is the best choice if you mainly want to write (like 95% of the time) and not do other things. For that, it's the best in my opinion.

[@t0dd000]

Well. They are luxury items. They don't really offer anything a pad of paper doesn't already do except organization and physical clutter control. I kept that in mind, made peace with my luxury purchase, and pulled the trigger. But. I almost didn't. I can afford it and recognize that it is a toy, for the most part. Someday these devices will not be this expensive and the decision will be easier.

[@NeilLavitt]

@@t0dd000not withstanding the fact that a piece of pepper can be instantly turned into a credible looking PDF with most smartphones.

[@pedromcfernandes]

it's a good device but the price is really something... After using the Nomad for a long while i wouldn't say that the price is justified, but it's also somehow useful and enjoyable because i save paper and i can search my notes or access them on my phone. I think if i forced my mindset to just use paper, i wouldn't necessarily miss much and the Nomad definitely doesn't bring a huge difference to my capacity to create. It's just handy sometimes. Good luck with you decision

[@liketheduck]

Global search doesn’t work for *existing text* inside of a pdf, txt, or epub file. It will only search the titles of the files not a single bit of text on the page (unless you are inside a single file already).

[@ramona6902]

It was very helpful, thanks! After binging on your videos, I have a better idea about what's important for me: minimum screen flickering, no tap on glass sound and reasonable price. Looking forward to the comparison videos, although I'll probably buy something before you post them 😅

[@wayne0220]

I’ll start off by saying this first: I’m writing this (long) comment to provide another perspective. Thanks for your review and commitment to the category. I am noticing more and more with E-Ink “E-note” reviews, that there is a tendency to review these devices as though they are iPads or standard tablets. I suppose this is mostly because of the fact that manufacturers, particularly Chinese manufacturers, have decided to start including a full build of Android, essentially making them e-ink tablets. Which may have caused some reviewers to play “spec wars” with E-note reviews. However, I believe it’s important to remember that most people choose this category of device not to emulate an iPad or Android tablet, but to use them for their intended original use, which is as an E-note replacement. I already have two iPads in my life. So I personally do not need this category to fill that space for me (I assume this is similar to many others purchasing an E-note devices). Additionally, if we were honestly reviewing devices from companies like Books, we should actually compare them to an iPad and not another E-note device. In every way, the Books device is inferior to the iPad, especially considering that I can get an iPad for under $400 US. The only advantage to choosing these devices over something like an iPad is for three main reasons: 1) the E Ink display reduces eye fatigue, mainly because it allows the reader to consume content without the need for a back light and is not an emissive technology. 2) extreme battery life (when compared to an iPad). 3) Distraction-free productivity and focus. In order for companies like Boox and Bigme to deliver a responsive and robust Android experience, they must employ technologies like the Boox Super Refresh (BSR). These technologies push E Ink displays toward the realm of LCD, while at the same time significantly decreasing battery life. When successfully implemented (as I believe Boox has done), they also introduce distraction back into the experience. Pushing the performance of E-Ink display and delivering full Android experiences means that all three main advantages of E-Ink have either been significantly reduced or altogether eliminated. When all of the major advantages of E-Ink displays ameliorated, the only remaining advantage of something like a Boox device (with full Android and BSR) is if the user suffers from eye strain when using an LCD. Beyond this it would be better for folks to select a traditional (non-E-Ink) Android or iPad tablet, in every other domain. Should we compare an iPod to a home stereo system? They both are intended for playing back music at listeners convenience, while striving for the best fidelity? I don’t believe we should. One is intended to provide the best possible listening experience in the home, sometime when space, money and even aesthetics are no object. While the other strives to give you access to music on the go, while fitting in your pocket. It often comes at the cost of quality, and limited playback time on a single charge. Even if the buyer is the same, the aim in purchasing either is uniquely distinct. For what it’s worth I happily payed about $700 US for the Supernote A5 X2, I am looking forward to (what I am hoping is) the best writing and distraction free experience I can get. I am also hoping Ratta quickly addresses some of the obvious software shortcomings you pointed out, and issues fixes for the screen ghosting which appear to be more pronounced on this version of the Supernote. Thanks for all the effort and time you put into your reviews I’ve found them to be extremely entertaining and helpful over the years.

[@endidjeh]

it is like $700 here in Korea due to exchange rates

[@HarveyJohanneum]

The manta price is somewhat expensive but worth it! However, the price of the folio and the pens generally speaking are way too high.

[@rush48192]

I think I will remove my loop if my manta ever shows up do to back orders but it might be very hard to use this over my Viwoods

[@jacksonier]

Are you sure it is exactly "Carta1300 Mobius display" and not "Carta1200 Mobius display" on the A5X2 ? Because the official website of the SN does not explicitly state which Carta version used...

[@ChalidRaqami]

Yes, it says so in the quick start guide. Not sure why they don't put it on the website - it's definitely worth pointing out.

[@jacksonier]

@@ChalidRaqami Yeah, interesting. Because this topic has been controversial. But okay, if it is true.

[@DigiDriftZone]

I wish reMarkable and Scribe had the ability to link to other notebooks/pages, but I am also not sure if I would build a second brain in this, or keep using e-ink more as a simpler first draft device and then something like Notion as the second brain, hmm.

[@Change-1820]

I always enjoy your reviews, you are extremely fair and thorough. I find the pricing issue interesting. The HOM Samurai pen is among the top tier in price (but I agree worth it). However, you can save a bit with the pushup pen that still has the ceramic nib and outshines the Go 10.3 stylus from reviews I've seen. Since I am in the US market, we do not have the import duties or VAT so I am curious with all of that also added to competitors, what is the apples to apples price difference? Thanks again for another great video.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Thanks! :) The pricing situation is quite complex and I didn't want it to take up any more time in the video, but here it goes :D I think one of the main issues with that price is that it's sold through a reseller in the EU. I understand they need to account for import duties and earn a profit, but other companies don't seem to have such a significant disparity. Boox, for example, also operates through resellers in Europe, but the price differences there are much smaller. To put this into numbers, comparing apples to apples: - The Boox Go 10.3 (for example) costs 365 EUR (converted from USD) without taxes directly from Boox and 440 EUR from the reseller in Germany (including taxes and shipping). So a ~75 EUR price difference. - For the Supernote Manta (Push-Up pen, half-folio, tablet) it's ~555 EUR (converted from USD) without taxes from the international store (which EU customers can’t order from), but ~725 EUR for the exact same configuration (including taxes and shipping) from the French reseller. So a ~170 EUR price difference.🤯 And this is from a starting point where the initial asking price for the Manta is already higher: - Boox Go 10.3: 380 USD, including the cover and pen - Supernote Manta: 577 USD, including folio and push-up pen (460 USD excluding folio and pen) Without having direct insights into their pricing structure, I suspect that wholesale pricing may be a factor, maybe forcing resellers to apply higher markups to cover their costs? Additionally, the reseller network for Supernote seems less competitive - likely due to more exclusive reseller agreements - which may allow them to charge higher prices. That said, as I mentioned in the conclusion, even though the Manta might not offer the best value for money, it’s still the most powerful note-taking device in terms of organizational features. So, it’s worth it, if it fits one's use case.

[@Change-1820]

@ChalidRaqami thank you for this insight and detailed response. I have a better understanding. The markup of the French reseller seems odd since the international store is able to not have that. Coming from a retail background, it almost seems like they could be charging that price almost because they can, since there is currently no other option for the EU market. One last question, do you think the modularity of the Supernote offsets the price difference? I know how much value is largely subjective but they are the only company to offer that currently in the market. Thanks again for the response.

[@ChalidRaqami]

From my personal experience, I don't think the option to swap the mainboard is really necessary. I only had an issue once with the internal storage of a device, that came down to a faulty Micro-SD-card that was being used as the internal storage. 99.9% of devices I've owned never had any issues with any mainboard-related parts. But I do think that the option to easily swap the battery is incredibly important. I really like that they are making it easily accessible AND plan to provide the spare part as well (as far as I know). I have issues with batteries of older E-Ink devices (typically 7-10 years of age) frequently, which is frustrating, because the devices themselves would work perfectly fine otherwise. There's a new EU law taking effect in 2027, forcing companies to make batteries user-replaceable. So that will hopefully bring us back to a time where we can do that more easily in general. But even then, with niche products like most E-Ink devices are, you need to find the right battery, so Ratta having plans to provide that, is definitely a plus.

[@carlosespinal17]

It is expensive, but no other device compares, so you will be buying others and eventually regretting it and ending up with a supernote. It's cheaper just to bite the bullet, or buy a used A5X

[@0xKruzr]

great review, Chalid. a lot of the same things Rod from Rants About Tech has observed. I would add that idk how uncompromising the note-taking experience is -- it's missing key features that I consider critical like shape generation (they JUST added lines in a beta) and the ability to place text on a note. but if someone doesn't care about those things, I can see it.

[@scottbecker3485]

Somebody posted that although it cannot (yet) generate shapes, it is possible to import images shapes and insert and scale them. Not elegant, but maybe a workaround for a while.

[@karlmunford7000]

Back in the 1980s and early 90s the Macintosh was as ugly to look at as any Windows PC, but people were willing to pay more because of the exceptional operating system. There something similar going on with the Supernote platform, which excels over other e-ink devices with its OS and software. I love my Boox Lumi 2 for its power and ability to run certain apps I use daily _[Browser, Bible App etc],_ but for reviewing papers and book, shifting, copying, navigating note-taking and all manner of text with its writing feel, nothing comes close to the Supernote.

[@RPGenieUS]

Completely agree, and excellent comparison to Mac.

[@t0dd000]

Yup. Too expensive. I bought it anyway. But that price tag stings.

[@jimbeam4736]

What about the Viwoods ai paper?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Check out my review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eICalYJ6mNx5bKM It's a surprisingly good device, but the Supernote Manta is definitely the more specialized note taking device. Viwoods is quickly improving the software though and implemented quite a few things since I reviewed it.

[@t0dd000]

That pixelated PDF. Are you certain it was a truly vectorized document? So many PDFs are just photos of pages wrapped in a PDF container.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Yes, definitely - it's just regular text and the same with other PDFs I tried.

[@DarthDaddy-cg6ro]

Thanks.

[@falconblack]

Lets be honest, these e ink tablets aren't worth it. While i like my Nomad, im just using it for to do lists and diary entries. Pen and paper worked perfectly fine... A fool and his money

[@Ahuman1-o1y]

I think for many you are right, but I have a couple of hundred paper note books and it’s a nightmare keeping track of where things are, and they take up huge space. I had separate notebooks for different projects, so couldn’t take them all with me. Now I just take the SN and they are all on there, the linking and tags etc, make different topics easy to find.

[@VisivisiV]

As a Chinese company, they are obligated by law to provide access to all the data they keep for you to the Chinese government.

[@kend1964]

I assume that is not the case if you are using Dropbox Google Drive to sync your files...or keep everything locally on the device.

[@NeilLavitt]

@@kend1964correct

[@MatteoCampinoti94]

It’s the same for American companies you know. They can request any information and force the company to not notify the user.

[@VisivisiV]

@@kend1964 so you buy an expensive device to sandbox it and use a limited subset of its functionality. I mean, you do you. Plus the metadata (which is arguably what you'd worry about most, if you'd worry at all) is still all going to the company unless you use the device fully offline. I just think certain facts bear repeating. And this is one that these reviews never touch on.

[@VisivisiV]

@@MatteoCampinoti94 one of the differences being that the US have to at least formally make such a request.

[@NeilLavitt]

First really objective review on this. Called it as it is, a niche device. It’s really too expensive for what it is, but what is also shocking is that after taking so long to deliver, they then made so few devices so that they sold out so quickly. Complete incompetence and not a good look. Make enough and then put it up for sale. The hype has already died down and it’s still preorder. I expect they’ll get by, but with so many devices now in this range, one can only wonder what it could have been. It still is though just an overpriced, underpowered Carta 1300 device with no front light and middle of the road battery life. Quirky design.

[@liketheduck]

The new Lamy is too plastic’y. It looks nice but it’s not worth 90 dollars.

[@Kwistenbiebel100-ns5ko]

It's like buying a new PC but it comes with Windows 98

[@kend1964]

You get what you pay for.....

[@NeilLavitt]

Not always

[@DarkroomZombie]

$600??? Its only $460 dollars, you must have added some expensive add-ons to get that high of a price.

[@jacksonier]

@DarkroomZombie, I think the Reviewer has mentioned the "Folio + Pen + Manta + Shipping" ...

[@ChalidRaqami]

Just the Lamy safari vista pen and the half-folio. They sure are expensive :D You can save 60 USD on the folio, but even with the cheapest pen, it's still 518 USD before taxes.

[@ThePianist51]

Welcome to the EU pricing. New to the game? Even the A6X2 costs like almost 600€ with all the accessories. That’s a big No-No. 😅

[@DarkroomZombie]

@@ThePianist51 He said USD was $600 it is not. I own the A6X2 Nomad and paid USA $368 with folio and tax. My good friend she just got the A5X2 $460 she did not get the folio. So not that much as said.

[@DarkroomZombie]

@@ChalidRaqami My friend got the A5X2 shipped at $460 its not that much unless you add extras on top

[@fcf8269]

I must say that your review here is quite off compared to the past. Not sure if you are getting more used to the Boox devices at this point, as they are heavily pushing influencers to get on their side with all their might, or if there is anything else going on. What was considered before as being a positive in the eink space is now considered a negative: - no home screen - no front light - no google playstore - no 3rd party apps with ability to use different refresh modes Basically you want an android tablet with an eink screen... You want a Boox tablet :) So what is the point of making a review if the baseline you have in mind is already set? Until a year ago or so, Boox devices were considered bloated and messy as they were selling android devices with eink screen; now it seems that they are the standard? Are you joking or is Boox giving away free vacations to people on top of free devices? :) Jokes aside, if the eink landscape is changing I think it is time to stop watching videos from youtube about reviews from the old channels, as it seems that everything is going towards a different direction from where it used to be; which usually it is a signal of standardization and normalization, and that is never a good sign. Was nice until it lasted I guess... It lasted for 2-3 years basically.

[@ChalidRaqami]

I appreciate the feedback, but the mentioned points don't have anything to do with Boox, and for the most part not even with the evolving E-Ink landscape. But I do agree that E-Ink tablets don’t necessarily need a full Android experience, but with the Manta running Android and allowing to sideload apps, Ratta opened that door, not me ;-) So, I think the points I mentioned are definitely relevant when discussing the Manta: - It runs Android and allows for apps to be installed relatively easily. It was important to mention that it doesn't have Google Play services or E-Ink refresh modes, as these are key aspects of the Android(-E-Ink) experience. If it didn't run Android I wouldn't have mentioned it, same as I didn't in my Remarkable Paper Pro review. - Most E-Ink devices have frontlights these days, so besides the obvious downside of not having one, many people will expect one. And I also mention this point in my reviews of Boox Go 10.3 or Viwoods AiPaper for example - even more extensively. - I can't recall any other consumer electronics product (E-Ink or not, past and present) with a graphical user interface without a homescreen, dashboard or some sort of central hub. Is there even a single one besides Supernote devices? I think there's a very good reason for having a homescreen and I'm not a fan of changing things just for the sake of it. If there's a good reason to change something established, I'm all for it, but I honestly can't think of a single good reason for not having a homescreen. This is a significant departure from most (all?) other consumer electronic products.

[@fcf8269]

​@@ChalidRaqami Oh, I was just inferring through the videos from the ones from 2022 to today, and noticing how the sentiment went shifting towards Boox devices. The only thing I noticed more frequently was that Boox started to imitate everyone and adding in their devices everything basically, hoping that someday, something may stick with someone. What I didn't expect was to see that behavior being praised :) As far as Ratta opening up to Android apps, that has been always the case; you could do the same also on Remarkable, the difference is just that now it is "easier", although not supported fully (which is why you don't see profiles for "faster" refresh most likely). Comparing them is a bit unfair, as Supernote has not been made for faster refresh apps; the option is there if you want to load an app with no guarantee it will work in the end. It is not a "consumer installing process" if you need to source APK files; and not having the google playstore onboard is another signal that is clearly saying that it is not aimed at installing apps officially. The fact that it CAN do that does not mean it should be compared with devices that are marketed for doing that as main purchase point. If you feel that just because you can sideload apps then you should compare the Supernote to the Boox, then most eink can use ADB to sideload in a way or another. If you add the "relatively easily" that is a contentious point if you ask me, and should be mentioned but not add much weight. Remarkable runs a modified Linux distro; Android is a modified Linux distro... If we want to go for details :) Frontlight: I am in favor of it, because I like it, but I do not expect one. The presence of a light imply more space between screen and pen, which create distortion, so that is considered a minus and has always been a minus for devices where you write on it... Since when it is considered a must have now? Homescreen: Technically you have a homescreen, which is the "files" app. The concept of a home screen was pioneered by Apple for most part with the iphone; as most devices had the "desktop" as main entry point since the days of the Amiga, Atari ST and even c64 with the GEOS operating system. These were basically a nicer way to show the file list on your root directory (or last visited directory) which is what we had since the days of CP/M and DOS. Not sure why we need to have that necessarily on a device, when the first eink devices tried to move AWAY from a home screen (even Boox had no home screen; you had the side bar if you remember the old OS). Again, we started with a different paradigm for eink that was moving away from modern tablets, and now everyone wants to uniform the platforms as if they were the same as tablets, so Boox now makes UI that looks like the launchers of regular Android; and same goes for Remarkable. If Supernote does not have a home screen that is a style choice, not a negative, as it is not expected because you are not buying a tablet, isn't it? :) To repeat your very words: there is a reason to challenge the status quo of existing products, and we are praising the ones that instead go back to the square slab and home screen with frontlight? Finally with eink devices we saw something that we didn't see since the early 2000s, with devices different from each other, doing different things for different people; and now here we go again with uniforming and standardizing, so everything looks the same, does the same things, feels the same. Is this what you are excited about, as enthusiast of technology? I hope not, but I understand that as someone that has a channel that needs views, you have to get what is more appealing; so if your videos with certain devices and topics makes more views, you cover more of that, because that is what brings in the income. It is a simple rule of market to sell the product that people buy, and for media, it is the topics that gets more views.

[@ChalidRaqami]

@fcf8269 Thanks for the explanations, but I still have to disagree on most points. Supernote provides an easily accessible option in the user interface to allow sideloading apps, so of course I'm pointing out potential limitations. I also always talk about limitations with Android apps on Boox devices. It's always nice to have the option to use apps on E-ink (imho), but people need to be aware of the limitations. There's nothing unfair about pointing those out. Since 2012 every major ereader company implemented frontlights, so most people expect them with E-Ink at this point (even if you don't). Of course I'm mentioning if there's a frontlight or not. I pointed out the pros & cons very clearly and never said it's a must have. That's for the viewer to decide depending on the use case. Over the span of ~15 years I've used over ~150 E-Ink devices at this point, and besides Supernote, every single one had a homescreen. The first Sony ereaders had one, the first Kindles had them and every other current model has a homescreen. For a simple reason: It makes using the devices easier. Sorry, but that's a hill I'm willing to die on because I haven't heard a single good argument why not having a homescreen is actually better. Sure it's a style choice, but it's also bad UX. I also have to disagree with you that my sentiment towards Boox changed. If you watch my very first Boox review here on the channel (Note Air 2 Plus - if you can manage to sit through it 😅) I had the same basic talking points regarding the software as today: Great Android UI customization for E-Ink, too complicated nested menus, steep learning curve, data privacy concerns. If I'm not mistaken, I'm actually the only reviewer checking data connections with Wireshark and mentioning this as a potential problem. I point out the pros & cons of Boox devices same as in the beginning (mostly even the same issues) and in fact I'm actually also pointing out the exact same issues you're mentioning here with Boox devices: Missing frontlight, sub-optimal Android app experience, bad UI choices. Again, I 100% agree with you, that E-Ink devices don't need to be iPad-replacements, and I've been very clear about the shortcomings of this path, especially when talking about the Boox Note Air 3C's battery life. But at no point in this review did I say the Manta was a worse device because it wasn't more like Boox. On the contrary, I praised the Manta multiple times in this review for what it is: an excellent note-taking device with the best organizational features. I'm honestly still not sure, how you jump from that assessment to me favoring Boox over Supernote. I don't care about companies or brands and I dislike fanboyism *very much*, because it makes no sense to me whatsoever to favor or defend companies.

[@fcf8269]

@@ChalidRaqami I am not saying that it is unfair to point that out; I am saying it is unfair to mention it in equal terms. If a device has support for google playstore and is on the tin that they run 3rd party apps, and support those via different refresh modes, you can't compare to the same level that level of support with what SN offers. It is like comparing the note app of the Scribe at launch, which had 3 tools and was doing nothing, with the competitors: nobody compared that and marked it as "not ready yet". So I am not sure why you see this case differently. Homescreen: I have been writing UX before you were born probably, so I have seen things before there were mice and graphic windows managers... Your assessment that everything has a home screen is purely a "new generation" mindset; and the fact that many companies do not use home screen anymore and are looking for alternatives to move away from that (look at VR/AR devices for example) is a clear sign that it is not like a home screen works "better"; it is just a commodity we got used to. It is not inherently better or worst than other approaches, it works if you use apps on a phone; but if you have a eink device which should do 3-4 things (reader, write notes, and few other things), you don't need the same bloated WM with touch events and handling of push and hold to reorganize icons for apps and all that extras that just steal processing power; on a device that has a 5 FPS refresh rate on a good day. There is a reason why Kindle and other "old" devices had tabs... You may be stuck with the definition of what a home screen is by having icons, but the first version of the kindle had tabs and that was a "home screen" exactly as Works 2.0 for DOS had a "home screen" made entirely of textual elements and tabs. The difference is the bloat you add by placing a bunch of icons in the middle of the screen and all the interactions you need to handle; on a device that should be used for few things... As it is not a tablet. Which takes me back to the original point: Eink devices are NOT android tablets, so if we want to make android tablets with eink screen, by any means, go ahead; but it is not what they were meant to be; so let's save the BS about no distraction and focused device environment then, that so many companies threw left and right :) Because then I can get a full Galaxy tab at that point and shut down notifications and I have color, hi-def and no distractions, instead of a crippled crappy color-deprived device that try to be a tablet. You may agree or not, I am not here to change your opinion. You stand on your hill, I stand on mine, we just look at each other, it is fine. I respect your point of view, I am just pointing out the other side of the coin here. And by any means, I am not saying you "favor" Boox devices; I am saying that the narrative for eink devices is steering towards what Boox offer, while until a year or two ago, those were considered not that great, exactly for the reasons now many say that they are good devices. Which means that either the perception of what eink devices are for is changing, or the Boox marketing is really making a dent in how people perceive these devices. This has nothing to do with your integrity, I never remotely doubted that, so I want to be clear.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Thanks for clarifying! Just some final points, to make my position clear. It's fine if we can't agree on them. > I am saying it is unfair to mention it in equal terms. No, for me, that's exactly the point of doing these reviews: testing devices on equal terms. > Kindle Scribe (...) nobody compared that and marked it as "not ready yet". So I am not sure why you see this case differently. I don't see it differently and I did actually compare it. I clearly pointed out the limited note-taking features in my initial Kindle Scribe review and mentioned what's missing compared to others. I'm still doing so in other Scribe-related videos as well. I don't apply different standards to different devices or companies. I point out pros & cons same for any device and each of them has their own audience because of these differences. Not pointing out specific shortcomings would mean there's essential information missing. And I'm not talking about the design and layout, or an Android launcher when mentioning a homescreen. I'm talking about a homescreen as the primary landing area in a graphical user interface and the first point of contact between the user and the system, where essential information and tools are presented, and from which the deeper navigation begins. I don't care how it looks, I only care that it makes navigating the device more efficient and easier. Supernote's sidebar navigation is close to being a homescreen, but the way it's implemented not quite and because it's not functioning as a homescreen, navigating the device is more complicated as a result. Which I actually find mind boggling, because the Supernote platform is all about efficiency otherwise. I honestly don't care whether it’s different or not. If they copied a typical Android launcher and it made navigation easier, that’s fine with me. If they found a better, different solution, that’s even better. But designing something differently, just for the sake of being different, is not a good approach to UXD. Good UXD is user-centered, problem-focused, and aims to streamline navigation, reduce cognitive load, and help users achieve their goals quickly and efficiently. I don't see any advantage to the homescreen-less implementation in meeting these goals.

[@RTR-96]

With such a heavy accent, I'm not sure why he isn't conducting the review in his native language.

[@RPGenieUS]

I have no problem understanding him at all.