The E-Ink Smartphone - One Charge Lasts Two Weeks

The Kingrow K1 is one of the most unusual smartphones I've ever featured on Unbox Therapy. It's the first e-ink smartphone I've ever used and the experience is quite bizarre. So what's the deal? Does an e-ink smartphone make any sense?
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[@unboxtherapy]

Lew Later - kzbin.info

[@Jithujayaprakash]

Woww.. Hi there

[@KARLSHAWTON]

Hell yea

[@MDIRFAN-ds4xy]

Hey lew love from India

[@SebasL10]

Yet

[@misterxzxc7314]

Unbox therapy bizarre adventure 😂

[@kylehooper8257]

Lew: omg come on. i can't do this Will: ...Its dual sim

[@TheFreshSoundsFlorida]

I understand Lew's pain

[@itsSmiv]

If e-ink technology was capable of higher refresh/frame rate, this phone would actually be pretty cool.

[@FeuerfaustGolDAce]

But every refresh is consuming energy 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@abhinandhari7812]

Yeah, at least a 30hz screen, which, I guess , should still give it something like a 3 day+ life on moderate usage??

[@itsSmiv]

@Star Junior and Ace : it may reduce the mattery life by a bit, but it would still probably be multiple days per charge which is still much better than traditional phones.

[@user-xm4tk8ym7l]

This phone is exist from 90s

[@ParthDoshi97]

abhinand hari That will greatly reduce the lifespan of the display

[@reignmack]

Battery Life: 14 Days Screen Refresh Rate: 14 Days

[@mehdikamen355]

underrated

[@Jerry4050]

I misread 14fps

[@ali_gator1087]

@@Jerry4050 me too lmao

[@MrDarren690]

I know this is a joke but I have a Kindle with an e-ink display and the refresh rate really isn't that bad. Unless you're heavily interacting with the screen (god forbid using social media), you should have no problems.

[@4epa1012]

Hahah

[@Luna_Voynich]

If this cost $100 I would buy it and carry it around as a manga reader

[@bland9876]

But it's not in color

[@PratyushSudarshan]

@@bland9876 Manga is black and white comics

[@bland9876]

@@PratyushSudarshan i thought manga was just a regular looking book but with a comic book on the pages instead of the traditional words basically the Japanese equivalent of the word graphic novel

[@kidrobot.]

why? when you can get an e reader for the same or less thats better..

[@tennicktenstyl]

@@kidrobot. android makes everything easier, you don't have 4G connectivity on your e-reader do you? it supports all the formats you can image and you can get content off the web. so for that purpose it's a great choice

[@_scrd_9782]

Razer:We introduce 120Hz! Kingrow:Hold my ink.

[@TheMusicGuy11]

🤣🤣🤣 XD

[@jepoybengco]

Hahaha!!!

[@jasper6343]

LMAO!

[@GlennSearle3]

Best use case: hiking/camping/outdoors activity due to high visibility and long battery life

[@sunsneeze]

thats what i was also thinking about

[@jorgemarioc]

Absolutely what anyone would think about this. Agreed.

[@HelloHello-xb6wj]

to be honest,i would just take two powerbanks and set my samsung to maximum power saving mode but it would be good!

[@lonewolf3314]

Hello Hello yes but when hiking with so much unnecesery things leaves you no place for other important stuff like food or water.

[@fruityloopsfan]

But you need a light source to actually see the screen in the dark

[@rickyoder9604]

It's not JUST good for reading. You're forgetting phone calls, texting apps, music, streaming to a TV, web browsing.

[@JYMAHJAMES]

@Filip Jovanovic tf? just put do not disturb on or mute the notifications when u need to concentrate lol just save your money

[@paulmhoward]

@Filip Jovanovic agreed!

[@EdFremor]

@Filip Jovanovic Love your comment. But in the other hand, it really pisses me of that people don't get your point and not because they don't get it for itself... They just don't want to open their minds to leave stuff that are not necessary. Tech zombies anyway. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@ConsciousRobot]

It's not good for any of those things

[@stevenhernandez8966]

@Filip Jovanovic It's the "Anti-Zombie" phone. ;)

[@astral2048]

Fun fact: E-ink displays with a refresh rate of 30 exist.

[@diegobras]

Really? Well, maybe there's a market for this aftet all (not this one yet)

[@davidaustin6962]

high power consumption. If you want the long battery life you have to accept there will be tradeoffs like low refresh. People interested in this for that reason probably aren't interested in using it for video ... heck it's not even color why are people freaking out about refresh... it's obviously not a replacement for the typical smartphone.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@davidaustin6962 on e-readers I've hacked, they could go back and forth between typical slow refresh mode and fast refresh mode. Maybe the latter consumes more power, but it's nice to have the choice, and only using it when necessary is still gonna give a comparatively great battery life. I wouldn't mind watching videos on something like this, for me it's more about eye strain than battery life. I mean, it's not like people didn't enjoy black and white TV and movies for decades 😊

[@jesusgrind2334]

@@davidaustin6962 Honestly, screw the 2 week battery life: 5-7 days of battery life on a full charge, decent refresh rate, it's the perfect backup phone. You would no longer have to carry ancient tech or batteries-with-screens-type phones to have a charge and forget about device.

[@aniam858]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated How do you hack an e-reader?

[@hamizhidious]

Lew : ok, hang on !, hang on..! Will : it's dual sim

[@kylehooper8257]

lol i was gonna comment this

[@daviddezeeuw9031]

Dont you just love Willie doo?

[@fazalakmalmusyarri2003]

Lol thats an excuse

[@norwingguevara302]

@@daviddezeeuw9031 Yeah dude, damn

[@arthurscott833]

Lew: What’s the refresh rate. Kingrow: No

[@abidashhar8627]

Lol E-Ink 2019 slow as IE🤣

[@NCIA-93]

Like 5 hertz??

[@jungle6815]

20hz maybe

[@zoomerbemen]

This is for somebody who wants to get away from screen addiction but still wants the great features of a smart phone

[@hammadahmad100]

I despise the glare screen. I text a lot, mail a lot. I'm always on social media which is mostly static. Even if there's a video on social media, I just want to know what it's saying. Good refresh rate and high res built-in camera are nice but if I have to sacrifice battery life and strain my eyes, I'd say it's an acceptable tradeoff. Honestly speaking, I miss my old Nokia but can't use because of the lack of wifi, internet messaging, social media and decent email client. If I could get all that with the battery life of an old Nokia why wouldn't I buy that? I obviously don't want to buy a prototype though.

[@WABRECORDS]

How about willpower?

[@hammadahmad100]

@@WABRECORDS What?

[@WABRECORDS]

@@hammadahmad100 Wasn't responding to you Ahmed

[@WABRECORDS]

@@zoomerbemen Your mom certainly is

[@Kapkamusic]

lew you're harsh on this one, I bet some people could need a 2 weeks battery life phone. if it can make calls and send texts why not

[@TheChris91173]

Just get a rechargeable battery case if you need 2 weeks of a charge. Honestly why wouldn't you be near a charger in 2 weeks. You going camping ? Lol

[@hey-fv2gg]

Get an old Nokia

[@tubemasterist]

He would be stupid to promote something that is not great for YT but thats in my opinion a big plus for all People who are Looking for a digital detox, yet not wanting to go without Things like Maps and Standard Mailing, Texting, Browsing.

[@arvenjacobsalera7062]

But we have that Energizer phone now tho

[@lazypops3117]

light phone?

[@Jackerz299]

Lew: Are you insane, are you out of your mind? Will: Uhhh e-ink display . . . . battery life . . . . dual sim . . . .

[@zihenghuang3012]

hhhh sorry I just can't stop laughing here

[@ugotsnickers267]

He does not even know if it's waterproof 5:30

[@ac-wy5yd]

this is perfect for hikers or campers who need their phone to last a long time

[@HERKELMERKEL]

@@ugotsnickers267 aagagagaga are we sure he is the founder of the kingrow company :)))

[@bukithecat5405]

My moto g 2014 is faster than that shit 😂

[@onyx8231]

This is VERY impressive for e-ink. Yes the display is slow.

[@insideman7501]

But the fact it can play video like that is super!

[@geartechstuff3592]

This is a great first step! Being able to see your screen in strong sunlight...... brilliant! 2 weeks battery between charges.... wicked! It can only get better and faster and who knows, even full colour E-Ink might be on the cards. This has to be the future of phones!

[@zahidshabir4038]

+Gear Tech Stuff The future of displays is MicroLED it has all the benefits of OLED (which is currently the best display tech if you do not include the "Burn In" issues) such as being able to turn off individual pixels to achieve deep blacks which also saves power as parts of the screen shut off. It doesn't have problems that OLED has called "Burn In" where organic materials in OLED weaken and get damaged making parts of the display stay on permanently white and the ghosting issues with OLED and it refreshes faster than OLED so you can get a faster refreshing screen and all while consuming less power than OLED

[@kaibaCorpHQ]

Yeah that's what I was saying, it's pretty impressive that it plays any type of video at all. If it got 2-3x faster it may be tempting in place of oled or IPS because of the insane battery life E-ink brings; it's an exciting prospect.

[@kaibaCorpHQ]

@@zahidshabir4038 ya but I mean how much battery life are we talking with microled? I couldn't imagine a display that creates light lasting aslong as E-ink does. I'd like to see E-ink technology explored a bit more personally; until we can create batteries the size we need and have them hold exponentially more power, or connect every device to a wireless power source permanently, E-ink may still be useful.

[@jarritricard2727]

Sticking up for Will here, just putting it out there. I could totally see my grandparents using this phone and loving it. They don't watch KZbin they liked the Kindle when it came out and plus long battery life

[@Mersh_mellow]

If they could get the refresh rate to 20-25fps and get the price too 150, I'd 100% mount this as a dash on my bike, eink is awesome when in direct sunlight and would be great for a digital speedo and GPS.

[@2DReanimation]

Yeah, there you go! perfect example of the flexibility of smartphone tech + epaper. There's definitely a market for it, but it needs to improve.

[@tylerjackson4168]

I want to thumb this up more than once. Great for gps on my bike.

[@lintfreecloth]

its like 2 FPS. lol

[@freescape08]

I think everyone's missed the point that this phone is fully featured Android with insane battery life, and it's 300$ unlocked. Meaning no 2 year plan and much cheaper than any flagship.

[@patrickschaufler2232]

Exactly! If you have your navigation data on the device, you'll never get lost even without an actual data connection!

[@ajaykumarsaxena6813]

OnePlus : Our 90hz display is the best Kingrow : hold my e-ink

[@The-Heart-Will-Testify]

Razer: our 120hz can play high graphic Kingrow: hold my battery

[@zaphenath6756]

negative 7 hertz

[@kasturiranjanarambam1190]

High-end smartphone:i can edit my picture to monochrome Kingrow: watch my display everything is monochrome

[@dr.liljay2874]

Next Vid : *I’m switching to the E-Ink smartphone* 🤦‍♂️

[@GlowstickGoddess]

DR.LILJAY 🤣🤣🤣💔Dead

[@lucky5609]

Face palm. E-ink has a big problem.

[@itsbtunes]

Using E-ink phone as main device for a week😂

[@Bintang-nw4vz]

OH YES I WANNA SEE THIS

[@koushikneriyanuri5420]

After that : 3 weeks with the E-ink smartphone Next : *facepalm* Why I'm officially quitting E-ink smartphone Next : why my dog pooped on the E-ink smartphone . . . Video 1000 : why my mom ate the E-ink smartphone.

[@hariprahal1947]

There are many advantages to this thing:- 1. Manga Reader 2. Best mobile for someone who travels a lot, as they cannot charge their phone, and always be on the grid. 3. The audio can be enhanced if it is not good on this and can be used to listen to music for a long time, without worrying about the battery. 4. Other things mentioned in the video

[@Icanfigureitoutintime]

This is a great phone. Go Will Du,!!!!!

[@FaithFallRepentGraceRepeat]

MAKE THE SWITCH LEW! One week. Do it!

[@PankajVerma-wd3hz]

😁😆😆😆😆 he just survived this video and you asking for one week....

[@joybhowmick4053]

Yes

[@TravelVelocity]

Would be a hilarious video

[@greenbin3028]

one week with no charging

[@divingradish]

Two weeks to prove two weeks battery live claim.

[@davidpatel5267]

"This would be good for errrrrrr..... Reading?" -Willy Do

[@mattfromwiisports7780]

Next video: **Depressed look on his face** *Why I switched to the E-Ink smartphone**

[@timorouw5555]

''i'm gonna use this phone as my daily driver till its dead''

[@mark4tesla]

Best comment ever 😂😂 😂😂😂

[@RaxFilms7]

😂😂😂😂

[@georgefloydanurag8084]

I feel bad latter but you guys always make me laugh

[@elluiz464]

Just Subscribe to me lol 😂 has a good

[@arvenjacobsalera7062]

Petition for Lew to make this his daily driver phone 😂😂😂😂 Edit:Never had this much likes so thank you 😄 but sadly he hasn't responded to our petition 😪 booo

[@nass419]

I vote

[@teodorvangelov]

This is painful

[@yadayaya9992]

Come on guys

[@sduipshrestha6735]

Yeah he should🤣🤣🤣

[@nishantchoudhary8540]

I vote

[@nlrivers]

Its like watching youtube on this high powered etch a sketch 😂😂

[@jimbo-dev]

It has the cabability of viewing maps and gps with long battery life so it replaces handheld gps. But honestly it should have been built waterproof

[@KevinManda]

Jimi Viita-aho I feel like it should be probably be worth a hundred and 50 bucks not 300 that’s insane

[@atanu2531]

Price need to be lower .. and it can be blockbuster .. 👍👍 it seems they have stole my idea .. 👋😉😉

[@mattig89ch]

+ and give it a shock proofing as well. so it could be a survival device for camping, long road trips, people who work outdoors in rough environments, ect. even then though...maybe worth 200. certainly not 300 though.

[@talhaaslam2367]

Next video: *IM SWITCHING TO THE E-INK SMARTPHONE*

[@dwasd-was873]

After that: E-INK HAS BIG PROBLEM (disgust facepalm thumbnail)

[@faraz_duh]

With face palm

[@sheepketchup9059]

With a facepalm.

[@Zx14rrrrrrrrrrr]

📱 🤦‍♂️.... The thumbnail

[@parthsoni1847]

Lol 😂 🤣🤣

[@braulioribeiro5798]

You should watch 4K `10bit Dolby Vision HDR content on it, would look so incredible

[@nand2624]

Well said🤣🤣

[@enlnh]

ink-redible... cause e-ink...

[@nutz4gunz457]

Dolby vision is 12-Bit.

[@paras6TEEN]

It will become a black hole dude. Don't do that.

[@Ab113tech]

😂😂😂ut will freeze forever !

[@soulrecalibration]

Lew : Are you making excuses, Will? Will : Yes

[@aManWhoWantsEverything]

skyhuntergr Lmao

[@Hades69777]

That's a 2019 flagship... Calculator

[@mayankkashyap4171]

I Agree

[@BlackArcs44]

Lol

[@Shadow-uj1qv]

My $1 calculator shows better fps

[@aw7245]

Jo de José calculators use lcds

[@PanjulKrenz469]

@@Shadow-uj1qv my dad Nokia 3310 can beat that

[@YallLikeToes]

I'd low key like for camping But not for 299

[@John-qb8wh]

Isn't camping gear worth more?

[@age-ben4910]

True stuff...

[@MrJleonp]

@@John-qb8wh this is not an essential for camping.

[@silasmayes7954]

Same

[@YallLikeToes]

@@John-qb8wh Yea but not 299

[@vansubagja]

"So how much FPS this phone could run?" Kingrow: Not really.

[@K3zz21]

😂😂😂

[@kass7811]

Kingrow: Yes

[@Shadow-uj1qv]

Answer is yes

[@AmirAbuleil92]

We don't run,, we walk the walk

[@johnyang799]

More like: no.

[@mnark6725]

Lew: Are you out of your mind? Will: It's an E-Ink display Also Will: It's dual SIM😂😂😂

[@Champ1012]

Hey it's a phone u kno **Willie doo** 2019

[@user-xm4tk8ym7l]

Good phone for 90s

[@RightNowMan]

Will has the charisma of a vacuum cleaner but he seems like a sweet man.

[@brogamer_haikal6491]

I can't stop freaking laughing when I saw Lew Reaction 😂😂

[@darkgaara787]

If it were cheaper it would me an amazing backup phone. Something straight for all those Survival Nuts.

[@willydmankal]

If it was half the price I'd buy it as a work phone, but 300 is too much

[@The-Heart-Will-Testify]

Like $50

[@vijeykumar7429]

One plus : *launches first 90fps oled phone* Kingrow: hold my ink.

[@sandx]

iPhones have 120

[@lt03.59]

@@sandx AHHAHAHHHAHHAHAHH NOOOPEEE

[@vijeykumar7429]

@@sandx I don't think so, pro motion technology is only on the iPad pro.

[@sandx]

Just check it yourself..

[@sandx]

Thunderous lmao I just told check it yourself, it's not a secret info

[@blissosa761]

Lew: This of course you can stare at it for ever Will: *stares at it for two seconds* Yeah I'm not even tired That had me dying 😂😂

[@samljones]

Do I want this phone? **watches video** Well, yes... **hears $299** ...but actually _no_

[@wilt3051]

Sam Jones tbh I would buy it to help Will out for like $80 but $300 fuck no

[@animeshkumar3256]

For 300 dolllars I purchased pocophone

[@012345678944107]

Naja

[@haniffaris8917]

@@wilt3051 it just a joke, that phone is not Will's

[@moldoveanu8]

Pretty cheap for a phone. I just spent double that on a new budget phone. OnePlus 6T with 256gb storage and 6gb ram. And the one plus 6t has great battery but not the kind that let's me read all day, do work on my phone, and read/respond to emails all day. The E-ink display is perfect for business people or serious students that could get work done while mobile. Also probably good for travelling, that's the perfect 2nd phone to have and still make calls or have a low power consumption yet clear enough screen in direct sunlight. Idk, I could see myself using this phone a lot and my main traditional phone just for when I care to actually watch a video or snap a good photo.

[@tarlcabot1169]

"Willy come in, i wanna roast you for your choices"

[@energ8t]

😂😂

[@MarkRyanNZ]

3:27 awkward pause and will goes 'Battery life'. Lost it lol

[@troycyr441]

RahimMRyan ........dual sim........

[@troycyr441]

RahimMRyan ........dual sim........

[@benevbright]

Dual Sim. I have to say.

[@benevbright]

Hey it's a phone. you know?

[@edloco2613]

**E-ink smartphone exists** Nokia 3310 "FINALLY! A WORTHY OPPONENT!"

[@studio2251]

Our battle will be legendary

[@twotonerebel2022]

@@studio2251 kung fu panda?

[@lightlelouch8234]

It’s not even that worthy , the Nokia was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy stronger

[@bovanderhulst9935]

nokia is cool

[@araarabutkermitthefrog]

Nokia: Ohh you coming to me Instead of running away, you coming to me

[@Endelin]

It would be great for music, podcasts, and audiobooks!

[@pisse3000]

And Smartphone detoxing

[@53milviews]

exactly

[@Echo.k]

@@pisse3000 Definitely not for 300$.

[@piratemousey]

No. Go get yourself a dedicated hires audio player with balanced cable compatible. Not this shite

[@tobi33e80]

​@@pisse3000 even if you watch youtube it is detoxing because you can't watch any fast cut videos without real content but you could still watch "more serious" videos (podcasts, speeches, lectures, etc.) A bit "Rick and morty intellectual" though I don't know if i could change my viewing habits that easily

[@shdwkennyjay]

Lew:Unboxes a million bad phones....this phone is the phone that breaks him🤣

[@adamkija6895]

Try to use it until you've used all the power Like to get him to see this

[@hrishikeshio]

Oneplus : releases phone with 90 Hz display. Kingrow: hold my beer.

[@matiegamesx5465]

Razer : 120 Hz

[@hawkins9326]

*hold my ink

[@theghost7277]

@@matiegamesx5465 razor phones are trash

[@theghost7277]

@@matiegamesx5465 I own 2

[@samuelb1004]

@@theghost7277 So you bought one, then realised it was "trash" and bought another one?

[@chrisb1006]

2 weeks!? Wow *After watching* you know.. It might not be worth it..

[@oeuf1280]

This phone: 1 charge lasts 14 days My phone: 14 charges lasts 1 day Edit: this is my phone when it runs PUBG mobile, and i dont have an Iphone, and also 800LIKES WTF

[@Follower_Of_Xi_Jinping_Pooh]

LOL. Your battery is about to explode.

[@mittromney6052]

You miiiiight wanna get that checked out

[@smohanta9016]

Livin on the edge.....nyc...keep doin it...any momnt could be last momnt

[@Adam-lf1fo]

I see, you must possess an Iphone

[@RewindOfficialDoesMusic]

adam sehmi nahh it’s gotta be a galaxy note 8

[@AliYassinToma]

Thats not 15 fps ... its more like 4-6 fps

[@kdfc8985]

I couldn't look at it as it's 100fps slower than mine 😂

[@chrisjfox8715]

Ok

[@AliYassinToma]

@@kdfc8985 Lol my monitor is 240hz asus ... it has 236hz more than this ink shit lol

[@lIlIllIlIllIlllIllIIIIIIIIIlII]

K D F C what do you mean. This video isn't 60fps so your math would instantly be wrong in all kinds of ways

[@aktv8182]

Perfect for internet explorer!!

[@YouTubeChannel-wp5iu]

If it has a headphone jack it's a music player as well!😁

[@dihanislam4380]

yeah $300 well spent👍....

[@sebmurphy8750]

this would be great for Smartphone Detox but for half the price

[@abubakrakram6208]

I’m surprised that “Smartphone Detox” is an actual phrase now. That being said, my problem with ALL phones that fit in the category is their prices.

[@dinozaurpickupline4221]

iphone se is the way to go!

[@dinozaurpickupline4221]

@@hunterrrdrives yes,but I think it would be good for detox if you use it without apps

[@corderorolando32]

Yes. Exactly what I was thinking.

[@figurezofficial821]

💯

[@theslipperysnake7464]

This screen is brought to you by Bing powered by dial up. Stay updated today

[@frankjohansen3132]

NASA used this smartphone to document the moon landing in 1969.

[@anandsuralkar2947]

Lol

[@immanueljenkins5036]

"300 dollars for this?" "we can't do this to people." "what do you mean?" 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@styleyK]

Hahaha 😅 If it was marketed towards outdoor pursuits, camping etc..... then maybe.

[@ConLLee]

Guybrush Threepwood lol you sure got him with that one

[@Adonitologist]

Lew :- it's just a black and white smartphone Will:- it has dual sim ...😂

[@welsonliong8607]

It can lasts longer because Nobody will use it more than 10 minutes LMAO

[@woojinjang8077]

You are truly hilarious

[@user-xm4tk8ym7l]

You can use it at list 10 days to download one sample app

[@welsonliong8607]

@@woojinjang8077 thanks!

[@moonrocks]

Lol true

[@chrisjfox8715]

That's literally the type of person this phone would be for tho. Obviously it isnt meant to compete with high end phones out today - it's for the person that doesnt need all those bells and whistles because they're barely ever on their phone anyway. I admit that $100 would be a more suitable price, but some people want to stay connected more than a dumbphone allows for (quick searches for things on Google/Wikipedia, etc on ocassion) yet don't need all the excess. This would be more than sufficient to go camping/hiking, etc....the types of things where a person would wanna be in the moment and wouldn't be on their phone all the time anyway but may still need it. That said, again, $100 would be perfect.

[@derpate9785]

This should be the outside Screen on the Galaxy Fold!!

[@akahil91]

derpate9785 Not sure if applicable or not, but it's a very smart idea.

[@flyzipper]

Agree it's too expensive, but would work for my smartphone use: music, GPS, emergency communication.

[@crao95able]

If it was chaper, it could actually be an alternative. As some kind of dumbphone or for people that are addicted to phones.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

YES!

[@tubester358]

@@crao95able But it's fully capable smartphone, just terrible performance. Only thing it would be no use for is multimedia consumption.

[@ryanlam5237]

@@tubester358 It's basically terrible for anything with moving images

[@ViniSDL]

You could buy a phone twice as faster and useful for that price

[@Ragna___]

$300? for this? people on kickstarter are crazy.

1) e-ink is expensive 1) other than e-ink, this is like any other android phone

[@Ragna___]

@ 1) And they have to cover the costs just for selling, let's say, 10 of those? 2) A very low-end Android (one with the exact same specs like this, but a regular display, goes about $80. Not mentioning the much lower practicality of a monochrome screen, with that low frame rate.

[@Ragna___]

@@yjas8904 But it doesn't. Cause, it has all that you've listed and that makes it a smartphone. But it isn't. Camera is unusable. Watching videos is unusable. Typing fast is unusable. I'm assuming trying to use the gps, because it's a smartphone, will get you killed. Even the ui is barely usable, cause of that low frame rate. Not worth £300.

[@thatguycam1989]

@@Ragna___ try finding a Kindle that makes phone calls. It's basically an Android phone always in reading mode with a slow refresh rate.

[@retrocomputing]

@@Ragna___ a regular smartphone will last a day, so this device is infinitely more usable after 30 hours than any smartphone. And you can easily read the display in the brightest day.

[@PaulPistore]

As someone who travels overseas often. This would be a great backup phone.

[@astrix2445]

It should be around $50-60 Considering the fact it has a outdated mediatek processor.

[@damsci-andreadamascelli1623]

THE_PERFECTIONIST agree but at least 100$

[@Bonehaufen]

Well there are dual screen phones out there (amoled + e-ink) which are still a bit more expensive, but don't have such delusional price points. Just saying..

[@megagameification]

@@Bonehaufen what phone??

[@Bonehaufen]

@@megagameification Hisense a2 for a bit above 200 for example. Its chinese, so it has no google play services, but afaik so doesnt the kingrow..

[@megagameification]

@@Bonehaufen thanks

[@ryz_seth2165]

Next video: I'm switching to the E-ink Smartphone

[@augustogalindo8687]

Seth Laday and then: The E-ink Smartphone has a problem

[@CMShortboy]

@@augustogalindo8687 and then: Don't Buy the E-ink Smartphone

[@gungpandu]

That impossible my brother

[@FalconZeroX]

You forgot *facepalm*

[@meenal1139]

*IF* they could make the display/processing/refresh rate faster in the next few models - it _might_ go places.

[@feedme7307]

I would buy the fuck out of this, even for that price, if it had a decent refresh rate.

[@DualityElite]

There are some restrictions due to patents of the screen

[@jordan12962]

If the screen could refresh faster and was color-thats the future

[@hasan.a7]

Refresh rate and color consume battery ☝️

[@robotmaster4515]

But the having no color thing is on purpose as it would help with eyes.

[@michaelgathemia]

The sigh feels Lew had

[@TheActionBastard]

e-ink displays have absolutely HIDEOUS refresh rates and so far I've never seen one that could refresh fast enough to even have a hope of being useful. Frame rates are so low it cant do video worth a crap.

[@william41017]

@@robotmaster4515 colors don't harm the eye

[@FawadBilgrami]

I’d buy it. Back to the basics - Read / Text / Emails and Calling.

[@IliyanTrayanov]

Yyeesssss

[@akashafofo6939]

with that refresh rate? You wouldn't stand it! I bet!

[@akashafofo6939]

@@IliyanTrayanov with that refresh rate? You wouldn't stand it! I bet!

[@ianvanderveer9094]

Then I think it's better to buy a decent Nokia or Blackberry

[@tonyvercetti8056]

Just read novel and comic

[@FunWhiletubing]

Off grid camping with this thing is really good.

[@R3DPANTH3R94]

This would be dope as an MP3 player or something of that nature.

[@PedroRodrigues-fh1ku]

I guess the battery would not last longer just because it is E-ink if you are playing music and videos on it.

[@RederieJosh]

Playing music will be good cuz u mostly play music with the screen off

[@PedroRodrigues-fh1ku]

@@RederieJosh but you already play music with the screen off. the only time it is on is when you're changing tracks. also, there are mp3 players that doesn`t even have screens and their batteries doesn`t last weeks. The best use for e-ink still is just reading. I really hope they keep investing in this technology tho, can you imagine in like 10 years we could have fully functioning HD e-ink TV or e-ink digital painting Canvas

[@RederieJosh]

Pedro Rodrigues e ink could be great indeed!! I guess manufacturers just need to find way for e ink panels to have at least 30 fps lmfaooo cuz so low framerate!

[@mariothingy]

I actually think Will’s point about camping is great. Slap some big antennas and a waterproof chassis on there and it would actually be useful for a lot of people

[@WeizenGourmet]

The technology is awesome for hiking where you can't charge. Could see someone using it to navigate with GPS.

[@thelinuxcolonel7292]

Razer: Makes phone with 120 Hz screen Kingrow: Hold my beer

[@h12_playz2]

How much hz is it??

[@h12_playz2]

@Maxi πlot well I'm dead

[@thelinuxcolonel7292]

@@h12_playz2 I have a kindle e-reader with the same type of display, and I would agree it feels more like 5

[@paulodiano8777]

Watching this on my Kingrow K1 I'm just kidding😂

[@lttstoredotcum]

100th like

[@gamingsyalofficial7616]

Hi buddy

[@cutthroat4784]

"I'm just KINDLEing"

[@AzharFahreza1996]

How fps is it? (:

[@SeaforgedArtifacts]

Somebody who listens to podcasts and reads almost exclusively on the phone, maybe a backpacker would also enjoy this?

[@JanMichaelSullano]

SALT PROOF I would!

[@transkryption]

I'm hunting for my previous comment. But that months later I still think Liu was so unfair! The battery life. The ability to have the screen on as a clock or a map For weeks.. Between charges Who cares if video is a little choppy?!?

[@MashiroShiina]

Im dying 😂 at lew's reaction of disappointment

[@megamixkiller622]

Actually I would buy this phone, if it wasn't so damn expensive.

[@HomerSlated]

I regularly go wilderness camping and don't have access to power outlets for weeks. Even taking a stack of heavy powerbanks, my smartphone won't last the distance. And bear in mind, the smartphone in this instance is not just some toy to play with on the trip, it's my GPS navigator (I use ViewRanger) and emergency communicator, so it's kinda essential. This e-ink smartphone is pure genius. I'd buy one, definitely. I'm amazed someone hasn't thought of this before. With this I could go on long wilderness trips and leave that stack of heavy powerbanks at home, maybe taking just one. Plus, as others have mentioned, I might actually be able to see the display in bright sunlight, something which even high end smartphones struggle with.

[@shashankiyer5751]

It definitely has a very niche market

[@AdrianBawn]

@@shashankiyer5751 Im not sure its even that niche really. I mean what do most people user their phones for, other than calling. Music? Doesnt need fancy graphics. Messaging? Doesnt need fancy graphics. Facebook? Same, mostly. Memes? probably look ok in B&W most of the time. Tinder? if you are just chatting... B&W is fine. Navigation? Monochrome, and good daylight viewing is a bonus. Random photos? the e-ink display is fine for framing the shot, as long as the actual photo is captured in colour its fine unless you want really high quality images, but then just get a decent SLR camera. The only real things you lose out on is colour, and frame rate. So full motion video is out, and anything else that requires decent speed and distinct colours, but other than that you should be able to function day to day without too much fuss. And a 14 day battery life is a god send to most people.

[@bali501]

Glad someone pointed this use out, that the presenter clearly hasn't considered. It clearly has a use as a backup or survival tool.

[@davidaustin6962]

@@bali501 I think he was just totally unprepared to be butchered and in a language he wasn't prepared to argue in. It's actually very uncommon to be treated like some kind of criminal when you've been kind enough to give someone your prototype (a prototype for heaven's sake) to do more of a preview than a review ... in fact unheard of.

[@thebritishpilgrim4850]

Dude if this phone has a GPS for viewranger then that'll drain the battery super quickly anyway despite any savings the screen is giving you.

[@raydiama4735]

I seriously like the idea! I don't know if it's a prototype but @Will don't give up you're two steps closer to make the phones of the future

[@LugiDergX]

Screw the fact that I am answering to a comment from 3 years ago. Black and white phones can not be devices of the future. Even smart feature phones such as devices with KaiOS have future way brighter than.. Whatever this is.

[@diogonoronha100]

That's every students dream!!! Little distraction, all the versatility!!!!!!

[@persnicketyVC]

I AGREE!!! Having all the necessary smartphone features in a student-friendly phone is amazing!

[@zafea9918]

The price is too high but you are right. As a student i only need whatsapp and email in my phone

[@Nefset]

agree I think my bf would be so happy to have it coz he doesn't care to stay in phone too much time and works on computer and he has always battery dead so for him would be just perfect and for his eyes specially he told me that he would take a Nokia 3100 if it wasn't for WhatsApp and work sooo that's a great step im happy e ink is evolving

[@LAM_G80085]

Its not bad The idea is super good but the technology hasn't improved enough yet to be a actual product

[@gechogo]

The price is bad .. its cool, but maybe resuce the price

[@BiketoWorkPH]

I have to agree on this. Plus, Mediatek processor doesn't justify the $300 pricetag.

[@marypoppins1853]

Wouldnt pay $10

[@alexferguson5346]

If they can somehow increase the refresh time of the display then I could get behind it but I don't think e-ink technology really allows for that. I liked the phone that had the normal screen on the front and the e-ink screen on the back but their phones don't seem to be available outside of china.

[@LAM_G80085]

@@alexferguson5346 well that sucks, but I hope they will come up with something even better then. Thats how it works isn't it : )

[@Lumencraft-]

The slow screen is a deal breaker 100%

[@wredmatic]

Progress is way too slow on these devices, the refresh rate improves like 1 fps per year

[@Grimhof]

It would have been better to make it like a book, so no scrolling, just flip to next page.

[@Sequialtera]

It is perfect for those wants to have a cellphone detox, no more video watching, just straight up email, documents, text, gps, and call. I will buy this.

[@rtsa4633]

This is a really cool phone. I'm really hyped for e ink technology in general too. Imagine coding on a secondary eink display with a good enough refresh rate.

[@angelzendejas2978]

Next video: Switching to the E- Ink smartphone. *Palm on face*

[@SoNobodyToldYaBaby]

Old meme just stop

[@angelzendejas2978]

@@SoNobodyToldYaBaby I still think it's funny. If you dont then just move on.

[@kennyb123]

@@SoNobodyToldYaBaby It's not an old meme when he still does it!

[@diljith.cjithu8703]

I think his palm was already in face for this

[@rusl1rusl]

in 1080p 5fps

[@khaledeponera6070]

Wishing KINGROW good luck on their new project!

[@denispalt9184]

if it would only be faster i would take it tbh

[@GregSmith007]

Wishing KINGROW good luck on their *next project! The refresh flashing and all that is discouraging, as much as I would love to save my eyes. Would like to see someone fund them and get a better processor that could make it a bit faster and I would definitely still take a week of battery life.

[@proxyhx2075]

@@GregSmith007 Maybe the low fps is cuz the LCD screen.

[@GregSmith007]

@@proxyhx2075 - You're probably right and it's probably multiple factors and not just one.

[@karthikeya_6]

E ink with low refresh rate and outdated processor priced at 300 usd. Poco:Am i joke to you...

[@UnsungAces]

Helio P23 is not that outdated

[@arkeim4564]

These jokes aren't funny, shut the fuck up

[@jparcs2596]

Mtk is a trash

[@PanjulKrenz469]

I think it worth when using 60Hz refresh rate. The chipset is not outdated tho, Realme C2 and Asus Zenfone Max Plus M1 using this chipset

[@BortaMaga]

maybe because the E ink technology isn't cheap? especially on a phone which is a completely new take

[@gitto3654]

Rip will you could see the saddness inside him. I felt bad.

[@jeffriart]

E-ink isn't cheap, but I would be more interested if the screen is 1080p for this price. Would be a nice small Kindle, with bonus of being able to stream music.

[@gatsulaga]

and call

[@echox3982]

I'd use this for camping at festivals, to playback music, because of it's long lasting battery life

[@buyeth2047]

It won't last that long playing music.

[@echox3982]

@@buyeth2047 still better than from a normal smartphone

[@Lem_On_Lime]

Would be perfect for streaming KZbin music, since by default they do not let you turn off the screen, which drains the battery the most.

[@buyeth2047]

@@Lem_On_Lime Get KZbin Vanced!

[@PSUC3]

Why tf would you want to play back music at a festival??? There is already music everywhere

[@crystalallsop2951]

I had a concussion 7 months ago and ever since I have not been able to look at screens without fatigue, nausea, and headaches. I avoid screens as much as I can but the phone is a hard one to completely eliminate from life. This is an exciting discovery for me!

[@porkbowl]

I really like how honest the review is.

[@pjfonline]

So how's spotify (sound quality)? Hows casting? Hows Google Maps?

[@kilililian1439]

The sound quality on spotify isn't that good anyways so it should be fine. I don't know about wired headphones but with bluetooth headphones any recent phone (probably) sounds the same using Spotify. Since this one has android 8 it should be possible to stream music using the ldac or aptx codec so you could theoretically even stream relatively high quality music (if you have headphones that support the codec as well).

[@fmsshadowpaco]

What about to use with a smartwatch that has no service?

[@Fisk8943]

@Fabian L you can find way better alternatives for $300, albeit less battery life

[@aa-vb9tj]

@@Fisk8943 I doubt that, name one.

[@pusheenomics]

Call quality, IPXX certifications, compass, etc

[@painful1978]

Actually this is great for those who only call, text, email and tweet.. Or a backup device for traveling. Wouldn't u read on the plane or train? Expensive tho

[@antoniogiamberardino602]

Wonder how long it lasts as an mp3 player. I don't need a crazy refresh rate if I'm listening to music on it.

[@thecanadianbastard9019]

All I do on my phone is call, music player, read books and read manga. I want this

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

I wish I could afford one of these. I'd happily use this as my main phone, and just carry a tablet for when I needed a more conventional screen.

[@creativepicnl]

The perfect hipster phone. They should've given it a wooden casing. This brings me back to 1998. (handspring visor)

[@fdgvieira82]

True, but the handspring visor didn't have a e-ink display.

[@0x1337feed]

"So I know nothing of this phone" "It's an E-ink smartphone"

[@j.t.dennis4900]

That's what I thought haha

[@controllakat3883]

Next video: *"the e-ink smartphone has a BIG problem..."*

[@EragoEntertainment]

This video is already the problem video

[@rekonzuken1]

Its about a phone with a black n white screen but these 2 guys make me watch till the end haha. Keep up the awesomeness!

[@cabezitadealgodon]

This is soooo needed. I deal with so many clients with serious eye issues that are exacerbated due to rampant blue light from cell phones and other screens...I would be the FIRST to purchase this...On everything. The host may not understand b/c he doesn't have eye health issues...people who have eye health issues would LOVE to pay $300 for an e-ink phone. There are a few glitches he needs to work out before it comes to market...but this is excellent.

[@RealSnarb]

Excellent for camping. My phone always dies when I go up to the mountains.

[@LUSTmusicVideos]

Thn just get a old Nokia phone, it will cost literally 20$

[@chunhualiao8191]

just bring a giant power bank

[@ziemniaczek320]

@@chunhualiao8191 giant is the key word. This phone is small and light compared to powerbank

[@SkepticalCaveman]

Yes, it replaces both a phone and a e-reader. It would be great for reading books while camping.

[@trivium192]

I work in a research lab reading a lot of protocols. This phone would be perfect if they could get better refresh rates for the screen

[@adriananzano2292]

The display they use is already pretty high-end notice on the youtube video how it manages to quickly refresh on the video part of the screen only

[@brownladKR]

Love your honesty dude!