The world of E-Ink tablets is an interesting one. For non-techie people, E-ink is a display technology. Itās what e-readers and e-books use. E-ink displays work without using backlight. This āsubtleā difference gives E-ink major advantages over regular displays:
- Eye comfort. No backlight = happy eyes
- Low power consumption. The batteries can easily last for weeks or even months (depending on the device).
- Great visibility outdoors. The display reflects sunlight.
- Thinner and lighter devices.
- More durable. The screens are made of plastic, which is lighter and more resistant to scratches.
- Color support is a reality. Be aware that those devices are pricier and consume more power.
This sounds pretty good, doesnāt it? Well thatās not the full story. E-ink is not perfectā¦yet. Some limitations of this technology are:
- Slow refresh rates. These displays are not well suited for watching videos.
- Limited providers. Apart from Kindle, the other brands are quite niche and usually expensive.
Personally I think the advantages outweigh the limitations by a lot. This is why I decided to purchase my first E-Ink device, the Supernote Nomad A6X2.
Letās talk about Ratta, the company behind this device. To me, itās important to know who Iām giving my money to. Iād rather give money to companies doing something āvaluableā to the world.
Ratta is a Chinese company with a clear focus on āhumane techā. This means making tech feel more humane and intentional. Let me share a couple of things I liked about them:
- They build tools not toys. Their mission is to build distraction-free devices that help you think and be creative. No need for color, fancy interfaces and other ādark-patternsā.
- Open roadmap based on community suggestions. Users can propose new features and collaborate to make a better product.
The device I bought is the Nomad A6X2, a 7.8-inch digital notebook (A6 size approx). Iām not going to lie, the device is quite pricey (362ā¬ device-only). However, to me, it was just what I needed.
Letās talk about intentionality and purpose. Iām planning to make an entire post about this. Smartphones do too much stuff: camera, maps, messaging, web browsing, reading, notes, calendar, media consumptionā¦ The list goes on and on. They are too generic, they can do everything, so they usually lack purpose.
Enter the Nomad. This device is hugely limited, not only by the E-Ink technology, also by their software. Contrary to smartphones, itās only meant to be used for two tasks: reading and writing. The device is carefully designed to accomplish those two tasks perfectly.
Itās hard for me to convey how good the device is. Writing feels amazing. The screen is ultra-sharp. The interface is well-thought-out. The use of gestures and simplicity are truly superb. All I can say is that Iāve fallen in love. While other tools are constantly asking for my attention, Nomad is different. Let me elaborate.
Brain dump. My head is constantly overflowing with ideas and thoughts. The Nomad has become a great companion to write those thoughts down and review them later. This has increased my focus thanks to minimizing context-switching. My ideas are captured while I remain focused on the task at hand.
Reading before bed. Itās always been hard for me to find time for reading. However, since the Nomad doesnāt emit blue light (or light at all), I can safely use it before bed. The result is a healthier bedtime routine + reading more often.
These are my only use cases, nothing else. As simple as it sounds, this is just what I need. A device that promotes thinking and creativity while giving me space to LIVE.
I want to share a couple of notes before closing the article.
- I hugely recommend you check out Supernote devices. Perhaps the A6X2 is too small for you, they also make an A5-sized device.
- Another good company in the E-ink market is BOOX. It seems to be quite loved by the E-ink community.
- E-Ink is a wonderful technology that I hope will get more attention soon. This would help devices become cheaper and more mainstream.
- Related to the previous note. Matter LCD is an emerging technology that promises the best of both worlds: E Ink (low power, readability), LCD (color, speed). There are a few devices on the market, if you wanna check them out.
Thanks for time. I hope you found this article interesting. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. Iām always happy to help.