> As of 2022, Onyx International Inc. has declined[20] to release the source code with Linux kernel modifications licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2 in response to a written request by a user. The GPLv2 license states that if a modified version of a covered work (such as the Linux kernel) is released, the corresponding source code must also be released under GPLv2.[21]
It's not good. Also, if you want to download an android app on one of their devices, you need to do it via their own app store type thing; the "official" google store app doesn't work out of the box and needs some to workarounds to activate. It's a Chinese company, so that's that
Excuse me but what's the point of this? First I thought that it's a phone and I was really into it, but then I realizes it's just a phone shaped e-reader so what gives? What's wrong with the traditional e-readers that have the aspect ratio of a ... book?
If I wanted to read books on a phone shaped e-reader I'd just use my phone without carrying an identically shaped device for the same purpose, and if I wanted a separate device just for reading e-books then I want that to have the aspect ration optimized for e-books, not to mention the lower price tag that regular e-readers come with not something expansive just to read books.
Same reason that phones are shaped like that - it fits in your pocket, which is convenient. Kobo used to make a Kobo Mini for the same reason, although it has been discontinued for a long time.
Anyways, it is also not just an e-reader, so books aren't the only content you can use it for. A lot of websites look and work best when used with a phone-sized device.
There are also more people who prefer the smartphone size every year, just because it is now the default media consumption device.
It's also a great stepping stone if the company wants to enter the mobile phone market.
I’m a little puzzled as well. It’s a phone form factor, it runs Android, it supports 3rd party apps… so it’s practically a smartphone, but then it’s not actually a phone and only has wifi for connectivity.
If they sold a version that was actually a smartphone I’d be very interested.
Why small eink android tablet cannot be quite useful? This is a reader device. Do you really need every shoe and slipper to be your primary comms device?
E.g. there are small android handheld gaming consoles, you cannot use them as a phone too, but that does not, I mean, why would even
Some people have small hands and small pockets, and would be well-served by this device compared to larger readers. I personally wouldn't use this device, but I know some people who would get a lot out of it.
"If I wanted to read books on a phone shaped e-reader I'd just use my phone"
The phone is full of notifications, games, work reminders, and other distractions. E-readers aren't going to be peoples' default device for those purposes, so they enable greater concentration when reading. And you won't have to worry about your phone's battery life after a long reading session either.
It's a eink device, just a bit smaller, as simple as that. You'll be surprised by how many people want to read stuff in the bed holding the device with one hand, and this is smaller than a kindle. It is heavier than Kindle but lighter than Kindle Paperwhite. Don't forget it has Android -- it is rare and some people view it as a plus.
You might as well ask why anyone would buy a Kindle instead of an iPad mini, and I don't think I need to answer that question.
If you look at BOOX website, they have a number products that may not make sense to you, but there is a market for those products.
I've been trying to find information on actual battery life in practice – the promise of e-ink is stonking long battery life - and it looks like it gets 8-12 hours of "active use" battery life, unfortunately. [1]
I am an avid eink tablet user (brand is irelevant, ~10inch form factor, good writing experience) and I love it. I can't imagine using the same technology for a phone.
To me phone is: a camera in your pocket, a wide array of chat apps for different friends and communities, a music player, a navigation device and a bunch of other similar tools. For others it's also a gaming device.
Swapping to calming eink is cool and all, but you give up a camera, you give up your fast mobile typing experience for chats, and you don't really get much back. You need a larger surface if you want to read, write or sketch comfortably.
I love love love the high aspect ratio devices. I'd love to see more 21:9 or what-not mobile devices.
One things thats weird to me though... when reading my phone, I notice fairly often I'm really only looking at the top ~15%. I keep scrolling content into the same area of space, rather than viewing down.
It suggests such weird things to me. At simplest, it suggests using a device like this in landscape mode. But more, it suggests that pure consumption doesn't need a big device. Yes, we need to navigate & browse, and that takes space, but actual reading? When we and the machine are in-line, knowing what's happening, on a straight path? At that point we actually only need a very small display area to work very well.
I'm almost always glad when form factors get explored & tried. Markets are so centrist, regurgitate the already proven schemes without exploring boundaries. This is stasist & centrist, a self reinforcing cycle, and it is against my nature & what moves me, but I understand it. I salute the attempts at different. Even if, in this case, I'm not really sure what the major advantage is. Very short scanlines feels weird, feels like it means moving one's eyes quickly back and forth. But at least it's a friendly portable form factor, better than most epaper devices. I wish it well.
I wrote a Shortcut that triggers this when I enter work mode, which triggers automatically on a schedule. So, during work, my phone is a more boring grayscale device with a limited set of apps readily available -- super helpful for reducing distractability. When work mode exits, so does grayscale!
Kit Betts-Masters has some good videos on this and other Boox devices, I think he said that the regulations on entering the phone market are a bit of a nightmare which is why this doesn't have mobile phone capability at the minute.
I love the idea of this and want one... I've had to use various command-line or web UI in-house tools in direct sunlight on boiling 40°C days out in the field. Dreamed of setting up a Kindle with VNC or something displayed in a web browser (before I knew about the full-size Boox tablets) but had higher priorities.
Readit News
The wiki page effectively says they are in violation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onyx_Boox#GPL_Compliance
> As of 2022, Onyx International Inc. has declined[20] to release the source code with Linux kernel modifications licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2 in response to a written request by a user. The GPLv2 license states that if a modified version of a covered work (such as the Linux kernel) is released, the corresponding source code must also be released under GPLv2.[21]
If I wanted to read books on a phone shaped e-reader I'd just use my phone without carrying an identically shaped device for the same purpose, and if I wanted a separate device just for reading e-books then I want that to have the aspect ration optimized for e-books, not to mention the lower price tag that regular e-readers come with not something expansive just to read books.
It just feels pointless on so many levels.
Anyways, it is also not just an e-reader, so books aren't the only content you can use it for. A lot of websites look and work best when used with a phone-sized device.
There are also more people who prefer the smartphone size every year, just because it is now the default media consumption device.
It's also a great stepping stone if the company wants to enter the mobile phone market.
Most mainstream e-book readers also fit in most pockets.
If they sold a version that was actually a smartphone I’d be very interested.
Why small eink android tablet cannot be quite useful? This is a reader device. Do you really need every shoe and slipper to be your primary comms device? E.g. there are small android handheld gaming consoles, you cannot use them as a phone too, but that does not, I mean, why would even
And would you be surprised if I tell you Sony makes Android based Walkmans that mostly look like a phone except you cannot put a SIM card in them?
https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders...
"If I wanted to read books on a phone shaped e-reader I'd just use my phone"
The phone is full of notifications, games, work reminders, and other distractions. E-readers aren't going to be peoples' default device for those purposes, so they enable greater concentration when reading. And you won't have to worry about your phone's battery life after a long reading session either.
You might as well ask why anyone would buy a Kindle instead of an iPad mini, and I don't think I need to answer that question.
If you look at BOOX website, they have a number products that may not make sense to you, but there is a market for those products.
Every entry-level sub $100 e-reader is small and light enough to let you read in bed with one hand.
Case in point the Tolino Shine 3 which, at 166g is even lighter than the BOOX Palma's 170g.
> Don't forget it has Android
The Tolino I mentioned also runs Android underneath.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-4ytrhTEf8
Deleted Comment
To me phone is: a camera in your pocket, a wide array of chat apps for different friends and communities, a music player, a navigation device and a bunch of other similar tools. For others it's also a gaming device.
Swapping to calming eink is cool and all, but you give up a camera, you give up your fast mobile typing experience for chats, and you don't really get much back. You need a larger surface if you want to read, write or sketch comfortably.
One things thats weird to me though... when reading my phone, I notice fairly often I'm really only looking at the top ~15%. I keep scrolling content into the same area of space, rather than viewing down.
It suggests such weird things to me. At simplest, it suggests using a device like this in landscape mode. But more, it suggests that pure consumption doesn't need a big device. Yes, we need to navigate & browse, and that takes space, but actual reading? When we and the machine are in-line, knowing what's happening, on a straight path? At that point we actually only need a very small display area to work very well.
I'm almost always glad when form factors get explored & tried. Markets are so centrist, regurgitate the already proven schemes without exploring boundaries. This is stasist & centrist, a self reinforcing cycle, and it is against my nature & what moves me, but I understand it. I salute the attempts at different. Even if, in this case, I'm not really sure what the major advantage is. Very short scanlines feels weird, feels like it means moving one's eyes quickly back and forth. But at least it's a friendly portable form factor, better than most epaper devices. I wish it well.
In fact, this comment made me remember that I’ve had a color filter accessibility setting in iOS that lets me turn the screen to grayscale.
Kind of a trip to use a modern smartphone like this, but also kind of… relaxing in a weird way.
Settings -> Accessibility -> Display & Text Size -> Color Filters
You can even set a shortcut to quickly toggle them on and off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5-eExd_F00