OMG! You are the only one who pointed out about the frustration about the highlighter! I thought I was the only one. I own Nova Air C and this is one the few complaints. It also makes it difficult to highlight text with your pen without making the printed text blurry. I am sure there are other ways but I would like the highlighter to be more intuitive. It is good to know that I was not the only one. Maybe I should ask them somehow...
your highlighter issue can be dealt with by putting the highlighter on a separate layer below the writing layer. ...its dumb, I know... but until they fix it through software.
What I really want is a Boox Phone Ultra C. Stripped down, but fully google services enabled. You choose what to install, but it has full functionality as an eReader and a 5G phone. Also interested in seeing what you think of the Gallery3 tech. I have a Pocketbook Viva on order and am REALLY looking forward to what it will look like in practice and how usable it will be in terms of refresh.
For it looks like, reading comics is similar to how comics used to look like in the past. The paper used in comics made the colors look muted, not like the glossy paper use nowadays that. I prefer the old paper version
There is no "highlighter" in the note app. I think you are referring to the "marker." A marker is just that, it covers a wide swath and does not allow lines below it to show through. Boox should add a highlighter as it doesn't have one now.
Brandon -Thanks for these videos. Subscribed today and watching . . . I am looking primarily for a note taking / organizing solution that fits into my MS/Office ecosystem (but willing to pay for additional capability if my 2 primary goals are well achieved). Choices: Supernote, Remarkable, Boox Air, Boox Ultra C???? The Remarkable seems to have great organizing functionality. Do the other options have this as well?
Great review! Is it just must me or anyone struggles with random page change when annotating PDFs? Comparing it with my remarkable it’s pretty bad. Always have to turn off touch gestures.
You can turn off touch using the "Control" feature in the floating toolbar to prevent your hand from accidentally triggering page turns. Control Center also has the option to reject all hand touches altogether so you can use your stylus on everything (you can still swipe down to access Control Center with your finger if you want to turn touch back on).
A highlighter overwrites the text it is highlighting with a semi-transparent brush. I don't understand what you were objecting to. I mean. That's how a physical highlighter works. It's a semi-transparent ink you are painting with. What am I misunderstanding?
Highlighters usually aren't supposed to "cover up" the text, even in real life highlighters don't work like that. I mean, if you highlight the same area multiple times, you'll still be able to see the text clearly on the paper, right? But in this case I think the text on Brandon's note will be invisible after a few more strokes. Most note taking apps have features that brings the black text to the front, highlighter to the back. Hope Onyx implements this soon.
Gallery 3 is what I've been looking forward to, but it's only on certain tablets with a smaller screen size and no Android system. It alshas disadvantages such as slow refresh and more ghosting. Kaleido 3 seems to be the more practical color eink.
Hey Rick! I haven’t had a chance to use a Gallery 3 just yet so I have nothing to compare this Kaleido to. The screen is different than the B/W ones I’m used to, but I’m really enjoying the 300ppi and a touch of color.
anyone ever questioned if e-ink reader can still be durable by refreshing so many times? as this technology is not meant to have such frequency in screen refresh...i think it cannot lasts so long ...so I will just use it mainly as reading books and simple tasks....please correct me if I am wrong.
My primary question about android based e-readers is how long can i expect the apps to work with an aging Android 11. From what I've read it is unlikely that Boox is going to update any device to a newer version of android. How long can i expect to be able to use all those android apps and what kind of problems am i likely to encounter three or four years from now?
Someone more steeped in the Android ecosystem can probably answer this better than I, but as long as the app itself doesn't drop support for the version you will stay on the last compatible version that was made for your device. With that said, I think you should expect to have to upgrade this device about every 3 years.
@BrandonKBoswell I just figured out today that every app shows what the oldest version of Android they support is on the play store. I've never even thought about looking for that information before because I update my phone and tablet every 2-3 years. I was hoping I could keep an expensive e-book reader for a few years longer. Guess I should look and see if Boox has a trade-in option. To my surprise, most of the apps I think I would want to use on an android based e-reader (Kobo, Nook, Moonreader, Crunchyroll Manga) claim they support android versions as old as 5 and 6. Kindle was the notable exception because they only support android 9. I'm curious if that will change on a yearly basis or if android 9 is the oldest android version with the necessary (probably security) specs for Amazon to allow Kindle on it.
Could you make a comparison with the note air 2. I'm not sure which one to get for university. I'll mostly be annotating pdfs and PowerPoints. I feel color would be useful idk
I'm going on vacation next week and also waiting for the first round of Boox bug fixes, so probably not for a few weeks. TLDR is I really enjoy it, especially if Boox fixes a handful of bugs that they've said they intend to fix.
could you compare the keyboard to the surface tab keyboards, the ipad pro magic keyboard, or any of your favorite keyboards? something you'd have any hesitation to be a primary keyboard or no? thanks for any info. much appreciated.
I have the same issue with the highlighter. It just looks awful. Especially when u double highlight, the black text will be completely overwritten. And the display have shadows and lines it's horrible. I reached out to boox team about the display and they said to change the settings to HD but its still didn't fix the issue. It's my first eink tab but it discourages me to use it altogether.
It says "Marker," not "Highlighter" though. I don't think it was a mistake or poor design really. I guess all they'd need to do is add an additional "Highlighter" pen that is actually a highlighter. But I like that there is a "Marker" feature that works like it currently does.
Not true. I am amazed at how little ghosting there is. I go on and on and on without ghosting being an issue. Only occasionally do I do a full refresh, and even then it isn't really necessary. This is very different from the Nova 3 Color when it came out. If 25-inch panels were available (they aren't, yet) then this tech would make a monitor totally reasonable.
@@BrandonKBoswell Next question: I see that you can save files as Docx (MS Office) formats (among others) .. does this mean that you can write up a document on this device and then browse it in Word? and can you do it both ways? (write something in Word and complete the doc using this device?) Thx
By default it switches to your Lock Screen or sleep or running out of power, but you can set a transparent lock screen in preferences, which may get the effect you desire.
I find it too bulky with the keyboard case to leave it on all the time. I much prefer the cover for tablet use. But the keyboard case is nice when you are on the go and need it. At home I would prefer to use my Bluetooth keyboard if I needed a keyboard.
@@johnmanley4528 I use the Boox cover. I don't like than the pen isn't held securely and I would like to have magnets or a strap to keep the cover open or closed. So it isn't perfect.
To answer your question, the Ultra C does 300 ppi grayscale and 150 ppi color simultaneously.
Thanks. You are correct. It’s really nice
OMG! You are the only one who pointed out about the frustration about the highlighter! I thought I was the only one. I own Nova Air C and this is one the few complaints. It also makes it difficult to highlight text with your pen without making the printed text blurry. I am sure there are other ways but I would like the highlighter to be more intuitive. It is good to know that I was not the only one. Maybe I should ask them somehow...
Would using layers work? Highlight on a lower layer...
If you're willing to do layer switching yes, but when I'm sketching a high level idea that's not a distraction I'm open to.
Boox has gotten back to me and have said they plan to tweak this.
@@BrandonKBoswell wow if they could fix this it would be awesome. Thanks for telling them!
@@mughat @Brandon Boswell yeah, I realise that but it would be one or two extra finger/stylus movement…
your highlighter issue can be dealt with by putting the highlighter on a separate layer below the writing layer. ...its dumb, I know... but until they fix it through software.
What I really want is a Boox Phone Ultra C. Stripped down, but fully google services enabled. You choose what to install, but it has full functionality as an eReader and a 5G phone.
Also interested in seeing what you think of the Gallery3 tech. I have a Pocketbook Viva on order and am REALLY looking forward to what it will look like in practice and how usable it will be in terms of refresh.
This is what I would want as well, wonder if they'll ever venture into the phone market
The Hisense units are always enticing but lack of google integration is a deal breaker. I would love a google enabled color alternative
For it looks like, reading comics is similar to how comics used to look like in the past. The paper used in comics made the colors look muted, not like the glossy paper use nowadays that. I prefer the old paper version
It does remind me a bit of my childhood in a way. The iPad produces colors that we never used to get in print. Especially in comic books
Thanks! Can you try to gauge the battery life on a full charge? I hear it’s less than a day.
Will do
There is no "highlighter" in the note app. I think you are referring to the "marker." A marker is just that, it covers a wide swath and does not allow lines below it to show through. Boox should add a highlighter as it doesn't have one now.
You are correct.
How does OneNote behave ?
Thank you for offsetting the grayish background with the front light. Makes your review much more real world and helpful than other reviews.
I think u can readjust colors saturation or quality, right?
Feel like they call it "marker" instead of "highlighter" because of how it behaves.
Maybe you can create a new layer before and "highlight" there?
That would totally work as a workaround, I just don’t want to fiddle that much when I’m sketching out early stage ideas.
I was waiting for this!!! :)
Man, I really really want to want that device. I keep buying tablets and not using them. Great review though sir!
Thanks for reaching out. PSA: if you’re not using them, stop buying them. ❤️
@@BrandonKBoswell lol such good advice sir!
Sell them and buy this
Brandon -Thanks for these videos. Subscribed today and watching . . . I am looking primarily for a note taking / organizing solution that fits into my MS/Office ecosystem (but willing to pay for additional capability if my 2 primary goals are well achieved).
Choices: Supernote, Remarkable, Boox Air, Boox Ultra C????
The Remarkable seems to have great organizing functionality. Do the other options have this as well?
No MS on Supernote, but the reMarkable and Boox devices have it.
Great video Brandon!
Great review! Is it just must me or anyone struggles with random page change when annotating PDFs? Comparing it with my remarkable it’s pretty bad. Always have to turn off touch gestures.
You can turn off touch using the "Control" feature in the floating toolbar to prevent your hand from accidentally triggering page turns. Control Center also has the option to reject all hand touches altogether so you can use your stylus on everything (you can still swipe down to access Control Center with your finger if you want to turn touch back on).
Hi there. Thank you for your review. Did you figure out how to see the apps you have just installed from Playstore?
They should be on the homepage, note that there are multiple pages on there, so check by sliding right to left
A highlighter overwrites the text it is highlighting with a semi-transparent brush. I don't understand what you were objecting to. I mean. That's how a physical highlighter works. It's a semi-transparent ink you are painting with. What am I misunderstanding?
In my opinion the black from the pen stroke should bleed through the highlighter more
Highlighters usually aren't supposed to "cover up" the text, even in real life highlighters don't work like that. I mean, if you highlight the same area multiple times, you'll still be able to see the text clearly on the paper, right? But in this case I think the text on Brandon's note will be invisible after a few more strokes. Most note taking apps have features that brings the black text to the front, highlighter to the back. Hope Onyx implements this soon.
That was one thing that turned me off boox. Highlighting on them makes the original text almost unreadable.
@@bluebellhs Interesting. I wonder how complex that would be to program. It would mean some trickery under the covers.
Folks use layers as a workaround
you make a great product review. Objective, detailed and extensive with demostration.. it made me buy Boox Tab Ultra C instead of remarkable
Gallery 3 is what I've been looking forward to, but it's only on certain tablets with a smaller screen size and no Android system. It alshas disadvantages such as slow refresh and more ghosting. Kaleido 3 seems to be the more practical color eink.
Hey Rick! I haven’t had a chance to use a Gallery 3 just yet so I have nothing to compare this Kaleido to. The screen is different than the B/W ones I’m used to, but I’m really enjoying the 300ppi and a touch of color.
anyone ever questioned if e-ink reader can still be durable by refreshing so many times? as this technology is not meant to have such frequency in screen refresh...i think it cannot lasts so long ...so I will just use it mainly as reading books and simple tasks....please correct me if I am wrong.
My primary question about android based e-readers is how long can i expect the apps to work with an aging Android 11. From what I've read it is unlikely that Boox is going to update any device to a newer version of android. How long can i expect to be able to use all those android apps and what kind of problems am i likely to encounter three or four years from now?
Someone more steeped in the Android ecosystem can probably answer this better than I, but as long as the app itself doesn't drop support for the version you will stay on the last compatible version that was made for your device. With that said, I think you should expect to have to upgrade this device about every 3 years.
@BrandonKBoswell I just figured out today that every app shows what the oldest version of Android they support is on the play store. I've never even thought about looking for that information before because I update my phone and tablet every 2-3 years. I was hoping I could keep an expensive e-book reader for a few years longer. Guess I should look and see if Boox has a trade-in option.
To my surprise, most of the apps I think I would want to use on an android based e-reader (Kobo, Nook, Moonreader, Crunchyroll Manga) claim they support android versions as old as 5 and 6. Kindle was the notable exception because they only support android 9. I'm curious if that will change on a yearly basis or if android 9 is the oldest android version with the necessary (probably security) specs for Amazon to allow Kindle on it.
Could you make a comparison with the note air 2. I'm not sure which one to get for university. I'll mostly be annotating pdfs and PowerPoints. I feel color would be useful idk
Awesome vid btw!
My early impression is if you can afford the Ultra C it is the better device in most use cases. I will cover this in more depth in the final review
@@BrandonKBoswell awesome thank you! Any ETA on the final review?
I'm going on vacation next week and also waiting for the first round of Boox bug fixes, so probably not for a few weeks. TLDR is I really enjoy it, especially if Boox fixes a handful of bugs that they've said they intend to fix.
Hey, if I can afford, is it better just to get an iPad Air and buy a paper like screen protector or go with the Ultra C? 😅
could you compare the keyboard to the surface tab keyboards, the ipad pro magic keyboard, or any of your favorite keyboards? something you'd have any hesitation to be a primary keyboard or no? thanks for any info. much appreciated.
I’ve been testing this over last 24 hours, I will cover this in the final review!
How long does the battery last?
Good by general tablet terms, but bad by eInk standards. I'm charging 2x a week vs not quite once a week on a reMarkable.
I have the same issue with the highlighter. It just looks awful. Especially when u double highlight, the black text will be completely overwritten. And the display have shadows and lines it's horrible. I reached out to boox team about the display and they said to change the settings to HD but its still didn't fix the issue. It's my first eink tab but it discourages me to use it altogether.
Boox has told me they plan to tweak this in a future update.
Thanks for the reply Brandon.. Hopefully, they will fix it soon.
It says "Marker," not "Highlighter" though. I don't think it was a mistake or poor design really. I guess all they'd need to do is add an additional "Highlighter" pen that is actually a highlighter. But I like that there is a "Marker" feature that works like it currently does.
It is a beautiful device. 😍
Can you do a screencast from it?
Can you do hdmi out
Can you do hdmi in or use it as a second screen? (*on a Mac)
In order:
1. Yes
2. Don't know (will try)
3. Yes via HDMI Capture Card. This strategy should work: link.brandonkboswell.com/tab-x-monitor-video
I think Onyx tells you to use Spacedesk (or something like it) to use it as a monitor.
I heard that the ghosting is quite an issue on ultra C. How do you feel?
Not true. I am amazed at how little ghosting there is. I go on and on and on without ghosting being an issue. Only occasionally do I do a full refresh, and even then it isn't really necessary. This is very different from the Nova 3 Color when it came out. If 25-inch panels were available (they aren't, yet) then this tech would make a monitor totally reasonable.
Printing ability .. can it print via WiFi to printers?
It runs full Android 11, so Yes!
@@BrandonKBoswell Next question: I see that you can save files as Docx (MS Office) formats (among others) .. does this mean that you can write up a document on this device and then browse it in Word? and can you do it both ways? (write something in Word and complete the doc using this device?) Thx
Is it even possible to use the keyboard in portrait mode?
I don’t think so. The pins for the keyboard are only on the landscape edge
Does the screen stays still when the batter ran out?
By default it switches to your Lock Screen or sleep or running out of power, but you can set a transparent lock screen in preferences, which may get the effect you desire.
Yas anyone had fragile screen problems? I read many people have screens that break easily.
I haven’t personally, but I’m just one person.
Camera: is there a ridge or something to keep the lens from scuffing?
There is a small lip to protect the lens. About a millimeter
@@BrandonKBoswell Thanks.
Kindle is the same way you have to leave the back light on it is not true white like a remarkable is
Hi Brandon. Do you find it's too bulky? If you are using the keyboard case and turn it over, can you write comfortably enough on the screen? Thanks!
Surprisingly I didn’t mind the thickness.
I find it too bulky with the keyboard case to leave it on all the time. I much prefer the cover for tablet use. But the keyboard case is nice when you are on the go and need it. At home I would prefer to use my Bluetooth keyboard if I needed a keyboard.
@@slydog7131 Do you use the Boox cover or a third party one?
@@johnmanley4528 I use the Boox cover. I don't like than the pen isn't held securely and I would like to have magnets or a strap to keep the cover open or closed. So it isn't perfect.
@@slydog7131 Thanks.
nice bro nice.
Do the colours have colour in real life? All the videos of this I’ve seen, all the colours just look grey…
They are muted. Don't expect deeply saturated colors.
I didn’t realize the tab X was so big!!!
Yeah, it’s huge. I love it for a desk drawing pad