Important point is that the screen protector is non-removable. From boox *The film cannot be peeled off, or it may destroy the screen. Nova Air with an exclusively developed film improves the handwriting experience. Whether you're writing, scribbling or sketching, the pre-installed film can better protect the screen from scratches. Paired with the BOOX Pen, it makes sure you get a refined pen-to-paper feel.
Perhaps putting a third-party protector on it right from the get-go would be wise. Wear it out, safely remove it, put another one on. But it should have the paper feel, otherwise writing experience will suffer.
“Pretty much close to perfect.” That about sums it up for me, too. I agonized over whether to buy the Nova Air or to spend $200 more to get the Note Air. I finally went with the Nova Air because it was newer and because I THOUGHT that the smaller size would fit my note-taking style better. Turns out I was right- the 10" screen would have been way too big for me. The 7.8" screen works great for me for taking notes at my desk (in front of the keyboard) or in meetings. I couldn't be happier, and your review just reinforces all my experiences so far. Thanks!
I wish the e-ink industry can move from the 7.8 inch to an 8.3 - 8.5 inch standard screen size, perhaps with a smaller top bezels for the smaller note takers. Similar to how the new Ipad mini moved from 7.9 inch to 8.3 inch. I often find myself wishing just a bit more space while writing and reading pdfs on my 7.8 inch but not really desiring my 10.3 inch note taker.
"The quality just oozes all over the place." My favorite quote of the day! And, indeed, it looks amazing. I was very surprised to hear that funky, speckled back was made of some metal alloy. So cool. Looked like plastic in the photos.
Someone else mentioned it and I do agree your reviews are a major selling point for Boox devices. I bought the nova air on 19 November, my decision is based upon your review and because the size is the same as my ereader. The Nova Air is a device with a steep learning curve, the manual is not much of a help. I learned more from your videos The Big Boox Guide and by writing down on a paper notebook all steps I took to achieve what I wanted.
I neglected to mention that the 2 front stereo speakers are sufficiently loud enough to hear audio books, music, etc. and far better placed on this e-reader as opposed to the one mono speaker on the back of the Nova 3. I am thoroughly enjoying the sound quality flowing through this device as I am listening to music while reading my books! Much improved 👏 Thank you, Onyx Boox for upgrade and Voja for My Deep Guide for showing these important changes and features.
After watching a number of you reviews, you just sold me this one. It will be arriving tomorrow. Thanks for the detailed and thorough reviews. It’s something a lot of other channels are lacking.
After a couple of weeks I generally like it. However there are a couple of issues. 1. To conserve battery it is always powered off which adds a 30 second wait before you can use it. 2. The included apps are out of date and will likely become security risks over time. You should use the play store. 3. Notes is great but scribbling on documents is very niche. It should only be done if you are going to export and forward what you scribbled on. Scribbling on a book is pointless as unlike annotations there is no way to easily view them. 4. Finger touching can be surprisingly hit and miss. These aren’t show stoppers. Just areas where I would expect more thought given to the product. Still have no regrets on the purchase. Will be interesting to see how often software updates arrive.
It's been a year since I've been using the reMarkable 2 and so far I'm very happy, so I asked my wife if she'd like one too. She told me it seems a little big, but it may be. So I sat down at my computer and went to order one for Christmas, but that's where I ran into "connection issues". I didn't understand what they were up to? I was left quite disappointed. I subsequently found your video about the Onyx Boox Nova Air and am absolutely blown away. I think it will be the perfect Christmas gift for my wife. Btw great review :-)
“Light As Feather” ....love this new device! The magnetic case that fits this device allows me to operate the page turn buttons while reading my kobo, google play, nook and kindle e-books! I am enjoying holding this ‘light’ weight reader compared to my previously owned Onyx Boox Nova 3. Thank you for this ‘in depth’ review.
how does the pen noting work on non-pdf files, especially kindle library documents? are the scribbles saved on the file? can they be edited later and read on the kindle app itself?
Any improvements with the writing battery time? I am wondering about buying but I will need it to work on site with clients so closer to 7h would be better...
Thank you for this review !! I like how thorough and detailed you are, great editing as well. You really helped me have insight into the device before buying. Really appreciate your time, wish you much success !
I purchased it. Thank you! I was on the fence about buying the nova air for awhile but your review cleared up a lot of my questions and concerns. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for this incredibly detailed and useful review. This helped me to decide what to buy for my wife. I am buying the Boox Nova Air over Remarkable 2. I know, the form factors are different - and actually, knowing her habits of taking her notebooks everywhere (and mostly using an A5 form factor paper notebook) this device will be just perfect for her. Of course, I will make sure I help her learning how to use the device - as it has a learning curve for sure. But I am just amazed with all the features, and I feel this will be offering a much richer productivity experience compared to what the Remarkable 2 could offer. This device is so much powerful and really a good all-rounder. One thing will be interesting though to see: she is taking notes in our native language, which is Hungarian - I wonder how handwriting recognition can be configured for that. But hence this is an android tablet, the options are actually quite wide.
As many have said, a typically excellent and extremely useful in depth review from you. Thank you very much. Very nice to see your cat too! One query though - I’m not sure you gave us the battery life when writing with your Nova 2? It would be interesting to see how the Nova Air’s full front light on (and, if the software glitch is fixed, with no light on) compares or might compare with that of the Nova 2. The slightly worrying thing is that both devices are running the same software - or at least the same OS?
There! I ordered one. Thank you for your reviews! It's been a while since I've done this many hours of research before buying something. But it has been enjoyable! :)
I just got it delivered at my door late this evening, so it was 1 1/2 days. But I didn’t order it from Onyx. I got it from an electronics retail chain in my country.
Thanks for all your reviews! It helped me a lot in deciding an e-ink device! I just ordered a Nova Air. Maybe something of interest. I asked Boox about the update future of the nova Air: Question: Hi. I have a pre-buying question for the monochrome Nova air. Primary question: Is the latest Android version Android 11? Secondary question: For how long in the future is the security update policy providing? Answer of Boox: Dear customer, thank you for contacting us. The Nova Air (first generation) is running on Android 10. We are afraid that it is unable to upgrade to the Android version. We received feedback from our tech team that they are working on the Android security update. We are afraid that we are unable to tell when it will be available. However, we will do our best to improve our device and solve the existing issues as soon as we can. Many thanks for your understanding.
I was stuck choosing between the leaf and the nova air. (note-taking capability isn't my first reason to buy) your videos helped me to decide to buy the nova air :D So thank you for this huge work!
I love my nova air but I wouldn’t recommend the page turn magnetic case for the price that it is sold at. The page turn buttons do not work as turn buttons when using third party apps. Also the case is almost like cardboard material and it dents and bends easily which makes it look less than aesthetic.
Thank you for your amazing reviews. I'm currently want to try to use an e-reader, and I am quite surprised to see so many devices out there. Your reviews really help me in deciding which device best fitted for me. This Nova Air it is then.
Thanks for another amazing video Voja - I was hoping the Nova air would be the 7.8' format that would finally deliver the full package and your review has convinced me. Trigger pulled. Now to go through you big boox guide and learn how to optimally configure it :-)
Excellent review as always. i just bought it. As I always say, you set the standards when examining these products. I even watch the review of the product I bought. You're great, keep it up. Eraser support on the pencil would have been nice. but it's a bearable nuisance with undo function as u mentioned. But it would be great if there was a gyroscope as in note air. A little more battery could have been preferred in the choice between thinness and battery. After a year or two, battery health can be bothersome. ONYX should make it clear that we can get paid support for battery replacement. Because we will constantly experience this dilemma on android-based eink devices. But I am quite happy with my two days of experience. Greetings from Turkey.
@@SueDNymme eink readers are products that are used for a long time. For example, after 5 years, these tools should not become unusable just because of their batteries. 5 years later, onyx should be able to supply us with the battery of this product. I should be able to use my device by changing the battery by paying the fee. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_right_to_repair
The design of the Nova Air is so stunning, I want to have it. If it was €100 cheaper, there would be hardly any question, but having the Note Air already and a Kindle Voyage and looking for a new phone, it is very hard to justify. Mind you, my mom could get the Kindle.... ;-) Do you still have the chance to compare sizes of the Note Air and Nova Air and maybe post a photo of it into the FB group? That would be awesome. Thank you, Voja, for another excellent review and for pointing us to the tapping of text when the lasso is selected. It also works when I swipe a word not just tap a single stroke. That is brilliant and makes selections so much easier. I also tried out the OCR on my German scribbles (on the Note Air) and the conversion was really good, about 80 % I would say.
Thank you for this great review. Especially the comparison between the nova2 and Nova air. I didn't thought that the color of the device would make such a difference. As note2 User i'm thinking about upgrading to a 13" device. Such a refresh (but 64gb plz) would encourge me to buy it immediately.
So appreciate your thoroughness! This review tipped the scale for me. Was vacillating between this and the Supernote A6x, but the form and features of the Nova Air seems like the perfect combo for me. I enjoy my Kindle Oasis after spending the day working using a computer, but really have been looking to have the useful functionality of note taking, journaling, planning and communicating. I took the plunge and ordered the Boox Nova Air directly from the manufacturer to take advantage of the combo package of sleeve and discounted cover. Can’t wait till it arrives!
I guess I should follow your lead n order... but still struggling with the android 10 aspect of it. I would hate to see an upgraded nova release right after I buy.
An amazing review as usual thank you. Well I am waiting the 10.3" Air version! Question about the pdf with DRM please: can I authorize this device like my kobo with ADE to borrow ebooks from my library? Is it possible nowadays to read (offline) a magazine on an e-ink device? Amazing cat! He found the review a bit too deep at the very end lol... A cat person, huh. No wonder why I like your reviews!
Does anyone else have issues with battery life when using a bluetooth keyboard? When I use the device to just read and write with the pen the battery life is awesome but the moment I hook up a bluetooth keyboard and start typing I can easily consume 10% of the battery in less than an hour. Is it the same for all Onyx devices or can we hope it is a bug on the nova air that will get resolved?
Anyone want a second hand Nova 3? I want one of these!! Wish the Note Air looked like this too!! I'm going to be recommending this to a friend as the best choice for note taking.
Have been waiting for this :D Thanks as always! So between reading and writing, you did not change any software settings... something just kicks in to power the writing when it is detected? surprising, because i would have thought that the sensor that senses page turn would be the same as that for writing and therefore in both cases constantly on. Now what they just need is a normal, quality flip case...
Weight is 435g (device+pen+cover), but I haven't used it that much, because it adds weight and thickness (13mm in total) to the whole thing, and i felt that the sleeve provided much better protection, so I ended up using that one instead.
I'm going for one of these. I currently have a ReMarkable 2 and a Mobiscribe Origin, and I like the mix of having a portable device and a larger format for longer writing and PDFs, but the lack of meaningful interoperability between the two platforms is frustrating. (I've also run into various limitations with both individually.) I think I'm going to start over and throw my lot in with Onyx, starting with the Nova Air. If I enjoy using it, I could see myself adding on a Max Lumi (or its successor when it appears), and then I'd have a good pair to cover all use cases, and it would be easy to continue work across the two. Thanks once again for the detailed review!
@@togutayyarar1004 the ReMarkable 2 is a great piece of hardware, but I stopped using it, because the software is so limited, and because it doesn’t have a light. It all depends on what you want it for, of course. Now I’m using the Nova Air and the Lumi 2. Getting them set up to my taste was a bit of a bear, but now I’m very happy with the combination.
I bought one. Two things I’ve been sad about (I love my Note3 but wanted a smaller version of it) - the pen doesn’t have an eraser and my Note3 pen with an eraser doesn’t seem to register on the Nova when I try to use it’s eraser. Also, on the Note3 I like the button. I use it as a home button. I don’t like having to poke around or use a gesture to get back to home. Other than that it’s great as a smaller version of a Boox note.
I'm torn between choosing this or the Kobo Sage. I like that Boox uses the more open Android software but I'm concerned that reading apps like Kobo, Kindle, and Libby might not work as smoothly as on a more dedicated reader. Anyone care to share their experience?
Knowing that you’ve always been a fan of your Note Air, what are your feelings between the Note Air and the Nova Air? I love the bigger screen on the Note Air but the Nova Air seems much clearer. I do wish the magnetic case for the Nova Air had the same fabric as the Note Air though. That shiny taffeta is unappealing to me.
Well, what can I tell you. I knew that the review sample was going back, and today my own unit arrived and I am so happy to have it. I plan on using it as my portable notebook. Always with me etc, and when I am back at my work desk, then I just continue working on the same stuff, but on the Note Air. So yeah, they have two different purposes. It's silly how much power is packed into such a light and small device. As for the cases I agree. I didn't like the magneti case and I prefer the cover that I got as a default part of the order from the local distributor. I just love this thing to bits!
I actually noticed a significant difference in the clarity/ sharpness of the images and texts. The ‘white’ seems brighter as well which is interesting. I have a few questions regarding the magnetic case: - how well do the buttons function? - Also does the lack of a gyroscope impact the functionality? - And does the case front cover connect to the back with a magnet or does it flop loosely when folded over? Excellent review as usual!
Kinda curious, have you tried an iPad Mini yet and how do you feel it compares to these smaller eink tablets? After the rM2 nonsense happening recently I was curious about what I would do if I were to get another device down the line and honestly? The iPad looks pretty tempting to me. It's just so expensive to be filling the same role, though it can do a lot more too for better and worse.
Awesome and thorough review! One idea for future reviews: maybe show it next a few more popular models. I'm having difficulty finding a side-by-side comparison of Nova Air, Note Air and the reMarkable2 for example. As someone thinking of buying the first e-ink device my biggest concern/question is that I have no idea which would be the best size for me. Any recommendations for someone, who does like to write stuff (notes/calendar) and wants to write more stuff down (to be more organised ant not to forget stuff), but can't bother to carry an A5 notebook (quite thick and heavy one) daily? Is an e-ink tablet even the best option (with the MDO)? There would also occasionally be searching through pdf-s and taking notes on it (that I currently do on my phone). I'm leaning towards the Nova Air, but am worried that it might be too small (especially given how overall recommendation seems to be that 10.3" is better for notetaking); and yet at the same time 10.3" devices do seem a bit too big for me and they are also more expensive (NovaAir+130€=NoteAir). So in short I like the Nova Air from what I've seen, but I'm not sure if it might be too small and a Note Air a better match.
Sorry for the long text! I just like to be through when buying something totally new for myself, especially something as expensive. Any videos/photos somewhere that have the Nova Air next to smartphones or other common items? Any photos of the Nova Air with the MDO or A4 pdf-s open? Thanks!
Is the pen 6 axis/tilt sensitive like the Remarkable? I'm now looking at future replacements considering what Remarkable's doing with their software now. I'm not in the market at the moment, but I'm definitely future-shopping now. Hopefully Remarkable users are great programmers and create an open ecosystem that mimics the already nice features of the RM software without RM's stupid business model. Until then, I'm fairly certain I see a Boox in my future.
That's not a pen functionality, it's software interpretation of a regular pen..at the moment no, but I do know that they are actively working Gon it. If it will make it into the upcoming 3.2 or 3.3 update, that I don't know, but yeah, they are definitely working on it.
@@MyDeepGuide technically an accelerometer is needed for pen angle. You can use the prebuilt tablet sensor and software to detect pens with accelerometers in them in order to produce functionality that supports it, but if the pen that ships with it is not equipped with accelerometer, then no software in the world will detect your pen angle when you put it to the tablet. It's a pen hardware question first and foremost.
Yes for pens with accelerometer, but that's not what either the Remarkable or the Boox will be doing, since neither have accelerometer in their respective pens. I don't know for certain, but I'd guess that they are interpreting the "area" of the nib that is in contact with the screen and extrapolate an angle value from that. I know for a fact that you can use any pen on the remarkable and have the tilt sensitivity and that it stores the angle value on a per vertex basis when drawing strokes. So the area thing makes most sense, as it is the only thing the device can use to differentiate the angle of a pen/nib, especially since I did program such a functionality some years ago on a different project, so that I also know as a fact that is a viable method that works.
Actually, I just figured that they may do it even simpler, because they probably can measure the distance of how far away the pen is from the screen, and that distance can also be used to interpret tilt detection and would be far easier to do. So yeah, there are quite a few different software approaches that you can use to solve that problem without an accelerometer in a pen :)
@@MyDeepGuide Interesting. I always assumed there was an accellerometer. But it does make sense since the screen can detect when the pen is near like a normal wacom, if they put two 'transmitters' near each other near the ends of the pen, then the detection would 'see' both and determine not only the angle of the pen, but what direction in relationship to the screen (like north, south, east west) it's leaning. That said, I wish there was an airbrush tool! I'd gladly pay for more drawing-centric tools as an add on that utilize the pen tilt...The company I think could have created modular add ons and sell them in packs or individually and ignored subscriptions altogether except for things like customer service and file backups. They could have sold templates this way. They could have sold physical folios in different colors, pens of different colors, etc. So people could further accessorize the device. Ugh, sorry, I'm just still thinking about the whole situation again. I never considered ever loading up unofficial software onto the RM2 until this week. Now it looks like that's probably going to be inevitable. I just hope a future update doesn't close the backdoor, though it's not as if programmers out there couldn't figure out how to open it back up if they do. It's just rather nice that it's (relatively) simple to do at the moment.
Can you hook it up to a PC and use it as a digitizer/graphics tablet for Photoshop or other apps? I think the hardware should be able to handle it and it would make it even cooler!
I want to get the nova air 2 just so that I can use the translation of Spanish to English of full sentences on Google play books. I'm currently testing the libra 2, which I love and want to keep but it only translates one word at a time and that's kind of a deal breaker. Unfortunately, the nova air 2 is about $150 USD over the libra 2, so I'm really debating if phrase translation is a true deal breaker on the libra 2. I have to make a decision this week if I'm keeping the libra or sending it back and getting the nova air 2. $150 extra is almost the entire price of the Libra 2 lol.
Thank you Voya for a terrific and thorough product review and for your informed opinions. Boox is a Chinese company. Concerns are expressed about the privacy, or lack therof, of the users' data and use. Despite the products excellence, should we hesitate to buy?
Thank you, I am glad you liked it :) Terms "privacy" and "online" do not go hand in hand together, regardless of where the company is from. Some of the biggest privacy infringements we have on file to date come from US, UK and German companies, so it really doesn't matter where a company is located. If you have concerns about privacy then you should focus on 2 things: 1. Getting informed on what kind of personal information is valuable to 3rd party personal data traders (no, it's not your documents or your notes, it's your behavioral patterns, which makes these devices completely uninteresting and unprofitable, since you'll do minimal amount of browsing and close to zero time of "social networking"). 2. Keep the devices you want to keep private offline and make a differentiation between online and offline devices. If privacy is truly your concern then TikTok is the first thing to go, then after then Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. because those companies and platforms are the ones that are basically just a glorified User Interfaces for personal data gathering and trading businesses, and a quick glance at their list of 3rd party "partners" to whom they sell your personal behavioral patterns data will reveal that after a page or two of marketing companies it quickly starts listing different companies, that are responsible for planning and organizing political campaigns worldwide,, and then further down the list you get to the companies you can find absolutely nothing about. So yeah, further down the legal "I agree" agreements you dig, deeper and darker it gets with those companies and platforms. The main question you should ask yourself is this: what is more valuable to you, convenience or privacy, and then adjust your choices based on that answer. Overwhelming majority is choosing convenience for example, which is an interesting fact, for me at least.
@@MyDeepGuide Thank You, Voya. As always, you provide thorough and reasoned guidance. My reading preferences and notes would be boring to anyone, anyhow!
If you have a Nova 3 - as I have - I assume that the only reason for upgrading to the Nova Air would be to take advantage of its svelte slim line form factor? Otherwise, it seems that its functionality is very largely the same as (and no better - pre-applied screen protector aside than) that of the Nova 3?
It's actually a custom designed screen protector that is a part of the screen and shouldn't be attempted to be taken off. i have pinned a user comment that details this warning. As for differences, design, ergonomics, thinness, weight, magnetic pen, much better writing experience.
@@MyDeepGuide thank you. If I didn’t have a Nova 3, I would have no hesitation in buying a Nova Air. It is a beautiful device. I noted the contrast issue with the screen protection that you very fairly pointed out in your review. To my eyes, it was noticeable but that is possibly only when seen side by side with a Nova 3 without screen protection. I accept it was much less noticeable than the screen contrast is between the Nova 3 and Nova 3 Colour.
I've been interested in purchasing another e-ink device (I had the first Sony many years ago) and I don't quite understand the direction they've taken. The promise was a paper-like display with a battery that lasts for days. These appear to have shiny and reflective screens, and they're yet another device that needs to be plugged in every day. What happened?
is there a dark mode option? i personally prefer to read white text on dark grey background. i think some Ereaders have a "backdoor" way to do this trough develepor options, but then the devices suffer from a lot more ghosting then reading in regular mode. so i wanted to know if there are any improvements in that field. also do you think the nova air is a worthwhile upgrade from my trusty kobo aurora one that i have with me since 2016? (it still works but it i guess it is much slower after 5 years of extensive use, compere to latest devices like the nova air).
Thanks for this excellent review. One question - would the AI recognition perform better if one were to write all in capitals, rather than in cursive script?
Thank you for this excellent review. I took your advice and watched the video about the Max Lumi, in particular the section about Neoreader. One thing that was not mentioned was whether the formatting commands include the ability to change from full left right justification to flush left and ragged right. Is this possible with Neoreader? Thanks!
I heard that there are some bugs in storage of Boox products, which causes data loss if you write too frequently, or store too many notes. Can you confirm this, Mr. Voja?
Nope, can't confirm that, as I didn't have such an occurrence on any of my Boox devices, yet. What should be understood is that every storage device will have a failure of some sort at some point. This is why having a good daily or weekly backup system is of vital importance, on any platform.
I would like to ask in the Notes mode, how to set up the basic layout of the page? (eg. full blank page, lined etc), because I don't find the button to change on the side bar, thanks
Hi Voja, Your review, as always, is perfect, thanks for that :-) Maybe you will help me with a question - which model will be better for handwriting notes (without and with conversion/recognition) in Polish - Nova Air or Supernote A6X?
Thank you :) Currently the Suoernote platform doesn't have a "standard" text conversion functionality where you can convert the entire page. However, on their roadmap there's a hint that it might be added in November/December update, so we'll have to wait and see what the details of that will be.
@@MyDeepGuide I know their roadmap :-) and I have opportunity to be in contact with their support on Reddit - it's a very good example how to perform good user experience :-) I change my question, regarding your knowledge, deep tests of this two equipment including battery life, input lag, quality and overall feeling which will be better for handwriting notes?
@@wojciechch5618 Na który się decydujesz? Mam podobny dylemat a6x / nova air. Do Supernote dochodzą koszty cła + vat i finalnie kwota robi się dość duża.
May i ask, can you translate a paragraph from a book that you reading as you can do with a phone that pop up the translation in front of the book you are reading?
My problem with Apple with nova is they keep developing new products, so if I buy one now in a month will it be obsolete? I think maybe with supernote they have one product and focusing on software updates? Thoughts?
Hi there, my Nova Air pen is faulty. I purchased the Nova Air a year ago and am reasonably pleased with the product, however I now need a replacement stylus (not nib) Would you be kind enough to recommend one? Many thanks Ian
Hi, would you recommend this Nova Air if I only want to read books? I have not found any other e-readers this size. Most are 6" and I think that is too small. I am willing to pay more for getting the bigger size as this or maybe up to 9". I also like the slim and good built design like the Nova Air. But maybe there are others out there that are more into reading only?
Great review. Looks like I'll be fine as upgrading from nova 2. The only thing I noticed is missing home button at bottom of bezel under boox. How do you go home?
Platinum standard for reviews of e-ink devices....as usual by Voja. Thnx 4 this insightful review. How is it compared to MobiScribe Origin. Does 6.8" to 7.8" a big difference? As Origin is a very good device for the price point. What is your opinion? Which is best value for money for the functions these two devices offer? Thanks.
I have both and the difference is not that much. If you want a traditional note taking device to actually replace pen and paper use at home or office go with Mobiscribe Origin. But if you want more bells and whistles (access to Google PlayStore apps) and also have a Kindle like ebook reader experience go with Nova Air. Hope this comment helps answer your question.
I have to be honest, after 6+ months of ownership, I’m not thrilled with the screen. Next to my Kindle Paperwhite 5, text clarity is about half as good as what the Kindle provides, if that. The front lighting is muddy, while the Kindle evenly illuminates the reflective backing of the eink screen making it look like, well, paper. The Nova Air is well built in every other respect, but honestly, I could put an ant farm in that screen air gap. If it weren’t for the Kobo Sage being a mixed bag, I’d consider selling my Air and jumping ship.
ENote devices have an additional layer on top that is responsible for capturing the pen input. Then, because it's an eNote device, you have another layer on top to give you paperlike writing feel. If you have 2 additional layers on top of the screen, of course that it will be degrading the image end result. If Paperwhite needed to be an EMR pen capable and have a paperlike writing feel, you would see pretty much the same image degradation on it as well, same as when you put a paperlike screen protector on an iPad, how it muddles up the image clarity and adds distance from surface to the screen. Apropos surface to screen distance, it's 1mm, and that is something that every single eNote device with a frontlight will have, as it is the thickness of the frontlight. As for the uniformity, I totally agree, but for me Kobo has the nicest frontlight, always, their devices just nail that part so well, but yeah, both Kindle and Kobo have a much better frontlight than any Boox device. This is why it's very important to do proper research prior to purchasing a device of any kind. If you need an eReader, then you should buy an eReader, not an eNote device and then complain that it's not as good as a dedicated eReader. This line of reasoning is the same as if I would complain that the Paperwhite can't support writing with a pen as well as Nova Air can. There are important differences between types of e-Ink devices, and this is an example of one of them that basic amount of research, or a simple question would have answered prior to a purchasing decision. A bit of time and effort investment can save a lot of disappointment, time and money, so, as far as I'm concerned, it's always worth it.
@@MyDeepGuide Thanks for your reply. From what I can see, Onyx is taking advantage of eink’s ability to build the touch layer into the main panel on the Air C - something that Kindle and Kobo could have done with their latest releases, but didn’t. So they are pushing the envelope at least!
Pen isn't using the touch capacitive layer, that is reserved only for touch input. ENote tablets, generally, use a separate Wacom layer that makes it possible for the device to use passive EMR styli. This is the preferred option for eNote devices, however, some devices use active styli and those do not require a Wacom layer, so such devices have a clearer image quality (like Kobo Elipsa and Sage), but the pen performance and writing experience is quite a lot worse, when compared to the EMR capable devices, so it's about priorities, who needs what more.
@@MyDeepGuide Hi! Sure sure, I've seen that, but now I think on something exactly the same look-and-feel of Nova Air, grey basels, metal bottom etc. Everything would be the same except the size.
@@mr.nelson7511 I've asked the support: They responded immediately (they're cool), and said that no such plans for the upcoming months, but pls ask it again after a while. :) So probably we could go for the 7.8 version.
Does it allow highlight annotations to be in handwriting and saved as handwriting within the box of annonation (not just typing)? I am trying to find a device that allows this other than the (digest) function of supernote. Thank you for your videos, been following you since early days with remarkable 1.
Is it possible to use this device for uni, as in taking notes with it on imported documents/powepoints? Can I upload or sync documents with a cloud service?
Important point is that the screen protector is non-removable.
From boox
*The film cannot be peeled off, or it may destroy the screen.
Nova Air with an exclusively developed film improves the handwriting experience. Whether you're writing, scribbling or sketching, the pre-installed film can better protect the screen from scratches. Paired with the BOOX Pen, it makes sure you get a refined pen-to-paper feel.
Thank you for this important heads up! I have pinned your comment so that everyone can see it.
That's a major issue - especially, if the film is easier to scratch (as most are). Onyx seem to miss the main function of such films :(.
Not sure it’s really a screen “protector” exactly if it is, in fact, an integral part of the screen itself.
So when the film gets worn out from writing with the pointy nib ✍️.
Is it possible to place another film on top?
Perhaps putting a third-party protector on it right from the get-go would be wise. Wear it out, safely remove it, put another one on. But it should have the paper feel, otherwise writing experience will suffer.
“Pretty much close to perfect.”
That about sums it up for me, too. I agonized over whether to buy the Nova Air or to spend $200 more to get the Note Air. I finally went with the Nova Air because it was newer and because I THOUGHT that the smaller size would fit my note-taking style better.
Turns out I was right- the 10" screen would have been way too big for me. The 7.8" screen works great for me for taking notes at my desk (in front of the keyboard) or in meetings. I couldn't be happier, and your review just reinforces all my experiences so far. Thanks!
How long did you wait before you received your order?
@@kieffbaluyot1387: Like, less than a week.
@@SueDNymme are you in the U.S.?
@@kieffbaluyot1387 y
@@SueDNymme where did you order? Thank you!
I wish the e-ink industry can move from the 7.8 inch to an 8.3 - 8.5 inch standard screen size, perhaps with a smaller top bezels for the smaller note takers. Similar to how the new Ipad mini moved from 7.9 inch to 8.3 inch. I often find myself wishing just a bit more space while writing and reading pdfs on my 7.8 inch but not really desiring my 10.3 inch note taker.
Yeah it’s just not quite big enough but the 10.3s feel huge!
"The quality just oozes all over the place." My favorite quote of the day! And, indeed, it looks amazing. I was very surprised to hear that funky, speckled back was made of some metal alloy. So cool. Looked like plastic in the photos.
I wonder if it makes sense to switch devices. How do you get your notes in one place?
Someone else mentioned it and I do agree your reviews are a major selling point for Boox devices. I bought the nova air on 19 November, my decision is based upon your review and because the size is the same as my ereader. The Nova Air is a device with a steep learning curve, the manual is not much of a help. I learned more from your videos The Big Boox Guide and by writing down on a paper notebook all steps I took to achieve what I wanted.
I neglected to mention that the 2 front stereo speakers are sufficiently loud enough to hear audio books, music, etc.
and far better placed on this e-reader
as opposed to the one mono speaker on the back of the Nova 3.
I am thoroughly enjoying the sound quality flowing through this device as I am listening to music while reading
my books!
Much improved 👏
Thank you, Onyx Boox for upgrade and
Voja for My Deep Guide for showing these important changes and features.
what is up with the battery life? That is a deal breaker if it is 5.1 hrs while writing!
After watching a number of you reviews, you just sold me this one. It will be arriving tomorrow. Thanks for the detailed and thorough reviews. It’s something a lot of other channels are lacking.
They sold me on it as well, immediately after sending the review unit back, I ordered mine and it arrived :)
I bought Remarkeble 2. if i ever need to buy subscription, I will sell it and buy this one.
After a couple of weeks I generally like it. However there are a couple of issues.
1. To conserve battery it is always powered off which adds a 30 second wait before you can use it.
2. The included apps are out of date and will likely become security risks over time. You should use the play store.
3. Notes is great but scribbling on documents is very niche. It should only be done if you are going to export and forward what you scribbled on. Scribbling on a book is pointless as unlike annotations there is no way to easily view them.
4. Finger touching can be surprisingly hit and miss.
These aren’t show stoppers. Just areas where I would expect more thought given to the product. Still have no regrets on the purchase. Will be interesting to see how often software updates arrive.
It's cool how the grey bezel gives the illusion that the Nova Air's screen is bigger, even when looking at them side by side :-)
It's been a year since I've been using the reMarkable 2 and so far I'm very happy, so I asked my wife if she'd like one too. She told me it seems a little big, but it may be. So I sat down at my computer and went to order one for Christmas, but that's where I ran into "connection issues". I didn't understand what they were up to? I was left quite disappointed. I subsequently found your video about the Onyx Boox Nova Air and am absolutely blown away. I think it will be the perfect Christmas gift for my wife. Btw great review :-)
How does your wife like it after a month?
@@skjonas Hi, I'm sorry, but my wife finally decided not to use such a tablet, so we didn't buy it. 😟
@@73multy I appreciate the update anyhow!
“Light As Feather” ....love this new device! The magnetic case that fits this device allows me to operate the page turn buttons while reading my kobo, google play, nook and kindle e-books!
I am enjoying holding this ‘light’ weight reader compared to my previously owned Onyx Boox Nova 3.
Thank you for this ‘in depth’ review.
how does the pen noting work on non-pdf files, especially kindle library documents? are the scribbles saved on the file? can they be edited later and read on the kindle app itself?
your video, sir, was the deciding factor that made me buy this e-tablet-reader. and it was a great purchase. i love it.. thanks.
Great review. I've had mine for a couple of weeks now and can echo everything you've said. It's a great device.
No buyers remorse here.
Any improvements with the writing battery time? I am wondering about buying but I will need it to work on site with clients so closer to 7h would be better...
@@AnnaKLatacz I have no hard stats to give you on battery life.
I would be surprised if a human could drain the battery in a single day.
@@marcflerin7713 that is exactly what I was worried about. Thank you
Thank you for this review !! I like how thorough and detailed you are, great editing as well. You really helped me have insight into the device before buying. Really appreciate your time, wish you much success !
I purchased it. Thank you! I was on the fence about buying the nova air for awhile but your review cleared up a lot of my questions and concerns. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for this incredibly detailed and useful review. This helped me to decide what to buy for my wife. I am buying the Boox Nova Air over Remarkable 2. I know, the form factors are different - and actually, knowing her habits of taking her notebooks everywhere (and mostly using an A5 form factor paper notebook) this device will be just perfect for her. Of course, I will make sure I help her learning how to use the device - as it has a learning curve for sure. But I am just amazed with all the features, and I feel this will be offering a much richer productivity experience compared to what the Remarkable 2 could offer. This device is so much powerful and really a good all-rounder. One thing will be interesting though to see: she is taking notes in our native language, which is Hungarian - I wonder how handwriting recognition can be configured for that. But hence this is an android tablet, the options are actually quite wide.
Лучший обзор из многих что я видела. Спасибо Вам большое! ♥
I was waiting for this since your first video of the nova air was out.
It’s very complete, thank you very much !
As many have said, a typically excellent and extremely useful in depth review from you. Thank you very much. Very nice to see your cat too! One query though - I’m not sure you gave us the battery life when writing with your Nova 2? It would be interesting to see how the Nova Air’s full front light on (and, if the software glitch is fixed, with no light on) compares or might compare with that of the Nova 2. The slightly worrying thing is that both devices are running the same software - or at least the same OS?
These tests have been done on the Nova 3, so you can see them in the in-depth review under the "Battery" chapter :)
There! I ordered one. Thank you for your reviews! It's been a while since I've done this many hours of research before buying something. But it has been enjoyable! :)
I'm loving mine, and find myself inventing things "I need to do" on ut, just so that I can use it and spend time with it some more :)
How long is the wait for the shipment?
I just got it delivered at my door late this evening, so it was 1 1/2 days. But I didn’t order it from Onyx. I got it from an electronics retail chain in my country.
@@MyDeepGuide ha! You should do a “one month on” quick update with any new awesome discoveries 🙂
Thanks for all your reviews! It helped me a lot in deciding an e-ink device! I just ordered a Nova Air.
Maybe something of interest. I asked Boox about the update future of the nova Air:
Question:
Hi. I have a pre-buying question for the monochrome Nova air.
Primary question: Is the latest Android version Android 11?
Secondary question: For how long in the future is the security update policy providing?
Answer of Boox:
Dear customer, thank you for contacting us.
The Nova Air (first generation) is running on Android 10. We are afraid that it is unable to upgrade to the Android version.
We received feedback from our tech team that they are working on the Android security update. We are afraid that we are unable to tell when it will be available. However, we will do our best to improve our device and solve the existing issues as soon as we can.
Many thanks for your understanding.
Patiently awaiting the next generation Max Lumi, hopefully with a similar form factor.
I was stuck choosing between the leaf and the nova air. (note-taking capability isn't my first reason to buy) your videos helped me to decide to buy the nova air :D
So thank you for this huge work!
I love my nova air but I wouldn’t recommend the page turn magnetic case for the price that it is sold at. The page turn buttons do not work as turn buttons when using third party apps. Also the case is almost like cardboard material and it dents and bends easily which makes it look less than aesthetic.
Thank you for your amazing reviews. I'm currently want to try to use an e-reader, and I am quite surprised to see so many devices out there. Your reviews really help me in deciding which device best fitted for me. This Nova Air it is then.
Thanks for another amazing video Voja - I was hoping the Nova air would be the 7.8' format that would finally deliver the full package and your review has convinced me. Trigger pulled. Now to go through you big boox guide and learn how to optimally configure it :-)
Quality of your videos is stunning, thank you 😊
Excellent review. Will remain for now with my previous Nova 2 but its nice to see a product being improved.
That was the most thorough review I've ever seen
Excellent review as always. i just bought it. As I always say, you set the standards when examining these products. I even watch the review of the product I bought. You're great, keep it up.
Eraser support on the pencil would have been nice. but it's a bearable nuisance with undo function as u mentioned. But it would be great if there was a gyroscope as in note air. A little more battery could have been preferred in the choice between thinness and battery. After a year or two, battery health can be bothersome. ONYX should make it clear that we can get paid support for battery replacement. Because we will constantly experience this dilemma on android-based eink devices.
But I am quite happy with my two days of experience.
Greetings from Turkey.
“Paid support for battery replacement”
- wait, what?
@@SueDNymme eink readers are products that are used for a long time. For example, after 5 years, these tools should not become unusable just because of their batteries. 5 years later, onyx should be able to supply us with the battery of this product. I should be able to use my device by changing the battery by paying the fee. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_right_to_repair
Would be awesome to get the Max Lumi in this colour and contruction.
The design of the Nova Air is so stunning, I want to have it. If it was €100 cheaper, there would be hardly any question, but having the Note Air already and a Kindle Voyage and looking for a new phone, it is very hard to justify. Mind you, my mom could get the Kindle.... ;-) Do you still have the chance to compare sizes of the Note Air and Nova Air and maybe post a photo of it into the FB group? That would be awesome.
Thank you, Voja, for another excellent review and for pointing us to the tapping of text when the lasso is selected. It also works when I swipe a word not just tap a single stroke. That is brilliant and makes selections so much easier. I also tried out the OCR on my German scribbles (on the Note Air) and the conversion was really good, about 80 % I would say.
When you did OCR recognition, did you write in block letters or cursive? Thank you for watching and the support :)
@@MyDeepGuide Cursive, and I hadn't planned to OCR it,just took a random text. Anytime ;-)
подробный обзор, спасибо за работу!
Thank you for this great review. Especially the comparison between the nova2 and Nova air. I didn't thought that the color of the device would make such a difference.
As note2 User i'm thinking about upgrading to a 13" device. Such a refresh (but 64gb plz) would encourge me to buy it immediately.
Ah yes, Max Air. If they come out with that, I'll have to start throwing money at them to get one.
So appreciate your thoroughness! This review tipped the scale for me. Was vacillating between this and the Supernote A6x, but the form and features of the Nova Air seems like the perfect combo for me. I enjoy my Kindle Oasis after spending the day working using a computer, but really have been looking to have the useful functionality of note taking, journaling, planning and communicating. I took the plunge and ordered the Boox Nova Air directly from the manufacturer to take advantage of the combo package of sleeve and discounted cover. Can’t wait till it arrives!
I guess I should follow your lead n order... but still struggling with the android 10 aspect of it. I would hate to see an upgraded nova release right after I buy.
Excellent review. I'll probably buy this Boox Nova Air instead the Nova 3 Color. Thanks very much.
First time visiting the channel. You should do more in depth reviews of other tech things as well. Loved this one :)
An amazing review as usual thank you. Well I am waiting the 10.3" Air version!
Question about the pdf with DRM please: can I authorize this device like my kobo with ADE to borrow ebooks from my library? Is it possible nowadays to read (offline) a magazine on an e-ink device?
Amazing cat! He found the review a bit too deep at the very end lol... A cat person, huh. No wonder why I like your reviews!
Been waiting for your review of the Nova Air, Thanks! I ordered one.
Does anyone else have issues with battery life when using a bluetooth keyboard? When I use the device to just read and write with the pen the battery life is awesome but the moment I hook up a bluetooth keyboard and start typing I can easily consume 10% of the battery in less than an hour.
Is it the same for all Onyx devices or can we hope it is a bug on the nova air that will get resolved?
Curious to see how the Note Air 2 version would be like after this, as I prefer a 10.3" device
Shouldn't be long. Judging from previous releases, I expect them to drop Note Air 2 by December this year.
Thanks for your review. Finally found the perfect ebook for me
Had a chuckle when the pen fell off around 23:40 🤣
Anyone want a second hand Nova 3? I want one of these!! Wish the Note Air looked like this too!! I'm going to be recommending this to a friend as the best choice for note taking.
Thank you so much. Extremely informative. Best review I’ve found.
Have been waiting for this :D Thanks as always! So between reading and writing, you did not change any software settings... something just kicks in to power the writing when it is detected? surprising, because i would have thought that the sensor that senses page turn would be the same as that for writing and therefore in both cases constantly on. Now what they just need is a normal, quality flip case...
On the reader experience, do you have the weight of the nova air+magnetic case? how does it feel in the hand after some time?
Weight is 435g (device+pen+cover), but I haven't used it that much, because it adds weight and thickness (13mm in total) to the whole thing, and i felt that the sleeve provided much better protection, so I ended up using that one instead.
I'm going for one of these. I currently have a ReMarkable 2 and a Mobiscribe Origin, and I like the mix of having a portable device and a larger format for longer writing and PDFs, but the lack of meaningful interoperability between the two platforms is frustrating. (I've also run into various limitations with both individually.)
I think I'm going to start over and throw my lot in with Onyx, starting with the Nova Air. If I enjoy using it, I could see myself adding on a Max Lumi (or its successor when it appears), and then I'd have a good pair to cover all use cases, and it would be easy to continue work across the two. Thanks once again for the detailed review!
Hello, what do you think abiut Remarkable 2? Actually can't decide which one
Thanks
@@togutayyarar1004 the ReMarkable 2 is a great piece of hardware, but I stopped using it, because the software is so limited, and because it doesn’t have a light. It all depends on what you want it for, of course.
Now I’m using the Nova Air and the Lumi 2. Getting them set up to my taste was a bit of a bear, but now I’m very happy with the combination.
I bought one. Two things I’ve been sad about (I love my Note3 but wanted a smaller version of it) - the pen doesn’t have an eraser and my Note3 pen with an eraser doesn’t seem to register on the Nova when I try to use it’s eraser. Also, on the Note3 I like the button. I use it as a home button. I don’t like having to poke around or use a gesture to get back to home. Other than that it’s great as a smaller version of a Boox note.
I'm torn between choosing this or the Kobo Sage. I like that Boox uses the more open Android software but I'm concerned that reading apps like Kobo, Kindle, and Libby might not work as smoothly as on a more dedicated reader. Anyone care to share their experience?
Ah - a Rick Beato fan! Cheers mate!
Thank you for the great review!
i think im going to be getting one, its £300 on Amazon here in UK
Knowing that you’ve always been a fan of your Note Air, what are your feelings between the Note Air and the Nova Air?
I love the bigger screen on the Note Air but the Nova Air seems much clearer. I do wish the magnetic case for the Nova Air had the same fabric as the Note Air though. That shiny taffeta is unappealing to me.
Well, what can I tell you. I knew that the review sample was going back, and today my own unit arrived and I am so happy to have it. I plan on using it as my portable notebook. Always with me etc, and when I am back at my work desk, then I just continue working on the same stuff, but on the Note Air. So yeah, they have two different purposes. It's silly how much power is packed into such a light and small device.
As for the cases I agree. I didn't like the magneti case and I prefer the cover that I got as a default part of the order from the local distributor. I just love this thing to bits!
Hope they make a colour version of this, it just looks so much better that the nova 3, I would definitely buy if this had a colour screen
Thanks for the detailed review! Helped me to decide to buy this beauty.
Great Review! I am enjoying your videos from Nepal
Thank you, Mr. Voja!!
Really, you always introduce concrete efforts to explain and clarify the beneficiary of device.
Awesome review! Thanks Voja
I actually noticed a significant difference in the clarity/ sharpness of the images and texts. The ‘white’ seems brighter as well which is interesting.
I have a few questions regarding the magnetic case:
- how well do the buttons function?
- Also does the lack of a gyroscope impact the functionality?
- And does the case front cover connect to the back with a magnet or does it flop loosely when folded over?
Excellent review as usual!
Great video thanks can you compare the Nova Air to the mobiscribe origin
I have it and iam very satisfying with him a beauty ink 4 the literature ....thanks for u help and opinion realy help me to make a good buy
Kinda curious, have you tried an iPad Mini yet and how do you feel it compares to these smaller eink tablets? After the rM2 nonsense happening recently I was curious about what I would do if I were to get another device down the line and honestly? The iPad looks pretty tempting to me. It's just so expensive to be filling the same role, though it can do a lot more too for better and worse.
I used to own an iPad mini. I absolutely hated it, so I got rid of it.
How about some info on the cat!
🤣
Heheh, there's two of them :) Sure, I'll do an in-depth review of their personalities :)))
Awesome and thorough review! One idea for future reviews: maybe show it next a few more popular models. I'm having difficulty finding a side-by-side comparison of Nova Air, Note Air and the reMarkable2 for example.
As someone thinking of buying the first e-ink device my biggest concern/question is that I have no idea which would be the best size for me.
Any recommendations for someone, who does like to write stuff (notes/calendar) and wants to write more stuff down (to be more organised ant not to forget stuff), but can't bother to carry an A5 notebook (quite thick and heavy one) daily? Is an e-ink tablet even the best option (with the MDO)? There would also occasionally be searching through pdf-s and taking notes on it (that I currently do on my phone).
I'm leaning towards the Nova Air, but am worried that it might be too small (especially given how overall recommendation seems to be that 10.3" is better for notetaking); and yet at the same time 10.3" devices do seem a bit too big for me and they are also more expensive (NovaAir+130€=NoteAir).
So in short I like the Nova Air from what I've seen, but I'm not sure if it might be too small and a Note Air a better match.
Sorry for the long text! I just like to be through when buying something totally new for myself, especially something as expensive.
Any videos/photos somewhere that have the Nova Air next to smartphones or other common items? Any photos of the Nova Air with the MDO or A4 pdf-s open?
Thanks!
10/20 19:30 will announce MAX lumi2 ...and other 3 new products.
Is the pen 6 axis/tilt sensitive like the Remarkable? I'm now looking at future replacements considering what Remarkable's doing with their software now. I'm not in the market at the moment, but I'm definitely future-shopping now. Hopefully Remarkable users are great programmers and create an open ecosystem that mimics the already nice features of the RM software without RM's stupid business model. Until then, I'm fairly certain I see a Boox in my future.
That's not a pen functionality, it's software interpretation of a regular pen..at the moment no, but I do know that they are actively working Gon it. If it will make it into the upcoming 3.2 or 3.3 update, that I don't know, but yeah, they are definitely working on it.
@@MyDeepGuide technically an accelerometer is needed for pen angle. You can use the prebuilt tablet sensor and software to detect pens with accelerometers in them in order to produce functionality that supports it, but if the pen that ships with it is not equipped with accelerometer, then no software in the world will detect your pen angle when you put it to the tablet. It's a pen hardware question first and foremost.
Yes for pens with accelerometer, but that's not what either the Remarkable or the Boox will be doing, since neither have accelerometer in their respective pens.
I don't know for certain, but I'd guess that they are interpreting the "area" of the nib that is in contact with the screen and extrapolate an angle value from that. I know for a fact that you can use any pen on the remarkable and have the tilt sensitivity and that it stores the angle value on a per vertex basis when drawing strokes. So the area thing makes most sense, as it is the only thing the device can use to differentiate the angle of a pen/nib, especially since I did program such a functionality some years ago on a different project, so that I also know as a fact that is a viable method that works.
Actually, I just figured that they may do it even simpler, because they probably can measure the distance of how far away the pen is from the screen, and that distance can also be used to interpret tilt detection and would be far easier to do.
So yeah, there are quite a few different software approaches that you can use to solve that problem without an accelerometer in a pen :)
@@MyDeepGuide Interesting. I always assumed there was an accellerometer. But it does make sense since the screen can detect when the pen is near like a normal wacom, if they put two 'transmitters' near each other near the ends of the pen, then the detection would 'see' both and determine not only the angle of the pen, but what direction in relationship to the screen (like north, south, east west) it's leaning.
That said, I wish there was an airbrush tool! I'd gladly pay for more drawing-centric tools as an add on that utilize the pen tilt...The company I think could have created modular add ons and sell them in packs or individually and ignored subscriptions altogether except for things like customer service and file backups. They could have sold templates this way. They could have sold physical folios in different colors, pens of different colors, etc. So people could further accessorize the device. Ugh, sorry, I'm just still thinking about the whole situation again. I never considered ever loading up unofficial software onto the RM2 until this week. Now it looks like that's probably going to be inevitable. I just hope a future update doesn't close the backdoor, though it's not as if programmers out there couldn't figure out how to open it back up if they do. It's just rather nice that it's (relatively) simple to do at the moment.
Great review! Could I ask does writing still drain the battery at such high rates?
Can you hook it up to a PC and use it as a digitizer/graphics tablet for Photoshop or other apps? I think the hardware should be able to handle it and it would make it even cooler!
I want to get the nova air 2 just so that I can use the translation of Spanish to English of full sentences on Google play books. I'm currently testing the libra 2, which I love and want to keep but it only translates one word at a time and that's kind of a deal breaker. Unfortunately, the nova air 2 is about $150 USD over the libra 2, so I'm really debating if phrase translation is a true deal breaker on the libra 2. I have to make a decision this week if I'm keeping the libra or sending it back and getting the nova air 2. $150 extra is almost the entire price of the Libra 2 lol.
I want note air that looks sounds and works like this one! No frontlights, just let me write on a bigger canvas!
Thank you Voya for a terrific and thorough product review and for your informed opinions.
Boox is a Chinese company. Concerns are expressed about the privacy, or lack therof, of the users' data and use. Despite the products excellence, should we hesitate to buy?
Thank you, I am glad you liked it :)
Terms "privacy" and "online" do not go hand in hand together, regardless of where the company is from. Some of the biggest privacy infringements we have on file to date come from US, UK and German companies, so it really doesn't matter where a company is located.
If you have concerns about privacy then you should focus on 2 things:
1. Getting informed on what kind of personal information is valuable to 3rd party personal data traders (no, it's not your documents or your notes, it's your behavioral patterns, which makes these devices completely uninteresting and unprofitable, since you'll do minimal amount of browsing and close to zero time of "social networking").
2. Keep the devices you want to keep private offline and make a differentiation between online and offline devices.
If privacy is truly your concern then TikTok is the first thing to go, then after then Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. because those companies and platforms are the ones that are basically just a glorified User Interfaces for personal data gathering and trading businesses, and a quick glance at their list of 3rd party "partners" to whom they sell your personal behavioral patterns data will reveal that after a page or two of marketing companies it quickly starts listing different companies, that are responsible for planning and organizing political campaigns worldwide,, and then further down the list you get to the companies you can find absolutely nothing about. So yeah, further down the legal "I agree" agreements you dig, deeper and darker it gets with those companies and platforms. The main question you should ask yourself is this: what is more valuable to you, convenience or privacy, and then adjust your choices based on that answer. Overwhelming majority is choosing convenience for example, which is an interesting fact, for me at least.
@@MyDeepGuide Thank You, Voya. As always, you provide thorough and reasoned guidance. My reading preferences and notes would be boring to anyone, anyhow!
If you have a Nova 3 - as I have - I assume that the only reason for upgrading to the Nova Air would be to take advantage of its svelte slim line form factor? Otherwise, it seems that its functionality is very largely the same as (and no better - pre-applied screen protector aside than) that of the Nova 3?
It's actually a custom designed screen protector that is a part of the screen and shouldn't be attempted to be taken off. i have pinned a user comment that details this warning.
As for differences, design, ergonomics, thinness, weight, magnetic pen, much better writing experience.
@@MyDeepGuide thank you. If I didn’t have a Nova 3, I would have no hesitation in buying a Nova Air. It is a beautiful device. I noted the contrast issue with the screen protection that you very fairly pointed out in your review. To my eyes, it was noticeable but that is possibly only when seen side by side with a Nova 3 without screen protection. I accept it was much less noticeable than the screen contrast is between the Nova 3 and Nova 3 Colour.
I've been interested in purchasing another e-ink device (I had the first Sony many years ago) and I don't quite understand the direction they've taken. The promise was a paper-like display with a battery that lasts for days. These appear to have shiny and reflective screens, and they're yet another device that needs to be plugged in every day. What happened?
Looks like they took the good from Supernote and added it ti their Nova series...
is there a dark mode option? i personally prefer to read white text on dark grey background.
i think some Ereaders have a "backdoor" way to do this trough develepor options, but then the devices suffer from a lot more ghosting then reading in regular mode.
so i wanted to know if there are any improvements in that field.
also do you think the nova air is a worthwhile upgrade from my trusty kobo aurora one that i have with me since 2016? (it still works but it i guess it is much slower after 5 years of extensive use, compere to latest devices like the nova air).
Thanks for this excellent review. One question - would the AI recognition perform better if one were to write all in capitals, rather than in cursive script?
Most definitely
@@MyDeepGuide thanks. You’ve given me the confidence to make a purchase. Best wishes, Luke.
I ordered it a couple of days ago. Let's see :)
Thank you for this excellent review. I took your advice and watched the video about the Max Lumi, in particular the section about Neoreader. One thing that was not mentioned was whether the formatting commands include the ability to change from full left right justification to flush left and ragged right. Is this possible with Neoreader? Thanks!
I heard that there are some bugs in storage of Boox products, which causes data loss if you write too frequently, or store too many notes. Can you confirm this, Mr. Voja?
Nope, can't confirm that, as I didn't have such an occurrence on any of my Boox devices, yet. What should be understood is that every storage device will have a failure of some sort at some point. This is why having a good daily or weekly backup system is of vital importance, on any platform.
I would like to ask in the Notes mode, how to set up the basic layout of the page? (eg. full blank page, lined etc), because I don't find the button to change on the side bar, thanks
Click on the third icon then change the bottom layer, there is a template layer and you can change it
Video 30:55 covers it fyi
@@winniexia3606 Oh I got it. Thanks a lot, you are very helpful :)
Hi Voja,
Your review, as always, is perfect, thanks for that :-)
Maybe you will help me with a question - which model will be better for handwriting notes (without and with conversion/recognition) in Polish - Nova Air or Supernote A6X?
Thank you :) Currently the Suoernote platform doesn't have a "standard" text conversion functionality where you can convert the entire page. However, on their roadmap there's a hint that it might be added in November/December update, so we'll have to wait and see what the details of that will be.
@@MyDeepGuide I know their roadmap :-) and I have opportunity to be in contact with their support on Reddit - it's a very good example how to perform good user experience :-)
I change my question, regarding your knowledge, deep tests of this two equipment including battery life, input lag, quality and overall feeling which will be better for handwriting notes?
@@wojciechch5618 Na który się decydujesz? Mam podobny dylemat a6x / nova air. Do Supernote dochodzą koszty cła + vat i finalnie kwota robi się dość duża.
@@carbon.streets cały czas się zastanawiam. Za a6x przemawia wsparcie producenta i HoM...
Can you do a video where you show how easy it is to make notes on pdf books
May i ask, can you translate a paragraph from a book that you reading as you can do with a phone that pop up the translation in front of the book you are reading?
You can use the split view functionality in the Neo reader and actually have the entire page translated side by side if you wish.
@@MyDeepGuide you are the best, thank you very much for your help.
My problem with Apple with nova is they keep developing new products, so if I buy one now in a month will it be obsolete? I think maybe with supernote they have one product and focusing on software updates? Thoughts?
Hi there, my Nova Air pen is faulty. I purchased the Nova Air a year ago and am reasonably pleased with the product, however I now need a replacement stylus (not nib) Would you be kind enough to recommend one? Many thanks Ian
Is the battery writing bug fixed yet? Are there any plans from Onyx to fix it in the near future?
That top bezel would drive me crazy
I really really want to buy this
Suddenly became excellent value compared to remarkable connect
Which one would be best for note-taking with reading books? This one or the boox Note Air?
It pretty much only depends on your size preference, as the functionality is identical.
Is it worth buying nova air 2 now in 2022 or should I just wait for the next version? Any idea if a new model is on its way?
i need this but with the size of reading for textbooks aswell....
Hi, would you recommend this Nova Air if I only want to read books? I have not found any other e-readers this size. Most are 6" and I think that is too small. I am willing to pay more for getting the bigger size as this or maybe up to 9". I also like the slim and good built design like the Nova Air. But maybe there are others out there that are more into reading only?
this one far less snappy compare to the NoteAir, unfortunately no review talking about it before I bought it
Great review. Looks like I'll be fine as upgrading from nova 2. The only thing I noticed is missing home button at bottom of bezel under boox. How do you go home?
You can use the swipe up gestures and setup one of the 3 to go home.
Platinum standard for reviews of e-ink devices....as usual by Voja. Thnx 4 this insightful review. How is it compared to MobiScribe Origin. Does 6.8" to 7.8" a big difference? As Origin is a very good device for the price point. What is your opinion? Which is best value for money for the functions these two devices offer? Thanks.
I have both and the difference is not that much. If you want a traditional note taking device to actually replace pen and paper use at home or office go with Mobiscribe Origin. But if you want more bells and whistles (access to Google PlayStore apps) and also have a Kindle like ebook reader experience go with Nova Air.
Hope this comment helps answer your question.
I have to be honest, after 6+ months of ownership, I’m not thrilled with the screen. Next to my Kindle Paperwhite 5, text clarity is about half as good as what the Kindle provides, if that. The front lighting is muddy, while the Kindle evenly illuminates the reflective backing of the eink screen making it look like, well, paper. The Nova Air is well built in every other respect, but honestly, I could put an ant farm in that screen air gap. If it weren’t for the Kobo Sage being a mixed bag, I’d consider selling my Air and jumping ship.
ENote devices have an additional layer on top that is responsible for capturing the pen input. Then, because it's an eNote device, you have another layer on top to give you paperlike writing feel. If you have 2 additional layers on top of the screen, of course that it will be degrading the image end result. If Paperwhite needed to be an EMR pen capable and have a paperlike writing feel, you would see pretty much the same image degradation on it as well, same as when you put a paperlike screen protector on an iPad, how it muddles up the image clarity and adds distance from surface to the screen.
Apropos surface to screen distance, it's 1mm, and that is something that every single eNote device with a frontlight will have, as it is the thickness of the frontlight. As for the uniformity, I totally agree, but for me Kobo has the nicest frontlight, always, their devices just nail that part so well, but yeah, both Kindle and Kobo have a much better frontlight than any Boox device.
This is why it's very important to do proper research prior to purchasing a device of any kind. If you need an eReader, then you should buy an eReader, not an eNote device and then complain that it's not as good as a dedicated eReader. This line of reasoning is the same as if I would complain that the Paperwhite can't support writing with a pen as well as Nova Air can.
There are important differences between types of e-Ink devices, and this is an example of one of them that basic amount of research, or a simple question would have answered prior to a purchasing decision. A bit of time and effort investment can save a lot of disappointment, time and money, so, as far as I'm concerned, it's always worth it.
@@MyDeepGuide Thanks for your reply. From what I can see, Onyx is taking advantage of eink’s ability to build the touch layer into the main panel on the Air C - something that Kindle and Kobo could have done with their latest releases, but didn’t. So they are pushing the envelope at least!
Pen isn't using the touch capacitive layer, that is reserved only for touch input. ENote tablets, generally, use a separate Wacom layer that makes it possible for the device to use passive EMR styli. This is the preferred option for eNote devices, however, some devices use active styli and those do not require a Wacom layer, so such devices have a clearer image quality (like Kobo Elipsa and Sage), but the pen performance and writing experience is quite a lot worse, when compared to the EMR capable devices, so it's about priorities, who needs what more.
Does anyone know, there are any rumors about releasing a greater 10,3 version of Nova Air?
Note Air, which is the 10.3" device, was released in November last year.
@@MyDeepGuide Hi! Sure sure, I've seen that, but now I think on something exactly the same look-and-feel of Nova Air, grey basels, metal bottom etc. Everything would be the same except the size.
Ah, ok, well, that would be interesting, we'll see.
This is what I'm waiting for.
@@mr.nelson7511 I've asked the support: They responded immediately (they're cool), and said that no such plans for the upcoming months, but pls ask it again after a while. :) So probably we could go for the 7.8 version.
Hello Friend,
how would you compare sharpness of fonts vs something like a kobo sage or forma?
Kind Regards
Does it allow highlight annotations to be in handwriting and saved as handwriting within the box of annonation (not just typing)? I am trying to find a device that allows this other than the (digest) function of supernote. Thank you for your videos, been following you since early days with remarkable 1.
Is it possible to use this device for uni, as in taking notes with it on imported documents/powepoints? Can I upload or sync documents with a cloud service?