3 methods this Android E Ink pill outshines my Kobo

Boox is an attention-grabbing firm. The China-based E Ink machine maker sells so many products that it is tough to determine what one is best for you. There’s the tiny, phone-like

Palma 2
, the dear, stylus-equipped Note Max, after which the extra e-reader-like Go sequence, together with the Go Coloration 7 (and shortly, the Go Coloration 7 Gen II).

Given the Boox Go 7’s 7-inch shade display screen measurement and total design, the $250 pill is designed to compete straight with e-readers like

Kindle’s Colorsoft
and

Kobo’s Libra Color
. Whereas I am nonetheless loyal to my Libra Coloration as a result of I recognize its single-use simplicity, over the previous few weeks I’ve jumped into Boox’s versatile, Android-powered E Ink world.

There are fairly a number of issues I do not like concerning the E Ink pill that I am going to cowl in an upcoming story, nevertheless it’s additionally stunned me in a number of methods, significantly with regard to how versatile it’s.

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Getting access to Android apps is extra helpful than I anticipated

There’s nonetheless simply sufficient friction to stop me from doomscrolling

I at all times discover it tough to focus on studying longer-form content material on my smartphone, pill, or laptop computer. The siren music of the unending doomscroll or a random

YouTube
video at all times calls out to me, and I discover myself ditching no matter I am studying way more shortly than I might like. For this reason I have been massive on single-use e-readers just like the Kobo Libra Color. Regardless of their limitations, they preserve me targeted and, in flip, really studying.

However after spending a number of weeks with Boox’s Go Coloration 7, I perceive the attraction. All through the day, I am going to usually take down Notes in Google Maintain, whether or not it is grocery lists, duties I would like to finish, and even Pocket-lint headline or story concepts. Because the Go Coloration 7 is powered by Android, I can simply open up

Keep
and write down no matter I have to with out having to tug out my cellphone. The expertise is not precisely easy, even if you flip up the app’s refresh fee (extra on this later), nevertheless it works and has me turning to my cellphone rather less, which I recognize.

This brings me to my subsequent level. A part of what makes the Boox Go Coloration 7 work is you can’t comfortably use it as an E Ink Android pill (The Verge’s David Pierce had related ideas concerning the Palma). Social media apps are a laggy mess and YouTube movies look terrible on the Go Coloration 7 E Ink show, no matter how excessive you flip up the display screen’s refresh fee. However a podcast on Spotify or Pocket Casts, or launching Firefox to shortly look one thing up? Boox’s Go Coloration 7 can simply deal with these duties in the event you flip the app refresh fee up.

Possibly you are bored with typing in your passwords manually and need to set up

1Password
on the E Ink pill, similar to you’ll on a smartphone? You are able to do that too. There’s simply sufficient friction right here to stop me from diving into apps I do not need to be utilizing once I’m targeted on studying, however the Boox Go Coloration 7 continues to be succesful sufficient for easy duties like brief note-taking or listening to a podcast. This implies I am comfy leaving the home with simply Boox’s Go Coloration 7 if I need to do some phone-free studying at a close-by park.

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Accessing my library of Kobo books was simpler than I anticipated

Simply obtain the app and also you’re in

sw

One of many causes I’ve by no means thought-about switching to a Kindle is as a result of I have already got a reasonably substantial library of Kobo books. Fortunately, making the soar to Boox’s gadgets is easy in the event you’re

coming from Kobo land
. All I have to do is obtain the Kobo app from Google’s Play Retailer and signal into my account (in fact, with the assistance of 1Password), and my library is there. I am even capable of pick-up books the place I left off on my Palma 2, or Kobo Libra Coloration, making the studying expertise that rather more seamless.

This additionally makes putting in apps like Libby, which is often utilized by libraries, very simple, alongside Pocket (which you

can also use with a Kobo
), Google’s eBookstore, Moon+ (which is de facto standard with Boox customers), and extra. The truth that the Boox Go Coloration 7 runs Android opens up app compatibility that is a lot wider than e-readers from Kindle and Kobo.

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I’ve by no means used a E Ink pill that is this customizable

You’ll be able to actually make Boox’s Go 7 your individual

Except Kobo’s app for some cause, you’ll be able to customise precisely what you need the Boox Go Coloration 7 two facet buttons to do. That is one thing I’ve actually appreciated over the previous few weeks. On prime of that, every app’s refresh fee may be personalized.

I’ve shortly realized that the Kobo app does not want a quick refresh fee, but when I am utilizing Pocket Casts or Firefox, I’ve to show up the refresh fee significantly for the app to be usable. To do that, choose the three-line settings possibility beside the refresh button on the backside of the Go 7’s navigation menu. You’ll be able to then choose between Regular, Velocity, A2, and Regal. You may also change different settings like an app’s DPI and shade by long-pressing on its icon and choosing Optimize.

Possibly you need to change the system-wide font? You are able to do that within the settings. Maybe the usual

Android System Bar
is an eye-sore for you. Don’t be concerned, simply make it solely seem if you swipe down on the show. You may also change the House Display to launch a number of completely different choices, together with your apps or settings. It is even attainable to vary what number of presses you should make on the display screen earlier than it does a full-system E Ink show refresh (the default is 10).

I am going to have extra on Boox’s Go Coloration 7 quickly, together with a number of the key points I’ve skilled with the E Ink pill over the previous few weeks.

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