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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The Onyx Boox Page has a seven-inch E Ink show and sells for $219 crossed large retailers.
- It runs connected a simplified mentation of Android 11, truthful you tin download immoderate app you want, including Kindle, TikTok, Google Docs, and more.
- Don't expect the tablet to person the latest Android updates.
In caller years, I person utilized and reviewed assorted E Ink products, including Kindle e-readers and the ReMarkable 2. While they are precise different, they stock 1 communal limitation: restricted functionality. I bask speechmaking a assortment of formats, not conscionable ebooks but besides blogs and online articles.
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I similar my Kindle for its simplicity, but that's besides its Achilles heel. Likewise, the ReMarkable 2 is chiefly a note-taking instrumentality and doesn't execute overmuch else. Neither of them has the capableness to tally apps similar today's champion phones. That's wherever the Onyx Boox Page comes in.
I've chiefly enjoyed utilizing the Boox Page due to the fact that it runs Android. It's a simplified mentation of the OS but expands the capabilities of an e-reader successful conscionable the close amount. For instance, erstwhile I'm speechmaking a publication oregon blog and an thought comes to mind, I tin adhd a enactment to Google Keep oregon Docs connected the tablet and probe it aboriginal connected my telephone oregon laptop.
I recognize that the Kindle and ReMarkable 2 are meant for a distraction-free speechmaking and note-taking experience, but being capable to tally Android apps connected my reading tablet improves my productivity. If you don't request each the other apps and features, see them escaped bonuses.
Running connected Android besides means that, theoretically, you tin usage Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and much connected the Boox Page, but arsenic David Pierce of The Verge mentioned successful his Boox Palma story, there's conscionable the close magnitude of friction. I ran YouTube erstwhile I reviewed the Boox Tab Ultra C successful 2023, and the app acquisition was terrible; E Ink displays conscionable don't refresh accelerated capable for videos. As a result, I don't extremity up doom-scrolling connected Instagram Reels oregon YouTube Shorts, nor bash I find myself speechmaking blistery takes connected X.
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I person Kindle, Flipboard, and Chrome installed connected my Boox Page. The archetypal 2 are meant for speechmaking books and online stories, portion Chrome lets maine browse the net for probe and ideation. I see this the cleanable magnitude of expanded capabilities.
The Boox Page comes with a flip case, which offers bully protection, but the magnets are connected the stronger side, truthful they instrumentality a assured tug to flip the screen backmost implicit the display.
The idiosyncratic interface is unsurprisingly afloat of customizations. You tin set the functionality of the 2 broadside buttons connected the close bezel, including page-turning via the measurement controls, swipe gestures, show settings, refresh modes, and more. The easiness of doing truthful means I adjusted the refresh complaint per app, and I'm not complaining.
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Swiping down from the apical close opens the power panel, wherever you tin toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more, similar connected your Android phone oregon new tablet.
Swipe down for the power center
The Boox Page besides has the brand's Library and Store apps, filled with escaped books to download. Unlike connected the Kindle, you tin download different ebook stores and sideload ebooks oregon audiobooks by connecting the instrumentality to a computer. Moreover, you tin perceive to audiobooks by pairing Bluetooth headphones with the tablet.
The seven-inch E Ink show features an anti-glare furniture connected the top, which makes it a joyousness to read. Plus, the signifier origin allows you to rotate the tablet to amended spot websites with wider margins. It's a sharp-looking screen, and I similar it. Unfortunately, there's nary mode to automatically set the airy somesthesia depending connected your environment, a diagnostic disposable connected devices similar the Kindle Oasis.
The Boox Page is rated to past up to six weeks if you work 1 hr each day. Based connected my testing, the tablet lasts astir 2 weeks per charge, including moving the Kindle and Chrome apps. The basal retention is 32GB, and I've filled astir 20GB successful my four-month usage. Fortunately, if you tally retired of storage, you tin ever grow it with the microSD paper slot.
ZDNET's buying advice
The Onyx Boox Page expands the capabilities of accepted e-readers by conscionable the close amount, truthful it fits my workflow without causing immoderate distractions. At $220, it's an casual recommendation, with a lightweight and slim signifier origin that's portable and long-lasting capable to beryllium my question companion.
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While the Boox Page is inactive connected Android 11, the e-reader has besides received respective smaller updates since it was archetypal released, with the latest spot adding an AI adjunct (because, wherefore not?), powered by ChatGPT. It would person been cooler had Onyx embedded AI a small much creatively, specified arsenic generating quality voices successful fictional audiobooks, but for now, the chatbot is determination if you ever request it.
This nonfiction was primitively published connected July 24, 2024, and was updated connected April 29, 2025.
English (US) ·