ZDNET’s essential takeaways
- The Onyx Boox Page has a seven-inch E Ink display screen and costs $219 throughout significant sellers.
- It operates on a streamlined variation of Android 11, so you can download any app you desire, consisting of Kindle, TikTok, Google Docs, and more.
- Do not anticipate the tablet to get the most recent Android updates.
In the last few years, I have actually utilized and evaluated numerous E Ink items, consisting of Kindle e-readers and the Amazing 2While they are extremely various, they share one typical restriction: limited performance. I take pleasure in checking out a range of formats, not simply ebooks however likewise blog sites and online posts.
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I like my Kindle for its simpleness, however that’s likewise its Achilles heel. The ReMarkable 2 is mostly a note-taking gadget and does not achieve much else. Neither of them has the ability to run apps like today’s finest phonesThat’s where the Onyx Boox Page can be found in.
I’ve primarily taken pleasure in utilizing the Boox Page since it runs Android. It’s a streamlined variation of the OS however broadens the abilities of an e-reader in simply the correct amount. When I’m checking out a book or blog site and a concept comes to mind, I can include a note to Google Keep or Docs on the tablet and research study it later on my phone or laptop computer
I comprehend that the Kindle and ReMarkable 2 are indicated for a distraction-free reading and note-taking experiencehowever having the ability to run Android apps on my checking out tablet enhances my efficiency. If you do not require all the additional apps and functions, consider them complimentary bonus offers.
Operating on Android likewise implies that, in theory, you can utilize Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and more on the Boox Page, however as David Pierce of The Verge discussed in his Boox Palma story, there’s simply the correct amount of friction. I ran YouTube when I evaluated the Boox Tab Ultra C in 2023, and the app experience was horrible; E Ink shows simply do not revitalize quick enough for videos. As an outcome, I do not wind up doom-scrolling on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, nor do I discover myself checking out hot handles X.
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I have Kindle, Flipboard, and Chrome set up on my Boox Page. The very first 2 are suggested for checking out books and online stories, while Chrome lets me search the web for research study and ideation. I consider this the best quantity of broadened abilities.
The Boox Page features a flip case, which uses excellent security, however the magnets are on the more powerful side, so they take a positive yank to turn the cover back over the screen.
The interface is unsurprisingly filled with modifications. You can change the performance of the 2 side buttons on the best bezel, consisting of page-turning through the volume controls, swipe gestures, show settings, revitalize modes, and more. The ease of doing so implies I changed the refresh rate per app, and I’m not grumbling.
: I handed out my Kindle and iPad within hours of utilizing this tablet
Swiping below the leading right opens the control board, where you can toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more, like on your Android phone or brand-new tablet
Swipe down for the nerve center
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET
The Boox Page likewise has the brand name’s Library and Store apps, filled with totally free books to download. Unlike on the Kindle, you can download other ebook shops and sideload ebooks or audiobooks by linking the gadget to a computer system. You can listen to audiobooks by combining Bluetooth earphones with the tablet.
The seven-inch E Ink display screen includes an anti-glare layer on the top, that makes it a delight to check out. Plus, the type element enables you to turn the tablet to much better see sites with larger margins. It’s a sharp-looking screen, and I like it. There’s no method to immediately change the light temperature level depending on your environment, a function readily available on gadgets like the Kindle Oasis.
The Boox Page is ranked to last approximately 6 weeks if you check out one hour every day. Based upon my screening, the tablet lasts about 2 weeks per charge, consisting of running the Kindle and Chrome apps. The base storage is 32GB, and I’ve filled practically 20GB in my four-month use. If you run out of storage, you can constantly broaden it with the microSD card slot.
ZDNET’s purchasing guidance
The Onyx Boox Page broadens the abilities of standard e-readers by simply the correct amount, so it fits my workflow without triggering any diversions. At $220, it’s a simple suggestion, with a light-weight and slim type aspect that’s portable and lasting adequate to be my fellow traveler.
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While the Boox Page is still on Android 11, the e-reader has likewise gotten a number of smaller sized updates given that it was very first launched, with the current spot including an AI assistant (because, why not?), powered by ChatGPTIt would have been cooler had Onyx ingrained AI a bit more artistically, such as creating character voices in imaginary audiobooks, however for now, the chatbot exists if you ever require it.
This short article was initially released on July 24, 2024, and was upgraded on April 29, 2025.
