onyx boox max carta

[SnowRipple]

Great video!

This new 10.3''' device seems great! Bezel-less with great refresh rate! This is the best drawing speed I saw ever, IMHO beats Remarkable and new Sony DPS where I could see lagging. Here the lagging is like non existent! I assume that this is the technology we will see in Max 2.

I like the typewriter but I would like to see if it can be used for something other than writing, e.g. coding and web browsing. I wonder if I could remote control my workstation from it and how responsive would it be.

Onyx markets it as a "typewriter" not "notebook" which makes me worry about limited functionality. You can accomplish pretty much the same with bluetooth enabled e-reader and bluetooth keyboard, so where is the extra value in it? If I could run simple IDE e.g. vim or Eclipse in it, do some coding work out in the open that would be amazing! The design of the device could be improved also, it looks like it was released a decade ago with these huge speakers around the screen.

I think that simply text typing is not enough. Would be great if it would run some Linux distribution rather than Android, then it could be used by software developers.

As a software developer I can say that there is a huge market for devices like this, one of mine and my collegues wet dreams is to code and sit in park/outside in full sun like other people, so we can actually get some tan as well!

I suspect that this device is aimed at writers, I would suggest to include some extra functionality and open for some other target groups like software developers. The low latency, device speed and environment openness would be the key here. 4g/wifi connectivity and being able to remote control to your workstation would go a long way.

[Dr. Drib]

Looks good, but can you say 'Car-Ta'?

[Charbax]

Originally Posted by SnowRipple

I like the typewriter but I would like to see if it can be used for something other than writing, e.g. coding and web browsing. I wonder if I could remote control my workstation from it and how responsive would it be.

Onyx markets it as a "typewriter" not "notebook" which makes me worry about limited functionality. You can accomplish pretty much the same with bluetooth enabled e-reader and bluetooth keyboard, so where is the extra value in it? If I could run simple IDE e.g. vim or Eclipse in it, do some coding work out in the open that would be amazing!

So I think since this is Android that you can do coding and remote control your workstation just as with any other Android device, though consider it's E Ink just just moving around a mouse of the screen is a bit "weird", it's better to be able to tap where you want the mouse pointer to be or to click. If you have big websites you want to scroll through in a traditional way it also looks weird and laggy but if instead of somehow click pagedown and pageup on websites, in your code that you are coding, then it might be fine, it might be like changing pages on an e-reader.

[mdp]

I believe people will be comfortable being able to exploit both modes, not having to miss one.
Optimality is to be able to use both keyboard/mouse and touchscreen.
There's nothing weird in a mouse cursor on EPD or refresh lags: it's the way (most) graphical operating systems always worked and the way EPD works («Ah, but watching movies...» «Buy a movie theater, get over with it»).

Maybe I should watch the "typewriter" demo again with more attention, but I concur: document editing is already available (though specific software could be optimized for the experience - eg.: static, non-blinking text cursor, to avoid wasting battery charge - and probably also using a USB keyboard instead of BT could be more efficient). A laptop should offer a full system.

[SnowRipple]

Originally Posted by Charbax

So I think since this is Android that you can do coding and remote control your workstation just as with any other Android device, though consider it's E Ink just just moving around a mouse of the screen is a bit "weird", it's better to be able to tap where you want the mouse pointer to be or to click. If you have big websites you want to scroll through in a traditional way it also looks weird and laggy but if instead of somehow click pagedown and pageup on websites, in your code that you are coding, then it might be fine, it might be like changing pages on an e-reader.

Thanks @Charbax!

My problem with Android is that it is not suited to be an environment for any software development. You cannot install standard libraries, set up your IDE etc. It simply wasn't designed for this purpose. Hence if we would be able to install a Linux distribution instead/alongside Android - that would go a long way.

Of course refresh rate is critical also. I am not much concerned about mouse movement because when writing code you can accomplish anything with just key strokes, so called "no mouse development".

I would like to see how VNC would behave on this device but again, if we would be able to develop code locally and then run it on remote box - that would be much more productive and responsive.

All I am saying is that Onyx should try to opening to other markets with this device, because hardware is there. IMHO the market of software developers is much bigger than novel writers and similar; and we are willing to pay the premium price tag for a premium device.

[joblack]

An E-ink notebook where I can install (Debian) Linux would be fine by me. Android is too closed to be useful.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by mdp

Maybe I should watch the "typewriter" demo again with more attention, but I concur: document editing is already available (though specific software could be optimized for the experience - eg.: static, non-blinking text cursor, to avoid wasting battery charge - and probably also using a USB keyboard instead of BT could be more efficient). A laptop should offer a full system.

While it would be nice to have a fully functional eink laptop, I wouldn't necessarily discount the idea of an eink "typewriter"/word processor.

Yes, using BT and an external keyboard, one can currently simulate the experience which such a dedicated device would offer. And, hopefully, that experience will improve with the upcoming Max2. However, the battery in the Max limits its utility for those who would need to work on it for extended periods of time.

Presumably, the battery in the "typewriter" would be more akin to those found in a laptop. Perhaps the power supply system would even be configured in much the same way as a laptop so that one could use it hooked up to a power source even if the battery were completely shot. That could make it an extremely useful device to many people who have to sit in front of a computer all day, but who don't necessarily need the full functionality of a computer.

Hopefully, we will eventually see an in depth independent review of this "typewriter" to get a better idea of its abilities and limitations.

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

If you check out the top video in the post immediately before yours, at about the 8:53 mark, the Onyx representative shows a prototype of the Max2 being used as a monitor when it is hooked up to a laptop. It seems to connect from the HDMI port on the laptop to the Max2's microUSB port.

If I well understand, there is a HDMI/USB2 cable. I hope that it's a full hardware solution. If a driver is necessary, I hope that the driver will exist for Linux (I prefer Debian) too.

[desk7]

Another video about Max carta 13.3 and second monitor functionality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTGULb4w54

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by desk7

Another video about Max carta 13.3 and second monitor functionality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTGULb4w54

Did you notice he said about the second monitor functionality, "it's the same device, but we've changed the software inside"? That suggests to me that there'll be two models: a reader and a monitor. Same hardware, but different firmware.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

However, the battery in the Max limits its utility for those who would need to work on it for extended periods of time.

Have you considered external batteries? For example, I just bought a 9000mAh - not much capacity (in the phone I keep ~7000), but it's rugged. This one alone would over triple the wake time of your Max...

[mdp]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That suggests to me that there'll be two models: a reader and a monitor. Same hardware, but different firmware.

Their best interest is to sell a single, multi-purpose one.
There are efforts from Onyx already to publish a software solution (Booxtor divulged an alpha)

UPDATE: I also checked the website of "Notebook Italia", but could not find further information. What I understand from the video, is that a new firmware - not a reform but a revolution - should be released in around 9 months of gestation. It would be nice if they would clarify a bit. Was the one talking Mr. Charbax?

[desk7]

Originally Posted by mdp

Their best interest is to sell a single, multi-purpose one.
There are efforts from Onyx already to publish a software solution (Booxtor divulged an alpha)

UPDATE: I also checked the website of "Notebook Italia", but could not find further information. What I understand from the video, is that a new firmware - not a reform but a revolution - should be released in around 9 months of gestation. It would be nice if they would clarify a bit. Was the one talking Mr. Charbax?

I'm sure it won't be a different device but a new feature of Onyx Boox Max.
In fact, in https://youtu.be/Tu03JY7PXMo?t=520 he says:
"It is the 13.3 ereader. In the future it will be used as second monitor". Besides, you can see an Android interface from which he starts the mirroring program.
This multipurpose device will be very useful! Booxtor released ad alpha version some day ago

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by mdp

Have you considered external batteries? For example, I just bought a 9000mAh - not much capacity (in the phone I keep ~7000), but it's rugged. This one alone would over triple the wake time of your Max...

If there is still some life in the internal battery, an external battery would definitely extend one's productivity time on the Max. But that is also an extra item to lug about.

However, what happens when the internal is completely shot? Would one be able to power the Max from an external battery if the internal one can no longer hold any charge?

I ask this because I recently had a battery on a cheapo tablet fail. It would no longer hold a charge for any length of time. At first, I was not worried. I figured I could just plug it into a wall charger and use it like that... I only got the device for its HDMI port so that I could hook it up to a projector at work... Unfortunately, the tablet would not power up until there was a minimum charge on the battery. That took an awfully long time to achieve because the battery would no longer hold its charge. I would have to plug it into a wall charger several hours before I wanted to use it. Not very convenient. So I eventually figured out how to change the battery. Now it works fine again. Or as fine as a cheapo tablet ever works.

If the power system on the "typewriter" is designed more like that on many laptops, one would be able to use it without any battery in it at all. It might also be a lot easier to replace the battery when it eventually dies without having to get out a soldering iron and brush up on one's very rusty soldering skills.

[Bookchin]

Any rumors about pricing for the Carta Max?

Also, will it be possible to view a PDF while writing notes in the note-taking application? (i.e. if you don't want to make notes within the PDF itself)