Full Android Tablet with E-Ink Screen

[MysticKatDaddy]

I have chronic migraine so I'm not able to use a regular tablet and have a kindle with the e-ink screen. Is there an e-ink tablet that runs regular android or an e-ink reader that can be made to run regular android? I'd just like something I could use to use the facebook, twitter, and gmail apps.

[downeaster59]

There are actually a number of android E-Ink devices out there, such as the Onyx Boox and Boyue devices. They range in size from 6 in. screens to 10 in., with rumors of even larger ones on the way. You will also find Icarus and Energy Sistem devices, most of which are rebadged Boyue devices, I believe. Some are easier to find than others. You'll find threads about all of them somewhere on mobileread!

As far as where to buy them, that depends on what country you live in.

If you have an idea of what size device you'd like, and any other features you want, then the search can narrow a bit!

[trocchietto]

Originally Posted by MysticKatDaddy

I have chronic migraine so I'm not able to use a regular tablet and have a kindle with the e-ink screen. Is there an e-ink tablet that runs regular android or an e-ink reader that can be made to run regular android? I'd just like something I could use to use the facebook, twitter, and gmail apps.

Please bare in mind that the devices suggested to you are usually not fluid as tablets, have slower processors, and sometimes you have to find the right firmware to make them as a "proper" tablet. Hopefully if the big mobile players will consider double lcd, eink screens and you and me will be more happy to not have headaches anymore
At the moment exists the yotaphone 2 you could be interested https://yotaphone.com (although the screen is smaller than a tablet) and the Siam 7x

[MysticKatDaddy]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by trocchietto

Please bare in mind that the devices suggested to you are usually not fluid as tablets, have slower processors, and sometimes you have to find the right firmware to make them as a "proper" tablet. Hopefully if the big mobile players will consider double lcd, eink screens and you and me will be more happy to not have headaches anymore
At the moment exists the yotaphone 2 you could be interested https://yotaphone.com (although the screen is smaller than a tablet) and the Siam 7x

This is all true. However, if all you want are apps to read with, slower processors won't matter. If you want to do more demanding stuff, then you'll want something faster. For reading purposes, I find my T62+ very satisfactory. But I wouldn't watch videos or play any games with it, other than things like Sudoku or crosswords!

[MysticKatDaddy]

It sounds like the T62+ will fit my needs then. So, you can install regular android apps like facebook, twitter, amazon kindle, and chrome then? It would be great to do all my web based reading on it.

[MysticKatDaddy]

I actually just found that Amazon has the Icarus Android E-Reader

[nhedgehog]

I don't want to burst your bubble but:
Most of the apps you are mentioning are not prepared for high contrast reading on e-ink devices, resulting often (not allways) in gray on gray resolution pictures. To make this even more confusing this behaviour can be device or firmware dependend, so some devices tend to show menus in some apps in white letters with white background, others show them readable.
In my experience android eink devices can be satisfactorily used for what you are intending to use them but require often a lot of fiddling to be satisfied with the result. Some of this mentioned fiddling means finding a specific version of an app from 1-3 years ago others means changing the app itself...
Best get one into your hands and try it out some time before bying it.

BTW: Some kindles are hackable and they all have an android backbone so why didn't you free your device first and use it to its limits.

[MysticKatDaddy]

I read that the Onyx tablets have some special software that makes regular android apps more visible on an e-ink screen so I'm currently looking at the Onyx Boox M96+. I can get that on amazon and then return it to them if I don't like it.

[downeaster59]

I can tell you that the Gmail app looks and works just fine on E-Ink. I don't know about the others you mentioned, as I have never used them. What can happen on some apps is that menus end up being white-on-white or black-on-black because they were designed for color displays and not for grayscale. Titanium Backup is one of those. That is frustrating. But I haven't run into this problem in apps I've used for reading, like Moon Reader Pro or Instapaper. The default ebook reader apps on Onyx devices are good - especially Neo Reader. In fact, I am running Onyx firmware on my Boyue T62+ because the Onyx firmware gives me better battery life and a better ebook reader app. YMMV, of course. But if you don't mind investing a little time in seeing what works well and what doesn't, you can come up with a good solution.

The next best thing to an E-Ink device is to use night mode on a "regular" Android tablet, for whatever apps may support it. I have tried that, but I still find E-Ink easier on my eyes.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by nhedgehog

BTW: Some kindles are hackable and they all have an android backbone so why didn't you free your device first and use it to its limits.

No, the eInk Kindles run Linux. Only the "Fire" tablets are Android-based, and the OP specifically said that he wants an eInk device, not an LCD tablet.

[nhedgehog]

Ups, right you are. Thanks for the clarification.

[BrianR]

On your Boyue T62+, can you download Overdrive and use it to download and read library books?

[trocchietto]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

This is all true. However, if all you want are apps to read with, slower processors won't matter. If you want to do more demanding stuff, then you'll want something faster. For reading purposes, I find my T62+ very satisfactory. But I wouldn't watch videos or play any games with it, other than things like Sudoku or crosswords!

is ok, but still not so immediate to switch between books flawless, after all I am now used to tablets standards. If you read a novel you are right, if you are a continuous researcher as me that needs to switch continuously between books, then.. more processor and ram would be definitely a good point to improve.

Still I firmly believe that the future will be lcd+eink screens, is just the logical way the market could go.Also because eink is now applied to shoes as well, so only the feat to customize the back of the phone with a color eink will be enough to make a phone cool for everybody and functional for power users like us.

[trocchietto]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, the eInk Kindles run Linux. Only the "Fire" tablets are Android-based, and the OP specifically said that he wants an eInk device, not an LCD tablet.

aaah do not say this to linus torvalds. He is really proud that every day linux is bought from milion of people because android is based on linux as well

I love linus torvalds he said that is a failure because he wanted linux to overtake on desktop devices