My problem with Onyx Boox after all these years...

[larret]

... is lack of long-time device support. Boox is pretty active and seems to introduce at least couple of devices every year. As soon as the new generation of a similar product appears, the old one is almost immediately forgotten. I bought 4 different Boox Onyx devices between 2012 and 2018 and it's always the same story. Take Boox Max 1 for example. Android 4.4 allegedly being prepared but stuck in a never ending beta, many times promised to be delivered and yet no progress made in 3 years. Or disappearing firmware files in, apparently currently non-existing Download section. I'd like to buy a new Max 3 or Note 2, I really would, but what's the point if they will become forgotten instantly with advent of yet another Onyx generation.

[maxcol]

Agreed. I bought a Max 2 Pro a few months ago, and it's already obsolete!
If my Max 2 Pro doesn't get soon the same features as the Max 3 (Android 9, split screen, etc...) I am done with Onyx forever.

[larret]

And let me add one more thing. Some functionality should be considered essential, or at least configurable, like an ability to enable lock screen to protect your device, rather than arbitrarily disabling keyguard. That alone makes me think twice before I decide whether to take Onyx Boox on airplane, just can't anyone to copy some of the training materials from IBM or CISCO which are worth a lot and if made publicly available, would make certain organizations quite upset. But again, rather than add such a small yet crucial feature to a bit older devices, Onyx Boox focuses only on the new models.

[fbrzvnrnd]

+1
I have a "old" M96 and Onyx stopped the support some years ago when it was not working well at all. There are a lot of "little" problems here and there.
Some weeks ago I was thinking to buy another ebook reader / e-ink tablet, but I have no confidence to take another Onyx device.

[maxcol]

Originally Posted by fbrzvnrnd

+1
Some weeks ago I was thinking to buy another ebook reader / e-ink tablet, but I have no confidence to take another Onyx device.

Precisely. Onyx company so far is giving me the impression of an amateurish company which cannot be trusted in the long run. Personally I'm saving for a 12.9 inch Ipad Pro.

[fgdas]

Originally Posted by larret

And let me add one more thing. Some functionality should be considered essential, or at least configurable, like an ability to enable lock screen to protect your device, rather than arbitrarily disabling keyguard. That alone makes me think twice before I decide whether to take Onyx Boox on airplane, just can't anyone to copy some of the training materials from IBM or CISCO which are worth a lot and if made publicly available, would make certain organizations quite upset. But again, rather than add such a small yet crucial feature to a bit older devices, Onyx Boox focuses only on the new models.

Not sure if you know in which country these are being produced.
That's why you will never see unlockable bootloader and full access to the source code.
Do you believe even if you lock the screen your files still be secure?

[larret]

To be frank I encrypt all the important PDFs I store on the device, so even if someone gets access to them these should be relatively safe. Boox Onyx however, stores the decrypted branch of the document and you're asked for a PDF password just once. But yeah, I get what you're saying.

[plusz]

Max was my first Onyx device but I think it was actually better quality than Max 2. It seems to me that Max 3 is actually the device worth to upgrade from Max.

[whopper]

to be fair, I think this is the first time they are not abandoning their devices that fast.

With previous generations, once the new was on the street, the older ones were almost dead.

now they are upgrading max 2/note/etc to android 9 while max 3/note 2 are on the street. I find it a good step for the moment. And with their prices giving it a bit more of support is great.

Originally Posted by plusz

Max was my first Onyx device but I think it was actually better quality than Max 2. It seems to me that Max 3 is actually the device worth to upgrade from Max.

dunno, I find it a bit disappointing. the new SD625 cpu is a 4 years old and is not much faster than the RK3288 of the previous generation, the screens are the same and the changes are minimal.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/625-vs....247596.0.html

https://www.androidbenchmark.net/pho...iaomi+Redmi+Y2 (same cpu of max 3)

https://www.androidbenchmark.net/pho...ockchip+rk3288

I think max2/note were the real step up from previous devices and max 3 is just a continuation with minimal upgrades.

hopefully onyx can do well and continue to improve so they can give us on the future better devices as today I think is the only manufacturer offering 13" ereaders.