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libriworm · 01-06-2020, 01:58 AM

I read tons of PDFs of scientific papers and books, both digitally produced and scanned from hardcopy. So I'm looking for something to read them on more comfortably than my laptop.

My hard requirements are few -- (1) a huge screen (12.5"+), (2) a tablet form factor, (3) some sort of built-in light, and (4) the ability to load files directly to the device, whether via USB or Wifi (Sony's equivalent offering is gimped, as is most of their hardware, and requires you to use their software to transfer files to it.)

There are also a few features that would be nice, but aren't deal breakers. E-ink is a very big plus to me,. And of course a cover that functions as a stand to prop the thing up on tables, desks, etc.

And that's it, really. I do not want to use the device to write documents, check my e-mail or send messages. I do not want to use it to listen to audio books or music, nor to watch videos of any sort. In fact, I want as few distractions as possible from reading. And beyond highlighting text, I couldn't care less about note taking, drawing, or doing anything else but reading.

Unfortunately, there seems to be not a single device on the market that meets these criteria. The closest is the Onyx Boox Max3. But it has no light, which is a big downside for me. Plus, the Onyx cover appears to be crap -- I have not found a single picture of it in any position but flat, which makes me worry it can't fold and serve as a stand. The fact that Onyx separately sells what has to be the worlds clunkiest tablet stand (a massive chunk of machined aluminum and plastic) further leads me to believe that the cover is nothing but a rigid sheet to cover the screen.

But the thing is, Sony's equivalent device is utter garbage -- it can read just a single file format, it also has no front light, it can't do a damned thing without connecting to Sony's software on your PC (and I seriously suspect it's Windows only, and I use Linux), and most reviews of it call it slow and laggy.

And that seems to be about it for 12.5"+ e-readers.

Say it ain't so!

I'm also rather worried by the fact that there are virtually no independent reviews of the Boox Max 3. There are a handful of clearly promotional PR videos from the manufacturer, and another handful of very obvious corporate shills who film/write puff pieces that read like press releases, almost certainly for pay or free devices.

Finally, I'm worried by the series of bizarre situations that surround Onyx. No one seems to really know who the heck makes these devices (a Chinese company? a Russian company?). Customer service requests to one Boox company may be shuffled off to another one, which apparently turned domain squatting into a business. There are two incompatible branches of the firmware that no one can really explain. The devices seem to somewhat hastily localized versions of either Chinese or Russian products. Google refuses to certify these devices, and getting the Play Store to work often involves rather shifty hacking, sideloading an APK from pirate site or another.

So I'm honestly quite apprehensive about blowing $860 + maybe $50 for a case.

Thoughts? Alternatives to the Max 3 I may have missed that are at least 12.5"?

01-06-2020, 01:58 AM	#1
libriworm Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 138 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: Onyx Boox Max 3	Considering the Boox Max 3 I read tons of PDFs of scientific papers and books, both digitally produced and scanned from hardcopy. So I'm looking for something to read them on more comfortably than my laptop. My hard requirements are few -- (1) a huge screen (12.5"+), (2) a tablet form factor, (3) some sort of built-in light, and (4) the ability to load files directly to the device, whether via USB or Wifi (Sony's equivalent offering is gimped, as is most of their hardware, and requires you to use their software to transfer files to it.) There are also a few features that would be nice, but aren't deal breakers. E-ink is a very big plus to me,. And of course a cover that functions as a stand to prop the thing up on tables, desks, etc. And that's it, really. I do not want to use the device to write documents, check my e-mail or send messages. I do not want to use it to listen to audio books or music, nor to watch videos of any sort. In fact, I want as few distractions as possible from reading. And beyond highlighting text, I couldn't care less about note taking, drawing, or doing anything else but reading. Unfortunately, there seems to be not a single device on the market that meets these criteria. The closest is the Onyx Boox Max3. But it has no light, which is a big downside for me. Plus, the Onyx cover appears to be crap -- I have not found a single picture of it in any position but flat, which makes me worry it can't fold and serve as a stand. The fact that Onyx separately sells what has to be the worlds clunkiest tablet stand (a massive chunk of machined aluminum and plastic) further leads me to believe that the cover is nothing but a rigid sheet to cover the screen. But the thing is, Sony's equivalent device is utter garbage -- it can read just a single file format, it also has no front light, it can't do a damned thing without connecting to Sony's software on your PC (and I seriously suspect it's Windows only, and I use Linux), and most reviews of it call it slow and laggy. And that seems to be about it for 12.5"+ e-readers. Say it ain't so! I'm also rather worried by the fact that there are virtually no independent reviews of the Boox Max 3. There are a handful of clearly promotional PR videos from the manufacturer, and another handful of very obvious corporate shills who film/write puff pieces that read like press releases, almost certainly for pay or free devices. Finally, I'm worried by the series of bizarre situations that surround Onyx. No one seems to really know who the heck makes these devices (a Chinese company? a Russian company?). Customer service requests to one Boox company may be shuffled off to another one, which apparently turned domain squatting into a business. There are two incompatible branches of the firmware that no one can really explain. The devices seem to somewhat hastily localized versions of either Chinese or Russian products. Google refuses to certify these devices, and getting the Play Store to work often involves rather shifty hacking, sideloading an APK from pirate site or another. So I'm honestly quite apprehensive about blowing $860 + maybe $50 for a case. Thoughts? Alternatives to the Max 3 I may have missed that are at least 12.5"?