BOOX pook 2 battery life/alternative?

[svhs]

I think my 8 years old kindle PW is past saving now, so I'm here for a new e-reader. Honestly I don't really want much more than the old PW, I loved the device, the only problem was the closed amazon system.

I looked through some of the E-readers out there and the Pook 2 seems like a solid device, but I can't really find any reliable source on it's battery life. I mostly want to use it for reading, not browsing the web or anything, but I would love to have the option to do other things. I don't really want to buy a bigger screen, the PW was perfect size for me, I usually held it one handed.

Any info on the battery life? Will it hold as long as my kindle, with android 9? Any suggestions for other device?

Poke*

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by svhs

Any info on the battery life? Will it hold as long as my kindle, with android 9? Any suggestions for other device?

Don't you have an outlet at home? Or are you going on a long safari for example without the possibility to charge the device?
I have a Poke2, but I never bothered with such a minor matter, but I charged it when I wasn't reading.
It is also sufficient for very long reading cycles.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by svhs

I think my 8 years old kindle PW is past saving now, so I'm here for a new e-reader. Honestly I don't really want much more than the old PW, I loved the device, the only problem was the closed amazon system.

I looked through some of the E-readers out there and the Pook 2 seems like a solid device, but I can't really find any reliable source on it's battery life. I mostly want to use it for reading, not browsing the web or anything, but I would love to have the option to do other things. I don't really want to buy a bigger screen, the PW was perfect size for me, I usually held it one handed.

Any info on the battery life? Will it hold as long as my kindle, with android 9? Any suggestions for other device?

Poke*

The battery life is similar to any other 6" e-reader. I use AlReaderX as my main reading program and it consumes approximately 2℅ per hour (WiFi off and lighting at medium level). With other reading programs and in other conditions I haven't checked yet. With WiFi on, the battery consumption is significantly higher. But using it occasionally I don't appreciate any difference with other e-readers. The Poke 2 has a very powerful processor and executes any action quickly, so the battery consumption is reduced. It is the first 6" Android e-reader that does not need a large battery capacity and this surprises many people.

Anyway, if you only want it to read I would look for a cheaper and more "classic" e-reader. If you are used to Kindle, the PW4 is a good alternative. Also good options are the Kobo Clara HD and the Tolino Shine 3. I use these devices regularly and am satisfied with all of them. Each one has some peculiarity that makes it more enjoyable than the other. It all depends on your particular tastes rather than the individual quality of the device.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by cellaris

The battery life is similar to any other 6" e-reader. I use AlReaderX as my main reading program and it consumes approximately 2℅ per hour (WiFi off and lighting at medium level). With other reading programs and in other conditions I haven't checked yet. With WiFi on, the battery consumption is significantly higher. But using it occasionally I don't appreciate any difference with other e-readers. The Poke 2 has a very powerful processor and executes any action quickly, so the battery consumption is reduced. It is the first 6" Android e-reader that does not need a large battery capacity and this surprises many people.

Anyway, if you only want it to read I would look for a cheaper and more "classic" e-reader. If you are used to Kindle, the PW4 is a good alternative. Also good options are the Kobo Clara HD and the Tolino Shine 3. I use these devices regularly and am satisfied with all of them. Each one has some peculiarity that makes it more enjoyable than the other. It all depends on your particular tastes rather than the individual quality of the device.

Please elaborate on the pros and cons of the devices you mentioned relative to each other. I'd wanted a Poke 2 before ordering the Libra H2O and Clara HD because the Poke 2 wasn't available at the time. The Poke 2 was appealing because I figured the processor would make it snappier and I liked the option of all the different Android reading apps since I'd been reading ebooks on my phone for a long time. I'm happy with the Kobo devices, but am still tempted by the Poke 2 and wonder what I'm missing.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by mirage

I'm happy with the Kobo devices, but am still tempted by the Poke 2 and wonder what I'm missing.

The Kobos are just stupid readers - Poke 2 offers almost all Android options.
My Kobo devices, which I bought stupidly, fly around somewhere - I don't even care about the battery.
I only use Android devices like Likebook Alita, Ares; Boox Nova 2, Poke 2, Poke Pro; I also use my Tolino Epos 2 with Calibre Companion and AlReader a lot.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

The Kobos are just stupid readers - Poke 2 offers almost all Android options.
My Kobo devices, which I bought stupidly, fly around somewhere - I don't even care about the battery.
I only use Android devices like Likebook Alita, Ares; Boox Nova 2, Poke 2, Poke Pro; I also use my Tolino Epos 2 with Calibre Companion and AlReader a lot.

I get it that the Poke 2 is my Android phone with an eInk screen that doesn't make calls other than via internet services and a somewhat out of date OS. That's appealing, though I kind of like it that my Kobo devices don't do anything but let me read. Still, it would be nice to have the performance and ancillary features I get with my reading apps on my Android phone, including things like copy/paste or better dictionary support. I can see why people buy a bunch of different devices, even if that's not my usual way, personally.

[cellaris]

I do like Kobo devices. I think they have the most balanced reading programs on the market. The problem with Poke 2 is that it does not have a reading program for epub with DRM, nor does it respect the internal styles of the documents. You have to use Apps like Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, PocketBook Reader or Nook. These Apps work well using the Onyx application optimization system, but are more limited than a reading program fully adapted to electronic ink. It's not a problem for me since most of my books are read with AlReaderX or KOReader, but I think it's a mistake that Onyx hasn't developed a reading program for those types of files. On a Kobo device, you can use its reading programs for epub and kepub, and you can also install alternative reading programs such as KOReader and CoolReader (and some other that I haven't used). Not all of us have the same tastes, and that's why there are different options. Personally I prefer to use KOReader on an Android device than on a Kobo because the Android utilities provide me with more convenience for sending and managing books and files. And if you also have the beautiful screen of the Tolino Shine 3, even better. But we don't all see things the same way.

[DaleDe]

I have created a BOOX Poke2 page. I believe it does have DRM support for ePub and PDF. The previous one did.

[cellaris]

It has DRM support if you install an external App. I use PocketBook Reader, but its native reading program (Neo Reader v3.0) does not.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I do like Kobo devices. I think they have the most balanced reading programs on the market. The problem with Poke 2 is that it does not have a reading program for epub with DRM, nor does it respect the internal styles of the documents. You have to use Apps like Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, PocketBook Reader or Nook. These Apps work well using the Onyx application optimization system, but are more limited than a reading program fully adapted to electronic ink. It's not a problem for me since most of my books are read with AlReaderX or KOReader, but I think it's a mistake that Onyx hasn't developed a reading program for those types of files. On a Kobo device, you can use its reading programs for epub and kepub, and you can also install alternative reading programs such as KOReader and CoolReader (and some other that I haven't used). Not all of us have the same tastes, and that's why there are different options. Personally I prefer to use KOReader on an Android device than on a Kobo because the Android utilities provide me with more convenience for sending and managing books and files. And if you also have the beautiful screen of the Tolino Shine 3, even better. But we don't all see things the same way.

Could Onyx develop a reader from DRM epub files even if they wanted to? I never looked into it, but I'd have thought that if one wants to read an Amazon purchased ebook with its DRM that it would have to be done on a Kindle or the Kindle app on a computer or mobile device. Likewise for a Kobo purchased epub.

Using downloadable Android ereaders like the ones you mentioned or Moon+ and the like, is the performance good on the Poke 2? Or does it suffer compared to the Boox reading app? I watched an hour long video review of the Poke 2 that made it look pretty appealing. I may order one. I do like reading on the Kobo devices, though, particularly the Libra H2O using KOReader. So I should keep that in mind in that I find myself using the Clara HD less often than I thought I would and it's the same size as the Poke 2.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by mirage

Could Onyx develop a reader from DRM epub files even if they wanted to? I never looked into it, but I'd have thought that if one wants to read an Amazon purchased ebook with its DRM that it would have to be done on a Kindle or the Kindle app on a computer or mobile device. Likewise for a Kobo purchased epub.

On an Android device you can read Kindle books in the Kindle app and Kepub books in the Kobo app and Onleihe Care DRM in the Onleihe app and Adobe DRM books in various other apps - I use the Pocketbook app.
There are many DRM encryption methods, but for most of them a special app.
And I read all of them on my Android EInk devices (Boox, Likebook, Tolino), although I have both Kindles and Kobos.

Using downloadable Android ereaders like the ones you mentioned or Moon+ and the like, is the performance good on the Poke 2? Or does it suffer compared to the Boox reading app?

The Boox reading app is also an Android app and in terms of performance there is no difference to other reading applications - I do not use it because it does not display left-aligned.

I watched an hour long video review of the Poke 2 that made it look pretty appealing. I may order one. I do like reading on the Kobo devices, though, particularly the Libra H2O using KOReader. So I should keep that in mind in that I find myself using the Clara HD less often than I thought I would and it's the same size as the Poke 2.

But that's not because of the performance, but because of the size.
The Poke2 is the most portable device I know - small and light; I always have it with me; on the way I also use it to read mail and surf the internet and the predecessor, the Poke Pro, as a glare-free navigation system in the car.
The Boox and Likebook devices can move graphics smoothly (A2 mode).
At home, I also continue reading with larger devices, preferably with the "Likebook Ares" (7.8 inches) - synchronized via WiFi.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by mirage

Using downloadable Android ereaders like the ones you mentioned or Moon+ and the like, is the performance good on the Poke 2?

They work well. In general terms their functioning depends on the level of development of these Apps. I have installed these reading programs: AlReaderX, KOReader, Librera Pro, Moon+ Reader Pro, CoolReader (Jotas version), CoolReader (Plotn version), Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, PocketBook Reader and Nook. All of them, once configured, work perfectly.

With Amazon Kindle you lose one or two lines of text at the top (depending on the full page size setting), but you have the title of the book and, above all, the color temperature setting. Screen refresh, contrast and page turning speed are controlled with the Onyx optimization system. The performance of this App is excellent. For me it has been the best surprise of this device. The Kobo app, on the other hand, seems rudimentary to me. I prefer not to use it.

For those who like small and light e-readers, the Poke 2 is certainly a great device. As it says @ottischwenk is a perfect device on the way. But you have to be clear about what you want when you buy an Android e-reader.

[mirage]

Thanks, both of you.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by cellaris

It has DRM support if you install an external App. I use PocketBook Reader, but its native reading program (Neo Reader v3.0) does not.

Thanks for the info.

Dale