New Pocketbook 10.3" Notepad/Ereader: Inkpad One

[ab78727]

https://pocketbook.ch/en-ch/catalog/...-inkpad-one-ch .

* Big 10.3” E Ink screen – paper-like, glare-free, and eye-safe
* Resolution (Greyscale) 1404 ×1872
* PPI (Greyscale) 226
* Touchscreen Capacitive (multisensor)
* Active stylus for handwriting and essential tools for note-taking
* Button-free design with premium aluminum frame
* Audiobooks via Bluetooth and Text-to-Speech feature
* Open Ecosystem – buy or borrow books on different platforms
* 25 formats support, including Adobe and LCP DRM
* SMARTlight adjusts both brightness and color temperature

[pdurrant]

This uses E Ink's Mobius™ screen technology - a plastic substrate, not glass, so it cannot shatter.

That's a really good feature on a big E Ink screen.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

This uses E Ink's Mobius™ screen technology - a plastic substrate, not glass, so it cannot shatter.

That's a really good feature on a big E Ink screen.

But does it have a glass front cover kinda making it moot?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

But does it have a glass front cover kinda making it moot?

Oh - good question! I don't know.

[ab78727]

BTW, I contacted Pocketbook support about availability but they were fairly unspecific about timelines - here is their response to me:

"Thank you for your interest in our InkPad One.
Yes, the device is planned to be available in the United States and will be offered via Amazon. At the moment, we are preparing for the sales launch in Europe first. After that, the product will become available in the US market.
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide exact dates yet. We recommend following the latest updates on our official website, where all availability information will be published as soon as it is confirmed."

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

But does it have a glass front cover kinda making it moot?

But, isn't a glass front more desirable for note-taking? Plastic can scratch through stylus use. I've seen ever so many posts on Reddit with folks having scratched their Libra Colour screens up.

I'd FAR rather have the glass front and not worry. Matte screen protectors mess with my eyes. And I have owned a LOT of e-ink, and only slightly damaged (but not actually broken) one screen since 2010. And most of my devices have had glass on the front, because, hey, I like that!

[pickyaxe]

this could be my next device. sad that it has no page turn buttons (and the marketing even spins it as a feature...)

[kandwo]

They continue the trend of releasing bad hardware. Here without their saving grace - page turn buttons.

Is just don't get it: why would anyone want to buy a sub-300 PPI e-ink device?

It seems that some manufacturers have found a good deal on old screens and are trying to fool customers into buying old hardware.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by kandwo

They continue the trend of releasing bad hardware. Here without their saving grace - page turn buttons.

Is just don't get it: why would anyone want to buy a sub-300 PPI e-ink device?

It seems that some manufacturers have found a good deal on old screens and are trying to fool customers into buying old hardware.

A 10.3 device is usually held further away than a smaller one, so the difference between 227 ppi and 300 ppi is hardly noticeable - the average eye can no longer see it from a distance of 25 cm or more.
By the way: why should you pay a significantly higher price for something you can't see? Devices with 10.65–300 ppi cost about twice as much.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

A 10.3 device is usually held further away than a smaller one, so the difference between 227 ppi and 300 ppi is hardly noticeable - the average eye can no longer see it from a distance of 25 cm or more.
By the way: why should you pay a significantly higher price for something you can't see? Devices with 10.65–300 ppi cost about twice as much.

I agree with you. The differences are practically imperceptible (in terms of reading) unless you have superhero eyesight. It is true that some people have a special sensitivity and are able to spot differences at a glance, but most people would be unable to perceive them. I am convinced that if a "blind" test were conducted (without prior knowledge of the devices' characteristics), most people would be unable to distinguish between the different screen resolutions or whether it is a Carta 1000, 1200 or 1300 screen. Sometimes we are more influenced by numbers than by our own visual experience.

I was reminded of a well-known e-reader reviewer (who, in my opinion, is one of the best) who, in his review of the PocketBook Verse Pro, claimed that its screen looked great because it had a Carta 1200 screen, until a user reminded him in a comment that it did not have that type of screen. He had to modify the review on that specific point, but obviously he couldn't retract his statement that the screen looked just as good.

On a personal level, reading on my PocketBook InkPad X (227 ppi) or my Kindle Scribe (300 ppi) is a very similar visual experience for me. It's not the difference in resolution that makes me read on one or the other. But I can't speak for others. I'm simply pointing out that, beyond the cold numbers, one should trust one's own visual experience, which is unique and does not have to coincide with that of others.

As for the InkPad One, it is indeed the price that makes it attractive. In Europe, it is on par with an 8" e-reader, and for those who want a larger e-reader, it is an interesting option (incidentally, the InkPad Lite, with a resolution of only 150 ppi, was one of PocketBook's highest-rated e-readers, which surprised me, but it gives us an idea of the different reasons why someone might want to buy an e-reader without the highest screen quality).

[ottischwenk]

On a personal level, reading on my PocketBook InkPad X (227 ppi)

My favorite work device is a Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro - a 10.3-inch Android 8.1 (2024!) Mobius Wacom device that weighs only 350g and cost me €278 (new) including the cover a year ago.
I wouldn't change it, simply because there is nothing comparable on the market (Android, Mobius, Frontlight, ....).

[pickyaxe]

questions about the stylus (I understand nobody here has this device yet, so I'm just looking for answers with people who have experience with similar devices):
1. how's the stylus experience with Android devices? with my Kobo Elipsa and Libra (both v1) it was basically useless due to incredibly bare-bones software and high input lag.
2. is the button on an active stylus programmable? or at least, exposed to Android? it would be great to use it as a page turn button.

[ottischwenk]

Pocketbook is somehow connected to Bigme, and I assume that's where the stylus comes from.
There is one for large devices with a laser pointer—that's probably not the one.
One was adopted for the B751(C) devices from Likebook/Meebook (with AAAA battery)—this one works on the Likebook P10 and Meebook P78.
And then there is one from the Bigme B7 with wireless charging, which also works on the Meebook M8, and the pen from this device with USB-C on the B7; neither of these work on the B751(C).
I don't know how the technology differs, nor which one is included.
But none of the pens have programmable buttons.

[Frogm4n]

Originally Posted by kandwo

They continue the trend of releasing bad hardware. Here without their saving grace - page turn buttons.

Is just don't get it: why would anyone want to buy a sub-300 PPI e-ink device?

It seems that some manufacturers have found a good deal on old screens and are trying to fool customers into buying old hardware.

This is the same brand that in 2021 released the Inkpad Lite with the ancient 150ppi 9.7" panel that Amazon had used in the Kindle DX in 2009.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

This is the same brand that in 2021 released the Inkpad Lite with the ancient 150ppi 9.7" panel that Amazon had used in the Kindle DX in 2009.

the InkPad Lite, with a resolution of only 150 ppi, was one of PocketBook's highest-rated e-readers, which surprised me,

150 ppi is no longer perceptible to the average eye from a viewing distance of 35 cm.
The ppi craze is pretty silly.