Onyx N96\N96ML is here!

[remo26]

I have a few questions about whether I should by the N96 based on the use case. I am looking to buy this for my wife. We are both attorneys which requires significant handwriting/note-taking. I currently use a Sony Duo 13. My wife currently uses legal pads which need to be input into computer at a later time.

I only became aware of the N96 recently. I was fully intending to buy her the Sony DPTS1, even with the outdated model, steep price, and limited file extensions. I also thought I would use it as well. Then, I came across the Boox Max 13.3. After quizzing my wife about form factor and ergonomics, she felt the 9.7" would be better due to it being more portable. However, comparing a Sony product to this "project" is night and day. Nonetheless, after seeing the features, I figured for the price it can't be terrible.

Now that I am actually getting ready to purchase, and have been reading reviews that span the extremes, I thought I would save some headaches by checking the alignment of my expectations and needs with this machine.

I am going with the N96 Dual Touch because I won't be able to handle all the menu selection with the pen after working with the Duo. However, I am confused why they would put only 512MB RAM in the N96 DT whereas the front-lit N96ML has 1GB. Are there more processing demands because of the light? Otherwise, it feels like I'm getting short-changed.

We plan to use the N96 for 60% note-taking, 20% pdf viewing/editing, 10% ebook reading, and 10% surfing/other. So, the complaints I have read about browsing don't worry me too much.

Here are several questions that I'd appreciate feedback on.

1. Reason for RAM difference on DT/ML models?
2. Could the N96 connect via Wifi to a Sony MP-CL1 pico projector for displaying the screen on a wall? (it works for all Android devices)
3. Any more comments on writing/ palm-rejection quality with a Duo 13 as a comparison?
4. I saw that someone asked about OneNote, any update whether it works?
5. Can notes be managed/organized in folders easily?
6. Can calendar reminders be set easily? Can notes be inserted/attached to alarm events?

Thanks.

[franzli]

Can't help with experience unfortunately, by where did you get the info about the ram difference? On banggood, both the dual touch and the front light model are listed with 1gb RAM.

[franzli]

Regarding your second question, how does the projector connect to android devices? Insofar as the onyx boox devices are regular android devices with Bluetooth, I'd suspect it should work. Only possible limitation would be the old android version (4.0.4) and maybe processing power -though protecting shouldn't be very resource intensive I guess.

[stjoe]

Sharing my experience last night on N96 ML.. Almost made it a paperweight.. I played around with stylus calibration and ended up the stylus recognition was off by so much.. When I tapped at the bottom of screen, it registered the top of screen activation.. Tried to reset to factory default but realized there is no reset button.. Only can use power button to do soft reset, there is no way to do hard reset to factory default without going to setting menu.. But I could not go into setting menu as the stylus recognition was off by almost the whole screen.. Did reset many times by holding power button for 10 seconds, but it is only soft reset.. Was so frustated, spent almost hours tapping almost all points on the screen, tried to get to get setting menu and calibration sub-menu.. Eventually, managed to get to the calibration setting and reset the calibration setting..

To avoid such incident in future, I created 2nd page on Nova launcher, and the whole page populated with calibration icons.. So any time the calibration off by so much, I just flip to next page on Nova launcher using hard button.. And I can tap anywhere to go into calibration setting..

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by stjoe

Tried to reset to factory default but realized there is no reset button..

Are you sure about that?
There is a small hole on the bottom right part and I think the reset button is in it. But I will double check.

[UncleZeno]

After some other days of use of the N96ML I would like to provide some more feedback.

1) Reader stuck in standby.

Yesterday, for the second time since I bought it, the reader got stuck in standby and I could not turn it on in any way. I had to do a soft reset.
I am not sure if this can be related to the cover but, honestly, is really annoying.

2) Onyx Neo Reader lost all my notes!

I was working on one PDF file and taking notes on one page as I always do. Then accidentally I closed the book using "quit" from the menu and when I opened it again I noticed that notes on the page I was reading before closing the file were not there anymore
I then tried to go through other pages where I before was tasking notes (we are talking about almost 80 pages of the pdf with several notes on them) and all of them are note there anymore... sh*t!
Then I tried to take a note, close the file and open it again and simply the reader is not saving anymore any note. To have it working again I had to export the PDF with notes and sart working on this exported file.

I then moved to a different book to check the behavior of notes on it and it seems that now notes are saved. But I am not happy AT ALL. I lost a lot of notes and it seems that this is a sort of bug. I remember that there was a previous review of the reader where someone else had to export notes. Very, very bad. I am wondering if the issue is happening after some amounts notes or after closing/opening the file several times.

3) Handwriting

I still consider the handwriting very good. It's not like using paper and pen but after a bit of practice on how to write with the stylus looks really good. My problem was (and partially still is) that the pen is too bold even if I use the thinnest line, so sometimes letters I write are not clear.
Another thing I don't like is the button on the pen. Very useful to start taking notes without opening menus (you click button and start writing, from now on the note menu is active) but too easy to be clicked while writing... and if you do that the line starts to be incredibly thin so that if you are underlining it simply stops to do it.

4) Missing a quick bookmark button on reader.

One thing I think should be implemented as priority is a quick way to open bookmarks and/or have tabbed bookmarks (this would be a lot better)... I mean to have maybe 3/5 tabs where you have latest bookmarks opened. In this way you can jump from one page to anther in a quick way, instead of clicking several buttons before reaching the bookmark you need.

5) books library organization to improve.

I think that there is a lot to improve also on the organization of books in library... still too much confusing and if you have a lot of books it's a bit unconfortable to find what you search for.

UncleZ

[stjoe]

I also thought it was a reset button, tried to poke several times, no response till I read the user guide.. Found out it is mic hole..

Originally Posted by UncleZeno

Are you sure about that?
There is a small hole on the bottom right part and I think the reset button is in it. But I will double check.

[UncleZeno]

Originally Posted by stjoe

I also thought it was a reset button, tried to poke several times, no response till I read the user guide.. Found out it is mic hole..

Indeed.
According to FAQ of M96 it seems to be hidden somehow. I don't have the device with me now but I am pretty sure that we have a hardware reset...

http://www.onyxboox.com/faq/

UncleZ

[A.Rezkin]

Originally Posted by increduloussus

Some more observations:

I have my word-processing app set to automatically rotate to landscape on opening. Speaking of which, that app is "TextMaker Mobile". There are other (more advanced) apps by the same company, and others with sweeter features, but this is the only one I have found that works reliably.

I downloaded TextMaker Mobile, but every time I attempt to open it it says 'System Error: Unable to initialize OpenGL engine.'

[annalisa.x]

Originally Posted by UncleZeno

5) books library organization to improve.

I think that there is a lot to improve also on the organization of books in library... still too much confusing and if you have a lot of books it's a bit unconfortable to find what you search for.

UncleZ

I agree , i am going mad, is there any solution? (a good app - reader- organization tool or...i don't know).I need a confortable library with possibility to see what i have already read quickly, mark books i am going to read with a symbol ..something like "MARK AS READ" "MARK AS TO READ" etc. (present also in my oldddd pocketbook - year 2011)
This on the n96 is not an handy way to organize a large number of books but I think we all have a large number of books , we don't buy a 400+ euro device if we dont
Please help me if you can.
sorry for awful english. Ciao.

[UncleZeno]

I also noticed that the battery is draining without apparent reason.
Not using the reader for few days (like 2 or 3) and having it in standby is anyway causing the battery to completely drain.

I am suspecting that the cover is the reason of this issue. I will try to remove it next week to check what happens.

BTW do you know if there is a way to prevent the original cover to influence the standby/turn on behavior?

I am quite disappointed about all these "bugs/missing features".

[annalisa.x]

I use it without cover cause for me cover is bulky , i set brightness to level 3 to read, it seems battery has long life , i have it from 3/6 and now it's 25/6
I have connected once the device to pc and so this charged battery a little, so i cant tell you exactly how much it lasts, but i don't have noticed this problem

[jlark]

Originally Posted by UncleZeno

Yesterday, for the second time since I bought it, the reader got stuck in standby and I could not turn it on in any way. I had to do a soft reset.
I am not sure if this can be related to the cover but, honestly, is really annoying.

UncleZeno, I own the new Boox Max, and it has the exact same issue. There was also another report on the Max thread, so it must be a common software / platform problem. For me it happens when I leave it in standby for a long time (overnight), but not always.

[jlark]

Originally Posted by stjoe

Tried to reset to factory default but realized there is no reset button.. Only can use power button to do soft reset, there is no way to do hard reset to factory default without going to setting menu..

stjoe, you can do a factory reset from recovery mode: while it is powered off, hold down the back button, and power it on. Keep the back button pressed until it boots into recovery, and there you'll have a "wipe data / factory reset" menu item.

[The Inktelligent]

Originally Posted by remo26

I have a few questions about whether I should by the N96 based on the use case. I am looking to buy this for my wife. We are both attorneys which requires significant handwriting/note-taking. I currently use a Sony Duo 13. My wife currently uses legal pads which need to be input into computer at a later time.

I only became aware of the N96 recently. I was fully intending to buy her the Sony DPTS1, even with the outdated model, steep price, and limited file extensions. I also thought I would use it as well. Then, I came across the Boox Max 13.3. After quizzing my wife about form factor and ergonomics, she felt the 9.7" would be better due to it being more portable. However, comparing a Sony product to this "project" is night and day. Nonetheless, after seeing the features, I figured for the price it can't be terrible.

Now that I am actually getting ready to purchase, and have been reading reviews that span the extremes, I thought I would save some headaches by checking the alignment of my expectations and needs with this machine.

I am going with the N96 Dual Touch because I won't be able to handle all the menu selection with the pen after working with the Duo. However, I am confused why they would put only 512MB RAM in the N96 DT whereas the front-lit N96ML has 1GB. Are there more processing demands because of the light? Otherwise, it feels like I'm getting short-changed.

We plan to use the N96 for 60% note-taking, 20% pdf viewing/editing, 10% ebook reading, and 10% surfing/other. So, the complaints I have read about browsing don't worry me too much.

Here are several questions that I'd appreciate feedback on.

1. Reason for RAM difference on DT/ML models?
2. Could the N96 connect via Wifi to a Sony MP-CL1 pico projector for displaying the screen on a wall? (it works for all Android devices)
3. Any more comments on writing/ palm-rejection quality with a Duo 13 as a comparison?
4. I saw that someone asked about OneNote, any update whether it works?
5. Can notes be managed/organized in folders easily?
6. Can calendar reminders be set easily? Can notes be inserted/attached to alarm events?

Thanks.

Hi Remo 26!

First off, I have to qualify my advice to you by saying that I have NO experience with the Onyx Boox N96. However, that being said, I do have experience with the Onyx Boox M96 (the N96's predecessor) and the i86 (an 8 inch screen model) as well as the Sony Digital Paper (DPT-S1).

For the kinds of use you are talking about, I would have to suggest that the Digital Paper is your best bet.

The M96 is a versatile unit to be sure, but its ability to export scribbles correctly to PDFs has NEVER worked for me. It's really sad to hear, but from what I read on this thread Onyx hasn't done much to improve the N96's export reliability. The i86 is better, but it's export of scribbles on PDF is also not totally reliable in my experience.

For a student, I think Onyx's products are really great as they offer versatility and the ability to interact with their documents via mark-up. However, I imagine that in your legal setting, you're going to need to count on your device to perform reliably every time you use it. For that, the Sony DPT-S1 is still the best I know of.

I really want to recommend Onyx's products, because they show such potential....their hardware is fantastic...now if they only devoted more time to making their software reliable! But, for the record, I equally would be wary of going for that Good E-reader 13.3 unit....a LOT of concerns there too from what I hear...

[edited - MODERATOR]