New 13.3" Onyx Boox. Rumours, prototype specs, first pictures

[ghostwheel]

I just wanted to chime in on the new Max, Max 2 debate.

The main problems that the Max currently has is the software (bugs in Notes apps and general incompatibility with android note taking apps and android in general), and the fact that it is somewhat slow. I think the new Max will make things even worse, since it will have a higher resolution, so probably will be even slower. It will also still have the same software problems.

A faster Max 2 will make things better, since it will be faster. But the software is the main issue!!! The ONLY reason I bought max over goodereader was software.

Unless, of course, it is the case that the new screen has its own new API that is much more compatible with all other note taking apps and they automatically work. Then definitely go for the new screen.

[cqman]

Originally Posted by ghostwheel

So the annotation format that Neo 2 uses (which I think is even incompatible with Neo 1) is compatible with GoodNotes?
You mean GoodNotes for iOS? I don't have an iPad/iPhone. Or do you mean the OSX app?

Are there any other apps that are compatible with the annotation format?

OSX app.

The key point is that the exported problematic PDF looks fine with some software such as GoodNotes and PDF EXPERT on OSX. Maybe it's a rendering problem caused by different algorithms.

Once it's exported by GoodNotes, it will be normal anywhere.

If you are a Windows user, try some other PDF reader instead of Acrobat.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by SnowRipple

@Booxtor as everyone on this forum has the right to his own opinion which he kindly shared with us. I don't see anything wrong with it. As someone mentioned it follows naturally that Max 1 will be worse than Max 2, at least on paper.

He criticized other e-readers, so what? We do it on every day basis here. I think it is important to distinguish personal/business comments and I think that comment was Booxtor's personal opinion and not his ereader shop opinion.

Following your logic: a person being an employee of a company A cannot say anything about their competitor, company B. This is violation of the freedom of speech IMHO...

That's ridiculous: Of course he can say something about the competition.

Go back and re-read what I wrote: He is comparing the competition's CURRENT production line against HIS future product - which isn't even out and will (supposedly) have a better screen. I expect so much more from him, and it truly disappoints me that he would come across this way in promoting his own - future - product by disparaging the competition. There's no need for that, as his own (current) product line should speak volumes - most of which is positive (along with the occasional negatives that any product is sure to garner.)

To conclude: Bash the competition! I say DO it!

But keep the field level when doing so, because these posts are also being read by people who may be considering that very competition. As well, it strikes me as the ethical thing to do when conducting a business.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Are you saying you can return it and get the screen exchanged?

Digital artist found dead in home. Details sketchy.

No, how did you come to this conclusion? I was disputing a remark that after the release of Max 2 then Onyx would still have a competition product that still was sold with a Pearl screen which will not be the case. Products that have already been bought cannot be turned in for a new one.

[SnowRipple]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

That's ridiculous: Of course he can say something about the competition.

Go back and re-read what I wrote: He is comparing the competition's CURRENT production line against HIS future product - which isn't even out and will (supposedly) have a better screen. I expect so much more from him, and it truly disappoints me that he would come across this way in promoting his own - future - product by disparaging the competition. There's no need for that, as his own (current) product line should speak volumes - most of which is positive (along with the occasional negatives that any product is sure to garner.)

To conclude: Bash the competition! I say DO it!

But keep the field level when doing so, because these posts are also being read by people who may be considering that very competition. As well, it strikes me as the ethical thing to do when conducting a business.

Again, I don't see any promotion in his post, merely an opinion. Obviously he has access to more information than us, and although he cannot share the specifics because of obvious reasons, he compared it with what's the state-of-the-art right now. It is only natural to compare new devices with current state-of-the-art.

I would not call next Onyx device Booxtor's product, as far I know he is not employed by Onyx, he has his own business going on and sells their products.

Personally, I really appreciate Booxtor's input on this forum, many improvements in Onyx devices were possible thanks to him passing our suggestions. I can only wish that every e-reader company had such a representative on this forum.

Plus he let's us know what we can expect in the future, which is awesome! e.g. everyone who was considering buying Max can wait couple weeks for the version with Carta screen - this is just awesome!

To conclude, I don't see anything unethical with his comment. From what I understand,your problem with his comment seems to be based on the fact that he runs an e-reader business.

If every other user would post it, you wouldn't have a problem with it.

And I say, even business owners can have personal opinions

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by SnowRipple

Personally, I really appreciate Booxtor's input on this forum, many improvements in Onyx devices were possible thanks to him passing our suggestions. I can only wish that every e-reader company had such a representative on this forum.

[Calculon]

Originally Posted by SnowRipple

Again, I don't see any promotion in his post, merely an opinion. Obviously he has access to more information than us, and although he cannot share the specifics because of obvious reasons, he compared it with what's the state-of-the-art right now. It is only natural to compare new devices with current state-of-the-art.

I would not call next Onyx device Booxtor's product, as far I know he is not employed by Onyx, he has his own business going on and sells their products.

Personally, I really appreciate Booxtor's input on this forum, many improvements in Onyx devices were possible thanks to him passing our suggestions. I can only wish that every e-reader company had such a representative on this forum.

Plus he let's us know what we can expect in the future, which is awesome! e.g. everyone who was considering buying Max can wait couple weeks for the version with Carta screen - this is just awesome!

To conclude, I don't see anything unethical with his comment. From what I understand,your problem with his comment seems to be based on the fact that he runs an e-reader business.

If every other user would post it, you wouldn't have a problem with it.

And I say, even business owners can have personal opinions

Well said SnowRipple!

@ Dr. Drib you said:

"Go back and re-read what I wrote: He is comparing the competition's CURRENT production line against HIS future product - which isn't even out and will (supposedly) have a better screen."

Well, unless he has some intel on the ONYX competitors' upcoming products he can't help but compare to current competitive products which, like in the case of Sony, is stuck at the now defunct DPT-S1.

Having come back to this forum after an 8 year hiatus and read many posts recently, I've found Booxtor's posts extremely helpful. This kind of 'conflict of interest' rhetoric simply serves to scare well-meaning forum participants away.

[royconejo]

Is it true that ONYX dare to speak about a MAX2 when most of the users of MAX I know of are far from being satisfied?

I had a simple problem with mine (stylus calibrated at random points on screen) and I challenge Booxtor or anyone with the guts to miscalibrate their MAX and then look for helpful official support or figure out a simple way to fix something that renders your 700 USD device completely useless.

I believe ONYX (or any e-reader provider, let apart Amazon) should first release a decent software for their products instead of keeping throwing us extremely expensive hardware paired with crappy software.

I had an M92 and suffered with a known stylus bug and buggy software. Then this with the MAX.

Its a shame because I love eInk. I was waiting for years for a big enough eInk device to read technical papers then when the MAX came out I paid a premium price for this.. a slow android device that became useless with a stylus calibration. No wonder why so many potential users of eInk devices are looking elsewere.

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by ghostwheel

I'm having problems with export of PDF notes. I tried both Neo 2, and old Neo. Neo 2 gives bigger problems. It is basically unusable. Here is what it looks like on the screen:

and this is what it looks like exported:

(I'm sorry, it could be that the pics are from different tries, but you get the gist). The export is basically unreadable.

On old Neo, this is what it looks like on screen:

and this is what it looks like exported:


Here the export is readable, but it is much too fat. I can't send this - it looks bad.

The result of export should basically look like what you see on screen. Same line width.

This problem (among others) has been fixed in 1.8.2. We are going to release new update very soon.

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by royconejo

Is it true that ONYX dare to speak about a MAX2 when most of the users of MAX I know of are far from being satisfied?

I had a simple problem with mine (stylus calibrated at random points on screen) and I challenge Booxtor or anyone with the guts to miscalibrate their MAX and then look for helpful official support or figure out a simple way to fix something that renders your 700 USD device completely useless.

I believe ONYX (or any e-reader provider, let apart Amazon) should first release a decent software for their products instead of keeping throwing us extremely expensive hardware paired with crappy software.

I had an M92 and suffered with a known stylus bug and buggy software. Then this with the MAX.

Its a shame because I love eInk. I was waiting for years for a big enough eInk device to read technical papers then when the MAX came out I paid a premium price for this.. a slow android device that became useless with a stylus calibration. No wonder why so many potential users of eInk devices are looking elsewere.

I understand your mood about your recent problem. You have caused it yourself and had to deal with it for just a couple of days. I saw your post today and replied to it with a solution. So please don't speak in name of most of the users of Max. We actually really do have thousands of highly satisfied and happy users. There is no perfect reader or perfect software. But we do our best and everything what is possible in our power to keep developing of our software and hardware. Those premium prices are caused not by our avarice for money. Some actually marginal and niche technologies just do have their costs. So we dare to speak about Max 2, because we believe in progress.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

This problem (among others) has been fixed in 1.8.2. We are going to release new update very soon.

Hi Booxtor,
on i86 thread (is there a bugtracking system somewhere?)
we recently alerted about a couple of 1.8.1 bugs, being

- recently read files without titles (just thumbnail)
- can't remove a file from read statistic (so not to have it in recent).
Both bugs are regressions from previous version.

Not to said about the long asked issue with android devices without a proper lock feature.
What's the status about those other bugs?

many thanks

[fgdas]

Originally Posted by royconejo

I believe ONYX (or any e-reader provider, let apart Amazon) should first release a decent software for their products instead of keeping throwing us extremely expensive hardware paired with crappy software.

$449 (tax excl.) is the cost for E Ink's Mobius 1600x1200 display only: http://shopkits.eink.com/product/13-...play-es133ut2/

This display was introduced in 2010.
i.MX6 processor in 2011.
Most applications are simply not supported on ancient hardware/software.
That's why Sony kept successful DPT-S1 on closed Android 2.1 and PDF only.

New i.MX7 launched in 2015 but available only in late 2016.
New E Ink's 13.3" 2200x1650 display will be even more expensive.

Unless there's somebody new making epaper displays your life will remain miserable.
Apps will remain not compatible unless there's a newer​ Android version related to newer hardware - i.MX7.

There was/is a try to produce a different epaper: http://www.oedtech.com/English/produ...enuid=03020101

But this try was suit by E Ink in 2012:
http://www.oedtech.com/English/news/index.aspx

[Pajamaman]

I feel there's a bit of a dichotomy in Onyx users and their needs.

On one hand, type one user wants an e-reader that functions perfectly out-of-the box, Type two user accepts that this is a cutting-edge, multi-use eink tablet that will inevitably present some problems because of all its feature.

I gleefully admit I am a type two user. Onyx and Booxtor consistently push the envelope as much as they can. Without them, we would probably not have large screen e-ink tablets at all. And they would not be feature rich.

The bottom line is, if users want to have the functionality of an open-android OS on an e-ink device, they need to expect to get their hands dirty a bit, and work with the inevitable problems that might arise. It's progress. Otherwise get a Kindle. Kindles just work, and do very little. Like the Sony. They shut it down and made it perfect, and feature poor. Thank heavens for feature-rich Onyx e-ink tablets, and thank heavens for Booxtor's ongoing support of users

Now if I can only make some cash and get a bigger Onyx Boox

[underscore]

I'm fine with some occasional bugs.
I'm also probably interested into Max2 (would love an hdmi port).
I'm just asking if the bugs we discovered on this forum are on the list of the one that will be corrected by 1.8.2
I would love to see that bug list.
I guess that *86,*96 and Max share a major part of the code.

Not to say that those bugs, as i said , are regressions, so are not on new features, it's stuff that worked on the previous version.
I can rollback to previous version...but i will miss new introduced features.

[Booxtor]

@SnowRipple, DaleDe, Calculon, Pajamaman .. and many others. Thanks a lot for your support of my and Onyx dev team efforts and encouraging me to continue my mission.
I really appreciate it!
@underscore. those reported issues were on the todo list for 1.8.2 and have been already fixed. Because of some reasons (convenience and efficiency) our internal bug tracker and todo's are managed in Chinese and is currently not open to the public. You can see a part of it in attached image . Translating it in English would cause additional work. We receive our feed back from our customers and also monitor forums, so we try to fix problems and develop new features based on both: own tests and user reports.

Just to get an idea about our work activities take a look at this screenshot of my Skype window. Over last weekend I didn't participate on discussion of our devteam Skype group and missed over 500 messages: http://clip2net.com/clip/m169244/240....png?nocache=1 It was weekend, Karl!!!