Considering the Boox Max 3

[avinatbezeq]

So, leaving aside the issue or light, is it a great device for reading PDF files and https://learning.oreilly.com/? For such purposes, would this be much better than an iPad Prfo 12.9" which I own?

[whopper]

Originally Posted by avinatbezeq

So, leaving aside the issue or light, is it a great device for reading PDF files and https://learning.oreilly.com/? For such purposes, would this be much better than an iPad Prfo 12.9" which I own?

It would be inferior in everything to an ipad but the screen in the case you need eink to read

if you can read for hours and retroilumination doesn't bother you or you are fine without eink, don't bother.

this are devices to read for long times without hurting your eyes, nothing else. We pay for the screen

[avinatbezeq]

I do all most of my reading on my Kindle Voyage, and almost nothing (except for Internet browsing) on the computer, iPhone, iPad etc. The latter I do most of the day (as I'm sure most of us so) but this is surfing, not focused reading).

I can not, however, bring myself to read scholarly articles or technical books on either the iPad or the Kindle.

My thought is that maybe it's the "not einkness" of the iPad, and "small screenness" of the Kindle (if you can excuse my inventive English).

The question is - I know that reading on the large screen eInk should be a better experience. But is it in face SO MUCH a better one?

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by avinatbezeq

The question is - I know that reading on the large screen eInk should be a better experience. But is it in face SO MUCH a better one?

Do it in the sun!

[Waiting4somethin]

Originally Posted by avinatbezeq

The question is - I know that reading on the large screen eInk should be a better experience. But is it in face SO MUCH a better one?

Better in what way? Compared to the kindle, it is just bigger and the pages will skip a bit faster. It is lighter than a similarly sized book. But since it is limited by the eink technology, you won't be able to flick through the pages like you might on a book or computer. Edit: that said, there are options to view pages as thumbnails.

[Patrick75009]

Originally Posted by libriworm

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"?

Finally I foundn alternative solution to read my thousand pdf files, to have a speedy and powerful electronic reader, and to save my eyes and my money:

- Buy a second hand galaxy tab pro S with wonderfull 12' amoled screen (black color do not have light emission with oled screen) arround 300€ or any tablet device with large amoled screen

- reset the windows 10 factory version and update it directly from the microsoft download website

- activate the reverse colors display on windows 10 and choose a sepia color for caracteres

- install Pdf reader by Xodo

- activate the night mode in Xodo

Conclusion:
+incredible amoled screen
+light emission only with text and images in Xodo pdf reader night mode
+super speedy zoom on pdf
+graphics and images in colors with converted colors in Xodo
+70 gb free on the ssd disk
+usb 3.1 micro sd card adaptator for 10€
+full useable internet browser
+it’s a computer
+budget divided by 3 with great performances and colors

- it needs time to be comfortable with the reverse display mode (two weeks for me)
- samsung keyboard is a bad keyboard
- pen is not great to write
- battery for 7 to 8 hours
- second hand risk

It works great for me (better than eInk ereaders) but not for all hard readers.
My recommandation: try to test Xodo pdf reader night mode in an amoled or oled screen before to go (xodo is free and available for many operating systems)

[avinatbezeq]

Originally Posted by Patrick75009

Finally I foundn alternative solution to read my thousand pdf files, to have a speedy and powerful electronic reader, and to save my eyes and my money:

- Buy a second hand galaxy tab pro S with wonderfull 12' amoled screen (black color do not have light emission with oled screen) arround 300€ or any tablet device with large amoled screen
...

I must say I doubted this. I though the same can be achieved with Night Mode on my iPad Pro which doesn't have an amoled screen. I turned on Night Mode on the iPad and on PDF Expert both. As the attached picture shows, I was mistaken. The iPad does emit a lot of light, even when displaying a black section using Night Mode.

The photo shows, to the left, my iPad. To the right - my Kindle Voyage. At the background a bottle of mineral water is highlighted

Subjectively, even though it appears the Voyage emits much more light, it's easier for me to use it for reading when the light in the room is lit.

[avinatbezeq]

Originally Posted by Patrick75009

Finally I foundn alternative solution to read my thousand pdf files, to have a speedy and powerful electronic reader, and to save my eyes and my money:

Patrick, could you post a photo of your solution, similar to the one I posted?

[Patrick75009]

Originally Posted by avinatbezeq

Patrick, could you post a photo of your solution, similar to the one I posted?

It's my first picture insert



The amoled black color is real black color in the night
Did you know if some ipad use amoled screen?

[Patrick75009]

Sorry for the bad quality of pictures, my smartphone doesn't like night picture and I had to downsize pictures to upload it here.
In my real screen, the resolution is really better.
My kindle don't have backlight.
I tryed to zoom on a black part of the pdf and it was a full dark in my home.

[avinatbezeq]

The difference between the iPad and the Samsung is amazing.

AFAIK there's no iPad with OLED, and this source hints that the next iPad will have something called MiniLED

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/2020-...display-report

[whopper]

Originally Posted by avinatbezeq

The question is - I know that reading on the large screen eInk should be a better experience. But is it in face SO MUCH a better one?

It's the equivalent of printing those papers to an A4 page and then read them on that paper size. Even better because the display have whatever margins you want, and you can search or do other things. As long as you don't intent to use it with fast scrolling and multiple things at the same time like a tablet, it is a godsend.

I read a lot of papers, technical pdf's and so, and for me is worth it, probably for you too.

[avinatbezeq]

Originally Posted by whopper

I read a lot of papers, technical pdf's and so, and for me is worth it, probably for you too.

Thanks!

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Patrick75009

It's my first picture insert
Attachment 176471
Attachment 176470
The amoled black color is real black color in the night

But the bright spots shine directly into the eyes, which is not the case with illuminated eInk screens.
There light is thrown onto the eInk surface and you can see the reflection.
It is a completely different quality of light

[Patrick75009]

Thank you for the link to the futur oled ipad.
The difference with ipad screen is amazing because the black pixels turn completely off on an amoled display.
So, AMOLED has higher contrast ratios.
If you have oled tv screen or amoled tablet or smartphone, it's possible to test it by yourself with xodo ereader or any other pdf reader with good night mode.