New Pocketbook 10.3" Notepad/Ereader: Inkpad One

[DrChiper]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Long before Sailfish back in the heyday of 8 bit microprocessors, there were multitasking OS available.

Intel's RMX-80 (=Real-time Multitasking eXecutive) comes to mind ... Memories, memories, those were the days

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by nana77

On a mobile phone, or tablet?

We had 32 bit multitasking by the time of analogue mobile/cell, never mind CDMA/GSM (2G).

Multitasking on 8bit and 16bit CPUs was common in the 1980s, but first tablets were PDAs. The Gridpad was 1989 PC type tablet, but earlier tablet type pocket devices existed.

UNIX is from 1976,

There are different kinds of multitasking.

Occam (1983) and Modula-2 (1978) have co-operative multi-tasking in the programming language. Modula-2 is on 8bit, 16bit and 32 bit CPUs. The Transputer had multiprocessor and concurrency support.

You can write co-operative or pre-emptive multitasking in assembler and most computer languages for most CPUs. It typically needs much more RAM to be useful. Security and process isolation are issues on general purpose OS and may need support of Memory Management hardware and CPU privilege levels not available on most 8bit and primitive pseudo 16 bit CPUs such as the 8088/8086. The first viable Intel CPU for a UNIX type OS was the 80286, and MS sold Xenix for it. Later MS sold off Xenix. OS/2 was for the 286. MS had their own version of OS/2 in 1989.

Multiuser is a separate issue from Multitasking. Also multiple simultaneous users may not have per user multitasking.
Compare
MP/M 80 (ran on 8 bit CPU with a multitasking kernel for multiple users at the same time each running only one CP/M program at a time.) There was also MP/M and Concurrent DOS for the 8088/8086 which could even run Win 3.x programs in Real mode.
Win 3.x in Enhanced mode is single user and co-operative multitasking.
Win NT is multiple users, but only one at a time originally, but pre-emptive multitasking.
UNIX, BSD and Linux can support multiple users at the same time and multitasking.

A Real Time OS may or may not have multitasking and / or multiple CPUs.


There is nothing at all novel about Sailfish.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Long before Sailfish back in the heyday of 8 bit microprocessors, there were multitasking OS available.

Originally Posted by nana77

On a mobile phone, or tablet?

Nokia Internet Tablets beginning 2005 and Nokia N900 phone beginning 2009.

[DNSB]

Where was the necessity of running the OS on a tablet or mobile phone mentioned?

Not to mention that even before Sailfish, there were mobile devices capable of running background tasks including video.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Nokia Internet Tablets beginning 2005 and Nokia N900 phone beginning 2009.

Windows XP Tablets in 2002...I was at a launch event in New York. I still have the fancy notepad that was one of the giveaways at the event.
https://news.microsoft.com/source/20...ustry-support/

Shari

[nana77]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Nokia Internet Tablets beginning 2005 and Nokia N900 phone beginning 2009.

Pardon, again: I was wrong as the first multitaking within real live events shown on the minimized application was the N9, iirc (into the mass-market portable devices "ecosystem"?).

Spoiler:

@DNSB: it was mentioned the multitasking feature on Android, I recall it wasn't comparable to those Nokia till years later, as functionalities.

Thanks for all those info and memories, I don't want to derail the thread, btw.
By looking at the Wiki several portable devices had even handwriting recognition, in like... 1989 LOL?
Thought that surely some of those ones had also a magnificent keyboard to type on.

I'd loved, literally, the N900, and the N9.
Edit, and finished the pardons . Errata corrige.

[nana77]

At the moment it seems there are no reviews yet, thought this video has been published:


@shalim: Windows Mobile wasn't bad (imho), btw.
Edit: well, apart having drove down the Nokia ecosystem for 10 years within the Lumia Series (that had some gems too).

[DJUNGELSKOG]

Originally Posted by nana77

@shalim: Windows Mobile wasn't bad (imho), btw.
Edit: well, apart having drove down the Nokia ecosystem for 10 years within the Lumia Series (that had some gems too).

I’ve made a mistake of buying one of these in 2015. It wasn’t bad for the first couple of months, and then they have pushed a new windows mobile version that made the device completely unusable. As an example, it literally took 30 seconds to open the contacts list if I wanted to make a call. Additionally, the back panel of the device has become loose within a year. I only need a phone to make calls, send messages, take pictures and not fall apart, yet my Lumia has failed me even for these basic tasks. In September 2016 my feet have carried me to the Apple Store in Brussels and I left it with an iPhone. End of story.

[nana77]

Originally Posted by DJUNGELSKOG

I’ve made a mistake of buying one of these in 2015. It wasn’t bad for the first couple of months, and then they have pushed a new windows mobile version that made the device completely unusable. As an example, it literally took 30 seconds to open the contacts list if I wanted to make a call. Additionally, the back panel of the device has become loose within a year. I only need a phone to make calls, send messages, take pictures and not fall apart, yet my Lumia has failed me even for these basic tasks. In September 2016 my feet have carried me to the Apple Store in Brussels and I left it with an iPhone. End of story.

I'd bought a Nokia 2720 Flip in 2019 (by HMD Global), it's a budged phone and I needed it for whatsapp; those were phones Nokia produced as for restarting manufacturing after the ten years of down, it isn't manufactured in Finland like the previous ones, and has KaiOS, which takes still those 30 secs to just open contacts etc.
Some Lumia had updates availability, but not all, and some bestest models either didn't had it thought. Btw, there are few that has 4G and not only 3G.
Imho some of them are worth the price, still, yet just to use they for the camera lens (20 or 41mp Carl Zeiss).
Pardon and end of the OT , literally .

[Gormagon]

Originally Posted by Renate

I'm going to buy the "Viwoods AiPaper Reader" because it has an AI button!

I've bought it last year and really like it. For the AI button I disabled the opening of the AI feature, tough. I've clicked it too often by accident.
With the Keymapper app I was then able to refresh the screen with one click and go to Settings with a double click.
Pay attention to the firmware. Viwoods made changes which diabled the remapping of the buttons in firmware 1.3.4 although it works again in 1.3.8. Also adb commands weren't working in 1.3.4 anymore. For 1.3.8 you need a special software from Viwoods to make changes via adb on the Reader. This software is available for Windows, Linux and Apple.
I've contacted Viwoods multiple times via e-mail and they usually responded quite quick and also sent a download link for the mentioned software.

Maybe we should start a Viwoods thread?
Edit: Here it is: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=372886
@Renate
If you want to answer please do so in the new thread.

------------------------

I consider a more recent Android version more useful because I will be able to install updates for apps longer. And if it's possible to use eink with Android 16, like Viwoods have shown, I wonder why other companies stuck with older versions. I could understand it if they offer their products cheaper but that's not really the case with Boox or BigMe.
Updating the Android version of a device is, alas, a rather rare event with eink-based devices. If every company would update the Android versions than it wouldn't be an issue to start with an older version like 15 in 2026.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Gormagon

I consider a more recent Android version more useful because I will be able to install updates for apps longer. And if it's possible to use eink with Android 16, like Viwoods have shown, I wonder why other companies stuck with older versions. I could understand it if they offer their products cheaper but that's not really the case with Boox or BigMe.
Updating the Android version of a device is, alas, a rather rare event with eink-based devices. If every company would update the Android versions than it wouldn't be an issue to start with an older version like 15 in 2026.

All newer versions of Android offer absolutely nothing for E Ink starting with version 12 (movable border in split screen) - they just require more powerful hardware, and when it comes to device security, the biggest enemy is sitting right in front of the screen.

I can do without app developers who (unjustifiably) require the latest Android version - they’re being foolish by losing a lot of customers (those with older versions)

[Gormagon]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

they’re being foolish by losing a lot of customers (those with older versions)

Since I don't pay for apps I'm not really a customer. I use apps from F-Droid, apks from github or free version from the Aurora store with Netguard disabling internet connections for apps and blocking ad servers. Plus I also don't do anything on Android devices that really would require enhanced security, so no banking, mail, shopping etc.

Regarding the Android versions we obviously disagree.

[ottischwenk]

Regarding the Android versions we obviously disagree.

My favorite e-reader for bedtime reading is a Tolino Epos 2 (8 inches – Mobius, Android 4.4, 190g – I’ve already replaced the battery).
My devices for practicing piano sheet music are two Boox Max Lumi 2 (13.3 inches – Mobius, Android 11, Padmu software)
My music notation devices are the Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro (10.3 inches – Mobius, Android 8.1) and the Boyue Likebook Alita (10.3 inches – Mobius, Android 8.1 – battery already replaced); I have two 10.3-inch devices because the battery in the Boyue Likebook Alita was already dead, and at the time I didn’t know of a replacement, so I bought the only available 10-inch Mobius device (with a light).

Again: I don’t care at all about the Android version, as long as it runs what I need.
And there are no other devices on the market that could even come close to replacing mine, except for the Boox Tab X (same Android version), which is also no longer available and has BSR, which I don't need for my purposes and don't want for power-related reasons

[Gormagon]

@ottischwenk

These are all devices you've already bought. Great that you haven't thrown them in the garbage bin. But the topic is new released devices one may buy or not. I wouldn't buy a device at this time with an Android version <16 except if it's cheap for what it offers. And the latest Boox devices are not cheap, besides they have other disadvantages for me.

[ottischwenk]

These are all devices you've already bought. Great that you haven't thrown them in the garbage bin

That's not entirely true - I bought a brand-new Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro (2024, Wacom/Mobius) with Android 8.1 in the middle of last year.
Back then, and even now, there is no Wacom/Mobius 10.3-inch device with frontlight - and that's more important to me than an Android number, which I don't need.
My E Ink devices are tools, and when it comes to them, I don't care how old the (Android) handle is - what matters much more to me is that it fits.
BTW: I also bought a Viwood AIPaper Reader, but not because it runs Android 16 - it’s because it’s slim and has a matte screen. I’d prefer a Moaan Inkpalm 5 Pro with a matte screen and Android 8.1, but it’s only available in China.