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

[MikeS66]

Hi Medwatt,

Being an old computer freak since the 80's compels me to find it necessary to have some sort of experience/knowledge, before I even touch (or buy) a device. Android (which I have successfuly ignored up to now - believe me it wasn't easy) is a bag of worms I'll have to chew down now...

You're right : 9.7" is clumsy, but only in a bed (though it does depend on the size of the human using it). Please don't missunderstand me, I don't want to degrade an 8", in order to glorify my 9" reader. I've just got so used to it that I'm hooked.

Seeing your snapshot: yes, I also read like that, but after a half hour I switch from my left to my rightside, after 1 hour I switch to laying on my back; so setting up my reader (with backside support) is sort of moot, since I mostly read several hours.

Anyway, thank you for your friendly answer.
Mike

[rchiang]

Originally Posted by esfandiyar2002

As it shows,the opportunists once again come in scene from the shadows to present what Onyx already have in hand.It seems that the only superiority of their model to the Onyx Max is to have both dual touch and stylus pen working.They claim that Onyx Max is limited to pen,but theirs works for both.The battery capacity of theirs is 1270 compared to 4100 of Max.

I was going over the two spec pages for the Good 13.3" eReader and Onyx Boox Max, and I noticed a few other differences:

• Weight
  
  350g for the Good, 490g for the Onyx Boox Max. Presumably this is due to the difference in battery specs.
  
• Battery Life
  
  Both claim a month for standby battery life. I'd expect to see some difference in the real world given the respective capacities.
  
• RAM
  
  512MB for the Good, 1 GB for the Onyx Boox Max.
  
• Built-in Storage
  
  4 GB for the Good, 16 GB for the Onyx Boox Max. Given that some is used by the OS, there may be some issues with app capacity if you install a lot of Android apps.
  
• Bluetooth
  
  Bluetooth supported in Onyx Boox Max. No mention one way or the other in Good.
  
• SD Slot
  
  The Good mentions "SD" while the Onyx Boox Max mentions "microSD". I'd bet both are microSD, but the maximum capacity might be interesting to see (64GB/128GB/200GB sizes not explicitly mentioned as supported).
  
• microUSB interface
  
  Explicitly mentioned in Onyx Boox Max. No mention in Good.
  
• Audio
  
  Explicitly mentioned in Onyx Boox Max (Built in speaker and microphone, Speaker jack). No mention in Good.
  
• Open Source Firmware
  
  Good will release their firmware as Open Source. We'll see if this is a benefit in the long-run. No judgement here, just an observation.
  

[allochi]

@MikeS66
The Hanvon has a reflective screen, as much as I can see from the photos and the videos. One of the reasons you would spend that much on an ereader is to have non-reflective non-radiating reading experience.

@rchiang
You have to mention the usability and stability that Onyx reader software has, the ability to configure your reading experience, I'm using the M96+ with a lot of PDFs, all of my PDF documents required some kind of adjustment/cropping, now, maybe with a 13" screen I don't need to zoom or crop, but I highly doubt that, since pdfs come in different formats and shapes. Open Source Firmware, means I have to wait for someone to release a software in the future. while Onyx already has a battle proven software.

The only things that is holding me from getting a Max now is the weight and lack of buttons, I know that my M96+ weights 530g, which makes the Max 40g lighter, still, I prefer the 350g, I always have my reader with me in my backpack with the laptop, reading whenever I get the chance to do so, in the bus, at work or in a cafe.

I'm not sure if the design of Max-touch has been fixed but I really hope it will have a lighter weight, I'm probably going to wait for that model.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I got the device on Tuesday. I haven't had enough time to form an opinion.

And are you sure I said that "Booxtor agreed first,then didn't respond"? That doesn't match with how I recall events playing out.

It would be really useful for some of us on the fence to know how it works with OneNote. If you can, please test it.

[espinosa00011]

Originally Posted by rchiang

I was going over the two spec pages for the Good 13.3" eReader and Onyx Boox Max, and I noticed a few other differences:

• Weight
  
  350g for the Good, 490g for the Onyx Boox Max. Presumably this is due to the difference in battery specs.
  
• Battery Life
  
  Both claim a month for standby battery life. I'd expect to see some difference in the real world given the respective capacities.
  
• RAM
  
  512MB for the Good, 1 GB for the Onyx Boox Max.
  
• Built-in Storage
  
  4 GB for the Good, 16 GB for the Onyx Boox Max. Given that some is used by the OS, there may be some issues with app capacity if you install a lot of Android apps.
  
• Bluetooth
  
  Bluetooth supported in Onyx Boox Max. No mention one way or the other in Good.
  
• SD Slot
  
  The Good mentions "SD" while the Onyx Boox Max mentions "microSD". I'd bet both are microSD, but the maximum capacity might be interesting to see (64GB/128GB/200GB sizes not explicitly mentioned as supported).
  
• microUSB interface
  
  Explicitly mentioned in Onyx Boox Max. No mention in Good.
  
• Audio
  
  Explicitly mentioned in Onyx Boox Max (Built in speaker and microphone, Speaker jack). No mention in Good.
  
• Open Source Firmware
  
  Good will release their firmware as Open Source. We'll see if this is a benefit in the long-run. No judgement here, just an observation.
  

I do not like the memory of the Good I think that for android is better at least 1GB but the open firmware in my opinion is an advantage because makes the possibility to develop custom firmware from a comunity. You can see www.xda-developers.com with many good custom firmwares for tablets and mobile phones, all of them are android. Sometimes the custom firmware is even better than the "stock" or official firmware, sometimes the firm drops the development of firmware, but the comunity still makes new updates and new firmware. I have an Onyx M90 and Onyx droped the support of this model before a year to produce and support M92.

The unique point here is if this device will receive "attention" from a comunity of developers to develop custom firmware. But the fact that the firmware is open is a clear advantage, at least, at first.

Hi, espinosa00011

[espinosa00011]

Originally Posted by allochi

@MikeS66
Open Source Firmware, means I have to wait for someone to release a software in the future. while Onyx already has a battle proven software

.

Hello, I am a Computer Enineering professor. Open firmware does not mean that you have to wait that any other person update the software. It means that it exists the possibility for others to update the software because the sotware is freely distributed as source code. But the original company or producer of the device which distribute the software can update the software as many times as they want and can continue supporting the firmware if they want to do it after their initial release. You will have an "stock" or official firmware from the company and "alternative" or "custom" firmware from others (if anyone wants to develop it).

In the case of Onyx with a close firmware you have to wait that Onyx updates the firmware, but there exist not the possibility to other to do it, you can have a free version of android from another source but you will not have drivers for the device and some other things distributed from the company as it is not code free. So if Onyx finishes their support for this model you have the definitive and final firmware and you will not have further updates. In the case of an open firmware there exits the possibility to update the firmware even the original company drops the support. Of course the device needs to receive "attention" from a comunity to develop an update the firmware.

I agree with you that the firmware from Onyx has a more development run at the moment. But that this not mean it will be better af the final stage.

To be more clear, for instance I have a chinesse tablet Teclast X98 Pro with dual boot, it can boot in android and windows 10 and the best firmware for Android is not from Teclast is from Mirek a particular person who develops the software. And furthermore the software from Teclast has received very few updates and the software from Mirek has received at the moment the 4rd update, there are four stages of software development. Sometimes a custom firmware is better than the software developed from even the original manufacturer which only wants to sell devices but the firmware is a cost and not a profit after selling the device so they will not continue forever supporting the device. But in the case of "Mirek" I suppose it is his hobby and can last more than even the original company.

Hi, espinosa00011

[iacchi]

Since the device is almost out now (and I will surely buy it in a couple of months), is it possible to know the screen dimensions (wxh)? We know the screen resolution and the device dimensions, but I haven't found anywhere the screen dimensions. Whoever has booxtor device at the moment, just a ruler measurement would be fine.

Thanks!

[fozzedout]

Question:

Is the thickness of device, at the bottom bezel (the thickest point), really 7.5mm?

On the website it say "Size 325 x 237 x 7.5 mm"

I looked through that video, and it looks thicker than a mere 7.5mm...

In fact, it looks tapered - so I could believe 7.5mm at the top.

[moussaieh]

Originally Posted by iacchi

Since the device is almost out now (and I will surely buy it in a couple of months), is it possible to know the screen dimensions (wxh)? We know the screen resolution and the device dimensions, but I haven't found anywhere the screen dimensions. Whoever has booxtor device at the moment, just a ruler measurement would be fine.

Thanks!

resolution 1200x1600
density=sqrt(1200^2+1600^2)/13.3=150 ppi
width = 1200/150= 8 inch
height = 1600/150 = 10.67 inch

[HarryT]

That is of course the right answer, but there's a much simpler way to arrive at it. It's a 4:3 aspect ratio screen, and is, therefore, a 3:4:5 right-angled triangle. You know the diagonal is 13.3", so:

Width = 13.3 x 3/5 = 8"
Height = 13.3 x 4/5 = 10.6"

QED.

[iacchi]

Honestly, I thought about calculating it through the dpi as well, but the screen doesn't look like it has a 4:3 aspect ratio from the pictures, does it?

[joblack]

Hope I can test it myself, soon. Booxter ... how are the Max deliveries doing?

[joblack]

Attention! Since the produced quantity of newly presented Onyx Boox models is sold out very quickly and because of current delivery shortages by our supplier, some delays of up to 4 weeks by shipping of orders are possible. It affects in first line our customers, who is going to place his orders presently. Please accept our apologies for possible delays and thank you for your indulgence!

http://ereader-store.de/en/75-onyx-boox-max.html

There seem to be a supply shortage. I am really glad I did pre-order a month ago.

I cannot wait to get the device. Anyway, enough 'fanboy-ism' for today.

[underscore]

It's not just the Max, everything is out of stock...
it's 3 weeks i'm checking for an I86 to substitute my broken m92 :-(

[joblack]

The information 'end of April' is gone.

I am confused. What does that mean? No more information on the status or delivery date.