Boox Phone Reader?

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by norweger

Thanks. I had all but forgot about them, since they didn't have Google. The A5 CC Pro looks remarkable. It could very well be it would be the trick. I see there are threads floating around on getting Google Apps on it, and rooting. Do you have any belief in that? I guess CECT shop would sell a rooted version in case it was possible.

Thanks for the heads up on some app not working properly on rooted A5 as well. I think I might just have to take a chance on this phone.

I love both my A5 and my A5 Pro CC. However, be aware that the A5 Pro CC has a significantly darker screen than the A5 because of the extra layer/filter for the colour. That means you may need to use the frontlight a bit more than on the A5. For me, that is not an issue. However, for some people with light sensitivity issues, it might be a problem.

The colours on the A5 Pro CC are very muted. For me, that is no issue at all. I am not expecting it to behave like an LCD or LED screen. I got it for using with maps and other such applications where having a slight bit of colour can make a huge difference in term of readability. You can see some of the photos which I posted on page nine in this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...=329162&page=9

In one post, I uploaded pictures of a map inside with the light on full. A few days later, I posted pictures of the same map in direct sunshine with the light off.

I do hope that Onyx eventually comes out with a phone if only to push Hisense to further refine theirs. Competition can be a very good thing for innovation. However Onyx definitely has their work cut out for them. Right now, I do more reading on my Hisense devices than on my Onyx ones except when I need to read a PDF on a large screen or take notes.

[Philju]

I just posted the following comment with ONYX BOOX facebook:

"Like many other potential customers I am waiting for an e ink smartphone with Google services support for many years now. At CES 2020 ONYX showed off the prototype of a new e ink smartphone. At this event you announced that this device will be brought to market „within a few months“. Since then you did not publish any news about this project. Why not? Is this device being postponed – or perhaps even cancelled? In my opinion your customers deserve frequent information after being tempted by your announcement. So please do better from now on."

As a result, not only my posting had been removed instantly, but also my facebook account had been blocked immediately. At present I am going through the facebook unblocking procedure. I have no idea how long this procedure is going to take and what the outcome will be.

So far I believed living in a free, uncensored part of the world. Now I know that this opinion needs to be revised.

[norweger]

Originally Posted by Philju

As a result, not only my posting had been removed instantly, but also my facebook account had been blocked immediately. At present I am going through the facebook unblocking procedure. I have no idea how long this procedure is going to take and what the outcome will be.

So far I believed living in a free, uncensored part of the world. Now I know that this opinion needs to be revised.

Ugh. That reaction is very ... Chinese.

I am with you, and pardon me for digressing. Me and my sister talk a lot about this. How it's like, we had the 1968 generation, now the 2016 generation is coming, where we get more censorship even in the West. Where you may say whatever you want, but maybe not if your words are hurtful, critical, sarcastic, hilarious or funny at someone's expense or simply inconvenient.

The worst thing about censorship is ███ ██████ ███████. I hope they unban you, buddy! That reaction was utterly uncalled for.

[norweger]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

I love both my A5 and my A5 Pro CC. However, be aware that the A5 Pro CC has a significantly darker screen than the A5 because of the extra layer/filter for the colour. That means you may need to use the frontlight a bit more than on the A5. For me, that is not an issue. However, for some people with light sensitivity issues, it might be a problem.

The colours on the A5 Pro CC are very muted. For me, that is no issue at all. I am not expecting it to behave like an LCD or LED screen. I got it for using with maps and other such applications where having a slight bit of colour can make a huge difference in term of readability. You can see some of the photos which I posted on page nine in this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...=329162&page=9

In one post, I uploaded pictures of a map inside with the light on full. A few days later, I posted pictures of the same map in direct sunshine with the light off.

I do hope that Onyx eventually comes out with a phone if only to push Hisense to further refine theirs. Competition can be a very good thing for innovation. However Onyx definitely has their work cut out for them. Right now, I do more reading on my Hisense devices than on my Onyx ones except when I need to read a PDF on a large screen or take notes.

Thanks!

Now I am wondering if I should get the A5 Pro or A5 Pro CC. I might buy both and keep the best.

Does the A5 and A5 Pro CC fill somewhat different functions for you? I need a phone for handling audiobooks, some browsing (the faster the better), reading, Anki flashcards (preferably with colors) and such. GeoGebra calculator as well.

I do have light sensitivity, but if it's muted, compared to LCDs, then it's prolly fine. I am looking forward to getting my hands on a Hisense now.

I will prolly not buy from CECT shop, but I asked them now if they could sell the new Hisense with Google Apps, like this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/eink/commen...hisense_a5pro/

I'll prolly buy here, due to 14 day return policy.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...72b86f47zs2X7t

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by norweger

Does the A5 and A5 Pro CC fill somewhat different functions for you? I need a phone for handling audiobooks, some browsing (the faster the better), reading, Anki flashcards (preferably with colors) and such. GeoGebra calculator as well.

I was so happy with my A5 that I decided to try the A5 Pro CC. I wanted the Pro model for the increased RAM and I also wanted 128 GB of internal memory. I decided to go for the colour version because I thought it would be better for maps and it is. The display is definitely darker, but that doesn't bother me. I now use it as my main ereader.

As for the A5, I am much more comfortable walking about with it in a pocket full of keys now because I know that I have another phone if anything should happen to it.

Originally Posted by norweger

I'll prolly buy here, due to 14 day return policy.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...72b86f47zs2X7t

I bought my A2 Pro from a vendor on ALiexpress without any problems. When I initially tried to get my A5 on Aliexpress, it was a huge headache. Other people here on MobileRead had similar experiences which is detailed on the thread I linked to. I eventually got all my money back, but it took a while and was frustrating.

I'm not sure what "14 day return policy" you are talking about. You can return a product if it is damaged or not as described, but I don't believe you can return a product just because it didn't live up to your expectations if it is in working order.

Although some vendors offer a satisfaction guarantee with a free return for certain products, I didn't see such a guarantee for this product. So you may want to check into that carefully before purchasing two phones or you might get stuck with both of them.

[Philju]

@norweger:
Thanks!!

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by norweger

Now I am wondering if I should get the A5 Pro or A5 Pro CC. I might buy both and keep the best.

As I imagine that the screen of the A5 Pro is similar to the A5, I have attached two photos comparing the screens of the A5 and the A5 Pro CC.

The A5 is on the left in the photos. They were taken inside in the middle of the day with just the natural light coming in through the window. One photo was taken with the frontlight at 100% on both models. The other was taken with the frontlight off on both models. They were both opened to the same page of the same ebook in Moon+ Reader Pro. All settings were the same.

[norweger]

Thanks a million, Question Mark.

The non-color A5 looks better to my eye, from your pictures, but as the A5 Pro CC is your main reader I bought such a color device, and hopefully it'll be my main reader.

And yeah, Aliexpress—damn that can be frustrating. I was cheated at Aliexpress last year, and went through all the motions: Chatting with the bot, chatting with the vendor and the complaint board, and after a six months long Kafkaesque process, where I had to repeat everything to everyone, I got my money back.

The Aliexpress vendor, "chinaphone Store", said to me in a PM he had a policy of return "14 days you pay return shipping", so I am just going to roll with it. DHL shipping to me.

Originally Posted by Question Mark

So you may want to check into that carefully before purchasing two phones or you might get stuck with both of them.

Advice heeded. I am thinking color is best, as I might use it for Anki as well. So if it works, it works.

[norweger]

Onyx Phone will not come out this year

A brand new Onyx Boox phone was showcased at this years Consumer Electronics Show and many people thought it would be out sometime this year. This is not the case and I have it on good authority that it will not come out until 2021.

(...)

Onyx has told me that this device shown at CES is a prototype and it will be refined and more specs will be shared in a month or two

(...)

What exactly is Onyx going to do to the phone. I believe that aside from upgrading Android, they might add a color filter array, so it can display 4,096 colors. They could also be upgrading the processor to modern Snapdragon one. At least we know for certain that the Onyx Phone will not released this year and it has not been killed off in development, but will eventually see the light of day in 2021.

https://goodereader.com/blog/onyx-bo...-out-this-year

[norweger]

Originally Posted by norweger

The Aliexpress vendor, "chinaphone Store", said to me in a PM he had a policy of return "14 days you pay return shipping", so I am just going to roll with it. DHL shipping to me.

I paid through the nose for express shipping, but now he says he cannot ship because Chinese National Holiday. Not a word of that before I ponied up for DHL.



Why, oh why couldn't CECT shop have some sort of return policy, so I wouldn't have to enter the Aliexpress quagmire. Foot deep already. Hope I won't sink.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by norweger

Why, oh why couldn't CECT shop have some sort of return policy, so I wouldn't have to enter the Aliexpress quagmire. Foot deep already. Hope I won't sink.

Sorry to hear about your delay.

As for CECT shop, they do have a refund policy. If a product arrives damaged, defective or not as advertised, you can return it for replacement or refund.

However, they don't accept refunds if it's simply a case of you being unsatisfied with the device if it is in proper working order.

While a vendor on Aliexpress might claim to have a Satisfaction Guaranteed policy, I would be very skeptical about it, especially if it is not advertised on the product page. I would hold onto that email if I were you.