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

[royconejo]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

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.

Booxtor I really appreciate your help and support and everything you're doing. You worth more than an entire support team. Good support and an open system was everything I was looking for, that's why I've chosen ONYX again despite I was not completely satisfied with the M92. And of course I'm one of the few eager to paid a premium for a device whose only notable feature is a screen technology that few people cares to understand or can be indulgent with its shortcomings.

That being said:

Originally Posted by Booxtor

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.

You say I have a problem that I've caused it myself and I'm dealing with it for some day from now all because I have accidentally clicked on the wrong calibration spots? Really? I'm that stupid? or maybe the fact that a wrong stylus calibration (and the following disability to navigate on Android) has been overlooked by the developers?

So my 700 USD device stopped working for days now, I had to send support emails over and over discarding the official support channels, getting an account here.. just because I clicked on the calibration option and (my fault) missed the targets?

The solution to this problem ended up being a software package that is not offered in the official firmware page and implies re-flashing my entire device to factory defaults. And unfortunately, that solution brought me a display problem.

Maybe it's me.. but It seems a lot just for a stylus calibration that gone wrong. So it's no surprising that this and the stylus bug in the M92 that forced me to stop writing, raise the pen and start again make me wonder about the kind of product a MAX2 could become. For ONYX, progress will not mean keep throwing new hardware every 2 years, but making better software from the start to seduce the 99% of consumers who don't like to be beta testers.

[fbrzvnrnd]

I love my Onyx M96, but —*yes —*we are beta-testing it. I opened a ticket about the font problem in Android App in February and it is still there. I'm talking about February 2016. I can not use Dictionary after 1.8 update. I know is not easy build a firmware for a device, but we are far away from have a working e-ink tablet/reader out-of-the-box.

[ou4read]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

Max 2 (detailed specs are confidential yet) will be also available later this year.
All I can say, Max 2 in comparisson with current competitors (GoodEreader /Netronix and Dasung monitor) would let all them look rather dreary.

I won't be so sure about that. In my observation there have been pioneers who first demanded new E-paper screens (like how Sony and Amazon did with DPT-S1 and Kindle Paperwhite) and followers who utilized the screen later (GoodEreader, Dasung, Onyx, etc.) So even if Onyx is the pioneer this time, there will be new products utilizing the 13.3" Carta screen soon.

And please tell Onyx to build stable software. 1.8 is still unstable I heard and on 1.7.4 and 1.7.5 I still have basic issues like Wifi turning off against the no-sleep option, Bluetooth thinking a device turned off is still on, etc..

[joblack]

Hi all together,

I thought a little bit about the opinions expressed about Booxter and his online shop.

I am a customer for several years now. And of course I had some problems with the devices over the years. Recently I had to send in my Onyx Boox Max to the EReader Store because it didn't boot anymore. It did came back a few days later repaired.

I am highly satisfied with the service. And of course I don't get any money for saying that.

The price tag for such a "niche product" is certainly higher than any mass production e-reader. It's just economically that way.

It is not that something will never ever go wrong. With every device which is so near to the technological edge there will be some problems. Especially on the software side.

The Onyx device software, especially the content reader software, is far from perfect. So there is room for improvement in the future but that counts for every software project.

So keep your expectations to a normal reality level.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by joblack

The price tag for such a "niche product" is certainly higher than any mass production e-reader. It's just economically that way.

From my very own niche of myself.
The price is high, because those screen are a monopoly.
To cut the price of the readers, that we probably will buy anyway (if i can spend 800 euro i can spend 900), the rest of the hardware is seriously
under dimensioned to do task that the screen can do fine
(browsing, office usage, putty usage, email....90% of my work time).

So when a casual observer watch my 8 inches onyx, he suddenly got interested, because we ALL have eyes, but then the interest vanish in few minutes when i tell the cost and i can't assure some of the basic usage above.
The cost is too high for someone just occasionally reading a pdf.

They don't buy those readers, so there is no demand for big screen.
So they cut costs with the rest of the hardware.
So we remain a niche because the devices are...can i say useless ?

And it's not that i don't buy hardware that i seldom use, if the cost is cheap enough and it's spread everywhere.
For example my smartphone has a camera, a fm radio, an nfc reader and probably some other hw features i seldom use.


You say you want a revolution /Well, you know /We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution /Well, you know /We all want to change the world

[filmo]

Yes size is why people buy 13.5 inch readers and it seems too be high cost is why more are not sold. Any Android, or Apple tablet / phone has better processor, and many apps available making these 13.5 inch displays seem a poor value. Their size also limits portability which folding or roll up flexible screen could be a valued feature.

[salamon]

I have recently purchased the Max, for about $640. Does anyone think it would be worth returning it and waiting for the Carta Screen max to come out? My concern is that a higher resolution screen with the same processor will only be slower (the resolution is not a big issue to me now, unless I see the new one), plus a higher price. Is there reason to believe the price will remain similar, and that speed won't be adversely affected?

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by fbrzvnrnd

I can not use Dictionary after 1.8 update.

Have you tried using goldendict with custom dictionaries? It works well on the Android devices I use it on and interfaces with many ereader softwares.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by salamon

I have recently purchased the Max, for about $640. Does anyone think it would be worth returning it and waiting for the Carta Screen max to come out? My concern is that a higher resolution screen with the same processor will only be slower (the resolution is not a big issue to me now, unless I see the new one), plus a higher price. Is there reason to believe the price will remain similar, and that speed won't be adversely affected?

There will always been something better coming down the road; if you play the waiting game for the perfect device, you'll be waiting forever. You presumably bought the Max because it meets your requirements. That will still be the case regardless of what any other device may or may not do in the future. I'd keep it unless you have some strong reason for disliking it.

One thing I've learnt over the years is NEVER to trust estimated release dates. Small companies like Onyx NEVER release things when they say they will.

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by HarryT

One thing I've learnt over the years is NEVER to trust estimated release dates. Small companies like Onyx NEVER release things when they say they will.

Very good advice HarryT !

[joblack]

Originally Posted by underscore

The cost is too high for someone just occasionally reading a pdf.

They don't buy those readers, so there is no demand for big screen.
So they cut costs with the rest of the hardware.
So we remain a niche because the devices are...can i say useless ?

It's in a niche because there is a small set of people who want to read big pdf files and papers.

In my social environment the most (coders and developers) are using Google for research and some paperback books. Three have small Kindles and that's it. They aren't interested in more.

The point is: There seem to be only a small fraction of people who are interested in reading on an e-ink reader and read technical e-books which require a bigger screen. And those extensive readers do like to pay more to get a decent sized screen.

There is generally a smaller market for bigger screens but it exists. If it wouldn't exist Apple wouldn't have released the iPad Pro (13.3 inch device).

You can look it that way: If you use the Onyx Boox Max right you have a knowledge advantage.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by joblack

It's in a niche because there is a small set of people who want to read big pdf files and papers.

In my social environment the most (coders and developers) are using Google for research and some paperback books. Three have small Kindles and that's it. They aren't interested in more.

The point is: There seem to be only a small fraction of people who are interested in reading on an e-ink reader and read technical e-books which require a bigger screen. And those extensive readers do like to pay more to get a decent sized screen.

There is generally a smaller market for bigger screens but it exists. If it wouldn't exist Apple wouldn't have released the iPad Pro (13.3 inch device).

You can look it that way: If you use the Onyx Boox Max right you have a knowledge advantage.

Agreed. I have the big iPad Pro (which is actually 12.9" rather than 13.3" - not that it matters) precisely because I spend a lot of time reading page-scanned PDFs and academic journal articles. It is a very niche market, and the people who are in it are, generally speaking, willing to pay more for a large screen. I'd note that the 12.9" iPad Pro is considerably more expensive than the Onyx Boox Max. The Max seems very reasonably-priced to me; if I were in the market for a large-screen eInk device, it's the one I'd get.

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by underscore

So when a casual observer watch my 8 inches onyx, he suddenly got interested, because we ALL have eyes, but then the interest vanish in few minutes when i tell the cost and i can't assure some of the basic usage above.

The cost is too high for someone just occasionally reading a pdf.

Hi Underscore,

I don't read occasionally a PDF. I can spent many hours with a technical book or a novel. It's a big advantage to have the book (PDF or EPUB) on the e-reader and to have the screen to code.
With Firefox, I use Scrapbook to get a copy of the WEB pages and put them in the e-reader.

For me, a small screen like a 6" (as my Samsung EB60) it's very disturbing to have to change the page too frequently for a novel or a technical document. I like too have a font which is suitable for me, bigger than the default font, so there is less information in one page. A big screen is a really an advantage. If you have a good speed of reading, you pass too many time to change the page, even with the 9.3 " screen of the M92.

In my case, the 'basic usage' is to read some texts, mark some pages, underline some lines.

[fgdas]

There's​ a huge set of people who want to read big pdf files and papers including the government and legal community, the entertainment and music industry, not forget the very first pilots​ were conducted in collaboration with universities.

That is why you'll see updated devices with dual i.MX7 processor including Sony's Digital Paper this summer.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by fgdas

There's​ a huge set of people who want to read big pdf files and papers including the government and legal community, the entertainment and music industry, not forget the very first pilots​ were conducted in collaboration with universities.

Valid points, but how many of these people will want an eInk device rather than a more general-purpose tablet? The eInk device has many benefits (lighter in weight, longer battery life, and better sunlight visibility), but on the other hand you can do so much more with the tablet. That's why I think personally that large-screen tablets are a mass-market (albeit expensive) device, while large-screen eInk devices will continue to be a very niche market sector. (Which is not to say, of course, that companies like Onyx can't be very successful in that niche market.)

That is why you'll see updated devices with dual i.MX7 processor including Sony's Digital Paper this summer.

That's perhaps overly optimistic. We'll see such devices, yes, but I'll personally be surprised if it's in the summer. End of the year's more likely, I think. I have some doubts that Sony will continue in the market; their 13" device doesn't seem to have been hugely successful, and they've already abandoned the eInk fiction reader market.