Max2 as a writing tool

[peter68]

I use my Max2 not only to read ebooks, but for writing to. I can write long documents (a) without the typical notebook fan noise and (b) without burning my eyes. This helps a lot focusing on what you are writing.

I use a USB keyboard connected through an OTG cable. I switch to A2 mode, that gives less ghost effect and it seems faster. I have installed IAWriter, so that I can format the text in markdown without using the mouse, and I can use it along with dropbox to synchronize with my computer.

The only problem is an annoying delay while typing. It's really short, but since I type quite fast, I can detect typing errors only after I have typed 4-5 new characters. So, I must go back with my cursor and correct typos, rather than simply deleting the last character.

Do you think that this could be improved using a writing app specifically designed for e-ink devices? Is the problem due to the fact that apps on Google Play store are not optimized for e-ink?
Do you know of any text-editor or markdown editor optimized for these devices?

I am interested in sharing your experience as a document writer on Max2. I see a great value in this device as a writing tool.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by peter68

I am interested in sharing your experience as a document writer on Max2. I see a great value in this device as a writing tool.

My foremost interest is for text editing exactly.
My usual setup, Kingsoft Office 5.12.

The use of the device to somehow display a full LibreOffice environment is promising.

(Markdown: well, I want paragraph margins, full text justification and multi-font while I am editing.)

Originally Posted by peter68

I can format the text in markdown without using the mouse,

You never use a mouse for formatting. You [SHIFT]+[arrows] and use other shortcuts to apply paragraph styles, or [CTRL]+[B|I|U...] for exceptional styling.

Originally Posted by peter68

The only problem is an annoying delay while typing. It's really short, [...]
Do you think that this could be improved using a writing app specifically designed for e-ink devices? Is the problem due to the fact that apps on Google Play store are not optimized for e-ink?
Do you know of any text-editor or markdown editor optimized for these devices?

Are you sure you have not simply hit the EPD limit? If the lag is around 150ms, you cannot have better with current e-ink displays.
If the delay is more and chars appear in burst, you should impose a wake-lock, as noted in the past.

Originally Posted by peter68

Do you know of any text-editor or markdown editor optimized for these devices?

It is about time we get an open source rich text editor on Android.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by peter68

I use my Max2 not only to read ebooks, but for writing to. I can write long documents (a) without the typical notebook fan noise and (b) without burning my eyes. This helps a lot focusing on what you are writing.

(c) outdoors. You should try.

[sogaiu]

Originally Posted by peter68

I use a USB keyboard connected through an OTG cable. I switch to A2 mode, that gives less ghost effect and it seems faster. I have installed IAWriter, so that I can format the text in markdown without using the mouse, and I can use it along with dropbox to synchronize with my computer.

The only problem is an annoying delay while typing. It's really short, but since I type quite fast, I can detect typing errors only after I have typed 4-5 new characters. So, I must go back with my cursor and correct typos, rather than simply deleting the last character.

I tried a similar set up: USB keyboard via a hub connected w/ a 'special' cable and iA Writer (nice app, thanks for mentioning it, BTW).

Though I doubt I type as fast as you do, I notice a lag and that there are 4 or more characters on the screen to back up over to fix things -- in my case, I wonder how much of this is due to delay and how much is due to slower reflexes. I tried to compare the experience with typing on a PC, and there I find that the number of characters I end up having to back up over does seem smaller -- possibly 2 or more characters on average.

I don't know if it's of any help, but would using Control+Left improve the situation at all in backing up to the start of words? Admittedly, this would mean retyping words from their beginnings...

Do you think that this could be improved using a writing app specifically designed for e-ink devices? Is the problem due to the fact that apps on Google Play store are not optimized for e-ink?

I'm interested in hearing what mdp has to say about this [LOL, he got here before I finished this post I see...]

My guess from doing some limited testing (for detecting the stylus, touch, and mouse) is not that the input isn't arriving soon enough, but that it's what happens subsequently that is mostly responsible for the delays we are experiencing.

FWIW, Onyx provides an API for stylus use that dramatically improves things, but I didn't come across something for other modes of input. Perhaps someone else knows better.

The technology is so tantalizingly close to something great...

[sogaiu]

Originally Posted by mdp

(c) outdoors. You should try.

Seconded -- quite an amazing difference compared to the typical notebook screen.

[Duolive2]

I heard that the paperlike pro does not have this delay of 250ms, maybe you should sell this device and get paperlike pro it's fast as LCD.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Duolive2

I heard that the paperlike pro does not have this delay of 250ms, maybe you should sell this device and get paperlike pro it's fast as LCD

That's the Dasung. It does one thing, for the cost of all of them. Alone, it's a tray.

What you heard is irrelevant because we are all exposed to hearing things, present proof.

[Duolive2]

Originally Posted by mdp

That's the Dasung. It does one thing, for the cost of all of them. Alone, it's a tray.

What you heard is irrelevant because we are all exposed to hearing things, present proof.

check out and maybe you can make a video from the max carta 2 to show us the difference

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Duolive2

check out and maybe you can make a video from the max carta 2 to show us the difference

Source?

The achievable speed must, in a way or another, be achievable by all devices mounting the same screen.

The known limit of that EPD screen is 125ms (I gave it 25 more for processing), must be valid for all.

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by peter68

I use a USB keyboard connected through an OTG cable.

Hello,

Could you give the reference of this cable, a link ?

Thanks.

[peter68]

Originally Posted by Randy11

Hello,

Could you give the reference of this cable, a link ?

Thanks.

I bought this:
this

and I am waiting for this. I have the link to the .it site, but you can easily find the same on the .com site.

In both cases, you need to plug a USB charger (recommended at least 2A).

The different is the following: with the first cable, you cannot charge the device while typing (there is small switch on the cable to choose). With the second cable, you should be able to charge and type at the same time.

Just pay attention when you unplug the keyboard: there are some steps to follow, otherwise the Max2 will reboot. For example, with the first cable I switch from OTG to Charge using the micro switch and then unplug.

[peter68]

Originally Posted by mdp

My foremost interest is for text editing exactly.
My usual setup, Kingsoft Office 5.12.

The use of the device to somehow display a full LibreOffice environment is promising.

(Markdown: well, I want paragraph margins, full text justification and multi-font while I am editing.)
...
Are you sure you have not simply hit the EPD limit? If the lag is around 150ms, you cannot have better with current e-ink displays.
If the delay is more and chars appear in burst, you should impose a wake-lock, as noted in the past.

I downloaded Kingsoft Office, it works very well, thank you!
It is difficult for me to understand if it's the EDP limit, I'll try to find a way to measure it.

I am new to Android, so I didn't know about wake-locks. I have seen many options on the Play Store to deal with them, such as Automate and Wakelock Detector.

Do I need to root the device? Do you have any suggestion on the software to use?

It would be great if someone can write a complete how-to guide to take the best from the Max2 as a writing tool...

[mdp]

Originally Posted by peter68

I am new to Android, so I didn't know about wake-locks

Thing is, the manifacturer will want to maximize the battery duration, so the system will put everything to sleep as soon as it believes it wise. But it must happen appropriately. In the past, I started seeing odd delays while typing, and also the typed strings appear in bursts (type, nothing happens, touch the screen, the typed appears): that may happen because the device fell asleep during use.
Mind you, this is against anomalies: E-Ink's EPD has a delay - to the best of my knowledge, 125ms is the current minimum achievable. Then, the software may have delays - reasonable ones. I never measured them.

We mentioned these things in past threads. I had to bang my head against the wall for a long time before an unfogged mind suggested the evident culprit.

[peter68]

Originally Posted by mdp

Thing is, the manifacturer will want to maximize the battery duration, so the system will put everything to sleep as soon as it believes it wise. But it must happen appropriately. In the past, I started seeing odd delays while typing, and also the typed strings appear in bursts (type, nothing happens, touch the screen, the typed appears): that may happen because the device fell asleep during use.
Mind you, this is against anomalies: E-Ink's EPD has a delay - to the best of my knowledge, 125ms is the current minimum achievable. Then, the software may have delays - reasonable ones. I never measured them.

That's OK, but the device should be smart enough to detect that it's charging and switch to maximum CPU automatically. This is what happen on laptops. In addition, I suspect that an application optimized for e-ink, built with the manifacturer SDK, could be much more responsive than a general-purpose app written for regular smartphone/tablets. It's so bad that nobody wrote even a simple text editor AFAIK. I would use much more a writing application than the pen-writing notes.

My 2 cents.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by peter68

That's OK, but the device should be smart enough to detect that it's charging and switch to maximum CPU automatically. This is what happen on laptops

It could be like that on Android implementations, I don't know - I type off-power.

Originally Posted by peter68

I suspect that an application optimized for e-ink, built with the manifacturer SDK, could be much more responsive than a general-purpose app written for regular smartphone/tablets

Not really, I cannot think of a facilitator for EPD to improve the speed of rendering/printing typed text.

Originally Posted by peter68

It's so bad that nobody wrote even a simple text editor AFAIK. I would use much more a writing application than the pen-writing notes

Rich text with standard format compatibility is not trivial. Unless it is HTML+CSS...