Onyx Boox Note Pro! (First Impressions)

[Robert Bitzer]

First off, https://ereader.store/en/ was fantastic. I pre-ordered the device last month and it shipped on the advertised day of availability (Monday). It arrived within 24 hours from GERMANY (I'm on the US East Coast) in perfect condition. I'm very happy with my experience.

The device is very nice...its just an incremental upgrade from the Note Plus but I like the improvements. If you have the two devices side-by-side you will notice the barely-perceptible extra layer for the front light.

I don't think it interferes with the contrast or readability in any way...I don't feel like I'm reading through several inches of glass or anything. The original Note had the plastic, non-flush display which was really nice but had questionable durability and needed a screen protector...I'm glad to have the extra protection and the included stylus feels nice when taking notes, even on the glass.

The front-light has adjustable warm and cool lights...you can mix them, sync them, turn them off individually, whatever you want. Adjustment is made from the main menu top bar or within the settings menu of Neoreader (the native reading app). Lighting appears very uniform...it's a really nice display. The front light was the main reason I purchased this one since I mostly read indoors and had become used to a having a front light on my kindles. Sometimes its nice to be in a dimly lit room without turning on a direct light...just having the front light on even a dim setting really helps with the contrast.

The extra on-board memory (4GB) definitely helps the android apps to load quickly & multi-task more smoothly. With 64GB of storage, its hard to imagine needing more on a B&W reading device. Google Play registration was fairly straightforward. I played some audio and it seems like the volume/clarity is better on the new model, but that's probably just subjective. The Note Pro is also slightly heavier than the Note Plus but still very comfortable.

The only downside that I've encountered so far is that the Kindle App is locking up after 1 or 2 page turns. Tinkering with the Optimization settings didn't provide any relief and I submitted a feedback request to Onyx. The have been pretty responsive with getting the Kindle app working in the past so I'm sure it'll be a non-issue down the road. Seems every time there is a firmware update or new model the Kindle app becomes a temporary casualty.

So if anyone's on the fence about purchasing one of these, I think you'll be happy. Looking forward to firmware 2.1!

[Simon_31]

I also got mine today (same shop)!
I have nothing more to add, first impression is very good. The light is really a great additional feature !

[downeaster59]

The problem with the Kindle app is present in other Onyx devices. My Nova, with firmware 2.01, has the same problem with the most recent version of the Kindle app. However, if you install Kindle from Onyx's App Store, and do not let Play Store upgrade it to the most recent version, page turning works much better.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by Simon_31

I also got mine today (same shop)!
I have nothing more to add, first impression is very good. The light is really a great additional feature !

Ditto on that. Very happy with the purchase and I'm sure my wife will be happy to get my Note.

Great service from the ereader.store in Germany.

[Robert Bitzer]

Thanks for the tip on the Kindle app...that did the trick!

[Sheepe]

Do any of yours have issues with pinhole light leaks? I got mine but it has a bright spot in the middle of the display. customer service shoved a spec sheet at me that said 10 spots between .2mm and .5mm are permitted anywhere on the screen.

[Question Mark]

Lighting is pretty even, without any noticeable leaks, on both my Nova Pro and Note Pro.

[Simon_31]

I have no issue with my note pro either, light is evenly distributed.
I did not know this problem, but it looks like it is not new and happens on all ereaders: https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/20...ebook-readers/

[helen19770707]

Originally Posted by Robert Bitzer

First off, https://ereader.store/en/ was fantastic. I pre-ordered the device last month and it shipped on the advertised day of availability (Monday). It arrived within 24 hours from GERMANY (I'm on the US East Coast) in perfect condition. I'm very happy with my experience.

The device is very nice...its just an incremental upgrade from the Note Plus but I like the improvements. If you have the two devices side-by-side you will notice the barely-perceptible extra layer for the front light.

I don't think it interferes with the contrast or readability in any way...I don't feel like I'm reading through several inches of glass or anything. The original Note had the plastic, non-flush display which was really nice but had questionable durability and needed a screen protector...I'm glad to have the extra protection and the included stylus feels nice when taking notes, even on the glass.

The front-light has adjustable warm and cool lights...you can mix them, sync them, turn them off individually, whatever you want. Adjustment is made from the main menu top bar or within the settings menu of Neoreader (the native reading app). Lighting appears very uniform...it's a really nice display. The front light was the main reason I purchased this one since I mostly read indoors and had become used to a having a front light on my kindles. Sometimes its nice to be in a dimly lit room without turning on a direct light...just having the front light on even a dim setting really helps with the contrast.

The extra on-board memory (4GB) definitely helps the android apps to load quickly & multi-task more smoothly. With 64GB of storage, its hard to imagine needing more on a B&W reading device. Google Play registration was fairly straightforward. I played some audio and it seems like the volume/clarity is better on the new model, but that's probably just subjective. The Note Pro is also slightly heavier than the Note Plus but still very comfortable.

The only downside that I've encountered so far is that the Kindle App is locking up after 1 or 2 page turns. Tinkering with the Optimization settings didn't provide any relief and I submitted a feedback request to Onyx. The have been pretty responsive with getting the Kindle app working in the past so I'm sure it'll be a non-issue down the road. Seems every time there is a firmware update or new model the Kindle app becomes a temporary casualty.

So if anyone's on the fence about purchasing one of these, I think you'll be happy. Looking forward to firmware 2.1!

How about taking notes on PDFs? Does that works well?

[helen19770707]

Originally Posted by Sheepe

Do any of yours have issues with pinhole light leaks? I got mine but it has a bright spot in the middle of the display. customer service shoved a spec sheet at me that said 10 spots between .2mm and .5mm are permitted anywhere on the screen.

I also got the same feedback when I reported that there is a bright spot in the screen of my Kindle Paperwhite. The spot is so tiny and is barely noticeable, and keep using this and let it go. And it seems that it was common for ereaders.

[helen19770707]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

Ditto on that. Very happy with the purchase and I'm sure my wife will be happy to get my Note.

Great service from the ereader.store in Germany.

You use the newest Note Pro and you wife use the Note?

[helen19770707]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

The problem with the Kindle app is present in other Onyx devices. My Nova, with firmware 2.01, has the same problem with the most recent version of the Kindle app. However, if you install Kindle from Onyx's App Store, and do not let Play Store upgrade it to the most recent version, page turning works much better.

For your reference, you could fix this with the instructions from Onyx BBS. I happened to see this when I try to check for the firmware update there.

[MrE]

Received mine two days ago, also from ereader.store. Fast service and delivery.

It's my first eInk device after the Kindle I bought nearly 10 years ago. I'm happy with the quality of the hardware and the device in general (especially the built in light is nice).

I'm less impressed with the software, however. The built in reader takes quite some steps to add scribbles in a PDF, highlighting is rather clunky and the app doesn't take full advantage of the stylus button. Sometimes scribbles disappear for no clear reason -- or at least I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I hope the 2.1 update makes the whole note taking process more fluent.

Other than that, reading on the device is a joy. I also like the fact that sideloading Android packages is easy enough, so there's always options to install additional software.

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by helen19770707

For your reference, you could fix this with the instructions from Onyx BBS. I happened to see this when I try to check for the firmware update there.

Thanks! That was the solution. The pages now turn quite smoothly in my Kindle app!

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by helen19770707

You use the newest Note Pro and you wife use the Note?

I was using the Note as my primary reading device, but now that the Pro has arrived, it is time to pass the Note along. That seems preferable to using it as a paperweight.

If my wife ends up liking the and using the Note, maybe she'll eventually upgrade to a Pro. I would certainly encourage it. However, she is always hesitant to invest too much money in expensive tech as she has a tendency to lose and drop things. She's lost two phones and one ereader over the last several years. There have been other close calls where I have picked up a phone or ipad that she has left behind when we have been out somewhere. And then there have been the drops...

But I'd still encourage her to get a Pro if she ends up liking and making good use of the Note.