FULL REVIEW: The Inkpad Color 7.8"

[Neil]

The Pocketbook Inkpad Color has proven itself to me as being a very recommendable color e-ink tablet. I received the unit after waiting weeks to find it in stock somewheres. I had already had experience with the Pocketbook Color device which preceded this 7.8” screen with a smaller and earlier version 6” screen.So, I already suspected the new guy would require a software update. The basic user interface on this Linux-based reader was the same as the earlier one. So I quickly went to settings and software update. I mention this first as I think getting the update might be very important. On my Pocketbook Color 6” device I had been not terribly happy with the color until a software update seemed to improve it a very big amount. So, I recommend before you do anything with the Inkpad Color 7.8” device that you update the software.

While the 7.8” Pocketbook InkPad Color downloads and installs its update go on another computer and download the user manual from Pocketbook’s site. The User Manual is actually available in the new settings app as a choice at the bottom of the settings list. But, even so, I recommend that you download and print out the manual. Page-flipping is often the easiest way to find info. But whether you read the electronic manual on the Inkpad Color, read it as a PDF on your main computer’s big monitor, or print it out and take to your armchair — this is a well-designed and worthwhile manual to peruse and refer to.

The first thing I did was to sideload a few comic books and one or two ebooks. The unit has a “library” button which will quickly access material in the main memory or a plug-in mini-SD card of up to 32G (actually if you check this forum many report using much bigger cards formatted specially.) Anyway, I first called up one of my favorite comics. Now on the 6” device it was acceptable but very hard to read due to the size. 7.8” screen may not sound much better than 6” but — well, wow. The 7.8” screen was much more like holding a comic book. The default color was acceptable but I am a tweaker and went right to settings. First I reduced the color saturation to zero so that it was black and white. On the now black and white screen I carefully adjusted the contrast and brightness and adjusted the back light also until The black and white was sharp and clear. Then I upped the color saturation. OK, it never ever gets to where a tablet would show vibrant colors. But it gets to a level where if, like me, you enjoy cutting-edge technology it is one exciting moment to first see the color screen on this maxed-out to its best performance. I love it. I am sorry to be subjective but I don’t know another way to describe the color and resulting reading experience.

With the settings set to refresh with every page turn there is no ghosting at all when you turn a page. The new page opens quickly and fills in clearly. You can really find that you are immersed in this device and that the actual mechanics go away and you are left simply reading and enjoying.

What I understand from the manual is that the default is set by the program dependent on each file. And I have opened many files from different sources and of different qualities. Every first opening was within acceptable quality. But tweaking always does help a little. BUT it is optional. The reading software is that good on its own. If you want to try my settings, then for most of my comic books I have found to go into settings and: First in the display tabs set to fill the page and leave it there; then go to the adjustments and I set the contrast to plus 5, the brightness to plus 1, the gamma (worth Googling that if it is a new term to you) to plus 1.5 and color saturation to plus 4. Again, your subjectivity is different from mine. But do try my advice of killing color and adjusting the brightness and contrast (and gamma) and only then bringing up the color.

Then I called up my Gutenberg ebook of Anthony Trollope’s THE WAY WE LIVE NOW. Whenever I first use an ereader of any ilk I have a weird desire to use a work written in the 1800’s — you know, Dickens, Trollope, Austen maybe. I was really curious to see how the Inkpad Color would compare to my Kindle Oasis 3. The resolution is spec’d 1872 X 1404. The Oasis 3’s spec is 1680 X 1264. Close.

The Oasis 3 has a warmth light which I like as well as the usual “cold” backlight. The Inkpad Color has just the cold light (as do most other ereaders). So, to me, the Oasis wins because of that. However, I decided to compare it with my older Oasis 2 which does not have the warm, second light. More like comparing oranges with oranges. The Oasis 2 still wins but not hugely. The Inkpad Color has one small display problem. The two upper LEDs inside sort of shine out a little from below the top bezel. This causes a little bit of bright and uneven light at the very top of the display. Frankly, I would not ever have noticed this if I had not been in super-critical, reviewing mode. But it’s there. Then, there is the question of fonts. The fonts supplied on the Inkpad Color can charitably be described as basic. They do not compare to those on Amazon’s devices or on Apple’s. But they are useable for sure. The Inpkad does win on one surprising detail, again a subjective one. To me the InkPad’s background when the backlight is turned up bright or in bright sun is more paper-like than on the Kindle.

So, overall, if you want to use the Inkpad Color as an ereader for regular textual matter it should work out very well for you. It may not top the top of the line Kindle for black and white but it does blow away most of the lower models in Kindleworld. And, of course, if your book has color pictures, no contest there. Well, yet. I am guessing Amazon isn’t going to turn its back on the color market forever.

Of course, the big problem with the Inkpad Color becoming your ereader of choice is the lack of a Kindle program written in Linux so you will not be able to use your Kindle books unless you de-DRM them. There is a way use Adobe DRM’d ebooks on the Inkpad Color which I have not tried. But there are many ebookstores that use that format. There is also a Pocketbook ebook store. FAHGEDDABOUTIT! Seriously, it has the most outre “selection” of worthless ebooks I have ever seen. I guess that Pocketbook being international has a very hard time with seller agreements from publishers. But even the public domain area is, well, disappointing is too mild a term!

But if you have books to sideload you can be sure you can sideload them to the Inkpad which will access more formats than I have ever seen on one device. Once you have books it is easy to sideload them. Just make sure that in settings Maintenance/USB Mode you set to “Ask when connected.” Then when you connect a cable to your computer’s USB port and plug it into your Inkpad Color the Inkpad will ask whether you want to Charge or to PC Link. Obviously you want to Link when sideloading so you can drag ebooks then from your computer to the device. And, here is good news, it all works fine with your Calibre library which recognizes it as a workable device.

Minor details: The Inkpad Color accesses the Pocketbook cloud if you would like to use that. It also will use a social media that looks a little bit like Goodreads but not enough for me to join up. My experience with the PB Cloud on my PB Color 6” was that the synchronizations totally slowed things down

So if you are already thinking of an InkPad Color or the idea intrigues you to be on the cutting edge of ereader technology then by all means the new Inkpad Color 7.8” is worth the cost and will deliver to you as a reader the whole world of color.

[ps67]

Mine arrived on Friday. I confirm the goodness of the screen and, even without changing anything, the colors are much better than the Pocketbook Color. The Kaleido layer is also less visible when reading a simple black and white ebook, so the screen is clearer.
There are some light leaks at the top end but nothing too annoying. The main flaw is the slowness, in some cases really excessive. It doesn't usually happen but for some books it does. For comics it's good and, I confirm, also reading regular ebooks with color photos or drawings is much better than with a normal B/N ereader.
As for the fonts it is true, the ones provided by default are not great, but the custom ones are supported so it is not a problem. Rather than Kindle and Kobo it does not allow you to determine the thickness of characters, just a rough check between bold or italics, and this is a flaw.
I didn't still check TTS but in the PB Color it is good and it should be the same here. I still didn't try audiobooks nor music.

[Neil]

Yes, I found out today that it can be slow. I put in a 23 mb ebook with a bunch of illustrations and it took a good few minutes to open. One thing I should have pointed out is that this is NOT meant to be a fast tablet but only a dedicated ereader. Still it should be faster on very long books. Presently I am looking at various threads here about how to put new dictionaries in this. Seems a bit confusing.

[Nicolay77]

I took some pictures of my device, so I think they will be useful here.

Imgur album

[Nicolay77]

Why do the pictures look so big, if I link them directly?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Nicolay77

I took some pictures of my device, so I think they will be useful here.

Imgur album

Thank you for adding the pictures. I don't have a way here to share. Wish the Forum supported direct uploading but.... Anyway, the only picture I would add is I have some Disney comics that show some excellent full pages. But I think your pictures are very representative.

[VladimirS]

Congratulations to Neil for new eink device I wish you many happy reading hours

My concerns are about you comment about slowness of device when opening some files (ebooks). You said that some book around 23 Mb took few minutes to open?
I have Inkpad 3, black and white version, I think they have same hardware or very similar... Most resource hungry books (500 plus pages, scanned, every page is photo of very high resolution) take no more than 2-3 sec to open, very often less than that...
..
Maybe that book had some formating problems or similar issues... Cheers!

[Neil]

How do you have that ebook formatted? The one I was having a problem with is an ePub I think.

[Michal Jancik]

Originally Posted by VladimirS

Congratulations to Neil for new eink device I wish you many happy reading hours

My concerns are about you comment about slowness of device when opening some files (ebooks). You said that some book around 23 Mb took few minutes to open?
I have Inkpad 3, black and white version, I think they have same hardware or very similar... Most resource hungry books (500 plus pages, scanned, every page is photo of very high resolution) take no more than 2-3 sec to open, very often less than that...
..
Maybe that book had some formating problems or similar issues... Cheers!

I agree, I also have Inkpad 3.
I have a lot of PDF files with size over 250-500Mb, and to open them it takes less than 2-3s.

Otherwise Inkpad 3 has a warm light.
In addition, many manufacturers do not use hot lights for their readers with the color display.

Of course, thank you for sharing your opinion on this new e-reader

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Neil

Yes, I found out today that it can be slow. I put in a 23 mb ebook with a bunch of illustrations and it took a good few minutes to open. One thing I should have pointed out is that this is NOT meant to be a fast tablet but only a dedicated ereader. Still it should be faster on very long books. Presently I am looking at various threads here about how to put new dictionaries in this. Seems a bit confusing.

I just want to clarify and retract. A couple people here pointed out that this is not a problem (slowness of opening an ebook) they experienced. Tried again with a longer file and not a problem this time. Thanks to those who pointed out my error!

[VladimirS]

No problem Neil, we are just commenting, we wish you quality e-rading time

[Neil]

Originally Posted by VladimirS

No problem Neil, we are just commenting, we wish you quality e-rading time

Noooo, problem. I always appreciate feedback and especially valid criticisms on anything I write. I used to work in print magazines and I always thought one of the main problems in that medium is all mistakes are so permanent. Of course, the Internet has its own problems!

[Neil]

I bet that as the color e-ink reader tech develops more we will see on high-end machines built-in warmth lights that are defaulted to off. Or even smart ones that know if you are reading color or not. The key will be when the color screens become much, much cheaper to include.

[Nicolay77]

Originally Posted by Neil

How do you have that ebook formatted? The one I was having a problem with is an ePub I think.

Is this a question for me?

If so, please tell me which one.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Thanks tons for the detailed review. It's empirical and insightful.

Originally Posted by Neil

The Oasis 3 has a warmth light which I like as well as the usual “cold” backlight. The Inkpad Color has just the cold light (as do most other ereaders). So, to me, the Oasis wins because of that. However, I decided to compare it with my older Oasis 2 which does not have the warm, second light. More like comparing oranges with oranges.

A newer eink enthusiast who reads this might not know that certain Kobo models have the warm light for less money than the Oasis 3. I own the Oasis as well as a Clara HD and the warm light on the Clara is also calming and soft. You can darken the color to a deeper orange on the Clara, but that effect seems more novel than useful.

I do find both eReaders more restful to read before bed than ones with cool blue alone.