eink reader -- external keyboard?

[multiprose]

i want to do minor editing of text documents. is there any eink reader that allows this thru a connection of an external keyboard thru usb or bluetooth?

[delphin]

Originally Posted by multiprose

i want to do minor editing of text documents. is there any eink reader that allows this thru a connection of an external keyboard thru usb or bluetooth?

Obliviously, to support an external keyboard the reader's OS needs to have either Bluetooth drivers or a USB port that supports USB OTG Host mode.

I am not aware of any mainstream device (Kindle, Nook, Sony, etc.) that meets these requirements out of the box, and though you may be able to hack one of them, or find a lesser known eInk device that fits the bill, I am not sure that the results would necessarily be to your liking.

I say this because I assume that the whole reason you are looking for external keyboard support is because you want easier text entry then that offered by either the Kindle's small built in keyboard, or one of the touch readers on-screen keyboards, while preserving the portability and battery life of an eInk device.

Even the best eInk screens update very SLOOOOWLY compared to LCD's, so you would have a fairly significant lag in seeing what you are typing. Also, the fact that the eInk screen has to at least try to update for each character that you are typing will pretty drastically cut down your battery life (so with heavy note taking you would probably have to recharge every day anyway).

So, even if you succeed in hooking up an external keyboard, I am not sure that an eInk device will ever meet all of your requirements due to their other built in limitations.

So if your note taking requirements are really so extensive that you are thinking that you need and external keyboard, for the best possible text entry experience I would consider an Android tablet with a nice sharp LCD screen that supports a Bluetooth keyboard, and just deal with the somewhat shorter battery life.

On the other hand, if you are doing field work out of doors and full sun readability is your number one concern, then you may still want to pursue the eInk option, and hopefully someone will chime in here with an eInk device with the required Bluetooth or USB OTG hardware and driver support.

[Rizla]

The Sony T1 and the Nook Touch are both android and rootable, so it is possible that one of them might support this in the future. The T1 has a micro-USB port and I assume that the Nook does too.

Saying that, it hasn't been done yet to my knowledge, and it may or may not be possible. But definitely rootable Android is the way to go for people who want to get more out of their e-reader.

I don't know if the typing lag will be a show-stopper. Notably, the T1 has been reported as having faster screen refresh than previous models like the 650.

[Billi]

I think you should browse the Pocketbook subforum. When I remember it right it is possible to use an external keyboard with the latest firmware.
And yuryfdr has written a text editor for the Pocketbooks:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=158571

[paola]

Originally Posted by Billi

I think you should browse the Pocketbook subforum. When I remember it right it is possible to use an external keyboard with the latest firmware.
And yuryfdr has written a text editor for the Pocketbooks:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=158571

and now another user, rkomar, has put togeter a little programme that allows for editing of EPUB files (just go to the end of the thread linked by Billi).

[Lode]

"Writing on the e-ink Kepler Tablet from Onyx with BT Keyboard using the Texteditor app."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywYzZuZmLjc

Seems a bit of a hassle. It would be much easier if Onyx would bring out a plug and play keyboard.

Onyx let me know some time ago:

"Sorry, after analysis, we are not going to released BOOX Writer, cause now our device could connected with a bluetooth keyboard to be a typewriter."

So I just asked them if it might be a good idea for Onyx to make a keyboard for their latest e-readers...

I would prefer a USB connection, but don't know if that would work on their latest models.

[Larla]

Wasn't there an old Kindle reader that had a physical keyboard built into the reader?

[Lode]

Yes, but that can't compare to this for example:

"Onyx Boox T68 UHDML. Using of External USB Keyboard and Mouse. The same works with M96"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAG-pYuXdg0

The uploader of that clip posted all the way down that he utilized this:

"External Keyboard Helper Pro"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...rdhelper&hl=en

There are many new combinations shown on YouTube I see now... looks increasingly more promising for those among us who want to type on an e-ink screen as fast and easy as on a laptop.