Smartwatch e ink display. Boox Tab Mini C Review: an e-ink tablet that we can get behind

Boox Tab Mini C Review: an e-ink tablet that we can get behind

The Boox Mini Tab C e-ink tablet by Onyx is a fantastic little e-ink tablet that handily impressed us.- but it still may not be enough to topple the iPad from its throne.

Odds are, if you’ve spent any amount of time on a digital device, you’re already aware of the eye strain and subsequent headaches that can happen with excessive use. That’s why we’re big fans of e-ink devices.

That’s why we’re looking at the Boox Tab Mini C, a small e-ink tablet that walks the line between an all-in-one Android tablet and a Kindle-style e-reader.

Under the hood of the Boox Tab Mini C

The Boox Tab Mini C boasts a 7.8 Kaleido 3 screen featuring an AG glass flat cover lens for a comfortable reading experience. Unlike other e-readers, this device supports 4,096 colors, which is actually pretty cool. It makes browsing the internet much more engaging than you’d expect.

Read from AppleInsider

However, it’s worth noting that the resolution differs depending on the content type. For black and white content, the resolution stands at 1404 x 1872 (300 pixels per inch), while for color content, it is 702 x 936 (150 ppi).

The e-ink display is a joy to read on

The Boox Tab Mini C is powered by a Qualcomm Advanced Octa-core CPU. It also boasts 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is pretty decent for an e-reader.

It also has Wi-Fi support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and Bluetooth 5.0 allows for hassle-free wireless connections to compatible devices such as wireless headphones and keyboards.

The device features a front light with CTM (Cold and Warm) adjustment to accommodate reading in various lighting conditions, ensuring comfortable reading day or night. The Boox Tab Mini C also includes built-in dual speakers and a microphone, offering audio capabilities for multimedia content and voice recording.

The Boox Tab Mini C can be used in portrait or landscape

A gyroscope enables automatic screen rotation, so you can effortlessly switch between portrait and landscape modes. This worked pretty well, although there were a few times when it seemed to lag a bit.

With a 5,000mAh Li-ion Polymer battery, the Boox Tab Mini C offers decent battery life, allowing extended reading sessions without frequent recharging.

What the Boox Tab Mini C supports

Regarding the software, the device operates on Android 11, so if you’re already used to the Android ecosystem, you won’t be surprised.

As The Boox Tab Mini C is mainly marketed as an e-reader, it’s nice to see that it supports a wide range of document formats, such as PDF, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, and PPTX.

It also supports popular image formats, including PNG, JPG, BMP, and TIFF.

In terms of audio, the device supports WAV and MP3 formats. Additionally, the Boox Tab Mini C allows the installation of third-party Android-based apps.

Boox Tab Mini C. Performance

The Tab Mini C boasts a high-resolution e-ink display that renders text with sharpness and clarity, ensuring a comfortable reading experience even for extended periods. In fact, it feels even better than reading on a Retina display.

It can be difficult to convey the distinction of an e-ink display to someone who has never utilized one, but it provides a welcome change from constantly gazing at digital screens. Plus, you can use it outside without any difficulty.

Sure, it’s not as zippy as an iPad, but keep in mind that this is an e-ink device. You’re not going to play all the hottest games on it, and watching video on it.- while possible.- is somewhat silly.

Like the Tab Ultra C, the speed was perfectly serviceable. We discovered that the apps opened quickly and were responsive but sometimes had trouble with websites with a lot of content.

Boox Tab Mini C. Great for note-takers and artists

The Boox Tab Mini C goes beyond being just an e-book reader and doubles as a capable digital sketchbook or notebook. Its hardware and software features make it an ideal tool for artists and creative individuals who want to express their ideas digitally.

The Boox stylus touch has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, enabling accurate and detailed drawing. Whether drawing delicate lines or bold strokes, the stylus can accurately capture movements, resulting in a natural drawing experience.

It also makes for a fantastic writing experience, which we think is pretty special.

The stylus also connects magnetically to your tablet, and has a decent hold. The Boox Tab Mini cover features a flap that allows

It’s also just downright nice to write on. If you take a lot of handwritten notes, this is a huge benefit.

The Boox Tab Mini C. It’s not an iPad, but it isn’t trying to be

We’ve recently reviewed the Boox Tab Ultra C, the big brother of the Tab Mini C.

While we found the Tab Ultra C to be a fantastic tool, the 700 price tag felt too steep when compared to other tablets on the market.- especially the iPad. It was hard to recommend it in the tablet space.

The protective case holds the stylus secure when in transport

However, we think the 7.5-inch size of the Boox Tab Mini C fits the Boox Tab lineup much better. Its small size makes it perfect for reading, but it’s not so small that you can’t easily use it to browse the web.

Of course, it’s still expensive. At 450, it’s not what we’d call a super-affordable e-reader, especially compared to the 500 iPad mini, which may be a more attractive purchase for someone deeply engrained in the Apple ecosystem.

But, of course, you’re paying for the e-ink screen, which the iPad does not have. And, after using the Tab Mini C for a while, the screen really is better for reading long-term than the iPad.

So, ultimately, it depends on what you want. If you’re someone who heavily reads for their job or pleasure and is less concerned about watching videos or using apps, this is a fantastic little multi-purpose device. We enjoyed our time with it.

Rating

Where to purchase the Boox Tab Mini C

You can snag your own Boox Tab Mini C bundle from the Onyx website for 450, which includes the Tab Mini C and a protective case.

The Boox Tab Mini C tablet is also available from Boox via Amazon without the protective case for 449.99.

Fossil’s new hybrid smartwatch has an always-on e-ink display

Smartphone manufacturers originally saw smartwatches as an extension of the phone instead of a beautiful time-telling accessory that you wear on your wrist. If you’re a watch-wearing person, there was absolutely no reason to buy into the tech at the time. The first few models looked hideous and had terrible battery life.

Years later, fashion brands and watchmakers like Fossil saved the day and made buying a smartwatch seem like a good idea. Along with the usual Wear OS smartwatches, the brand also introduced hybrid smartwatches a few years back. These are the typical circular mechanical watches with removable batteries that you don’t have to charge, with a few useful Bluetooth functions.

In 2019, Fossil’s new generation of hybrid smartwatches feature an always-on e-ink display. This allows the watch to display more information like your heart rate, number of steps, weather information, and notifications.

While getting more information can be a good thing, having a display also means having a built-in rechargeable battery — 55 mAh to be exact. Fossil says it takes around two weeks before it needs charging, and about an hour for a full charge. Previous generations of Fossil Q Hybrid last 6-12 months before the batteries needed replacing.

Like previous generations, you can still do functions like control your music through the buttons of the watch, and change the straps as they come in standard 18mm or 22mm sizes.

At launch there are five Fossil Hybrid HR models — those with leather straps retail for US195 and US215 for stainless steel.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro finally gets a release date

Recently, OnePlus unveiled its first official keyboard. Built in partnership with Keychron, the keyboard was built to celebrate the company’s 9 th anniversary. However, it’s taking a while for the device to make its way to the public. Now, OnePlus has finally revealed the price and launch date of the Keyboard 81 Pro.

The Keyboard 81 Pro has a 75% keyboard layout, doing away with a number pad for maximized space. Though the layout usually has 84 keys, OnePlus’s keyboard only has 81 keys — hence, the name. In lieu of the full 75% keyboard layout, the device has a transparent rotary dial, customizable to the user’s preferences.

Speaking of customization, the Keyboard 81 Pro features hot-swappable switches. The keycap material is called Marble-mallow, allowing for a tactile but bouncy feel to typing. Users can connect to the keyboard using USB or Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. When connected wirelessly, the device’s 4000mAh battery can reportedly last up to 100 hours at the lowest brightness setting after only five hours of charging.

Available in light or dark gray, the keyboard’s chassis is made out of CNC aluminum for durability. It also has a mount that can keep the entire keyboard vertical for more desk space.

The Keyboard 81 Pro will finally go on sale on July 26. It will start at US 219 for the tactile variant. A pricier linear variant sells for US 239.

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) non-eSports player review

I suck at first-person shooters

I already own one of the best pairs of cans from the last 3-4 years – the Sony WH-1000XM4. But I prefer having that on-hand and ready to go when I’m out and about. Greedy as I am, I also wanted over-ear headphones that can stay on my work desk. Thankfully, Razer came knocking with the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) in hand.

An eSports headset

Razer made these headphones specifically for the type of gamer that I am not – a gun-slinging, slick-swervin’, first-person shooter. I felt it was important to declare that from the get-go as I had neither bandwidth nor interest to try the specific games it was made for. That said, I still did use it playing the games I like. Those being RPGs, some action games, and NBA 2K.

So, this isn’t a review of the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) for eSports players. This is a review by someone who is everything but.

2020 vs 2023

The particular unit I have isn’t the first version of the BlackShark V2 Pro. The first one actually came out in 2020. Here’s a table to show what’s different.

On paper, the upgrades seem minimal. But looking at it now and basing on my couple of weeks with the device, the improvements are focused on quality of life things that make a huge difference in the long run.

Audio Profiles

By default, the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) has four audio profiles. Each profile is tuned slightly differently to cater to a specific listening activity. The profiles are: Game, Movie, Music, and Custom. These profiles are pretty straightforward.

The custom one has a flat equalizer or EQ which you can tune when you connect the device via Razer’s Synapse desktop app. on this later.

Holding the Audio Profiles button will shift the selection from the general profiles to the eSports one. These are: Fortnite, Valorant, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and CS Go. Again, these are pretty straightforward. Just pick the profile for the game you’re playing and it should be optimized for that particular game.

I didn’t get to play these particular games during testing for a couple of reasons. One, I don’t really play them because I am terrible at these games. Two, my Windows laptop was under repair for the majority of the review period.

Game

I am primarily a Playstation gamer. And most of my game time using the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) was split between two games: Final Fantasy XVI and NBA 2K23. I did try a couple of other games for good measure. These include Returnal, Ratchet Clank: Rift Apart: Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. The first two are games I often go back when testing accessories. Returnal is especially good for audio. The other two, coincidentally from Insomniac Games, are titles I feel are easy to hop back into.

Anyway, on Game profile with the included USB-A dongle connected to the PS5, the BlackShark V2 Pro delivered clear, crisp, and full sounds. I dare say 3D Audio was in effect too. In Final Fantasy XVI. there is plenty of side chatter from NPCs. Depending on where you position main character Clive relative to NPCs having a lively banter, that’s where you’ll hear the sound from.

Let’s be real. Yes, I was just pretending to play here.

This was even more true with Returnal. I regard this game as the best for testing audio accessories with the PS5. Its sound design is top notch and actually helps you with identifying the general location of enemies. I imagine this is how it goes with the eSports audio profiles.

For the rest of the games, I got the same clear, crisp, and full sound.

Music, Movie, and Custom

Other than gaming, I used the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) mostly to listen to music. On days that I worked out of a café I just cycled through a few RB and mellow tracks like Jesse Barrera’s “Strawberry Soju,” “Flower” by Johnny Stimson, and even “Thirsty” by aespa. I like to feel smooth while I work.

The Music audio profile doesn’t sound too different from Game quality-wise. For some reason, it does sound a little louder and you tend to hear higher sounds better. The audio still sounds clean and tracks with great mixing tickle your ears like any good headphones do.

I tried the Movie profile but during a game. It only mildly boosted the dialogue parts. It’s my least favorite audio profile. Even when just watching YouTube videos, I shifted to the default which is Game.

Custom, like I mentioned earlier, is just a flat EQ. And this is something I found out only after I was able to finally connect the headphones to Synapse.

Synapse and PC-isms

The Razer Synapse apps is software that’s used to configure Razer’s hardware lineup. Connect your Razer device to the computer where Synapse is open and it’ll detect it. Eventually.

I primarily use a MacBook Pro daily. That’s where I do most of my work. And as I mentioned earlier, my Windows laptop was under repair for the majority of my review time with the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023). Unfortunately, the version of Synapse that works on Macs isn’t compatible with the headphones.

Fast forward to when I finally got my Windows laptop back. I was excited to fire it up, pair the headphones and see what settings can be tweaked. But I ran into what I will call PC-isms.

PC-isms is my personal catch-all term for all the inconvenience I have to deal with in setting up a PC. It took me until the wee hours of the morning just to get everything ready. And by that time I was too tired and sleepy to tinker with the headphones.

I don’t have a picture that matches the narrative so here’s this instead.

The following day, I finished some work and got to tinkering. Except, the BlackShark V2 Pro just wouldn’t show up on Synapse right away. It took around three to four restarts before I got the thing to work. Perhaps PC users will have more patience in this regard, but for someone like myself who juggles a lot in his schedule, this was a non-starter.

That said, I still managed to make it work. But I skipped the Audio profiles altogether and went ahead to test the mic.

Talk to me

I hopped on three different calls to test the mic. Which, by the way, is one of two accessories that are easy to misplace. The other one being the USB-A dongle.

I’ll do my best to not lose these accessories.

Anyway, the first two calls all happened before I got my Windows laptop. So, the mic was just set to default. I got two different feedback.

The first call was with the headphones connected to my MacBook Pro. I was told my voice was audible but sounded muffled.

The second call, the headphones were connected to my phone. This time around, I was told I sounded clear.

Lastly, the third call was connected to the Windows laptop with me switching among the different voice equalizers. And the general feedback are:

• Default — Is loud but does sound a little muffled
• Mic Boost — Likely the best at every call scenario. Boosts the voice and overall clarity.
• Broadcast — Sounds almost like Mic Boost but less loud and more clear.
• Conference — Sounds literally like being on one of those conference phones in corporate offices. Skip this one.

Since then, I’ve had the mic on Mic Boost. Personally, I feel it works best in most settings.

Let’s get physical

I am absolutely in love with all the physical buttons on the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023). My personal favorite is the volume knob. It’s easy to grab and turn for instant volume control. It rotates fully and just beeps if you’re at the lowest or highest volume option.

It’s such a welcome change coming from headphones and TWS earphones that are purely touch controls that can be hit or miss. In some cases, the TWS ones don’t even have volume control at all.

It isn’t the best looking since it sticks out like a sore thumb. But functionally, I am absolutely in love with it. I need better volume controls in other headphones now.

The power button sits on the left cup and is hard enough to press that you won’t mistake it for the mute button sitting right above it. That one’s a lot more tactile, making it easy to toggle between mute and unmute.

Still on the left cup, you’ll find the slot for the mic. It looks like a 3.5mm jack, but I had trouble using it with my desktop mic. If you’re hoping on quick calls, just use the included mic to make sure. And as you can see, alongside it is the USB-C port.

On the right cup, you’ll find the Audio profiles switcher. By default, you have the general selection. Hold it down and when you hear a beep, you’ll switch over to the eSports profiles.

Stay on longer

In my one week with the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023). I only ever charged it once. And that’s from zero all the way to 100% too. I couldn’t take note of the charging time but I’m pretty sure I had plugged in for at least about an hour.

But going back to charging it only once, that’s with using it for about 4-5 hours daily. This thing lasts long and can more than keep up with you in extended play or listening sessions.

Should non-eSports players get the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023)?

The BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) retails for US 199.99 in the US and PhP 13,990 in the Philippines. If you plan to use these Razer headphones for plenty of gaming – whether on PC, PS5, or even mobile – I think you’re gonna get your money’s worth. It’s lightweight, sounds great, and is made for extended play sessions. That’s true whether you play any of the especially tuned eSports titles or not. The eSports features, to me, function as sort of an icing on top of what is already a delectable cake.

For general lifestyle, music, and movie use. Perhaps you’re better off getting something else. But if it’s gaming along with all the activities I mentioned, this is a fine set of cans to own.

Watchy

Watchy is an E-Ink watch with open source hardware and software. It has a barebones design utilizing the PCB as the watch body, allowing it to be worn as-is, or further customized with different 3D printed cases and watch straps. It is a unique timepiece that is also a wearable development platform, allowing users to create their own experience.

Watchy with the Calculateur watch face by Jochen (@asWeMay). Image used with permission.

Watchy’s E-Ink display delivers an always-on, beautiful, crisp image clearly visible under bright sunlight, and requires no power between updates. At 200 x 200 pixels and monochrome, the display offers a distinctive aesthetic.

Watchy has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE connectivity, allowing it to connect with internet APIs (e.g., weather, news, traffic, maps, Spotify, etc.), as well as Bluetooth LE enabled devices.

With makers/hackers/tinkerers in mind, we chose the ESP32 for its large community and support for a wide variety of development options, such as Arduino, Micropython, ESP-IDF, and Zephyr-RTOS.

Enclosures

The funding from this Crowd Supply campaign helped address one of the most frequently requested features of Watchy — an enclosure! Though we think the plain PCB look is one of the most distinctive features of Watchy, and will continue to offer new 3D printed watch case designs, we think a lot of fans will appreciate the new injection-molded plastic and CNC anodized aluminum cases.

Injection-molded Case

Every Watchy Kit Case is bundled with an injection-molded watch case!

Watchy 3D printed case. this campaign introduces a new injection-molded case in a color to be determined

CNC Anodized Aluminum Case

For those who don’t mind the extra weight and want a more rugged enclosure, a CNC anodized aluminum watch case is available separately.

What’s in the box?

The Watchy Kit Case includes the kit pictured below, plus the injection-molded plastic enclosure (not shown).

The Anodized Aluminum Case includes only the new aluminum enclosure — you will need a Watchy to put into it. Purchasing both the Watchy Kit Case and the Anodized Aluminum Case offers the most flexibility.

Open Source

Everything about Watchy is open source under the MIT License and OSHWA-certified:

Comparisons

Support Documentation

Watchy comes with comprehensive documentation and Arduino code examples that demonstrate every hardware feature. New watch faces and examples are regularly added.

In the Press

If you’ve ever wanted to be like Steve Wozniak and have your own custom-made, geeky watch, Squarofumi (stylized SQFMI) may have the product for you: an open-source, Arduino-powered smartwatch with a 1.54-inch e-paper screen.

Watchy: An Open Source E-Paper Display Watch

Watchy is an ESP32 based smartwatch that uses e-paper display, fully open-source, both hardware as well as software.

Watchy is designed and manufactured by Squarofumi (SQFMI) the same company that also built the Badgy (Badgy is a rechargeable IoT badge with an e-ink display and Wi-Fi connectivity).

It has a minimalistic design using the PCB as the watch body, although users can customize it with different 3D printed enclosures and watch straps.

It is a smartwatch that is also a wearable development platform, allowing users to create their own experience.

ESP32 Pinout

Open Source Hardware Software

Watchy is fully open source under the MIT License and OSHWA-certified.

How much is Battery Life?

As per their documentation:

Watchy wakes up every 60 seconds to check the accelerometer, real-time clock and updates the E-Paper display with the latest information. Certain watch faces also turn on Wi-Fi to fetch weather data.

With only timekeeping, Watchy should have a battery life of 5-7 days, while with fetching data over Wi-Fi, it should last between 2-3 days. These numbers can be extended through further optimizations (e.g. sleep during off-hours, waking up only on motion/tilt, etc.).

What could be done better?

• As seen in the schematic, it uses LDO to generate 3.3V to power ESP32 and other parts of the circuit, in order to reduce the power consumption, a high-efficiency, low quiescent curremt DC-DC Converter could be used. The LDO used has supply current requirement of 40uA.
• The battery sensing circuit uses two 100K resistors as a voltage divider, this will always drain ~5uA current per volt, so for battery voltage say 3V, it will consume 15uA continuously. We can use a MOSFET to connect, disconnect battery voltage to the divider circuit. With this, we can use a divider circuit only when battery voltage sensing is required.
• Some leakage in USB-UART section will also be there due to its connection to ESP32.

Read more information on low power embedded systems design considerations.

What is the cost, where to buy from?

One can buy Watchy from crowd supply, it had a successful campaign.

• Watchy Kit Case is available for 59 which includes an E-Ink display, Watchy assembled printed circuit board, battery, double-sided tape, wrist strap, and injection-molded plastic enclosure, all safely nestled in an attractive and instructional box.
• Anodized Aluminium Case is available for 49: A CNC aluminum case for Watchy, including an anodized top piece, an anodized bottom piece, four anodized buttons, and four stainless steel M3 screws. In total, it will add 25 grams of pure ruggedness to your Watchy Kit (not included).

Watchy is a very good wearable development platform for developers and I can’t wait to see interesting use cases it can be used in.

If you are interested in an E-paper display, this might be useful for you.

I hope you found this post interesting.

If you like the post, please share it with others. Any suggestions or Комментарии и мнения владельцев, let me know here.

Read my other articles on embedded systems design.

Watchy is a 55 smartwatch with an E Ink display (you can also build your own)

Not every smartwatch needs to have an AMOLED display and a 300 price tag. The new Watchy smartwatch from SQFMI is a simple, cheap, and hacker-friendly smartwatch that uses a square E Ink display, an ESP32-S system-on-a-chip, an accelerometer, and 4 buttons plus a vibration motor.

It’s programmable with support for Python and Arduino. And the whole thing costs just 55.

Prefer to make your own? You can find hardware and software documentation at github.

Right now it doesn’t look like you can buy Watchy from SQFMI’s Tindie store just yet. But you can find a link to purchase one via PayPal at the Watchy github page.

Watchy’s key components include a 200 x 200 pixel E Ink display, and that ESP32-S module, which features a low-power dual-core processor and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. SQFMI says the watch should get up to 2 weeks of battery life from a charge, and there’s an integrated DS3231 real-time clock which should help keep time.

There’s also a BMA423 MEMS accelerometer with support for step counting and gesture recognition.

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