Month: July 2020

77 posts

Xiaomi MiReader might see a global release

The Xiaomi MiReader came out last year and it has only been available in China, but the stores that sell them, are few and far between. The company might be gearing up for an international launch, because they have just obtained certification in the Bluetooth SIG database. It has also been renamed for a possible launch, now called MI Ebook Reader.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis are sold out

Many people are buying a new Kindle e-reader for the summer and in conjunction with COVID, many of their most popular models are sold out. The Kindle Paperwhite 32GB without ads is of stock for 6-8 weeks and ditto with the 8GB model, except the base is in stock, but many of the new colors, such as Plum and Sage also facing the same delays. The Amazon Kindle Oasis 32GB is out of stock until the end of July, the 32GB is facing intermittent shortages, yesterday it said it was sold out until the end of August, but it now shows as available.

Apple Pencil could select colors from the real world

Apple has just filed a new patent for the Apple Pencil that will allow you to select colors from the real world to use as various colors when drawing. According to the patent filed last week, entitled ‘Computer System With Color Sampling Stylus’, that describes a computer stylus with a colour sensor, which has the ability to ‘read’ a colour when pressed against an object. The software would then put the colour into a colour palette in a drawing app, where it could be assigned to a brush and used in the art or design process.

Supernote A5 vs Fujitsu Quaderno A5

If you are looking to purchase a 10.3 inch e-note, Supernote and Fujitsu are two brands that deserve a serious look. The hardware is similar, but the software experience is very different. Supernote has the ability to read ebooks in EPUB, so you can take a break from note taking. Fujitsu has some great note taking templates and their calendar system is second to none.

The Top 5 Best E-Readers for Summer 2020

The Top e-Readers of summer 2020, primarily focus on ones that are affordable and have different ways of doing things. Our top picks are the Kobo Nia, the brand new device from Kobo. You can buy ebooks or borrow them from the library. The Pocketbook Color is the first e-reader with a color screen, aimed at mass market appeal. The Onyx Boox Poke 2 has Google Play, so you can install of your favorite apps. The Kindle Paperwhite sets the gold standard for e-readers, it has multiple colors, optional LTE with no monthly costs and a huge ebook ecosystem.

Supernote A6 is discontinued

Supernote has discontinued the A6 Agile, which came out in 2019. It will be replaced by the SuperNote A6X, which will come out on August 10th. This new device is exiting because it has been upgraded from a single core processor to a quad core and the RAM has also been doubled. Instead of running Linux, it will now have Android.

The Hisense Q5 is discontinued

Hisense has told Good e-Reader that their new RLCD Android 10 tablet is discontinued. This device just came out a couple of weeks ago and there was just a limited production run. Hisense executives were disappointed with the final product and pulled the trigger to pull it from retail shelves. In October, a second generation model will be released, fixing a number of issues, but the company failed to disclose how it will be changed.

Hisense Q5 RLCD Hands on Review

Hisense has been slowly gaining a reputation for making high quality E INK smartphones. They have released six different models in the past two years and have just released their first tablet, the Hisense Q5. This product is using an RLCD display screen, which does not have a front-light or backlight and is totally dependant on an external lighting source. The benefits is that the monochrome display will last you over a month, thanks to the massive battery. There is also no no refresh issues when it comes to page turn animations in Android e-reading apps or dropped frames when watching YouTube videos. Should you buy a Q5? This might he hard, because a few weeks after the release, it’s already discontinued.

Some Amazon Fire Tablets are getting an Android upgrade

Most flagship smartphones and tablets are using Android 10 and Google is gearing up for Android 11, this fall. Amazon tablets employ Android too, but they bill it as Fire OS. At the end of July, Amazon is going to be updating Fire OS 6, which is based on Android 7.1 to OS 7, which is Android 9. The tablets receiving the upgrades are the Fire HD 8 tablet, which was released in 2018, the entry level Fire 7 tablet, also from 2018 and the Fire 7 tablet that came out last year.

Barnes and Noble Nook for Windows 10 is back

The Barnes and Noble Nook app for Windows 10 was unavailable to download since April and people who wanted to read ebooks on their PC or tablet, were out of luck. This all changed, today, the Nook app has been updated to version 1.11.0.4 and can be downloaded once again. It is apparent that Barnes and Noble is getting serious about their various Nook apps for multiple platforms. They have seen a “huge boost” since the pandemic hit, CEO James Daunt said, noting that they have received massive traction. Obviously the Nook app for Android and iOS are the priorities, but at least the bookseller has fixed their Window 10 offering.

Scribd is making a big play for Spanish ebooks

Scribd is an unlimited audiobook and ebook subscription platform. The company has recently been making big inroads with Spanish ebooks and has just signed a deal with Grupo Planeta, Mexico’s largest publisher. This partnership will contribute to Scribd’s ever growing catalog of Spanish-language titles, which will now include over 85,000 titles!

Barnes and Noble is no longer selling tablets

Barnes and Noble had an extensive tablet portfolio. They had their own Nook Tablet 7 and Nook Tablet 10.1, in addition to their deal with Samsung, for a number of Samsung Galaxy Tab for Nook. They also had a number of cases and other accessories.  It looks like the bookseller might be getting out of the tablet business altogether and have removed them from their website. The only devices they are currently marketing are their e-readers, the Nook Glowlight 3 and Nook Glowlight Plus 7.8.

Sony Digital Paper DPT-RP1 is Discontinued in the US

The Sony Digital Paper DPT-RP1 is discontinued in the United States. Official distributors such as Adorama, Amazon and B&H all show the product is either out of stock or discontinued. This 13.3 inch e-note initially came out in 2017 and is getting long in the tooth.