Ratta is a new company that is based in Japan and they have two products in their portfolio. They are both digital note taking devices that let you freehand draw and edit PDF files. The A5 has a 10.3 inch screen and the A6 has a 7.8 inch screen. We receive a lot of questions on what are the big differences between these two devices and is there anything different, other than the size of the screen? This comparison video addresses all of these concerns and gives you a sense on what one might be best for you.
The SuperNote A5  features a 10.3 inch E-Ink Digital Ink Touch Screen with a WACOM digitizer layer. The resolution is 1872×1404 with 226 PPI. Underneath the hood is an IMX6 single core processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It is powered by a respectable 2850mAh battery. The dimensions are 245mmx178mmx7mm and weighs less than 366g.
The SuperNote A6 has a 7.8 screen is using E Ink Carta HD and Mobius. The overall resolution is 300 PPI and underneath the hood is a IM6 Solo Lite single core processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
Both of these SuperNote models run Linux, so the software and UI are rocksolid. This helps preserve battery life, because there are not many background processes that are currently running. Both screens have a small layer of plastic that covers not only the screen. The company wanted to do this, because the stylus interacts with the screen better. When you are pressing down and jotting a note or freehand drawing, you get some torque. This is exactly like using a normal pen and drawing on a sheet of paper. The SuperNote is using a glass screen, and the plastic that covers it gives you an unique experience, it really doesn’t feel like you are writing on a slab of glass.
The SuperNote comes with a default pen, which is made of plastic. The new Heart of Metal series come in 10 different colors. The stylus are made of a high grade brushed aluminum and have metal lapel clips and they weigh around 21g. These new stylus really are stylish and is putting everyone involved in this space on notice, that they should also be developing their own stationery products.
Which e-reader is better? I would recommend the A5 overall. The bigger screen makes editing PDF files a little bit better and there is more space for freehand drawing. The A6 is more portable and is ideal for students or people who just want to draw or take notes.
The A6 retails for a respectable $399 and the A5 retails for $599, both are available from the Good e-Reader Store.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
