The Remarkable 2 improves upon the first generation model that was released a couple of years ago. It has double the processing power and RAM, two things that should enhance the performance. The battery has been increased, so instead of lasting a few days, it should continue to function for weeks. It is also cheaper and more affordable. Will all of these things prompt you to purchase the Remarkable 2?
The Remarkable 2 features a 10.3 inch E INK display with Canvas 2.0 technology for a better refresh system when viewing PDF files or reading ebooks. The resolution is the same as the original with 1872×1404 with 226 PPI. The screen has 21ms latency, which is ideal for the new pens that have tilt and pressure sensitivity.
Underneath the hood is a 1.2 GHZ dual core processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. Remarkable has basically doubled the processor and RAM from the original, but has kept the internal storage the same on the second generation model. Also, the company has decided to forgo a Micro USB port and go with USC-C, which should appeal to many people. It is powered by a 3,000 mAH battery and one charge should last around three weeks, the original model only lasted a few days. You can also leave it in standby mode for up to 90 days. It also continues to have wireless internet access to download firmware updates and other materials.
The industrial design has changed from the original model. It no longer has a physical home button or manual page turn keys. Instead, everything has been incorporated on a software level, this helps keep the overall design thinner and lighter.
One of the more interesting things about this device is that it has a Google Chrome plugin so you can save web articles and send them to your device. This is similar to Pocket on the Kobo line of e-readers. The premium pen, which costs around $99 has an eraser on the top, so you can easily correct errant mistakes.
The Remarkable 2 is available as a pre-order and will ship in July. One of the drawbacks is they do not ship to many countries. Good e-Reader is accepting pre-orders to ship worldwide, at an added surcharge.
Will you buy the Remarkable 2? Are you waiting on the first wave of reviews before pulling the trigger?
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.
