Onyx Boox has just announced the Poke 2 e-reader, which puts the Poke Pro to shame. It is quite simply a dedicated ebook reader and not a digital note taking device or e-note. You can not only read novels, but view PDF files, read manga or magazines. It is available now for $189.99 from the Good e-Reader Store.
The Poke 2 features a six inch E INK Carta HD Display with a resolution of 1072×1448 with 300 PPI. Unlike the Poke Pro, this device features a fluish screen and bezel design. It also has a front-lit display and an adjustable color temperature system for a candlelight effect.
Underneath the hood is an Octa-core 2.0 GHZ processor, 32GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM. It is powered by a 1,500 mAh battery and has a Micro USB port with OTG, so you can plug in accessories into the USB and they will work with no drivers needed. It also has WIFI 2.4 and 5HZ for blazeningly quick internet speed and also Bluetooth 4.1 for wireless accessories and a microphone for things like Discord chat or Skype Messaging.
One of the most compelling aspects about the Onyx Boox Poke 2 is Android 9.0, this will insure that all apps will have support for a very long time. This device is ideal for people who borrow audiobooks or ebooks from the public library and use services such as Overdrive, Libby or Hoopla. It will sync your existing library of content if you do business with Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo or many other online retailers that have Android apps.Google Play is preloaded on it, but you have to enable it first in the settings menu.
I think the Poke 2 is ideal for people who want a dedicated e-reader and not be locked into a specific ecosystem. The freedom to sideload in your own collection of books or access them via Dropbox or other cloud storage solutions. Android 9.0 will be relevant for a very long time, so this reader will be relevant for at least 5-6 years.
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.
