This Boox e-reader is a follow-up to its uniquely adorable Palma

by · Android Police

Key Takeaways

  • Boox introduces three new E Ink devices to expand its product lineup: Palma 2, Note Air4 C, and Note Max.
  • Palma 2 upgrades include Android 13, a better processor, and a fingerprint sensor, with the starting price of $280.
  • Boox competes with Kindle and Kobo with affordable prices, diverse devices, and continuous innovation, but what sets its devices apart is the fact they run Android.

Onyx Boox has been quietly selling E Ink devices since 2011, slowly building a reputation and carving out its market share. What sets Boox apart from the Kindles, Kobos, and Nooks of the world is its Android operating system, meaning if you have it on your shiny new tablet, you can install it on your Boox. The other thing that sets Boox apart from the bigger device makers is the diversity of its product lineup. Right now, it has eight E Ink devices you can purchase, and as revealed in today's announcement video, Boox is adding three more to its roster.

What does Boox have in store for us?

Palma 2

The biggest surprise by far is a new Palma model. The Palma 2 retains the same shape and size that made the first one a sleeper hit last year. There aren’t a lot of upgrades to this new model. The biggest differences are an update to Android 13 (the last one was Android 11), a slightly upgraded processor, and the addition of a finger-print sensor for added privacy. Other than these upgrades, it's the same Palma from last year at the same price of $280.

Still, we have to mention that the Palma all but invented a new category of E Ink device. Similar devices have been available for a few years overseas, but Boox is the one that brought the form factor to the US with a polished interface and an English-language UI. Only one other company is operating in this space, meaning there’s lots of room for Boox to grow.

Source: Boox

Related

Best e-book readers in 2024: Kindle, Kobo, Boox, and more

'E-reader' doesn't just mean 'Kindle' any more

Note Air4 C

Next is a new addition to Boox’s Note line. The Note Air4 C follows on the heels of last year’s Note Air3 C and is another incremental upgrade. One of the new features for this model is an improved Kaleido 3 display which allows for a brighter background and better color contrast. It also bumps the RAM up from 4GB to 6GB, meaning it will be a better multitasker, which is super important for Android devices. It looks like it has the same 10.3-inch screen as well, which means it is essentially a color Kindle Scribe that will cost $500.

2024 has been a big year for color e-readers. Earlier in the year Kobo released its first color e-readers (the Libra Colour and the Clara Colour) and later this month Kindle will release its first, but Boox has released at least one color device every year since 2020. And, with this release, Boox will have four for you to choose from. If the Air4 C can deliver on its promise of an upgraded Kaleido 3 display, the Kindle Colorsoft will have some stiff competition.

Source: Boox

Note Max

Then there’s the Note Max, an A4 tablet with a Carta 1300 screen that measures a massive 13.3 inches from corner to corner. Despite its size, the Max is just under 5mm thick. Inside that slim shell is an octa-core 2.8GHz processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (same specs as the Tab Ultra C Pro released in November 2023). The Max is slated to cost $650 and will be available to order later this year.

Boox is one of the few e-reader companies exploring the liminal space between tablets and laptops. With its 13.3-inch screen and the pictured folio keyboard, the Note Max is essentially an E Ink Chromebook. And as of right now, no other OEM sells a 13.3-inch device (Boox also sells the 13.3-inch Tab X, but the Max is $200 cheaper).

Source: Boox

Why Boox will be the next big E Ink OEM

Boox’s biggest feature is its Android OS, which lets you buy and read books from every ebook retailer except Apple Books. There are other Android e-readers, but no one has made it work as well as Boox. Further, it has a broad lineup of devices that can suit almost every conceivable need, from 6 inches all the way up to 13 inches.

Related

Does color E Ink actually matter, or is a black-and-white screen good enough?

Color E ink readers are going mainstream, but the disadvantages might just outweigh the pros

In the past, Boox has struggled to compete with Kindle and Kobo (which are subsidized by ebook sales), but its prices have come down significantly in the past year, in some cases undercutting its competition. The Go 10.3, for example, costs $380 compared to $400 for the Kobo Elipsa 2E and $420 for the high-end Kindle Scribe, both of which have inferior specs.

Given all of this, this could be the year that Boox breaks through to the mainstream. It’s not just about the diversity of devices. It’s not just about competitive prices. And it’s not just about popular niche products (although all of those things help). It’s also about the ability to follow through and keep delivering new and exciting products year after year. Boox keeps doing it, and I think that places it in the same tier as Kindle and Kobo.