The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader • Hacker News Board

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#221

Post by skinnymuch » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:20 PM UTC

secondaryacct wrote: post #217

tluyben2 wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it is annoying that there is so little competition. I was made aware of this after being a very happy Boox (A4 size; I use it literally for everything I used paper for before when reading, writing, sketching, flow charts, mockups etc) user for 6 months. I am not going to toss it away and so far, after trying the reMarkable from a friend, I would buy the Boox again instead... ...if not this gpl issue. Edit: also…

The GPL issue doesnt matter for your buying decision. In fact, becoming a client expand your voice: you can now say you're even paying support already to listen to you whine about why they didnt publish the 5 patches they made to some broadcom drivers.

In good faith, I’ll assume this entire thing isn’t sarcastic.

Buying stuff from entities violating whatever will only solidify what they are doing. Support isn’t spending time any way with gpl stuff. They aren’t going to read a paying customers complaints any more than any one else.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#222

Post by skinnymuch » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:23 PM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #135

sofixa wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without a subscription they have no incentive to update the software of already sold or older model ( which they already do). Considering the price and the niche market, they probably can't rely on future sales only to improve the software.

A subscription doesn't give someone an incentive to update software. If anything, it does the opposite: if I'll get paid whether I add a feature or not, why spend the money to add the feature when I could just pocket the money? That's why companies love the subscription model so much: Instead of having to find compelling new features and updates to sell new versions or attract new customers, they can just sit back, p…

Is any thing you said backed by anything? Even anecdotal evidence?

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#223

Post by sofixa » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:32 PM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #135

sofixa wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without a subscription they have no incentive to update the software of already sold or older model ( which they already do). Considering the price and the niche market, they probably can't rely on future sales only to improve the software.

A subscription doesn't give someone an incentive to update software. If anything, it does the opposite: if I'll get paid whether I add a feature or not, why spend the money to add the feature when I could just pocket the money? That's why companies love the subscription model so much: Instead of having to find compelling new features and updates to sell new versions or attract new customers, they can just sit back, p…

No, companies love the subscription model because it makes for a predictable cashflow they can plan around, and which they can use to support software long-term.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#224

Post by jedimastert » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:32 PM UTC

martin_a wrote: post #2

> They are moving towards a subscription model. This is the biggest minus point for me. I want devices that I own, that I can use like I want to. I don't want to be caught in another cloud and pay monthly for something I don't want to use. Currently I'm looking into getting a device from Onyx, because those support the Android App Stores, so I could set it up with Notion or my Nextcloud probably. Remarkable seems to…

I think the subscription models are only for cloud integration? Which isn't a huge deal for me, I don't know about you.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#225

Post by kristopolous » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:34 PM UTC

evgen wrote: post #42

romeros wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why it did not catch on then? why is round 2 successful?

In a lot of cases the hardware could just barely keep up at the top-end of the market and for devices that were in the 'affordable' zone the hardware was just not powerful enough. An Apple Newton MessagePad 2000 was a sweet device; the ultimate note taking tool that was not equalled by any tablet for more than 20 years. My handwriting style happened to work well for the Newton and as a consequence it was an amazing t…

The two things are certainly a different use case and essentially every book on business ever written would dictate it'd have different devices but I don't know.

Certainly taking holiday photos, trading stocks, and hailing a cab aren't the same things, but the smartphone does all those things.

So yeah, Christensen, Moore, Collins, Ries and Trout say "different devices, different market" but recent lived reality says "nope, same device".

So I've got no idea

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#226

Post by Loic » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:52 PM UTC

michaelmior wrote: post #200

Loic wrote: post #48

If you are not sure which gadget could be the one for you, take also a look at the Supernote[0]. I have been using one (A5X) for the past month with a Lamy EMR and I really really enjoy it. It improves my note taking. I still have 7 Moleskins on my desk right now, but I haven't written in them for the past two weeks. The philosophy of the Supernote is not to replace the notebook, but more to improve it. You can creat…

I haven't tried Supernote, but FWIW reMarkable can work totally offline as well.

The OCR on the Supernote is offline. This is something very convenient for me.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#227

Post by rchaud » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:53 PM UTC

eatonphil wrote: post #123

robbedpeter wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's clear and consensual, and not a means of endlessly extracting money for no value. SaaS is almost always rent seeking and brings no value to a consumer. Almost.

You either have a SaaS or a support contract. What makes SaaS any worse or different conceptually or ultimately than a support contract?

I've bought Microsoft Office CDs and DVDs for a fixed, one-time price. No support contract needed. I mean what's changed in Excel or Word that affects the home user?

Same for Adobe Suite. Used to be available for a one-time fee.

That they have both shifted to subscription models suggests it's a move designed to please equity analysts rather than any kind of added value for the customer.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#228

Post by nicbou » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:54 PM UTC

hardwaregeek wrote: post #210

I bought a physical notebook recently and oh man it's so much better than an iPad. Especially when I'm trying to sketch out architecture or play around with ideas, a pen and paper is unbeatable. Maybe it's all the years of school making me hand write code, but I've started to like hand writing an algorithm or hand writing potential syntax for a language.

I went the other way and I'm really happy I did. I use it for anything from thinking on paper to actual art. I'm in love with that device.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#229

Post by rchaud » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 8:55 PM UTC

bilekas wrote: post #158

selykg wrote: post #57

Good luck ever getting a warranty or return done on these. Look around at their support. It’s awful. I had to file a dispute after they wouldn’t provide a refund for my return after nearly 30 days of non-movement of the return (their label, their shipping carrier). I would strongly caution you run away. Worst customer support I’ve ever experienced. Edit: I will never understand people that downvote a warning like thi…

How dare you give a warning based on experience. I'm always suspicious though of heavy affiliate links and when every review on a product (1000+) are all 4-5 stars. I know it's not but it screams to me of the dropshipping popup sites.

Affiliate sites have ruined product search in the same way that Pinterest has ruined image search.

Video reviews/tutorials are often the way to go because they tend to be more up to date (you can't fiddle with the Youtube publish date the way you can with a blog site). Additionally, the tutorials can help demonstrate niche features and whether they function as expected.

Re: The reMarkable as a notebook and eBook reader

#230

Post by rchaud » Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 9:01 PM UTC

amcoastal wrote: post #134

extreme_orang wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ps. I also own a Boox Note Air, and the remarkable quite simply blows it away. When I bought the Boox I loved it, but after getting the Remarkable there really is no competition. I do like the Boox for its novelty value, running weird things on an e-ink display, but I don't use it for notes or reading anymore.

Can you elaborate why? I'm stuck between the two as a purchasing decision. I value the android apps but if the writing and reading experience is way low I may skip out on boox

I have a Boox Note Air and frankly every review puts Remarkable above it ONLY on the writing experience.

For my use, I have had zero issues with the Boox pen or screen latency. Boox is superior on multiple fronts when it comes to overall usefulness, as it's running Android, so I can use exactly the file explorer I want (Solid Explorer). The PDF formatting options, such as increasing ink darkness and contrast levels make things like color magazines a lot easier to see and read.

The frontlit screen is such an obvious feature that I'm shocked that RM2 still does not have it. Boox does.