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Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

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Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#141

Post by tjoff »

FalconSensei wrote: post #127
tjoff wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really isn't convenient to be locked into an ecosystem. You should test your backup. And the best way to test a de-drmed book is by reading it.

Amazon and Apple and all their users that like being in that ecosystem would disagree with you. I was never inconvenienced by being on the Kindle ecosystem, since anything I would like is there, and possibly for a lower price than the rest. Plus, the reader syncs to the cloud, and if I'm stuck waiting somewhere for an appointment, I can just continue reading on my phone. Using Calibre and de-drm-ing books is way more…

It is a matter of perspective, and a very shortsighted one versus a more sustainable one.

Because of that mindset we don't deserve better than the Amazon and Apple of today. And boy are we worse for it, inconvenient doesn't even start to begin to explain it.

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#142

Post by tjoff »

DennisP wrote: post #43
tjoff wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are trivial ways to strip the DRM though. And I always do that regardless if the DRM is native for my device. If that wasn't an option I'd never buy a single ebook.

But you can strip Amazon's DRM too, so I don't see why the two platforms aren't equivalent.

Which was my point. Then why would you say:

> Also, if you already have a huge Kindle library, makes little sense to change reader and lose it

Despite them being equivalent you still feel locked in.

Which is why I do it preemptively.

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#143

Post by FlyingSnake »

As a long time user of Boox Note Air, I would like to add my 2¢

Pros:

+ Excellent note taking with tons of cool features. I can also sync with Dropbox etc.

+ Great to write notes on book margins. PDFs + notations are great as well.

+ Libby + VÖBB library card is awesome. I can get tons of free eBooks and audiobooks from any library for which I've a card.

+ It's basically an Android tablet and I can do a lot of things like use KoReader or Bitwarden.

+ Great eReader as well. It's great to read books on a large eInk pad.

+ Kindle is just another app, turns it into a Kindle right away.

+ I can use it as drawing board and doodle on it during zoom meetings.

+ I can use it in split mode. like read a book and open notes on the side. Don't use it that often though.

Cons:

- Refresh rate is slow, non-reading activities are hard like YT

- Internet browsing exp is subpar, so I keep going back to my phone for doomscrolling.

- Chinese company that doesn't respect GPL.

- Weird navigation patterns, like swipe up on the bottom right to go back, WTF?

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#144

Post by AlanYx »

B1FF_PSUVM wrote: post #104
AlanYx wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The current (gen 2) Quaderno A4 is really excellent and pretty inexpensive ordered from Amazon JP given current exchange rates.

I tried to look it up - https://www.amazon.co.jp/s?k=fujitsu+quaderno+a4 - and only the smaller A5 seems to be available

The A4 goes in and out of stock. It’s a popular product in Japan and it seems like demand is higher than supply.

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#145

Post by selfhoster11 »

cstross wrote: post #66
yamtaddle wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right—that, but stick a big e-ink display above it. USB port and bluetooth so you can use an external keyboard (though a compact attached keyboard/stand isn't a bad idea, even if it's kinda a shitty keyboard). Like this, but instead of printing your finished line to paper it "prints" to e-ink: https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY1WDEwMjQ=/z/IA8AAOSwQ59ZZBmO/$... But, you know, not huge.

The Freewrite folks are currently doing a fundraiser on Indiegogo for Freewrite Alpha, their take on the Alphasmart concept, only using e-ink: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/freewrite-alpha-distracti... (I personally wouldn't touch one -- I need multiple lines of text in order to frame my thoughts in context, never mind that I like being able to dive online to do impromptu research as I write -- but I can see it…

The mechanical keyboard is a must-have for me, but £240-320 retail is a bit much. I'm sure the cost can be reduced here.

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#146

Post by selfhoster11 »

abawany wrote: post #121
themadturk wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an aspiring author, I believe in paying for books to support authors. I may also believe that I own the books I've paid for. Take from that what you will...

One necessarily doesn't follow the other - people pay for their ebooks and then dedrm them to no longer be locked into the ebook device vendor's ecosystem.

Pretty sure that's what parent comment was implying

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#147

Post by selfhoster11 »

kcartlidge wrote: post #52
DennisP wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But you can strip Amazon's DRM too, so I don't see why the two platforms aren't equivalent.

For me the main difference I've found is that ebooks stripped of DRM tend to end up in EPUB form as the presumption is you're ensuring the books remain accessible on future platforms so you're going for an open and 'standard' format. At which point it's then common to tidy up things like the book metadata (eg correct the genre or add a series identifier). That in turn means the DRM-free EPUB version becomes the bette…

Send to Kindle is a very convenient way to push ebooks to a Kindle device (though it needs network access of course). It's supposed to support EPUB too, unless it already does.

I never had issues side-loading EPUBs to a Kindle with Calibre (the de-facto ebook management application standard), so I don't think that's a problem.

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#148

Post by Bakary »

TwoNineFive wrote: post #137
rchaud wrote: post #7

Boox e-ink tabs do the same thing, but they're Android underneath so it's not locked down to Amazon and dependent on partnerships with Microsoft to add an export button.

Reminder that Onyx/Boox are well-known GPL IP thieves who won't publish source for the Linux or Android code they took to use on their devices. Amazon could score an easy win and force a lot of Boox owners into their direction by getting an import ban on Onyx devices.

We'll lose adaptable products in exchange for locked-downed FAANG-ecosystem garbage. A very questinonable choice

Re: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing

#150

Post by neur4lnet »

schwartzworld wrote: post #114
hwbehrens wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe only the Kindle Oasis has physical page-turning buttons, and it (inexplicably) still uses Micro-USB. I suspect this situation is what the parent is referring to.

Is that really a big deal? Micro USB is a perfectly cromulent technology and cords cost a fraction of their usbc counterparts (plus everybody has a million of them)

Its not a huge deal, but I certainly strongly prefer to have USB C nowadays. I travel a lot and having a single type of cable is a real convenience. I tend to take an octopus cable (with type C, Micro and lighting) to fill the gaps, but when laptop, headphones, phone, tablet, power bank, gps; all use one type and Kindle uses another...

Suffice it to say I'm looking forward to the time when USB C is ubiquitous, even though it has some short comings.

I wouldn't buy another Kindle just for USB C though.

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