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PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

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Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#41
post #7
post #3

I went down this rabbit hole two weeks ago, but settled on using a Lenovo ThinkSmart View instead: https://taoofmac.com/space/blog/2023/09/22/1230

is it a standard lcd/led display that emits blue light versus the paper white safer one?

What makes a standard lcd/led display unsafe?

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Remarkable 2 with folio case gets close!

I don’t have the Folio case, but I have a Remarkable 2 and the screen refresh time is not as nice as the Paperwhite by quite a margin. I had actually managed to plug a USB keyboard to the RM2 (can be done, you need to tweak several things and power it) and the experience was quite “meh”. Also on a personal note, I prefer the form factor/size of the Kindle for this. The RM2 always feels flimsy!

That seems strange. You can use the pen on it, and the screen changes near instantly. There is not much of a lag. I would think that typing would be almost as good.

Edit: I see this guy typing here, and the latency doesn't seem horrible. Probably equivalent to the latency of an actual mechanical typewriter. https://youtu.be/R8VG6dQkTwI?si=_YWK7-fLw7MhS1Vv&t=2226

Of course, this folio keyboard looks horrible.

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#44
post #3

I went down this rabbit hole two weeks ago, but settled on using a Lenovo ThinkSmart View instead: https://taoofmac.com/space/blog/2023/09/22/1230

What's funny is that what you did with a Pi Zero and Plan 9 is basically my ideal when put in conjunction with one of Lenovo's USB ThinkPad keyboards. The TrackPoints on those have three mouse buttons and work well, and the keyboard is sleek enough.

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#45
Neat project. I'd really like to author plain AsciiDoc on an e-paper display without distractions.

On one of your earlier commits (https://github.com/rberenguel/PiWrite/commit/c23bfdccd43e1c5...), you mentioned using a Pico W. There may be an avenue for that. A few days ago I submitted my Raspberry Pi Pico W Host MQTT Numpad project to Hacker News, but unfortunately it didn't gain any traction. https://gitlab.com/baiyibai/pico-w-usb-host-mqtt-numpad. I detail some of the developments on USB Host mode. There doesn't seem to be native MicroPython support for USB Host mode yet. I did find a project which seems to to load the pico-pio-sdk as a library and use a GamePad for input: https://github.com/danjperron/pico4legsBot

Also, about a year, I wrote down some of the requirements for an e-paper RPI Pico-based e-ink writer in a comment. I wanted to dub mine, 'the microWrite', 'μWrite', 'uWrite', or 'you write' https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32092930.

I suppose the question is whether it is feasible to adapt PiWrite to run in MicroPython. The next question is whether one could ditch the webserver-based approach and interface an e-paper screen directly to the RP2040. Waveshare offers MicroPython libraries for their e-paper displays. This might offer better latency.

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#46
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Boox Tab Ultra? https://shop.boox.com/products/tab

Nice, and the price is okay, but the keyboard is not suitable for longer writing sessions. Even its very own demo video shows a lady on a software with the device AND her laptop (how ironic)! If anyone has it, how long does the battery last?

I don't have that one, but I have one of the A4 sized onyx tablets. I use it for sheet music, turning pages with an air turn pedal

I get about 3-4 weeks on a charge, albeit with somewhat light use

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#47
post #16

Want: Mechanical Keyboard with an OS powering a PaperWhite screen.

https://getfreewrite.com/

I have one of these sitting next to me right now, and it's essentially unusable due to the dispaly lag, and largely (though not completely) reliant on a service from the vendor for syncing. The hardware is passable, but the software is not, and it seems to be at a very slow drip of maintenance, if not completely abandoned.

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#48
Took me awhile to get there, but my ideal mono-tasking "typewriter-like" setup is:

- iPad Air

- iA Writer iPad App[1] (or: Simplenote)

- TwelveSouth Compass Pro, for use in portrait mode[2]

- Standard Apple Bluetooth Keyboard + Apple Pencil clipped on side[3]

Also, I might be old-fashioned, but when I need to type outside -- which is often -- I just bring my laptop! Lenovo X1C (excellent keyboard) with a great matte screen[4]. Since that's Linux, I usually use vim + goyo, Typora, or Simplenote.

[1]: https://apps.apple.com/app/id775737172?platform=ipad

[2]: https://www.twelvesouth.com/cdn/shop/files/CompassPro-sectio...

[3]: https://ibb.co/3kNZmy1

[4]: https://ibb.co/wJLmLwK

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#49
post #44
post #3

I went down this rabbit hole two weeks ago, but settled on using a Lenovo ThinkSmart View instead: https://taoofmac.com/space/blog/2023/09/22/1230

What's funny is that what you did with a Pi Zero and Plan 9 is basically my ideal when put in conjunction with one of Lenovo's USB ThinkPad keyboards. The TrackPoints on those have three mouse buttons and work well, and the keyboard is sleek enough.

I actually looked at the price of those on Aliexpress but realized I didn’t want to have cables or get more hardware.

Re: PiWrite – Kindle Paperwhite to Write

#50
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

is it a standard lcd/led display that emits blue light versus the paper white safer one?

What makes a standard lcd/led display unsafe?

Marketing materials for a surface treatment on eye glasses.
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