Maybe you won't have to fumble around looking for pen and paper.
This simple task of "taking notes". There are a variety of note-taking apps and handwriting recognition apps, and there are many devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and smartphones, but I don't think there is anything better than real paper and a pen for note-taking. .
But according to Andrew Liszewski of the US Gizmodo, the E Ink tablet reMarkable 2 seems to have achieved a supernatural writing comfort and usability that even analog enthusiasts can understand. Below is a detailed review.
Until about two years ago, I was convinced that electronic paper was obsolete and useless to everyone. What overturned that perception in a good way was the E Ink tablet, the first generation reMarkable, which perfectly reproduced the feeling of using real paper and pen. it's dark.
The successor, reMarkable 2, achieves writing comfort that surpasses that of the first generation, and the updated hardware gives an extremely sophisticated impression. It would be perfect for reading as a replacement for Kindle, though.
More sophisticated design
The reMarkable 2 has a slightly smaller body than the first generation, but the screen size is the same at 10.3 inches, and the left bezel is rather larger, making it easier to hold with one hand. , can now be held without blocking the screen.
The back of the reMarkable2 is plastic on the front, the rubber feet are smaller, and the magnets that attach it to the case are built-in.
The power/sleep button has become smaller on the upper left side of the main unit, but it's easier to press because it's not recessed like the first generation.
The thickness of reMarkable 2 is 4.7mm, which is even thinner than the original 6.7mm. However, the weight is increased by 50g because it uses premium materials.
The three operation buttons on the original reMarkable are no longer on the reMarkable 2, and are now operated on the touch screen.
The E Ink screen was the star of the original reMarkable design, and for good reason. The all-white housing is sleek and minimal, reinforcing the impression that "this is paper." However, I tend to keep my gadgets as clean and shiny as possible, but even then the original white plastic housing was prone to smudging, and sticky fingerprints were hard to wipe off. The reMarkable 2, on the other hand, is lighter gray with metal accents and a smaller size, giving it a more sleek look.
The charging port, which was microUSB in the first generation, became USB-C in reMarkable 2 and moved to the lower left side, and the power / sleep button also moved to the upper left side. There is a metal bar on the left side of the main unit, which is slightly thicker than the right side, so you can hold it with one hand without blocking the screen.
In the first generation, the three physical buttons at the bottom of the screen disappeared in reMarkable 2, and touch gestures are required for operation. I'd be sad if there weren't physical buttons, but I've grown accustomed to having no buttons.
The reMarkable 2 feels more premium than the original, so the $400 price tag might make more sense. However, the weight of the main unit is 404g (350g for the first generation), which is more than 50g, and if you are used to the first generation, you can understand the difference. I personally liked the feeling that the first generation was much lighter than the iPad, and that I could throw it in my bag without a case. Even the iPad Pro with the genuine case weighs a little over 600g, so it may be a little different, but anyway, I feel that the reMarkable 2 needs to be handled a little more carefully than the first generation. But don't you want your gadget to be as rugged as a toy truck? That's exactly what the original reMarkable did, and I hope the reMarkable 2 is just as durable after long-term use.
Stylus update
Like the Apple Pencil, the reMarkable 2 stylus also sticks to the side of the device with magnets.
From the top, reMarkable 2 Marker Plus (top) and Marker (middle), and the original reMarkable stylus (bottom).
ReMarkable has a rough screen, so the stylus tip needs to be replaced after long use. But for that amount, the best paper and pen writing comfort can be realized.
The reMarkable 2's Marker Plus (the black one) has an eraser function for $50 more.
The key to reMarkable's writing comfort was the stylus, and reMarkable 2 has redesigned that too. The whole has a matte finish with a high sense of hold, and the built-in magnet sticks to the side of the main unit like an Apple Pencil. The original reMarkable could only be attached to the main body by inserting it into a sleeve case, so this upgrade is helpful. However, the screen of the reMarkable is rough, so the tip of the stylus wears out as you use it, and you have to replace it. But it's this texture that creates a pen-and-paper-like writing feel that the iPad and Apple Pencil can't, so if you think that's why, replacing the chip isn't that much of a burden.
Actually, there are two types of this stylus, the $50 Marker and the $100 Marker Plus. is. Marker Plus is the first reMarkable to have an eraser function, and I think this alone makes it worth buying the reMarkable 2. It's much more intuitive to flip the stylus upside down (just like a pencil with an eraser) than to use the tools in the software every time you make a mistake, and it's worth the $50 difference. I think.
Hardware enhancement cuts latency in half
Since the first reMarkable, I have tried several E Ink-based handwriting tablets, including Sony's digital paper, but which one is the best? However, in the end, it just reminded me of the great effort reMarkable put into reducing the lag that reflects the movement of the stylus on the screen. So until now, no other device has been able to match the writing comfort of reMarkable, but reMarkable 2 has surpassed it. The screen specs are the same as the 10.3-inch, 1872 x 1404, but the RAM has been increased from 512MB to 1GB, and the processor has been increased to 1.2GHz dual-core.
ReMarkable says that the latency of reMarkable 2 is 21 ms, which is almost half of the first generation, and you can definitely see the difference the moment you use it. One of the most common problems when writing with a tablet and stylus is when writing in all caps. Devices of this kind are usually better at recognizing short, scrambled cursive writing, but reMarkable 2 is all uppercase like the image above. But it was perfectly fine. The reMarkable experience, which was originally great, has become even smoother, and even those who are passionate about handwritten notes can easily switch to it and never look back.
Limited reading use, but great as a handwritten note
The only feature reMarkable users have been waiting for, but not realized in reMarkable 2, is the screen backlight. Even cheaper Amazon Kindles and Rakuten Kobos have glowing screens, but reMarkable says it's not that easy. The reMarkable has a very thin design that minimizes the distance between the stylus tip and the E Ink, but adding an LED adds thickness. It seems that the latency will also increase slightly, which means that the writing comfort will decrease.
So reMarkable 2 isn't an all-around E Ink device, including reading, but its large screen makes it very suitable for reading e-books (epub files only) and PDFs. increase. I'd love to see it replace e-readers like the Kindle because of the price, but it's not possible, at least not in the current generation. The focus of reMarkable 2 now is to virtually eliminate handwritten notebooks, sticky notes, and whatever paper you reach for every day to write something down.
That was Liszewski. By the way, reMarkable 2 is currently accepting pre-orders at the time of writing this article, and shipping is scheduled for November 2020, but it seems that the original shipping schedule was in June, so there seems to be a delay. Also, unfortunately, we do not accept direct shipments to Japan, and it seems that we have not acquired the technical suitability required for wireless equipment in Japan.