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Hands On With Netronix 13.3″ ($520) and 6.8″ ($135) E-ink Notepad

Charbax recently caught up with ereader maker Netronix at a trade show and got a first glimpse of their new large-screen ereader. (Later in the video we get to see a new 6.8″ model which is reportedly in mass production. There was no mention of where you can buy one, however.)

Netronix has been showing off a 13.3″ ereader for a couple years now. It’s not even close to reaching the market, but thanks to the long wait the new demo unit is considerably more polished that what I saw at CES 2015.

Weighing in at under 400 grams, the new model is both lighter and thinner, but it still runs Android. It features a 13.3″E-ink display with a screen resolution of 1200 x 1600 and a stylus which utilizes passive digitzer technology.

As you can see in the video, it looks pretty cool, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up that we might one day see it on the market. Someone would have to commit to buy 3,000 units first at a cost of around $1.5 million, and given the small size of the market that just isn’t going to happen.

And that’s a shame because from what I have seen, Netronix has better software than its competition.

There is a similar device with a 13.3″ screen, the Onyx Boox Max, and the only reason that device made it to market is that Onyx is willing to sell it in smaller quantities. (You can buy the Max at eReader-Store.de.)

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Comments


Syn December 21, 2016 um 5:12 pm

I don’t see this going anywhere. e-ink was exciting five years ago. Not so much now. I picked up a Tab A with S Pen for 249 that can do a whole lot more. Its not e-ink but I’m not writing on it long enough to feel my eyeballs are stressed. When they do something innovative again,(looking at you color screen not yet ready for market,) then maybe we can talk.

Nate Hoffelder December 22, 2016 um 6:53 am

Yep. Tablets killed off the ereader.


lemondrop December 22, 2016 um 9:29 am

>> As you can see in the video, it looks pretty cool, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up that we might one day see it on the market. Someone would have to commit to buy 3,000 units first at a cost of around $1.5 million, and given the small size of the market that just isn’t going to happen.

Then why would they invest in the development?


user December 22, 2016 um 5:59 pm

If you search indiegogo dot com for 13.3 inch e-reader you can buy this Netronix e-reader right now. Of course Netronix is accepting orders for less then 3000 units.
Two dreamers had a heart/b*lls to order small quantity from Netronix and run a campaign. Kudos to them.

Nate Hoffelder December 22, 2016 um 7:46 pm

And it’s actually shipping. I honestly did not expect that to happen.

vicente December 23, 2016 um 3:10 pm

Excuse me, but I have been searching on indiegogo and it only shows the Bad-eReader..
Is there another one I did not see?

Nate Hoffelder December 23, 2016 um 3:15 pm

No, it’s that one.

Okay, technically the model on Indiegogo is not the model shown in the video. We should not have implied it was.

But the model on Indiegogo is shipping – or so they say in the updates.

user December 24, 2016 um 5:46 am

Netronix and GoodEReader are the same products. Just with GoodeReader logo. Netronix can’t sell them directly. That’s why it took 2 years from the introduction to the market.

Vicente December 24, 2016 um 1:08 pm

May be I didn’t understand all completely, but you say both devices are the same and Nate says Netronix’s software is better…

user December 25, 2016 um 2:12 am

Netronix Jan 2015:
https://youtu.be/b-SnpwAsIYc

Netronix Jun 2015:
https://youtu.be/na3EkqhOa-A

GoodEReader 2016:
https://youtu.be/kvfd2AgF4d0

Onyx Max + Netronix have just copied Sony (May 2013):
https://youtu.be/bvJuLK65dio

E Ink 2010:
https://youtu.be/IsEB0KPo0MI

There’s no real development in epaper since 2008 because E Ink have equired most of its competitors.

2017 might look better with faster I.MX7 chip (but same display):

vicente December 25, 2016 um 9:49 am

So, you guess reMarkable will have an I.MX7 inside, but you don’t know it…


Daniel December 22, 2016 um 9:00 pm

Netronix is not a Chinese, but a Taiwanese company, here’s the website with more detailed info about the readers seen in the video: http://www.netronixinc.com/products.aspx?ID=1

Nate Hoffelder December 22, 2016 um 9:32 pm

That’s like saying someone isn’t British, they’re Scottish.

The distinction isn’t terribly relevant or accurate.

Daniel December 24, 2016 um 8:44 pm

There is a reason why Taiwan is included in the ISO 3166-1, but Scotland isn’t. There’s also a reason why Scotland doesn’t have a separate country code, but Taiwan does. So, sorry Nate, but that’s a very simplistic and therefore incorrect comparison.

What’s not terribly relevant or accurate here is only your personal opinion, certainly not the distinction. Or are you saying that your opinion is more important than the self-identity of the people in question?

I’d suggest you do a bit more of research into the matter. You could even contact Netronix and ask them if they’re a Taiwanese or a Chinese company. Or are you too affraid to challenge your own opinion? Well, then that closes the matter.

Nate Hoffelder December 24, 2016 um 10:49 pm

Or, we could just go by the official position of the Chinese Gov’t.

But hey, what do they know.

Miss M December 25, 2016 um 12:27 pm

Your ignorance is jaw-dropping.

Nate Hoffelder December 25, 2016 um 1:42 pm

No, this is just me having fun with rude people.

Daniel December 25, 2016 um 1:07 pm

Ignorance is bliss, merry Xmas.


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