Onyx is Planning a 7.8″ Color eReader Based on the Boox Nova2
Onyx has just managed to upstage themselves on their launch day.
Mike Cane has tipped me to the news that Onyx has sent an official letter informing the FCC that they are going to use the same internal electronics in multiple ereader models.
The ereader in question is the 7.8″ Boox Nova2, and one of the intended models has a color screen.
Launched earlier this year, the Boox Nova2 runs Android 9.0 on a 2GHz octa-core CPU with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. It has both Wifi and BT, speakers, and a microphone. The current model weighs 265 grams, measures 7.7mm thin, and packs in a 3.15Ah battery.
Its 7.8″ Carta E-ink screen has a screen resolution of 1872×1404 (300 PPI). It has a color-changing frontlight, and both a capacitive and stylus touchscreen.
Onyx has told the FCC that the The Boox Nova2 Color will have the same guts, which means it will have the same general specs. The one exception with be the screen; if it ships, the new device will have a Kaleido E-ink screen which is capable of displaying color at 100 PPI.
The Boox Nova2 costs $339. Assuming the Kaleido screen adds $150 to the price, the Boox Nova2 Color could cost around $500.
That is ridiculously expensive (you could buy a much more capable iPad for less) but damned if I am not tempted. A 7.8″ Kaleido screen backed by these specs would make an amazing Android ePaper tablet.
Comments
Vicente August 11, 2020 um 3:42 am
I guess they sell much more Nova than Note, because a 10″ tablet makes more sense, although it would be ridiculously expensive
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[…] Onyx is Planning a 7.8? Color eReader Based on the Boox Nova2 [The Digital Reader] After launching a 6 inch eReader with a color E Ink display, it looks like Onyx is going to launch a 7.8 inch Onyx BooX Nova2 Color eReader. […]
Steve H. August 11, 2020 um 6:31 pm
Good to see that larger color screens will probably emerge this year. I am somewhat interested….but I now expect that Kobo, and mayyyybe Amazon will bring out a larger screen color device.
Tarwin August 11, 2020 um 10:52 pm
I personally would LOVE Kobo Forma Kolour. The Forma is so slim and light it’d be great with the new screen for comics and such.
Of course if you wanted anything other than reading the Onyx device would be much more capable.
Milan August 12, 2020 um 3:48 am
Anything smaller than 10 inches is completely unusable for comics or magazines. We don’t need color for reading plain text in normal ebooks.
Tarwin August 12, 2020 um 11:48 am
I’ve read some comics and manga on my Kobo Forma quite happily. Others I haven’t because as you day, it’s too small and lacks a bit of resolution (I can usually read them on my 8.4 inch tablet, though for some it’s more peasant on my galaxy tab s6).
It really depends on the book.
For example, things for younger readers (not big picture books meant for small kids, just younger readers) tends to be less busy and have less tiny text. Basically think of anything by Archie comics (the typical stuff, not their more adult stuff) and you’ll understand what I mean. This often holds true for manga.
And a good ereader is infinitely more comfortable to read while nodding off than a quality tablet (some of the cheaper ones aren’t bad since the lack in build quality often translates into s lighter build)
Adrian November 30, 2020 um 6:09 am
Your opinion is based on a use case I have no interest in. I do not read comics or magazines.
An 8″ device is perfect for me as a portable device where 10+ is just too unwieldy. Colour on a device with a stylus is also invaluable for technical documentation, both for illustrations and markup. Colour is also good for reading news feeds.
Ask The Expert: When Can We Expect Better Color E-ink Screens? | The Digital Reader August 16, 2020 um 11:19 am
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[…] how I told you back in August that Onyx teased a 7.8″ color ereader based on the Boox […]