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L**1
The E-reader for highly detailed technical documents and PDF's has finally arrived - get it quick before it sells out!
I bought this as an 'A4' E-reader for technical PDF's with highly detailed drawings / schematic diagrams and I bought it despite the price because unlike a tablet I can read for hours and not suffer from eye strainI have tried various E-readers over the years and nothing has been great for technical documents - my last E-reader a 9.7 inch Icarus Excel was a painful experience I can now forget.Reading and downloading PDF's (Wi-Fi or USB cable) on the Max2 is light years ahead of any E-reader I have seen or used.The screen is almost A4 size and documents I needed to print out previously at A4 look superb on the Max2.In point of fact it is better than A4 printouts because I can zoom in and out at speed using the standard 2 finger system that you use on mobile phones and tablets and move from page to page by touching the left or right side of the screen - the manufacturer has implemented the touch screen very well - a few menu alterations would be helpful but I am being very picky in saying this.I'm struggling to find a fault with the Max2, however I appreciate that all reviews must be balanced - The only issue that annoys me is that there is no option to return to 'pre-link page' when I have clicked a link in a PDF. Technical document PDF's have numerous page links to different pages / chapters for more detail and when I have read the reference page it would be nice to touch an onscreen 'return from link' button and return to the original page. If the manufacture could add this I would be very happy.The screen refresh is very fast when turning pages BUT it is still an e-ink screen which means it does 'jump' as it moves from page to page - when I first tried E-readers years ago I though this would be massively irritating, however by the time I have read a page I don't notice the 'jumping screen' as I move forwards. I'm guessing that the screen manufacturer may eventually overcome this challenge but as I can't read at 10 pages per second it really isn't an issue!I don't use the note taking facility (pen) so am unable to comment on this - I'm sure it's something another reviewer would be able to expand upon.Apparently it can be used as a monitor screen for your computer - I haven't tried this, but if it works it would make for an excellent eye strain free (but smallish) monitor for typing documents up in Word, Excel or Open Office.Design and layout - it's big, it's overall size is bigger that A4, but bizarrely enough it is easy to hold from a weight perspective - I guess the space age metal shell helps, but it's more than that - it just feels 'nicely balanced' - the location of the physical buttons isn't an issue for me because the finger touch screen covers every base.Battery life is good - 3 days heavy use and down to 80% - I class this as excellent for something that can store around 10,000 large PDF's, play audiobooks and even display photographs pretty well (grey scale) - Taking into account that it charges with a standard USB cable available from every garage and pound shop and charging points are everywhere these days, I can only see battery life being an issue if you are planning an expedition to the North Pole!Horses for Courses - I purchased this as an 'A4' E-reader and for this it is superb - If you are purchasing the Max2 for note taking facilities, web surfing, audio playing (MP3), external monitor facility and access to Google Play store (the internet forums show mixed reviews on this facility) I would definitely research these things before shelling out this kind of money!
S**S
Surprisingly Good
UPDATE: After some help I've managed to find a way to use the Max 2 as a monitor. Change Win 10 desktop to a solid white colour with black text. Increase the text size to 175%. Plug the Max 2 USB cable into a 5v/2A adapter. Clip an LED book light onto the MAX 2 to light up the screen. In A2 mode with regular screen refreshes it's now viable as a monitor.I'd read reviews about the Boox Max 2 and was undecided about it's potential due to the limitations of e-ink. But after some help setting it up I really like it. The non lit e-ink screen takes time to get used to if never encountered before but I get much less eye-strain with it than using a normal monitor. I've found that using it in A2 mode for most things is adequate. Text and images are sharp. Images look like the highly detailed engraved kind that were found in books years ago. They have a retro feel about them that's pleasant to view. It takes only one touch to swap to the higher resolution so it's no hassle changing when necessary. Web browsing is fine (and fast) in A2 mode. The Max 2 has really helped reduce my eye-strain.Word processing is possible using Google apps and the PDF annotator is fully functional. It's easy to add notes to PDF's and save them. The versatility of this device is pretty incredible. It's almost perfect apart from the cons below. Perhaps the next version will have it all?The cons are:The lack of home screen options - I'd prefer a desktop mode so that I can add app icons.The apps section should have a drag and drop icon setting so that it's easier to organise. A hide icon or folder mode would be useful too.The screen is plastic and susceptible to scratching so a screen protector should be fitted by the manufacturer because it's impossible to fit at home without creating bubbles.The stand should be included with the product because it's difficult to use as a monitor otherwise.The Max 2 should be updated so that a USB adapter can be connected for storage devices, keyboards and a mouse. (There are work-arounds so it's possible for Onyx to update the Max 2 with this feature) Lost a star for that omission.
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3 weeks ago
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