The Boox Palma 2 Pro finally got me to stop reading on my phone

The $400 Boox Palma 2 Pro is simply a smartphone-sized e-reader designed for radical who privation to work books, articles, and documents connected a tiny E Ink display. However, it offers much than conscionable a dedicated speechmaking acquisition due to the fact that it runs Android and supports Google Play, giving you entree to third-party apps. Think of it arsenic a transverse betwixt a Kindle and a compact Android tablet. 

What drew maine to reviewing the Palma 2 Pro was its size. When I’m not speechmaking a carnal book, I similar to prevarication connected my broadside and work astatine nighttime earlier bed. Most e-readers are squarish and hard to clasp without thing similar a PopSocket, and they tin consciousness excessively large for speechmaking portion lying down. So adjacent though I ain a Kindle, I often ended up speechmaking connected my iPhone simply due to the fact that it was much comfy successful my hand. But, speechmaking connected your telephone for excessively agelong tin of people origin oculus strain. The Palma 2 Pro yet solved this occupation for maine during the 2 months I spent investigating it.

The device’s front-lit surface lets you take betwixt chill and lukewarm lighting. This was a large positive for maine due to the fact that erstwhile I’m speechmaking successful furniture astatine night, I don’t privation to disturb my sleeping hubby with the light. While you tin little the brightness connected a smartphone, the Palma 2 Pro tin beryllium dimmed to an exceptionally debased level. Even erstwhile speechmaking successful implicit darkness, I could spot the surface intelligibly without straining my eyes oregon disturbing my husband.

Not lone was the Boox Palma 2 Pro easier connected my eyes, but it was besides noticeably lighter than my iPhone, weighing conscionable 175 grams and making it adjacent much comfy to hold.

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And since it’s pocket-sized, I ended up carrying it everywhere, from the doctor’s bureau to the airport, particularly since it fits successful my small, mundane purse that isn’t large capable for a Kindle. So, successful moments erstwhile I would usually scroll connected my phone, I was getting immoderate speechmaking successful instead. 

Since it’s not a locked-down e-reader, you tin download apps similar Kindle, Kobo, and Libby, arsenic good arsenic apps for audiobooks, podcasts, read-it-later services, and email. This means that you don’t person to usage the built-in scholar app, and tin take to work connected your preferred app.

Access to apps turns the compact E Ink instrumentality into a versatile instrumentality for reading, research, and productivity. It’s worthy noting that portion scrolling done these apps, animations and immoderate interfaces whitethorn consciousness sluggish due to the fact that not each apps are optimized for E Ink. And portion the instrumentality is susceptible of displaying color, images volition decidedly look little vibrant than they would a smartphone screen.

For me, the Palma 2 Pro became a dedicated instrumentality for speechmaking and listening to audiobooks, which allowed maine to bask the champion of some worlds without the accustomed distractions that travel with a smartphone.

The Boox Palma 2 Pro besides features a rear camera for scanning documents, a built-in talker for listening to audio without headphones, and a hybrid SIM slot for cellular information connected the go.

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The instrumentality is compatible with a stylus, truthful you tin instrumentality notes and people up PDFs. However, I can’t talk to that acquisition since I didn’t person a stylus with my reappraisal unit. 

As for artillery life, the instrumentality lasted astir 5–7 days, which worked for maine but could beryllium a downside for radical who are utilized to Kindles, which tin past for weeks connected a azygous charge. Additionally, if you privation to get much foodstuff retired of the device, you tin conscionable crook disconnected Wi-Fi. 

One downside I found, particularly for an e-reader astatine this terms point, is that there’s rather a spot of ghosting. Text from a erstwhile leafage tin linger connected the surface erstwhile you crook to the adjacent leafage oregon instrumentality to the location screen. There’s a refresh fastener successful the navigation barroom that rapidly clears it, but it whitethorn get annoying for immoderate users to repeatedly person to bash that.

I deliberation the Boox Palma 2 Pro is simply a large instrumentality for a precise circumstantial benignant of reader: idiosyncratic who wants a smartphone-sized instrumentality for comfort, portability, arsenic good arsenic entree to apps. If you’re idiosyncratic who loves your Kindle, I don’t deliberation this instrumentality is for you. But if, similar me, you’re bushed of speechmaking connected your telephone and dealing with oculus strain oregon headaches, the Boox Palma 2 Pro is simply a large option.

Of course, the terms is rather steep for an e-reader, truthful you’ll person to determine whether the added versatility and portability are worthy the other cost. It’s worthy mentioning that Boox is launching a non-Pro Palma 3 soon for $340 that features a achromatic and achromatic show and replaces the Palma 2.