The last period was successful for fans of e-ink notebooks and especially for the ePaper Notepad category. Amazon launched the Kindle Scribe, ReMarkable has a new version – PaperPro and Onyx also launched new models from its Boox series. I received for review The Note Air 4C – A notebook with a color screen, electronic ink, Android operating system and also a book reader.
Screen and design: Note Air 4C – colored electronic ink
For those who don’t know, electronic ink technology is very different from the one present in our smartphones and tablets. These are screens that look like a normal sheet of paper, they consume very little battery and the image that appears on them remains constant as long as it is not replaced. These screens look great in direct sunlight and have no viewing angle limitations. That’s why this technology is used mainly in electronic readers, so that reading books with them gives almost the feeling of a real book.
The Air 4C is the second generation that Onyx offers with a color e-ink screen. So, unlike the usual electronic ink technology that comes in monochromatic colors, here you enjoy a colorful display. It is E Ink Kaleido 3 technology which, according to the company, is able to provide soft colors and a high refresh rate (Super Refresh technology). I didn’t feel it was a high refresh rate, but in this type of product, it’s fine.
The screen also includes a backlight, so that when you want to read with it in a dark room, unlike a normal e-ink screen, there is no problem doing it (of course it comes at the expense of battery time). The lighting itself is very strong, so there is no problem working with it even in daylight. For use at night, the device includes a mode in which the blue light is reduced, so that the display becomes yellow and more pleasant to the eye.
The screen itself comes in a size of 10.3 inches, which allows a very respectable display area for writing and reading and still makes it possible to hold it in the hand in a relatively comfortable way, even though it is not a very light device – 420 grams.
By the way, at first glance the Air 4C looks a little bulky because of its thick frame, especially the one on the left side. Onyx explains that the logic behind this is the ability to comfortably hold the device in the hands. Get settled, that’s right.
Interface and hardware: Note Air 4C – download apps from Google Play
The operating system here is Android 13, with BOOX’s interface on it. The advantage here, apart from a full interface in Hebrew, including a Hebrew keyboard, is the possibility to download applications from Google Play. So there is no restriction on using only the apps that came with the device, you can download the “Hebrew” or “Stimetsky” book apps and read books here very conveniently, read emails from Gmail or browse websites through the browser.
The interface is adapted to work horizontally or vertically, when it includes in its upper part quick access to the device’s internal library, but this did not include books from external applications such as Hebrew. BOOX offers access to a library of books that it works with.
The other quick access listed here is to the Notes app. This is basically access to one of the main uses I had with the Air 4C – writing notes and summaries in meetings. The device comes with a pen inside the kit, which is an advantage, but it is a relatively simple pen, which does not include an eraser on its back, so in order to delete text, you have to tap on the option in the menu and you cannot do it simply by sliding the back of the pen over the text. What’s more, there is an option to mess with the pen on the text and then it is deleted. It works well, so the lack of an integrated pen eraser is a little less noticeable.
In terms of writing quality, it is pleasant and also gives the noise of writing with a pencil on paper. At the top of the interface there is quick access to the five types of pens/pencils that were used. For example, a yellow marker or brush pen. This makes it easy to switch between colors or types of pens quickly without entering the menus.
An important detail regarding the pen, it is necessary to replace its nib periodically, the cost of 5 nibs is NIS 100.
Onyx integrated a number of AI capabilities into the notes application, apart from the deletion I mentioned earlier, you can scribble: a circle, square or triangle and the software turns them into a neat drawing. There is also the option to circle handwritten words and they will turn into printed writing (not in Hebrew).
Hardware, case and battery: more memory and a fingerprint sensor
Compared to the Air 3C that came with 4 gigabytes of working memory, here you get 6 gigabytes. The storage volume remains the same – 64 gigabytes. It cannot be said that the device responds very quickly, but it responds well. The Air 4C also features a fingerprint sensor inside the power button, so keeping the device secure is more convenient than a code, with the sensor responding well. The battery comes with a capacity of 3700 mAh, similar to the previous model.
I reviewed the device together with the company’s book-style magnetic case (cost NIS 215). In general, it is recommended to buy a case if you want to keep the screen that you carry in your bag, when the case also secures the pen in a better way. What’s nice about this case is that it allows you to place the device horizontally on the table when it’s standing. Those who like to read documents or books in this way will find this option convenient, when they don’t want to hold the Air 4C in their hand.
Price: NIS 2,100, through the company’s website (not an affiliate link)
Bottom line, the Boox Note Air 4C offers a successful experience for those looking for a notebook with e-ink. This model includes a color screen with lighting, which allows you to read books in a place with problematic lighting. It includes access to Google’s Play Store, which offers a large variety of applications for use, including the local bookstores or surfing to read websites through a browser. The writing application on the device is easy to use and includes a wide variety of options for those who want to start summarizing their meetings through a device of this type. The kit also includes a touch pen that was pleasantly surprising in its performance.