4 of my favorite Boox hacks that change how I use my e-reader

The e-reader market is getting more exciting these days, mostly because e-readers are handling a lot more than books. It’s fair to say, in fact, that we’re transitioning into the era of e-ink tablets, led by devices like the reMarkable Paper Pro and the Kindle Scribe. The main selling point tends to be handwritten notetaking and annotation, but with the ability to send files to other devices when it’s time to get serious work done.

Boox devices like the Palma 2 and my Note Air4C take things a step further by using Android instead of a proprietary OS. That means they can run any app on the Google Play Store, so long as your tablet meets basic version and hardware requirements. There are a few things you need to know about making the most of a Boox tablet, some of which might be obvious — others not.

4

Update to the latest software right away

Don’t miss out on compatibility and new features

With a conventional phone or tablet, it’s no problem to hit the ground running. Sure, it’s best to update whenever a newer OS version becomes available, but many people can coast for a while until they have no choice. Boox devices, though, are loaded with older versions of Android from the get-go, since they’re highly customized and don’t even benefit from many of Google’s additions. My Note Air4C runs a fork of Android 13, despite the fact that some smartphones are already on Android 16.

To maximize compatibility with apps, it’s best to update a Boox device right away. You’re probably never going to leap from Android 13 to 14, much less 16, yet there may be component updates you can install. Boox simultaneously fixes and upgrades its own software — the recent 4.1 firmware added a plethora of features, such as reading time estimates, and the ability to quickly flip between preset e-ink refresh, color, and layout options based on the needs of the app you’re in. It can make a huge difference if you’re reading Maus, say, instead of browsing the web. Fetch new firmware by going to Settings > More Settings > System Update. Be prepared for installations to take a long time, since Boox devices aren’t using the latest and greatest processors.

3

Stick to first-party notetaking and sketching apps

Lag is a killer

With the vast catalog of the Play Store available, you might be tempted to install the same third-party notetaking and illustration tools that you’re used to on other platforms. Aside from familiarity, there’s also the advantage of instant cross-platform sync. What artist doesn’t like the idea of sketching the bones of their art on a tablet, then opening the exact same app on a computer to flesh out the details?

Well, hold your horses. As it turns out, there’s a good reason for Boox to have its own apps — they’re optimized for its stylus, and e-ink displays in general. You should be able to get third-party apps to run, but don’t be surprised if the stylus lag is terrible. Some interface elements may not look right either, since they’re intended for LCD and OLED panels with wider color gamuts and much faster refresh rates.

The best solution, then, is to make use of Boox’s own export tools (more on those below). I prefer to use the Boox mobile app on my iPhone, which syncs with my tablet, and lets me tap the triple-dot icon next to an item in the Notes tab to export something as a PDF. Native Photoshop or Illustrator files are a fantasy, unfortunately.

2

Upload your own books and documents

No need to stick to third-party services

The greatest benefit of Android on an e-ink tablet may be the ability to install any e-book app apart from Apple Books. Upgrading from a Kindle or Kobo? All of your books should sync automatically the moment you sign into the appropriate service. The Play Store also expands the number of libraries you can borrow from, and makes comparison shopping possible — things you won’t want to backtrack from once you’ve seen the possibilities.

If you’ve got a collection of local books, documents, or even images you’d like to send to your tablet, the simplest way is often to use cloud storage apps like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive. Those specific services are built into Boox’s software– go to Settings > Accounts > Go to Notes Sync Settings and/or Go to Cloud Storage in Library to set them up. This is also how some export options are enabled.

Boox has an option of its own called BooxDrop, which operates primarily over local Wi-Fi. To get started, open the BooxDrop app on your tablet, then follow connection instructions for Boox’s website or mobile app. In my case, I paired the mobile app by scanning a QR code.

Format support is pretty wide, including PDF, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOCX, HTML, PNG, JPG, and BMP. The only major issue to worry about is copy protection, since of course, you won’t be able to read something like an AZW file if it’s still locked by Amazon.

1

Experiment with e-ink settings

Change them on the fly

One of the things Boox was smart to recognize is that on a device that can run a wide range of apps, the appearance of e-ink needs to be flexible. Sometimes it’s most important for text and images to be as crisp as possible. In other cases, refresh rate is king. The highest refresh rates will let you watch YouTube, although it’s still like watching the ghost of a video than the real thing. Expect your battery life to plummet, too.

I tend not to mess with settings too frequently, but on a Note Air4C, at least, you can swipe up from the lower-right corner at any time to bring up the EinkWise control panel. I’d recommend the HD refresh and Vivid Color modes if you’re reading comics or graphic novels, and probably for color sketching as well. Options will vary based on your device. Settings can get very granular if you tap on one of the Custom buttons, but usually, they’re not necessary.

In fact, most users will probably be fine sticking with the Fast Refresh or Recommend presets, the second striking a balance between speed and quality. The main drawback to Fast Refresh is that it sometimes leaves ghosts of the last frame onscreen, which can be distracting. It’s related to the nature of e-ink, which uses charged capsules for each pixel — it takes longer to put every capsule in its right place.