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> What are "e-ink device companies"? You mean like Amazon? Are they hostile? Not a GP but I have been doing some research on which ereader / note taker to buy

> What are "e-ink device companies"? You mean like Amazon? Are they hostile? Not a GP but I have been doing some research on which ereader / note taker to buy lately and although I wouldn’t call it hostile, there is definitely a pattern. Most eink devices run some modified walled-of modifications of Android. Most eink devices don’t support USB keyboards (for example, just something I am interested in), and even if they unofficially do, the companies would flat out deny it for some reason (Boox). Seems like every device has it’s own perspective on how to export / import documents and content

robinsoh 5y ago
> Most eink devices run some modified walled-of modifications of Android. That's not that surprising is it? Doesn't regular Android have a lot of stuff that would break eink displays since they can't update like LCD? > Most eink devices don’t support USB keyboards (for example, just something I am interested in), and even if they unofficially do, the companies would flat out deny it for some reason (Boox). Sounds nasty. Any link to further details about what you're saying? Is it just a simple missing USB host capability or are they actively preventing people from using USB host somehow in software?
- wellthisisgreat 5y ago
  > Sounds nasty. Any link to further details about what you're saying? I emailed Boox support if Boox Nova Air that just came out supports USB keyboard and got a one-liner response that their products to not support getting connected to USB keyboards. I think the sibling commenter that mentions that they may just want to get rid of support requests is close to truth. I think Remarkable did actually make some design decisions that don't allow to just use USB keyboard (you actually need some aftermarket cable if you want to hack it together). No idea why (once you get the cable the keyboard apparently works). Maybe these companies just really believe in the screen + pen paradigm.
dspillett 5y ago
> don’t support USB keyboards … and even if they unofficially do, the companies … deny it for some reason Perhaps they don't want to deal with support calls for “my keyboard isn't working” or “the keyboard mapping is odd for [insert HCI device here]” or similar, and have decided that simply saying “we don't support USB keyboards” is not sufficient to ward that off.

robinsoh 5y ago

> Most eink devices run some modified walled-of modifications of Android. That's not that surprising is it? Doesn't regular Android have a lot of stuff that would break eink displays since they can't update like LCD? > Most eink devices don’t support USB keyboards (for example, just something I am interested in), and even if they unofficially do, the companies would flat out deny it for some reason (Boox). Sounds nasty. Any link to further details about what you're saying? Is it just a simple missing USB host capability or are they actively preventing people from using USB host somehow in software?

wellthisisgreat 5y ago
> Sounds nasty. Any link to further details about what you're saying? I emailed Boox support if Boox Nova Air that just came out supports USB keyboard and got a one-liner response that their products to not support getting connected to USB keyboards. I think the sibling commenter that mentions that they may just want to get rid of support requests is close to truth. I think Remarkable did actually make some design decisions that don't allow to just use USB keyboard (you actually need some aftermarket cable if you want to hack it together). No idea why (once you get the cable the keyboard apparently works). Maybe these companies just really believe in the screen + pen paradigm.

dspillett 5y ago

> don’t support USB keyboards … and even if they unofficially do, the companies … deny it for some reason Perhaps they don't want to deal with support calls for “my keyboard isn't working” or “the keyboard mapping is odd for [insert HCI device here]” or similar, and have decided that simply saying “we don't support USB keyboards” is not sufficient to ward that off.