3 ms·

Like it or not, they're pitching it as an appliance to replace a notepad. I think the marketing is quite clever, and I applaud their focus. But it does mean th

Like it or not, they're pitching it as an appliance to replace a notepad. I think the marketing is quite clever, and I applaud their focus. But it does mean that they deliberately exclude bells and whistles that you would expect from a general-purpose software device. Though IMHO with every added feature, they are scope-creeping away from the spartan value prop. FWIW the USB exposes it over a virtual network which lets you do fun stuff like SSH. But that's for fun, not serious.

Phemist 4y ago
You still cannot simply rsync (+ some processing?) the files contained on the device though, because PDFs and their annotations (your scribblings) are stored as separate files and their rendering software is proprietary
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
goosedragons 4y ago
Is it? I think this will doom the device and the company. They exclude a lot while not being cheaper than competitors and they shove basic functionality into a subscription. And yet this notebook replacement doesn't even come with the pen in the box either. Why would anyone spend $300+$80 for a Remarkable 2 when a Kobo Elipsa or Kindle Scribe is less and they are better at book reading, have features like a screen light and don't need a subscription to do things like cloud sync? Marginally better note taking feel?
- afandian 4y ago
  These promotional videos show their deliberate positioning as an anti-"mobile device". (warning- jump scare!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdxW2XF0v8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdxW2XF0v8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZ9QEbJ5sc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZ9QEbJ5sc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw6N9Xd6uE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw6N9Xd6uE
  - goosedragons 4y ago
    Right. But as someone with a similar Boox device I find I get most of the benefits while still getting a lot more functionality. When I had an iPad I found it was a lot easier to just go hop on YouTube or Reddit or whatever than to read that paper or think about my problem. With the Boox device YouTube and Reddit are still miserable to use because low refresh rate B&W eInk but I still have the ability to read my Kindle library, access my OneDrive and use Libby. Most of the bad distractions are eliminated, the writing feel is good enough IMO and it cost about the same while having a better feature set. I just don't understand paying $40 more than a Kindle Scribe to cut out maybe 1 or 2 minor distractions.
    - afandian 4y ago
      I'm honestly torn. I love the positive statement of minimalism. But I think a product category has grown up around them and eaten some of the lunch that they decided not to eat. Even if they continue to differentiate themselves from other e-ink tablets, they are still in the same market category. So, competetively, if they differentiate on fewer features, they should probably do so at reduced cost. Which puts them in a bind, because the hardware isn't simpler so the raw materials don't come cheaper. And even more irony, their software is custom, so it's not even cheaper to build or maintain than the Android based ones.
    - tomtheelder 4y ago
      I think reMarkable as an org just isn't very good at software. They are continually adding functionality, and it's like really basic core stuff a lot of the time, but it just comes in at a _glacial_ pace. They are older than Boox's notepad type offering, and much older than Kindle Scribe, but they are already behind in software support and quality. I have one, and the physical device is excellent, and the experience on it is great if you stay WAY in your lane (note taking on top of PDFs is probably the single strongest use case), but the software just always feels behind.

Phemist 4y ago

You still cannot simply rsync (+ some processing?) the files contained on the device though, because PDFs and their annotations (your scribblings) are stored as separate files and their rendering software is proprietary

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

goosedragons 4y ago

Is it? I think this will doom the device and the company. They exclude a lot while not being cheaper than competitors and they shove basic functionality into a subscription. And yet this notebook replacement doesn't even come with the pen in the box either. Why would anyone spend $300+$80 for a Remarkable 2 when a Kobo Elipsa or Kindle Scribe is less and they are better at book reading, have features like a screen light and don't need a subscription to do things like cloud sync? Marginally better note taking feel?

afandian 4y ago
These promotional videos show their deliberate positioning as an anti-"mobile device". (warning- jump scare!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdxW2XF0v8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdxW2XF0v8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZ9QEbJ5sc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZ9QEbJ5sc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw6N9Xd6uE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw6N9Xd6uE
- goosedragons 4y ago
  Right. But as someone with a similar Boox device I find I get most of the benefits while still getting a lot more functionality. When I had an iPad I found it was a lot easier to just go hop on YouTube or Reddit or whatever than to read that paper or think about my problem. With the Boox device YouTube and Reddit are still miserable to use because low refresh rate B&W eInk but I still have the ability to read my Kindle library, access my OneDrive and use Libby. Most of the bad distractions are eliminated, the writing feel is good enough IMO and it cost about the same while having a better feature set. I just don't understand paying $40 more than a Kindle Scribe to cut out maybe 1 or 2 minor distractions.
  - afandian 4y ago
    I'm honestly torn. I love the positive statement of minimalism. But I think a product category has grown up around them and eaten some of the lunch that they decided not to eat. Even if they continue to differentiate themselves from other e-ink tablets, they are still in the same market category. So, competetively, if they differentiate on fewer features, they should probably do so at reduced cost. Which puts them in a bind, because the hardware isn't simpler so the raw materials don't come cheaper. And even more irony, their software is custom, so it's not even cheaper to build or maintain than the Android based ones.
  - tomtheelder 4y ago
    I think reMarkable as an org just isn't very good at software. They are continually adding functionality, and it's like really basic core stuff a lot of the time, but it just comes in at a _glacial_ pace. They are older than Boox's notepad type offering, and much older than Kindle Scribe, but they are already behind in software support and quality. I have one, and the physical device is excellent, and the experience on it is great if you stay WAY in your lane (note taking on top of PDFs is probably the single strongest use case), but the software just always feels behind.