Table of contents
What is the most important for electronic books (readers) with the possibility of industrial and technical application? Maybe processor power, memory size, screen resolution? All of the above is important, of course; but the most important thing is physical screen size: the bigger it is, the better!
This is due to the fact that almost 100% of documentation of various kinds is issued in PDF format. And this format is “hard”; it is impossible, for example, to simply take and increase the font size without increasing all other elements at the same time.
True, if the PDF contains a text layer (and often only image scans), then in some applications it is possible to reformat the text (Reflow). But this is not always good: the document will no longer look the way the author created it.
Accordingly, in order for the page of such a document with small print to be readable, the screen itself must be larger!
Otherwise, the document can be read only in "pieces", increasing its individual areas.
After this introduction, let me introduce the hero of the review - the ONYX BOOX Max 3 e-book with a giant screen of 13.3 inches:
(image from the official website of the manufacturer)
By the way: in addition to PDF, there is another popular "hard" format: DJVU. In this format, mainly books and documents scanned without OCR are distributed (this may be necessary to preserve the features of the document).
In addition to the large screen, the reader has other positive features: a fast 8-core processor, a large amount of internal memory, a USB OTG function (USB host), the ability to work as a monitor, and many other interesting things.
Along the way, in the review, we will consider a couple of accessories: a protective cover and a stand-holder suitable for this and other large-format readers.
Specifications ONYX BOOX Max 3
In order for a further review of the reader to have a technical "binding", let's start with its brief characteristics:
— screen size: 13.3 inches;
— screen resolution: 2200*1650 (4:3);
— screen type: E Ink Mobius Carta, with SNOW Field function, without backlight;
- touch sensitivity: yes, capacitive + inductive (stylus);
- Processor*: 8-core, 2 GHz;
- RAM: 4 GB;
- built-in memory: 64 GB (51.7 GB available);
- audio: stereo speakers, 2 microphones;
— wired interface: USB Type-C with OTG support, HDMI;
— wireless interface: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1;
— supported file formats (“out of the box”)**: TXT, HTML, RTF, FB2, FB2.zip, DOC, DOCX, PRC, MOBI, CHM, PDB, DOC, EPUB, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, PDF , DjVu, MP3, WAV, CBR, CBZ
— operating system: Android 9.0.
* As further testing will show, this particular e-book uses an 8-core processor (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with a core frequency of up to 2 GHz.
** Thanks to the Android operating system, it is possible to open any file type for which there are applications that work with them in this OS.
Full specifications can be viewed at (tab "Characteristics").
A distinctive feature of the screens of modern readers based on "electronic ink" (E ink) - work on reflected light. Due to this, the higher the ambient light, the better the image is visible (for smartphones and tablets - on the contrary). Reading on e-books (readers) is possible even in direct sunlight, and it will be very comfortable reading.
Now we need to clarify the question of the price of the tested e-book, because it will inevitably arise. The recommended price is at the date of the review (hold on tight!) 71 Russian rubles.
As Zhvanetsky would say: “Explain why ?!”
Very simple: behind the screen. The screen is the most expensive part of an e-reader, and its price increases dramatically as its size and resolution increase.
The official price of this screen from the manufacturer (E ink) is $449 (). This is just for the screen! And there is also an inductive digitizer with a stylus, customs and tax payments, a trade margin ... As a result, the computing part of the reader looks almost free.
However, compared to the coolest modern smartphones, it’s still not too expensive.
Let's get back to technology.
A few words about the processor.
Usually in e-books, processors with low internal frequencies and the number of cores from 1 to 4 were previously used.
A natural question arises: why is there such a strong (among e-books) processor?
Here it will definitely not be superfluous, since it will have to serve a screen with a very high resolution and open PDF documents of a very large volume (up to several tens, and sometimes hundreds of megabytes).
Separately, it is necessary to explain why this e-book does not have a built-in screen backlight.
It is not here, not because the manufacturer of the book was "too lazy" to install it; but because the only manufacturer of screens for e-books today (the company ) does not produce backlit screens of this size.
Let's start the review of the ONYX BOOX Max 3 reader with an external examination of the packaging, equipment, accessories and the reader itself.
Packaging, packaging and design of the ONYX BOOX Max 3 e-book
The e-book is packaged in a large and durable cardboard box in dark colors. Both parts of the box are fastened with a tube cover, which depicts the e-book itself.
This is what it looks like with and without the cover:
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The complete set of the reader is very extensive:
Here, in addition to "papers", there are also very useful things: a USB Type-C cable, an HDMI cable, a micro-SD card adapter and a protective film.
Let's take a closer look at a couple of the most interesting components of the configuration.
The stylus works in conjunction with the bottom layer of the screen on an inductive principle based on Wacom technology.
The stylus has a pressure sensitivity with 4096 gradations and is equipped with a button on the top end. It does not require a power source.
The second part of the kit is an adapter for micro-SD cards:
Due to the very high amount of internal memory of the e-book (64 GB), it is unlikely that it will need to be increased; but, apparently, the manufacturer decided that it would be bad to leave such an expensive device without such an opportunity.
At the same time, it should be noted that in itself such a connection of a memory card (to a USB Type-C port via an adapter) is possible only if the device supports the USB OTG function (that is, with the ability to switch to USB host mode).
And USB OTG really works here (which is extremely rare in e-books). Through the appropriate adapter, you can also connect ordinary flash drives, card readers, USB hubs, a mouse, a keyboard.
The final touch to the packaging of this e-book: there is no charger included. But now there are so many chargers in every house that one more, really, is useless.
Now let's move on to the appearance of the e-book itself:
There is only one button on the front of the book. It performs combined functions: a fingerprint scanner and a “back” button (when mechanically pressed until it clicks).
The frame around the screen is snow-white, and perhaps the designers of the book found it very stylish. But in such a beautiful frame for an e-book, certain “rakes” are also hidden.
The fact is that the screens of e-books are not white, but light gray.
From the point of view of physics, white and gray are one and the same, and we distinguish them in comparison with surrounding objects.
Accordingly, when the frame around the screen is dark, the screen looks bright.
And when the frame is white, it emphasizes that the screen is darker than the frame.
In this case, at first the color of the screen even surprised me - why is it gray ?! But I compared it with the color of my old e-book with a screen of the same class (E ink Carta) - everything is in order, they are the same; the screen is light grey.
Perhaps the manufacturer should release the book with a black border, or in two versions - with black and white borders (at the choice of the consumer). But at the moment there is no choice - only with a white frame.
Okay, let's go further.
The most important feature of the screen is that it is not glass, but plastic! Moreover, the screen substrate itself is plastic, and its outer surface is also plastic (made of reinforced plastic).
These measures make it possible to increase the shock resistance of the screen, which is very important, given its price.
Of course, even plastic can be broken; But plastic is still harder to break than glass.
You can additionally protect the screen by sticking a complete protective film, but this is already “optional”.
Let's turn the book over and look at the back:
The stereo speaker grilles are clearly visible on the sides: this e-book has an audio channel. So for audiobooks, it is also quite applicable.
Also on the bottom is a USB Type-C port, replacing the good old micro-USB in e-readers.
Next to the USB connector is a microphone hole.
Another interesting detail is the micro-HDMI connector, thanks to which the screen of this e-book can be used as a computer monitor.
I checked it: the e-book really works as a monitor! But because, unlike its own e-reader software, Windows isn't optimized for this type of screen; then the image may not fully meet the user's expectations (details - later, in the testing section).
From the opposite end of the e-book, we find the on / off / sleep button and the hole of another microphone:
This button is equipped with an indicator that glows red when the book is charging, and blue when it is turned on and loaded.
Next, let's see how this e-book will look with accessories; which are a protective cover-cover and holder-stand.
The protective cover is a combination of elements made of synthetic fabric and plastic:
A magnet is built into the front of the cover, due to the interaction of which with the Hall sensor in the e-book, it automatically “falls asleep” when the cover is closed; and "wakes up" - when it is opened. The book "wakes up" - almost instantly, i.e. right in the process of opening the cover becomes ready for work.
This is what the open cover looks like:
On the left side there is a loop for a complete stylus and a pair of rubber rectangles that prevent it from colliding with the screen when closing the cover.
The right side is occupied mainly by the plastic base that holds the e-book (and holds very well!).
The plastic base has cutouts for connectors and speaker grilles.
And there is no cutout for the power button: on the contrary, a bulge is made for it.
This is to prevent accidental pressing of the power button. With this design, to turn on the book, you need to press the button with a very significant effort (perhaps even with a brute force; but this is apparently what the manufacturer intended).
This is how the whole assembly looks like (book + cover + stylus):
Unfortunately, the cover cannot be used as a stand.
The cover is not included (in vain); it must be purchased separately (which is recommended to preserve the appearance of the e-book).
In contrast to the cover, the next accessory (stand) is unlikely to be needed by all users. This device may be more useful to those users who will often use the e-book in a "stationary" form.
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The stand consists of the stand itself and replaceable spring-loaded "cheeks".
The kit comes with two types of cheeks: for devices with screens up to 7 inches and over 7 inches (approximately; it will also depend on the size of the frames around the screens).
This will allow at the same time to use a stand for tablets and even for phones (but in the latter case, only if they are oriented along the “cheeks” axis; and answering calls will not be very convenient).
"Cheeks" can be installed in vertical and horizontal orientation, as well as change their angle of inclination.
This is what the hero of our review looks like on a stand with a vertical orientation:
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And this design looks like this with a horizontal (landscape) orientation of the e-book:
By the way, the last photo shows the e-book in a two-page display mode. This mode is easily implemented in any e-book, but only in books with such a large screen does it make practical sense.
Before talking about the work of the reader in its main function (reading books and documents), let's briefly "go over" its hardware and software.
Hardware and software ONYX BOOX Max 3
The e-book (reader) runs on the Android 9.0 operating system, that is, almost the latest at the moment (the distribution of the latest version of Android 10 has just begun).
To study the electronic “stuffing” of the reader, the Device Info HW application was installed on it, which told everything as if in spirit:
In this case, the technical data of the reader, declared by the manufacturer, were confirmed.
The reader has its own software shell, which bears little resemblance to the shells of Android smartphones and tablets, but is more suitable for performing the main function - reading books and documents.
Interestingly, there are significant changes in the shell compared to previous ONYX BOOX readers. However, they are not so revolutionary as to confuse the user.
Let's look at the reader settings page:
The settings are quite standard, only arranged in their own way.
What is interesting in the settings is that there are no settings related to the actual reading process. They are not here, but in the reading application itself (we will talk about it later).
Now let's examine the list of applications pre-installed by the manufacturer on the reader:
Some applications here are more than standard, and some require comments.
Let's start with an application that should be standard, but which turned out to be not quite standard here - Google Play Market.
Initially, it is not activated here. Probably, the manufacturer decided that not all users will need it.
And the manufacturer is right in many respects: there are many applications in the Play Market, but not all of them will work on e-books.
Although, of course, the manufacturer could not burden the user with unnecessary gestures.
Activation is easy.
First, connect to Wi-Fi.
Then: Settings -> Applications -> put a "tick" on "Activate Google Play" -> click on the GSF ID line (the book itself will tell you).
After that, the reader will redirect the user to the device registration page in Google.
The registration should end with the victorious words “Registration completed” (that's right, with a spelling mistake, they will still be found in different places). Information about spelling has been sent to the manufacturer, we are waiting for a correction in the next firmware.
After these words, there is no need to rush and immediately launch the Play Market. It will not work immediately, but in about half an hour or a little later.
Another useful app isQuick Menu". It allows you to configure up to five functions, which, in fact, can be quickly called up in the reader in any situation, even when it works as a monitor.
The shortcut menu can be seen in the last screenshot (see above) as a gray circle surrounded by five icons arranged in a semicircle. These five icons appear only when you click on the central gray button and do not interfere with normal work with the book.
In the process of testing the reader, I assigned the “Screenshot” function to one of these five buttons, thanks to which the screenshots for this article were taken.
The next application, which I would like to say separately - "Transmission". This application allows you to send files to the reader via the network from any device connected to the Internet or to a local (home) network.
The modes of operation for transferring files on the local network and on the "big" Internet are different.
First, consider the mode for transferring files on the local network.
After we launch the Transmission application on the reader, we will see the following picture:
To transfer files to this e-book, it is enough to enter the browser at the address indicated on the screen of the book. To enter from a mobile, it is enough, as usual, to scan the QR code.
After visiting this address, a simple file transfer form will be displayed in the browser:
Now - the second option, with file transfer via the Internet (that is, when the devices are not on the same subnet and “do not see” each other).
To do this, after launching the "Transfer" application, select the connection option called "Push file".
This is followed by a simple authorization procedure, which is possible in three versions: by WeChat social network account (it is unlikely to be interesting for Russian users), as well as by phone number or email address.
You will have to act quickly: the system gives you only 1 minute to enter the received code!
Next, you need to log in from the second device on the send2boox.com website (through which the files are transferred).
At first, this site will surprise the user as it starts in Chinese by default. You don’t need to be afraid of this, you need to click on the button in the upper right corner, which will allow you to select the desired language:
This is followed by authorization (which is easy).
And an interesting “subtlety”: in this transfer mode, the file is not immediately transferred to the e-book, but lies on the send2boox.com website “on demand”. That is, the site performs the functions of a specialized cloud service.
After that, to download the file to the reader, in the "Transfer" application in the "Push file" mode, click on the download button. The progress of the download will be reflected in the black "thermometer":
In general, transferring files directly (via Wi-Fi and a local network) is much faster than using the Push File service.
And finally, the last application, which I would like to say separately: ONYX Store.
This is a store of free applications that are more or less suitable for installation on e-books.
Applications are divided into five categories: Read (for reading), News (News), Study (Study), Tools (Tools) and Work (Work).
It must be said right away that the News and Study categories are almost empty, there is only one application each.
Other categories may be of interest; an example of a pair of categories (Read and Tools):
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In this regard, it should also be said that a large number of applications suitable for installation on e-books running under Android were considered on Habré in (and its previous parts).
What else is interesting: the most important application, i.e. apps for reading books, not in the list of apps! It is hidden and is called Neo Reader 3.0.
And this is where we move on to the next chapter:
Reading books and documents on the e-reader ONYX BOOX Max 3
The peculiarity of the menu of this e-book is that there is no pronounced “home” page, which is usually indicated by the “Home” button on most other books.
The main menu items of the reader are located in a column at its left edge.
It is conditionally possible to consider the “main” page of the reader as the Library, since it is here that the e-book opens after it is turned on:
The library supports all the typical functions that are accepted for them in readers: the creation of collections (which, however, are also called libraries here), various types of sorting and filters:
There are inaccuracies in the translation of the menu in the Library. For example, the view settings use the terms "Display name" and "Display name" instead of "File name" and "Book name".
But these are “cosmetic” drawbacks, although there is a real one: the impossibility, when renaming a file with a book, to give it a name longer than 20 characters. Such renaming can be done only by connecting via USB from a computer.
At the same time, loading books with long names goes without problems.
A complaint about this has already been sent to the right place. I hope that the problem will be fixed in the new firmware.
The next menu item isShop". By clicking on this menu item, we get to the JDRead bookstore.
This store contains books, it seemed to me, only in English:
In any case, entering the word "Pushkin" in Russian into the search bar did not give any result.
So the store will most likely be useful only to users who study English.
Although no one forbids installing applications from other stores.
Now - to the actual reading process.
The application is responsible for reading books and viewing images in the reader Neo Reader 3.0.
Applications for reading in readers have long been standardized in terms of functions, and it was difficult to find any special “pluses” here, but they are.
Perhaps the main "plus" that distinguishes reading on this reader from others is due to its large screen and lies in the real usefulness of the two-page mode.
Interestingly, in this mode, on each of the two pages into which the screen is divided, completely independent reading control is possible. You can flip pages independently, change fonts on them, and the like.
An example of a division with a change in font size on one of the pages:
This mode can have very useful applications. For example, on one half of the reader, you can place a diagram (graph, drawing, etc.), and on the other half, you can read explanations for this image.
In the process of reading, you can, as usual, adjust fonts (type and size), indents, intervals, orientation, and more. Examples of some settings:
Thanks to the touch screen, there is no need to go into the settings to change the font size: the font can be enlarged (or reduced) by simply spreading (or pinching) the image with two fingers.
As mentioned above, changing the font will not work on PDF and DJVU formats. Here, expanding or squeezing the image with your fingers will enlarge the entire image; at the same time, the parts that do not fit on the screen will remain “behind the scenes”.
As in all modern readers, it supports work of dictionaries. The work of dictionaries is built flexibly and various options for their installation and use are possible.
To install the most popular version of dictionaries (Russian-English and English-Russian), you need to turn on Wi-Fi, go to the Dictionary application and start downloading this dictionary (it will be the last one in the list of dictionaries to download).
This dictionary is in StarDict format and perfectly translates individual words; translation example:
But he cannot translate whole phrases. The reader uses Google translator to translate phrases and texts (requires a Wi-Fi connection); translation example:
This image shows Google's translation of the three sentences from the last paragraph.
There are two ways to expand the range of dictionaries on the reader.
First: download StarDict dictionaries from the Internet as a set of files and place them in the reader's memory, observing the correct location of the files.
The second option is to install dictionaries from external applications on the reader. Many of them are integrated into the system and can be accessed directly from the readable text.
Another interesting feature in Neo Reader 3.0 is page auto scrolling. Only a very small number of applications for reading books have such an opportunity.
In the autoscrolling mode (called "Slideshow" in the application), there are two simple settings:
The reader also supports the standard modern TTS function (Text-to-Speech, speech synthesizer). The reader uses an external synthesizer, which requires a Wi-Fi connection.
Due to the presence of a stylus, it is possible to create not only text annotations for books and documents, but also graphic ones, for example:
When the stylus enters the sensitivity zone of the inductive digitizer, the operation of the capacitive sensor is suspended. Thanks to this, you can put your hand with the stylus directly on the screen without fear of accidental clicks.
When moving the stylus, the delay in drawing a line relative to the position of the stylus is small, and with leisurely movements it is almost imperceptible (1-2 mm). With fast movements, the delay can reach 5-10 mm.
The large screen size allows the reader to be used for purposes for which the use of standard "small" readers is useless, even though the software is working correctly. An example of such an application is the display of musical notes, the page with which should be clearly visible to the musician at once: he will have no time to enlarge individual fragments.
Below are examples of sheet music and a page of the pre-revolutionary edition of Gulliver in DJVU format:
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A conditional “minus” of the application for reading Neo Reader 3.0 can be called limitations in displaying footnotes: they should occupy no more than four lines per page. For example, in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace", replete with footnotes translated from French, some of the footnotes were not visible.
Additional functions
In addition to the "mandatory" functions, this e-book can perform a number of additional ones.
Let's start with the fingerprint scanner - things for e-books are still "exotic".
Fingerprint Scanner here combined with the hardware back button at the bottom of the front panel of the reader. When touched lightly, this button is a scanner, and when pressed until it clicks, this button is the back button.
Tests have shown good reliability of "friend or foe" recognition. The probability of unlocking the reader with "your" fingerprint on the first try is over 90%. Unlock "alien" fingerprint does not work.
The process of registering a fingerprint is a little more complicated than in smartphones.
Here, you first need to log into your BOOX account (by phone number or email address), then set a screen lock password (aka PIN code), and only then register a fingerprint (the reader will tell you all this himself).
The process of registering the fingerprint itself completely coincides with that in smartphones:
Now let's talk about the possibilities Internet browsing (Internet surfing).
Thanks to a fast processor, the Internet works quite comfortably here, albeit in black and white mode. Page example (habr.com):
Annoying elements on web pages can only be animated ads, because the "quick" animation on the screens of e-books does not look glamorous at all.
Access to the Internet should be taken here, first of all, as one of the ways to "extract" books. But you can also use it to read mail and some news sites.
To optimize your browsing experience and when using some other external applications, it may be useful to change the display refresh settings in the e-reader:
For reading texts, it is best to leave the setting "Standard Mode". With this setting, the Snow Field technology works to the maximum, almost completely eradicating artifacts on the test parts of books (unfortunately, this technology does not work on images; these are its features).
The following function is create drawings and notes with the stylus.
This function works in the Notes application, an example of application:
Due to the pressure sensitivity of the stylus, the thickness of the line can change during the drawing process, which creates some artistic effect.
Further - sound reproduction.
To play sound in the reader, stereo speakers are provided. Their quality roughly corresponds to the speakers in a mid-range tablet. The sound volume is sufficient (one might even say high), noises are invisible; but the reproduction of low frequencies is depleted.
True, the built-in audio application does not differ in the intricacy of the interface:
Files for playback must be opened from the file manager.
There is no connector for connecting wired headphones in the reader; but, thanks to the presence of a Bluetooth channel, it is possible to connect wireless headphones. Pairing with them occurs without problems:
The following function is using the reader as a computer monitor.
To use the reader as a computer monitor, just connect it to the computer with the supplied HDMI cable and run the Monitor application on the reader.
The computer automatically recognizes the resolution of the monitor-book (2200 x 1650) and determines its frame rate at 27 Hz (which is slightly more than half the standard 60 Hz). Such a slowdown makes it difficult to control with the mouse: the lag of its movement on the screen in relation to the real movement becomes noticeable.
Naturally, miracles from such use of the reader should not be expected. And the problem is not so much that the image is black and white; as much as the computer generates an image that is not optimized for display on such screens.
The user can influence the image quality by selecting the page refresh mode on the reader for a specific use case and adjusting the contrast (also on the reader), but it is unlikely to achieve the ideal.
As an example, two screenshots in different modes (the second one is with increased contrast); at the same time, a text editor is running on the computer with the old standard phrase for checking the keyboard of typewriters:
However, in some cases such an application is possible; for example, as a second monitor for periodic monitoring of any slow processes.
Autonomy
There have never been any problems with autonomy in e-books, because in static mode their screens do not consume energy “from the word at all” (as it is now customary to say). Power consumption occurs only when redrawing (i.e. changing the page), which does not happen very often.
Nevertheless, the autonomy of this reader still surprised.
To test it, the page auto-page mode was launched at an interval of 20 seconds, which roughly corresponds to reading text with an average font size. Wireless interfaces have been disabled.
When the battery had 7% charge left, the process was stopped, here are its results:
But even more amazing numbers can be obtained by counting the number of pages for a "regular" 6-inch reader according to the screen area.
Assuming the same size font on a 6" reader, the equivalent number of pages would be 57867!
The duration of charging the battery after a full discharge was about 3 hours, which is normal for devices without "fast charging" support.
The graph of the discharge and subsequent charge of the battery looks like this:
The maximum current during the charging process was 1.89 Amperes. In this regard, it is recommended to use an adapter with an output current of at least 2 A for charging.
Results and conclusions
The price of the tested reader is such that the potential user will need to think carefully about the purpose for which he will be needed.
The main feature of the ONYX BOOX Max 3 reader is its giant screen. The same feature determines its main purpose - reading books and documentation in PDF and DJVU formats. For these purposes, it is unlikely to find a more suitable reader.
This will help both the hardware and the software part of the reader.
The large screen, along with the Neo Reader 3.0 application, makes the two-page mode really useful, and the stylus allows you to make handwritten notes and annotations.
An additional “plus” of the reader is a fast and at the same time energy-efficient hardware, supplemented by a large amount of both RAM and permanent memory.
The operating system of the reader is almost the latest version of Android, which adds flexibility in using the reader.
The user can independently install the applications necessary for his work, for example, use his favorite reading programs, install office software, etc.
There are, of course, disadvantages; they all refer to "roughness" in the firmware.
Drawbacks include spelling and stylistic errors in the menu, as well as an issue with renaming books with long names. According to these issues, the manufacturer has been notified of the problems, we expect corrections in the next firmware.
The "Shop" menu item can also be attributed to the shortcomings, which will be of little use to the Russian user. It would be better if some Russian bookstore was hiding behind this point; and ideally, it would be possible to give the user the opportunity to independently set access to a store in this menu item.
Nevertheless, all the shortcomings found do not interfere with the use of the reader in its main functions. In addition, it is very likely that the detected shortcomings will be corrected in new firmware.
On that positive note, let me end this review!
Source: habr.com