Whereas they may by no means have the title recognition of the Amazon Kindle, e-ink gadgets from Chinese language tech firm Onyx Worldwide—offered beneath the marginally foolish “Boox” model title—are gaining a cult following within the U.S. I’ve reviewed three of its e-readers and digital notebooks over the previous yr, and I am an enormous fan. And when you’re studying this text, you in all probability are too (or quickly shall be).
I like Boox gadgets not solely as a result of they’re properly constructed and full-featured (although if you would like extra of my ideas there, try my assessments of the Boox Palma, Note Max, and Note Air 4C). I can also’t get sufficient of their customizability. Nothing makes me crazier than attempting to do one thing easy with a tool, solely to be stymied resulting from locked down software program that does not need to let me. From side-loading books onto a Kindle to doing—properly, principally something unsanctioned on an iPad, massive corporations appear decided to solely let me do with my gadgets what they need me to do.
Boox gadgets are totally different: They run on an open model of Android that allows you to do just about no matter you need. You’ll be able to obtain any app within the Google Play Retailer, so you are not tied to at least one e-reading platform. If you wish to sideload apps, be at liberty: Plug the gadget into your laptop computer and it’ll mount proper to the desktop. In the event you’re actually formidable, you possibly can even set up your personal launcher to utterly change issues up.
Whereas all this freedom is good, it additionally means Boox gadgets have a bit extra of a studying curve than, say, a plug-and-read Kindle. So in case you are the brand new proprietor of one among these implausible gadgets—whether or not an e-reader or a full-fledged digital pocket book—listed below are 4 settings it is best to change instantly to get probably the most out of it.
Set a one-touch refresh
Like all e-ink pill, Boox gadgets endure from occasional “ghosting,” or seen afterimages as soon as you’ve got turned a web page. Whereas the gadget will mechanically refresh itself after a sure variety of faucets (touching the display, principally), I prefer to arrange a one-touch refresh that I can set off each time I need to. Relying in your gadget, there are a couple of methods to do that: a button or a gesture.
Setting a guide refresh on a Boox gadget with buttons
Credit score: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham
In the event you’ve bought a Boox Palma or one other gadget with web page flip/quantity buttons, you possibly can map one among them to a display refresh. For the Palma, it makes probably the most sense to make use of the Sensible Button for this—that is the button on the left hand facet of the gadget, which might do various things based mostly on whether or not you press it as soon as, twice, or maintain it down. By myself gadget, I’ve mapped a guide refresh to a single Sensible Button press, as it is the factor I discover myself doing most frequently (that, or returning to the house display, which is one other of the numerous choices you possibly can select). That mentioned, you may also map a refresh to the quantity buttons when you like (although I desire to make use of these for web page turns).
To remap your Sensible Button, open the settings app and faucet Sensible Button. Faucet your most well-liked possibility (Brief-press Operate, Double-click Operate, or Lengthy-press Operate) and choose Full-refresh.
Setting a guide refresh with a gesture
Credit score: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham
Not all Boox gadgets have buttons, so if yours does not, you may have to map a guide refresh to a gesture. (Although you may also do that on the Palma, when you like.)
To get began, open Settings and scroll right down to System Navigation. Beneath Backside Navigation, faucet Extra Settings. Select the world of the display you’d prefer to map the refresh to by swiping between the left, middle, or proper facet choices. Faucet Customized after which select Full-refresh out of your checklist of choices.
Select your cloud storage possibility
Boox gadgets are inclined to have beneficiant onboard storage, however you may get extra out of them by linking your most well-liked cloud storage service on the system degree. This may allow you to transfer recordsdata on and off the gadget with out the necessity to plug it in to your laptop.
To start out, open Settings, then Accounts. Faucet Transfer to Cloud Storage in Library, then choose your most well-liked possibility from the checklist. You may have a bunch of selections, together with Dropbox and Google Drive. Faucet the one you need, then log in.
Handle your sleep settings (when you hearken to audiobooks)
Credit score: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham
In an effort to make use of my telephone much less, I’ve moved my audiobooks over to my Palma as properly (the 128GB of storage turns out to be useful right here). Nonetheless, I used to be annoyed with the gadget as an audio participant at first as a result of I exploit a protecting cowl, and each time I closed it, it might fall asleep, turning off my audio. I discovered myself awkwardly attempting to slide it right into a pocket with the quilt folded over, with out by chance touching the display.
Then I found there is a setting to repair this. Open settings, scroll right down to Show, and ten flip off the toggle for Sleep or get up the gadget utilizing protecting cowl. Now your audio will preserve enjoying even after you shut the quilt and stick it in your pocket. Yay!
When you’re at it, you may additionally need to flip off the automated sleep possibility, as I discover the gadget does not at all times does appear to know in case you are enjoying audio within the background and can flip itself off if you have not touched it shortly. Open Settings and faucet Energy, then Auto Sleep. You’ll be able to select choices between 3 minutes to at least one hour. (In the event you select “By no means” the OS will warn you that it will scale back battery life, however except you are utilizing wifi or Bluetooth and have the entrance gentle cranked up, it will not actually make that a lot distinction, as e-ink screens solely use energy after they refresh.)
Change your lock display picture and screensaver
Credit score: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham
Boox gadgets have some good-looking preset lock display pictures, however if you wish to make the gadget your personal, you possibly can set your personal screensaver and wallpaper. This one is fairly easy: Select Desktop & Screensaver within the Settings app—however if you would like a customized picture, you may first need to get it saved to the best spot.
The best manner to do that is to search out a picture you want whereas looking the web utilizing your Boox gadget. Lengthy press on it and select Obtain, which can put it aside to your downloads folder (naturally). Subsequent, open up the Gallery app, faucet your Obtain folder, after which faucet the picture you need. Within the decrease proper, faucet Extra after which Set as. You’ll be able to select to set it because the Screensaver, the Wallpaper, or the Energy-Off picture.
Alternately, you possibly can plug the gadget into a pc and manually add the pictures to your Photos folder. From there, you possibly can change your wallpaper as described above, or simply lengthy press on the house display and choose the Wallpaper icon on the decrease proper; faucet Native to search out pictures saved to your Photos folder. (And here is one other useful trace: If you wish to create your personal wallpaper picture in Photoshop or Canva, the size are 824×1648 for the Boox Palma. For the Word Max or Word Air 4C, 1404 x 1872 ought to serve you properly.)
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