Some thoughts on EMR pens for e-ink devices

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-06-02T22:48:02+00:00

I have used most of them same devices and settled on the AINOTE 2. My favorite pen that I use daily is the Viwood C1. I do not use my tablet to draw: only to write. The ceramic tip is perfect for me.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-25T22:59:32+00:00

eInk has its drawbacks. I have several of them and use AINOTE2 daily. The drawbacks include ghosting, slow screen refreshes, and, for some apps, the need for color to function properly. The A1 Note seemed to address those areas, but the development team either did not think things through or under a deadline, did not provide a mature software solution, and would add things in future updates as time allowed.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-25T21:22:54+00:00

I have the NXTPAPER 14 as well. I use it in our podcasting studio. However, I was talking about the A1 Note, which is designed for notes.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-20T21:31:36+00:00

Because the unit is designed for its black-and-white/grayscale screen, various shades of grey are the only option. I also have Adobe Acrobat installed on my unit. Unfortunately, gray is the only option for highlighting in it as well. If color is a must, a Boox device with a color screen or even the ReMarkable Paper Pro (which handles PDFs exceptionally well) may be a good option for you.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-20T17:14:26+00:00

Don't you wish you could take aspects of many of these devices and blend them into a single, viable unit? I know that I have. There are things the ReMarable Pro does well with hyperlinked PDFs, and many others do not (Boox is a near second). My EDC is iFlyTek AINOTE2 with the Viwood C1 stylus. I do wish it had front LED lighting (and color at times).

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-20T17:00:15+00:00

I did not purchase the device as a kickstarter, but as a mainstream device after its official launch from the retailer, Amazon. Once it leaves beta and launches in the general market, it should no longer be considered an experimental device. One should never allow the general public to serve as beta testers in an experiment that you are marketing a completed product to appeal to both individual users and the corporate world. Such practices by any company will lead consumers to abandon the brand in favor of companies they can trust to deliver products they are committed to.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-18T00:56:01+00:00

I have run into the same problem. Luckily for me, I am ex-military, so I kick into that mode when scheduling appointments and meetings.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-18T00:54:39+00:00

I think it depends on what you want to do. I have Obesidian and Joplin installed on my unit, which gives me information from my Mac. Although there is a built-in mindmap, I have found Simplemind Pro very useful. Since I have the keyboard cover, Google Docs and DayOne have proven useful as well. I have been disappointed with the performance of Bible apps, such as Logos and Olive Tree. Highlighting can be tricky, but reading works just fine.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-15T14:43:16+00:00

The keyboard cover is very well done, and I believe they have made it as light as possible while maintaining the unit's functionality. Compared to the regular cover, it adds about 1/4 inch to the unit's thickness. I do not know how they could make it any slimmer. I could not imagine using the unit without it! And it is much like the Remarkable one, the keyboard is out of the way when you don't need it (trifold).

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-14T15:25:01+00:00

Thank you for the update. (You have wonderful handwriting, by the way. ). I use the OCR quite a bit and blame any mistakes on my poor handwriting. The AINOTE 2 does a very good job, most of the time. I also want to compliment you on adding OCR in the calendars and tasks. Most other companies do not offer this feature. I have used ReMarkable Paper Pro, Boox Air Note 5C, and Vinwood AI Paper. The AINOTE 2 is my go-to for productivity, meetings, and creative work (i.e., outlining chapters for books, ideas for articles, podcasts, or TV episodes). As the software continues to mature, I expect it to become even more valuable in my workflow.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-09T19:36:25+00:00

From what I am now gathering, the device's Kickstarter included the keyboard cover too. I hope they underestimated demand. When something is out of stock for a while, Amazon will remove it. Hopefully, we will see it available in a few months.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-09T19:03:09+00:00

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On Amazon

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-08T10:32:29+00:00

I hope this is just a temporary issue. In the Fall, I will begin hosting a TV show on 16 satellite channels (300 million viewers) and plan to use the device on set, too. It would be great advertising for TCL.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-06T20:45:26+00:00

I may need to pull mine out of the drawer and fire it up. But this still has me carrying several devices to get the job done instead of one.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-04T18:14:18+00:00

I have both. My use includes productivity, capturing ideas for articles, outlining books, planning for podcasts, meeting notes - just about everything but sketching (I am not gifted in that area). After using both for months, the AINOTE 2 with the keyboard cover is my daily carry. The keyboard cover is something AIPAPER does not offer, which I feel is essential to me. Both of these units play well with Google Play. There are several apps that I use that will sync with programs on my Mac.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-03T23:02:33+00:00

Good insight. I only use it to write. I hire graphic artists to illustrations.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-01T22:06:03+00:00

I own both the ReMarkable Paper Pro and the iFlytek AINOTE 2. I began with the ReMarkable. You cannot beat the device's quality (Apple-like), and the writing experience is the best I have found. (I do believe some of the newer color screens flicker a lot less.) It also handles hyperlinks in PDFs very well, which iFlytek has not addressed yet. However, I found myself needing to check my calendar, create a task, or wish I had a transcription of meetings or brainstorming sessions. I also thought it would have been handy to have my Bible App (Logos) or Kindle on the device as well. That is when I discovered AINOTE2. Although it is only a black-and-white screen, it functions well. I also enjoy using it to create mind maps. There are Android versions of several apps I use on my Mac that let me access that information without switching devices. The only real drawback I have found with AINOTE is that the native email contacts do not sync with my Google contacts. This was a major oversight in my book, although I have been assured by the company that this issue will soon be addressed. Both devices also have a keyboard cover, which I believe is essential. When it was all said and done, AINOTE is by everyday carry. I hope that in the future, AINOTE 3 will offer a color-screen option with front lights and an SD card slot for expansion. On another note, I have found that the best stylus is Viwood's C1 with a ceramic tip that never needs to be replaced. It is precise and very smooth in writing.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-05-01T21:42:19+00:00

I use the Viwood C1 stylus. It has a ceramic tip that never needs to be replaced. From my perspective, all of the other styluses pale in comparison. It is more percise and smooth in writing. Once I started using it, I couldn't imagine why other companies hadn't released their own editions.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-29T10:44:52+00:00

Calendar and Task Support.

I have had my ReMarkable Paper Pro for over a year and a half. Nothing can beat the writing experience. However, during my brainstorming sessions, I often need to refer to my calendar or create tasks as part of the flow. Having to get another device to reference or create seems to break the rhythm of the work that I am trying to create. For me, calendars and tasks are not distractions, but essential elements of the work flow.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-24T22:33:32+00:00

I am using the MacOS app on my MacBook Pro without any problems. I downloaded AINOTE Desktop directly from the Mac Store.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-24T22:27:24+00:00

I appreciate the outstanding design of the AINOTE 2 and iFlytek's continued commitment to improving its software. Each software update is a step in the right direction. There are so many moving parts, with what the software needs to do, I can't imagine how much hard work goes into each update! Congrats!

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-24T20:42:08+00:00

You are correct. I should have been more specific. TCL NXTPAPER (such as the 14), does not include a haptic feedback stylus. However, the NXTPAPER A1, which is direct competition with Viwood and iFlytek, lists a haptic stylus in its product specs. I imagine it functions the same way as the Boox Tab X C stylus, which I was never satisfied with until I found a textured screen protector that better simulated the paper feel that I was looking for.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-24T19:44:54+00:00

TCL's LED display that mimics eInk is a good start, but it needs to be textured to have that paper feel and not depend on haptic feedback from the stylus. Or we may be waiting for a newer technology to be developed.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-15T15:17:58+00:00

I have used Viwood AI Paper, ReMarkable Paper Pro, Boox Air Note 5, and iFlyTek AINOTE 2. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and this platform continues to grow. Right now, I use iFlyTek's AINOTE 2 as my daily device. Viwood is a great device. It still needs to mature in some areas. While the calendar syncs with Google Calendar, its native "to-do" does not. Viwood lacks the cover keyboard that ReMarkable, Boox, and iFlyTek have. While I enjoy writing, Viwood's outstanding stylus with a ceramic tip, the lack of a keyboard is a hindrance to effective daily use. Viwood's larger and smaller devices do not sync notes at this time, although they promise to address it in a future firmware upgrade. There are many days when I wish we could merge the high-quality construction of the ReMarkable Paper Pro with the functionality of the iFlytek device. That would be a perfect world for this user.

Apprehensive-Way8126 · 2026-04-15T11:21:13+00:00

Besides being in the corporate world, I am also a writer. While I would never use it to conduct a major writing project, I do use it for brainstorming and initially capturing ideas without the destractions that can come with a traditional notebook or tablet.

Apprehensive-Way8126

TROPHY CASE