Testing out the reMarkable Paper Pro Move

I’m always bouncing between paper and digital applications for simple task lists, journaling, and note-taking. On one hand, I love handwriting out my lists and notes. It gives me a chance to disconnect from technology and think about what I’m writing. On the other hand, after I’ve written it down and it’s no longer right in front of me, it’s out of my mind forever. I’m terrible at finding and reviewing my handwritten notes.

I’ve been hopeful that these new e-ink devices may help with my issue. Ideally, I’d be able to disconnect and write by hand, while also having easy access to all my notes, tasks, and other written materials all on one portable device (that’s not my phone). Or easily find all of this information through a desktop or mobile app.

A few years ago, I tried the reMarkable 2 when it was first released. I wrote about it here. After a few months, I sold the device because, although the hardware is excellent, the software is very limited, and I wasn’t using it as I had hoped.

Fast forward to a few days ago, I was at Best Buy and came across the reMarkable Paper Pro Movedevice, a new, smaller version of the reMarkable. I noticed that there were many new hardware features and some software updates, so I decided to give it a try on a whim.

Fast forward to today, and I find the size of the reMarkable Pro to be a bit awkward. It’s lovely to hold, but slightly too narrow to write in portrait orientation, and it crops the pages strangely when switching to landscape or when viewing on a desktop through the app.

Additionally, the reMarkable software hasn’t undergone significant changes. It is still minimal. The best new feature they added seems to be the Tags that you can add to your notebooks and pages to help quickly find things again.

Do I return it? Most likely, yes. But first, I spent some time getting lost watching YouTube videos (I should have done this before purchasing it), and I found that the Supernote Nomad kept grabbing my attention. A few hours ago, I ordered a Supernote Nomad, which I hope to receive by the end of next week.

What does the Supernote Nomad offer that interests me?

• A slightly larger form factor. In particular, it’s a bit wider, more like a standard Kindle-type device size.
• It turns out that Supernote is known for its excellent software and frequent updates.
• The Supernote Digest is a feature that enables you to create a comprehensive knowledge base of reusable content directly on your device. You can embed digests into other notes and link back to the source. Sounds pretty sweet.
• You can also link notes to other notes, which can be pretty helpful.
• You can also add a star in front of any text, and it will convert the line into a task. There is a dedicated Task app on the device that consolidates all these tasks into one place. It appears that there is also Calendar and Email integration, although I’m less interested in those.
• The Supernote comes with the Amazon Kindle app. I have been reading physical books, but this could still be quite handy.

So, that’s where I stand right now. I’ll anxiously wait for the Supernote Nomad to arrive and compare it to the reMarkable Pro Move. More than likely, I’ll be returning the reMarkable soon. I’ll keep you updated.