Hardware on Focustivity

My first Plotter notebook

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:55:00 -0400

The Plotter Notebook

I favor technology, though something about the feel of paper appeals to me. It’s the feel, the sound, even the smell of paper that keeps me coming back, not the efficiency.

In fact, paper systems don’t work for me. I’ve tried bullet journaling, planners, and other approaches. I love the writing part, but after it’s written, it gets abandoned.

The index card system, where I have an index card on my desk and I write my tasks for the day and check them off when they get done, has been the only analog system that has worked for me.

The idea is to use paper for the first and last mile and the digital system for everything in between.

This year, I embraced my fondness for paper and attempted something novel, though not overly daring (perhaps excessively costly): the Plotter notebook. Why? Well, I’m in favor of having these index card-sized pages in a notebook I can carry around and remove or move around as needed.

Plotter Notebook

The Plotter is a ring-system notebook, which means you can easily add, remove, and move pages and dividers around in the notebook as desired.

I love the idea of having multiple sections in the notebook for different purposes, like tasks, journaling, tracking, and whatever else comes to mind. The ability to change my mind is key.

Knowing me, I like high-quality products. And the Plotter would seem as high-quality as it gets. A lovely leather cover, quality paper, and quite a few paper options.

The plan is to keep it simple. Use it for jotting notes down throughout the day, much like I have prior, but now it’s a portable (and lovely smelling, I might add) notebook.

The addition of a KVM switch

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 12:12:00 -0400

The addition of a KVM switch

I decided to get a TESmart 2 Port Dual Monitor KVM Switch for my setup.

Previously, I used a single ultra-wide monitor with two PCs (work and personal) sharing the same keyboard and mouse. I would have to switch every device whenever I switched PCs manually.

Now, I added a second monitor and this KVM switch. I can push a button (or use a keyboard shortcut) to easily switch all my devices between my two PCs.

I love it!

Not only do I now have more screen real estate, but I don’t need to waste time switching workspaces.

The Supernote Digest as a Commonplace Book or Zettelkasten

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:04:00 -0400

I recently started using a Supernote Nomad for writing notes, journaling, and light task management. I wrote about my thoughts on the hardware recently, and in this post, I wanted to think about the Digest feature. After all, this feature is one of the main reasons I went with the Supernote.

For the longest time, I’ve enjoyed writing on paper, but it never stuck. I enjoyed the process of writing, but then finding my notes is where everything fell apart. I tried all kinds of systems, but I always found myself going back to digital, which is simply easier.

What I envision is the ability to handwrite notes, ideas, and events that occur, but then easily be able to reference them again. So, I’ll break this out into two parts: 1: Writing and 2: Referencing.

1: Writing

The handwriting part is essential to me because it helps me disconnect. When I’m writing by hand, I feel like I can get my thoughts out more easily. I’m not concerned about grammar, formatting, etc. I write. It also helps me understand what I’m writing.

When I’m taking notes while I read a book or article, I want to be able to write down what I’m reading and somehow capture those ideas so I can expand upon them later and use them elsewhere. When using paper, I would write an index of sorts that included a summary of an idea, and then, often on another page, I would write my thoughts about it.

2: Referencing

Once I have a collection of handwritten notes about various topics, I need to be able to get to them again easily. This is where paper always falls short for me. No matter how hard I try, I would never go back to my writing and do more with it. I find paper notebooks are difficult in this aspect. Not impossible, I know others pull it off, but for me, it’s the least enjoyable part of the process; perhaps that’s why it never sticks for me.

What is the Supernote Digest?

The Supernote Digest has the potential to help me in my dilemma. The way it works is quite different from what I’ve seen on any other e-ink tablet.

You lasso the text you want to capture and click “Recognize as Digest.” You’ll be able to make changes, set a category, and author.

The handwritten notes you copied are now displayed as text. Clicking on them opens the Digest.

You can now see this note in your Digests app, both on the device and in the desktop or mobile companion app.

Now, when you open the Digest, you can make edits and also see the link to the original note, which is convenient. Additionally, you can now create your own annotations using either handwriting or the keyboard, from the device, desktop, or mobile app.

Finally, the digest can be included in other notes. You have the option to link to the original note, and when you click the link, it directs you to the specific location in the original note.

While there are certainly some limitations and room for improvement, the Digest feature, at least on paper (ha, ha), solves one of the big problems I’ve had with paper notebooks and also other e-ink tablets of this type. I can now create a commonplace book, or perhaps even a Zettelkasten of sorts, from my handwritten notes.

The digest text itself can be updated to be a concise, refined summary of the idea, while the annotations can be where I expand upon it with context and my thoughts. I can search and even edit this content from any device, and even link to it from other notes. This is exciting for someone who geeks out on this stuff!

Supernote Nomad vs. Remarkable Paper Pro Move

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:30:00 -0400

Almost two weeks ago, I purchased a reMarkable Paper Pro Move on a whim and, after some research, decided to order a Supernote Nomad to compare and see which device I prefer.

The Device

The reMarkable Paper Pro Move feels slightly more premium, with rigid aluminum edges and a nice back plate with small pads to prevent sliding while lying flat on a table.

The Supernote Nomad , on the other hand, is mostly plastic. While it doesn’t feel cheap at all, the reMarkable does have a slight edge in build quality. But barely, and it could be argued otherwise.

Writing Experience

The writing and screen experiences differ significantly between the two devices. The reMarkable feels like writing on a hard, rough surface with a pencil. The Supernote features a hard ceramic tip on a soft, almost rubbery surface, making it smoother—much like writing with a pen. I don’t have a clear preference yet; both are excellent, but the Nomad is smoother while the reMarkable is more pencil-like.

Pen/Marker

Both devices come with comfortable writing pens. The Supernote pen feels more like a real pen, but it lacks a built-in eraser, unlike the reMarkable Marker Plus. However, the Supernote features a slider on the device that you can swipe with your finger to undo actions—an intuitive solution.

Since the Supernote pen features a ceramic tip, it does not require replacement, whereas the reMarkable Marker tips wear out and necessitate frequent replacement.

Folio

The folios for both devices are relatively standard, featuring vegan leather, a pen holder, and magnets to keep the device in place.

Screen Size

Screen size is a significant consideration between the two devices.

The reMarkable Paper Pro Move is narrower, making it easier to hold, but it also means less writing space is available. I found this somewhat frustrating, especially paired with the limited software (a topic for another post).

If you aren’t using the device while walking around, the reMarkable Move may not be the best fit for you. When viewing your notes on another device, the text is too narrow, and I often have to rescale them to make them readable. PDFs and EPUBs also display poorly due to issues with scaling.

The Supernote Nomad is about the same size as a Kindle. It feels normal to use, is still very portable, and reading on it is a delight.

If you plan to do a lot of writing and don’t intend to move the device around frequently, you may want to consider the full-size reMarkable Pro Paper or the Supernote Manta instead. I prefer the smaller device, because I also use it for reading.

Other Hardware Features

A few more hardware notes:

The Supernote has no built-in backlight. You may need a small reading light for nighttime use, similar to a physical book. The reMarkable Move features an adjustable backlight, but I found the way it glows around the edges of the screen to be annoying, and it drains the battery quickly.
The Supernote features sliders on both sides of the screen: one for undo/redo and one for accessing the quick menu, which is the primary navigation method, as well as for quickly refreshing the screen.

Software

I’m not going to dive deep into software here, but I do think it’s one of the key reasons to choose one device over another.

The Supernote is much more capable and recently announced upcoming support for plugins. It supports the Kindle app and sideloading Android apps. The Supernote team has a clear roadmap and releases frequent updates.

The reMarkable software is fine but limited due to infrequent updates and a lack of communication from the development team.

The software for both devices is minimal and easy to use.

The reMarkable has a simple tagging system that works well enough, but the Supernote’s keywords feature is more flexible. You can also create headings, which generate a table of contents for your notebook, and can even create links to other notes on the Supernote, but not on the reMarkable.

Conclusion

Overall, both devices have their strengths, but for my needs, the Supernote Nomad stands out for its versatility and user experience.

Testing out the reMarkable Paper Pro Move

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:19:00 -0400

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.

Boox Go Color 7

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 20:06:00 -0400

A few days ago, my Boox Go Color 7 arrived. Yes, I did just start using a Kobo Clara, which I wrote about here.

The main reason I wanted to try the Boox is that I can run any Android app on it. This means Readwise, Kindle, Kobo, Libby, and even Micro.blog.

It took me a couple of weeks to make the decision to even try the Boox. I had the device in my cart several times, then removed it, then added it back later. I couldn’t make up my mind. I decided I could try it and then decide which device I’ll keep and return the other.

The Boox Go is slightly larger than the Kobo Clara. The Clara was noticeably small, and I found myself thinking it needed to be slightly larger but still very comfortable and light.
I’m still able to read Kindle, Kobo, Libby, or transfer my own books to the device.
I’m a pretty heavy user of Readwise Reader, and the app works great on Boox (with some minor configuration tweaks).
I like the hardware buttons.
The Clara shares a name with my mother-in-law. Weird.

I’m going to return the Kobo Clara and keep the Boox Go Color 7.

If someone asked me which I would recommend, my answer would be it depends on if you want it to just work (go with the Kobo) or want options and are willing to tinker a bit (go with the Boox).

Switching from Kindle to Kobo: Initial Thoughts

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 15:23:00 -0400

I’ve been an Amazon Kindle user for about 14 years. This week, when deciding whether to upgrade to the latest Kindle Paperwhite, I instead chose to switch to Kobo to explore its offerings.

There are a few reasons that influenced my decision to switch:

It lessens my dependency on Amazon.
Kobo has seamless integration with library books through Overdrive.
Kobo integrates smoothly with Pocket for reading articles.

I went through a lengthy process when trying to decide what to get and even went down a rabbit hole, looking at the Supernote Nomad, Boox Go 7, and even the Kobo Libra Colour. Based on my past experience with the reMarkable 2 and Boox Palma, I decided to stick with something small and simple.

I went with the Kobo Clara Colour, a small 6" color e-ink reader.

When it arrived yesterday, my first impression was, “Oh my lord, that’s tiny.” I immediately thought I should have gone with the Libre, which is larger and has hardware buttons.

However, as I started using it, I began to appreciate its lightness. It’s almost as if I’m just holding my hand in front of me, without anything in it.

I’m happy I chose the color version. It adds a nice touch, and I’ve been wanting to read some graphic novels, so the color will be a treat.

I think I enjoy the Kobo interface better than the Kindle’s. There are some nice shortcuts built in to make it easy to adjust the brightness and even switch to previous books in a snap.

The integration with Overdrive for library books works seamlessly. The Pocket integration works great as well. While I’m not a fan of Pocket, simply creating an account to use the browser extension and the Share action in Feedbin makes it a breeze to add articles to the Kobo for reading.

I started tinkering with Calibre to try and get my books from Kindle, as well as some ePubs I already have, onto the Kobo. The ePubs worked great, while I’m still struggling with the Kindle books. I’ve followed some online tutorials and tried multiple Calibre plugins, but I’m still not able to successfully download my Kindle books in the format Calibre needs to convert them to ePub. I’m not worried about it, though. I think I’m going to keep my Kindle anyway since I have probably hundreds, if not thousands, of ebooks and audiobooks on it already.

I’ll be sure to post any significant updates!

Philips S9000 Prestige Shaver

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:24:00 -0400

I never believed I would buy myself a $299 electric shaver, but here we are. To be fair, I used Christmas money (from this year and last year that I never spent) and just a little bit of my own cash to pay for it.

Is the Philips S9000 Prestige worth it? I love this thing so far. It provides a nice and smooth shave. It’s also easy to clean since I purchased the model with the included cleaning and storage tub.

I’m using it to keep my head shaved, as well as my face (I have a beard, so not much to do there) and neck. Ideally, I will use this shaver every day, like brushing my teeth, since it only takes a minute or two to use it for maintenance.

I hope this thing lasts because I won’t be buying another one anytime soon.

Whoop AI

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 17:23:00 -0400

I’ve been using the Whoop band for a couple of months now. My main reason for using Whoop is that I can wear it on my bicep and forget about it. Then, I get all kinds of data that I can use to improve my health.

I love data. But I hate digging for it.

One of the cool features is the use of AI within the Whoop app. With access to all of your data, the Whoop AI can tell you what you “should” be doing and give you better answers about what you did and how it impacts your health.

As a casual user, I appreciate this. Without digging through the app, I can ask things like, “How much time did I spend in Zone 2 this week?” and “How much time should I spend in Zone 2 this week?” and I get direct answers based on my data.

Even better, the daily insights usually provide the most relevant answers before I even need to ask them. I can see how much I should push myself today. It even provides recommendations of what workouts to do based on my past workouts. It’s pretty useful.

Book Palma Battery Life

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 10:38:14 -0400

Don’t expect to get weeks of battery on the Boox Palma. In my experience so far, I get a couple of days. I’m using the Kindle app, Readwise Reader, and the Micro.blog apps. I’m sure it could be a bit better if you disabled Wi-Fi. It doesn’t compare to the Kindle regarding battery life, but has many other advantages.

My Apple Vision Pro Demo

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

I had the opportunity to demo the Apple Vision Pro yesterday. The following is a write-up of my experience.

The Demo

My store had a section blocked off with a couple of tables where a few people could do the demo simultaneously. Unfortunately, it was a sitting experience and quite loud in the room. It was not the ideal setup because of the noise and the other people in my “view,” but it didn’t deter the experience much.

The Hardware

Apple took my current glasses so they could add the appropriate lease to my demo device. While I waited, my guide told me what to expect and what her experience was with her first demo.

The device is very slick, made of high-quality materials, and looks very premium—precisely what you would expect from Apple.

I didn’t think much of the weight at first. I adjusted my straps, and while I could tell the weight was in the front, it didn’t seem significant or uncomfortable. A 20-minute demo is not enough to know.

One of the things I didn’t think about until after the demo was the audio. Nothing covers the ears, yet the audio sounded fairly good, even in a noisy room. It’s different from with good headphones or a living-room sound system, but it’s impressive, nonetheless.

The UI

After some adjustments, the demo started. When things booted up, I looked to the side, where my UI was “stuck.” So, as I waited, I looked elsewhere and didn’t even see the boot-up sequence, where you’re looking when your Home Screen loads, which is where it will stay until you move it.

I remember glancing to the side and noticing the Home Screen floating there, and then I realized what was happening. I adjusted.

The UI looks spectacular. It just floats there in front of you. It looks as if you can touch it. Everything has a “soft” look to it. The area you’re looking at is crisper than the surrounding area, as in real life. This also makes it possible to put more processing power into the area you’re looking at rather than what you’re not.

As I look around with my eyes, the icons light up. Your eyes are your primary navigation (without getting into the accessibility options).

Clicking a selected UI element is evident. Tap your fingers together. I initially held my hands up when I did this, but I realized that was not necessary. As long as my hands were not obstructed under the table, it worked fine while resting.

There are other gestures for scrolling and zooming.

The Environments

I was then guided through the UI and the “Environments” that could be enabled using your “Digital Crown” on the headset itself. You could fade the environment in and out. This allows you to sit in the Alaskan mountains or on a beach while you work or play.

Photos and Videos

Next, I took a tour of some photos taken on various iPhones. Initially, they were standard photos that looked great. I could easily resize and zoom in and out. Next were the spatial photos, which were taken from newer iPhones or the Vision Pro itself. These photos were much more realistic and had a depth that didn’t look “fake 3D” but more lifelike than any other photo I’ve seen.

I then experienced the video, in which I’m sitting at a table with the family watching the young girl blowing out her birthday cake candles. This was the first “oh wow” that came out of my mouth. Other than the limited field of view from the goggles, it felt like I was sitting in the room.

After experiencing this, I genuinely understand why we would want to record these moments so that we may watch them again whenever we want. It was remarkable. On the other hand, I don’t envision myself wanting to wear a Vision Pro during these moments. Maybe recording with a phone instead. There needs to be a better way to record these moments without being taken out of the moment itself.

Movies

Next, there was a quick demo of the Mario movie. During this, I was able to resize the window to “Movie Screen” size and experience what it is like to watch a movie with the Vision Pro. I could envision myself watching movies on this device. However, some movies are ideal for Vision Pro, while others may not. This video explains it well.

The Recap

Last was a 5-minute video that explored various landscapes, including mountain climbing, flying, interacting with rhinos, and a few other things.

I did back up when the Rhine came at me. I could feel things slightly that were not there, like the mist or the chilly rain. My mind was filling in the gaps. It was cool.

The demo ends

This concluded my demo. I was a bit disappointed it ended so quickly. I expected to see some dinosaurs, touch a butterfly, and experience the mindfulness features. Not only that, but I didn’t experience Personas or what it would be like to use a Mac or take a Zoom call—things I would expect to use in real life.

Motion Sickness

I’m someone who gets motion sickness quickly. I can’t ride in the back seat of a car on long trips or ride rollercoasters. Yet, I didn’t have any problems at all with the Vision Pro. I may have felt slightly unbalanced when I was suddenly on a high tightrope looking over a river. But that’s part of the experience.

Long Periods?

Could I use the Vision Pro for extended periods? Could I use it to work on my computer? Read a book? Watch movies? I don’t know for sure. While the device was comfortable during the 20 minutes I wore it, I did notice I was very sweaty when I took it off. I would imagine it would get uncomfortable to use it for more than a couple of hours at a time.

Antisocial?

A big issue with the Vision Pro is that it is primarily a solo experience. While you can optionally see other people in the room and interact with them, they won’t see what you see. What if I want to watch a show with my wife or a movie with my kids? I suspect Apple will resolve this over time. There will be more ways to have a shared experience, assuming each of you has a Vision Pro.

Will I buy a Vision Pro?

I react similarly to Vision Pro as most people do. It’s technically outstanding but too expensive, and I don’t think I would use it enough.

No, I won’t buy this first version of the Apple Vision Pro.

I will undoubtedly watch the following versions to see how Apple improves things. If they make it a little lighter, a lot cheaper, and more capable (especially in multi-player), then it will be much more interesting for me.

As it stands, I don’t know if there are many benefits to the Vision Pro as a “productivity” device. It could replace your expensive monitors. Then, you can easily take your setup with you, even to a coffee shop.

There are certainly some situations that sound wonderful with the Apple Vision Pro. I don’t think there’s a difference between comfort and battery life yet. I’m excited to see what it looks like in a few years.

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:33:30 -0400

🔗 BOOX Palma

I really want to try this device. I’m happy with my Kindle Scribe for reading, but having a phone sized device that I as an ereader and access to Android apps would be cool.

My Detailed reMarkable 2 Review

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 11:44:00 -0400

I have recently discovered that I love writing on paper. It allows me to escape the digital world, and writing on paper will enable me to think without distractions.

But paper can be messy. You deal with flipping through pages, smudging, difficult-to-fix mistakes, and the inability to move things, among other issues. While some argue this enhances the experience, others may find a better solution.

The reMarkable 2 is an e-ink device, similar to a Kindle, but built for writing. The reMarkable aims to replicate the feel of paper, offering a distraction-free writing environment while providing digital advantages.

First Impressions of the Hardware

The hardware is stunning. It is thin and light, and the all-aluminum body gives it a nice, solid feel. It is like holding a slate; a solid strip on the left gives it a pleasant look.

The material is the same on both sides. The back features four rubber nubs to prevent the device from sliding on a solid surface. The right side of the device has a magnet for attaching the marker.

The battery life seems excellent. I haven’t had the device long enough to determine its exact lifespan. So far, I’ve had the tablet for 6 days and have charged it only once, and it was at about 70% when I received it. reMarkable says “weeks of battery,” but that depends on how much you use the device. I probably have it turned on for several hours per day.

It’s difficult to complain about anything on the hardware itself. If anything, the screen margins are pretty thick, especially at the bottom. It’s difficult to notice until you are writing and start to run out of space on the page.

Tip: You’ll need an external light source to see the screen. Don’t expect to read in the dark!

The other thing to note is that this device has no backlight. No backlight means you require an external light source to see the screen.

Technical Specifications

reMarkable Marker

You can get either the regular Marker or the Marker Plus. The marker is white and has no buttons or eraser. I haven’t used one, but from my research, people say it feels nice and has a nice texture.

The Marker Plus is what I have, and the primary differences are that 1) it’s black, and 2) it comes with an eraser. The texture is excellent, and it has a pleasant weight. One side is flat, which serves two purposes: 1) to keep it from rolling off your desk, and 2) to attach to the device magnetically. I have had no problems writing with it. I also don’t feel it will easily detach from the device unless you toss it in a bag.

Is the extra $50 for the Marker Plus if it includes an eraser? I believe it is. If you are like me and always messing up, it is simple to flip the marker over and quickly erase it. It saves a lot of time.

Neither marker needs to be charged.

The biggest downside of the marker is the tips. The tips are replaceable because they wear down. I have not had mine long enough to know how long they last. Based on my research, it could be every week to every six weeks. The reMarkable comes with nine extra tips and a way to replace them. The marker tips currently cost $14 for a replacement pack.

Tip (pun intended): Don’t forget about the tips. It can be easy to miss them in the packaging. You’ll want to set them aside where you can find them again.

The Book Folio

I opted for the Gray Book Folio (Polymer Weave). It is very thin and covers the device nicely. Removing the reMarkable from the cover is effortless, yet it stays in place firmly.

The material is acceptable—nothing to get excited over. It doesn’t feel worth $99. But it’s cheaper than the $149 leather Book Folio (which I hear doesn’t feel like natural leather). It’s probably worth getting just because it helps protect your investment.

First Impressions of the Software

I was running version 2.5.0.27 when I wrote this since there have been drastic software improvements!

I had no problems figuring out how to use the software. It is very straightforward. Your main screen consists of your folders and files. Across the top are options to open the menu, create a folder, create a notebook, access Quick Sheets, or search. You can see the battery life, Wi-Fi connection, and sync status across the bottom of the main screen.

I won’t go into details about the software interface; I think it works well and runs smoothly. It’s best to remember that this is an e-ink device, and that page refreshes differ from those on a typical tablet. I feel like the refresh rate is faster than on my Kindle Paperwhite, and I have not had any performance issues.

Occasionally the swipe event doesn’t register, and I have to swipe multiple times to get it to switch between pages or close a notebook. It is not an issue if you swipe in the right place and with enough motion.

Tip: You can close any notebook or PDF you are on by swiping down from the top of the screen. Much faster than trying to use the menu.

Layers

You can create layers on your page, allowing you to manipulate one layer without affecting the other. Create detailed sketches and diagrams, or overlay text on a custom background.

Text

Another cool feature is the ability to convert your handwriting to text. This feature works as well as can be expected. Your writing must be clear enough for it to be recognized. You can only convert one or more pages to text. Once the conversion is complete, you have no choice but to email it somewhere. You can’t save the converted text to the device.

Tip: You need to connect to Wi-Fi for text conversion.

Templates

The device comes with many built-in templates that you can use. The built-in templates include everything from dots to standard notebook lines with margins.

I immediately found myself unable to locate the templates I wanted to use. Fortunately, you can add your custom templates with a bit of know-how. For more information, you can look at some of my additional resources at the bottom of this article.

Fortunately, you can also use a PDF for your daily planner notebook type. You can find them everywhere, and Etsy is an excellent place to start. I added some more resources to the bottom of this article.

You can share pages, entire notebooks, or PDFs from the device. You’ll be prompted to enter an email address or select an email you already used. Furthermore, you can add a message, change the filename, and select an export format (PDF, PNG, or SVG). The feature works well enough.

Tip: You can always download the PDF on your desktop and do what you want with it from there.

Search

You can easily search for any notebook, PDF, or EPUB on your device from the search icon. You will also see the most recently updated files on your device, making it easy to switch back and forth.

Unfortunately, your notes and files’ content is not searched—only the file names and folders.

Cloud Sync

While using the reMarkable Cloud Sync is not required, it is difficult to avoid. The advantage of using Cloud Sync is that your content is automatically backed up to the cloud and available on your other devices.

The cloud sync works okay and is not instantaneous (usually), but it gets the job done.

The “Read on reMarkable” Browser Extension

There is a new browser extension from the Remarkable team called “Read on reMarkable.“ This extension lets you send nearly any webpage to your device with a single click. You have two options. The default is to send the page to the device in EPUB format. This method looks excellent, but it lacks the source and images. So, I switched my default to PDF. The page is converted to PDF with this setting and sent directly to your device. The PDF option includes images and more information about the article.

The content’s appearance on the device is inconsistent. It depends on the source content. If the page is full of ads and poorly formatted, it will be low quality on the device. I’ve found that sites with a clean format look great on the device.

Tip: Use the PDF format to include images and the source for your articles.

Desktop and Mobile

Speaking of Cloud Sync, you can access your content from your desktop or mobile devices. The desktop and mobile software is nothing spectacular; it merely shows you your content, just as you would see on your device. You can then read, rearrange, or export your content as needed.

Jagged Line Issue

Tip: This could be a deal-breaker for some. I don’t feel like it is an issue, as I don’t notice it unless I’m looking for it.

Updated March 27, 2021: The reMarkable team released version 2.6, which addresses this issue.

The “jagged line issue” is one of the annoying things I found with Remarkable 2. If you look very closely at the writing (zoom in if it helps), you can see the lines are not smooth and jagged, depending on how you write. You can see a very (extremely detailed) video that explains the issue here.

The Writing Experience

Okay, you want to know how this table feels when writing.

It feels remarkable, like writing on paper!

One of the things I enjoy about writing on paper is its distraction-free nature, and the ”feeling” of writing helps me slow down and think. I get the same feeling while writing on the Remarkable. In addition, I can easily erase, move things around, convert to text, and search.

My writing is better when using the reMarkable. I write minimal on paper, while on the reMarkable, I have more space and write larger and, therefore, more legibly.

The latency is about 21 ms, which is the best in the market. There is very little noticeable lag when writing.

The Reading Experience

I have limited experience with the device’s reading functionality. But here is what I have discovered so far.

PDF

In general, PDFs look great on the reMarkable 2. My only complaint is that the device is too small to comfortably read most PDFs. Articles converted to PDF work well.

EPUB

I added one EPUB to the device, Doing Content Right, by Steph Smith. It looks great! I’ve had no problems, and it has been much easier to read than the PDF version.

Tip: You cannot read your Kindle books on this device.

The Price

The reMarkable itself is $399.
The Marker is $49. The Marker Plus is $99.
The Folios start at $69 and go up to $149.

⠀ My setup, the reMarkable with the Marker Plus and Book Folio, came to $597 before tax. Ouch!

Tip: Yes, you see that correctly. The reMarkable writing device does not include a Marker, which is ridiculous!

What would make the reMarkable 2 better?

Fix the jagged lines issue. (reMarkable fixed the Jagged Lines issue in version 2.6.)
Include the content, even your handwritten notes, in search results.
Faster sync.
More text conversion options.
Provide better formatting for both PDF and EPUB.
Better support. I haven’t needed to contact the reMarkable support team, but I’ve heard their response times aren’t great.
Provide more support for accessing your content without using Cloud Sync.

It is worth purchasing a reMarkable 2 if you enjoy writing and prefer using paper for organizing your day. Taking meeting notes, writing down your thoughts, drafting articles, making sketches and diagrams, disconnecting from the world, and getting lost in your thoughts are all excellent.

While I love the reMarkable 2 and use it daily as part of my workflow, it is not a perfect device. Software updates could resolve some existing problems.

If you’re looking for a distraction-free digital writing device, I highly recommend it.

Hardware on Focustivity

My first Plotter notebook

The addition of a KVM switch

The addition of a KVM switch

The Supernote Digest as a Commonplace Book or Zettelkasten

1: Writing

2: Referencing

What is the Supernote Digest?

Supernote Nomad vs. Remarkable Paper Pro Move

The Device

Writing Experience

Pen/Marker

Folio

Screen Size

Other Hardware Features

Software

Conclusion

Testing out the reMarkable Paper Pro Move

Boox Go Color 7

Switching from Kindle to Kobo: Initial Thoughts

Philips S9000 Prestige Shaver

Whoop AI

Book Palma Battery Life

My Apple Vision Pro Demo

The Demo

The Hardware

The UI

The Environments

Photos and Videos

Movies

The Recap

The demo ends

Motion Sickness

Long Periods?

Antisocial?

Will I buy a Vision Pro?

My Detailed reMarkable 2 Review

First Impressions of the Hardware

Technical Specifications

reMarkable Marker

The Book Folio

First Impressions of the Software

Layers

Text

Templates

Sharing

Search

Cloud Sync

The “Read on reMarkable” Browser Extension

Desktop and Mobile

Jagged Line Issue

The Writing Experience

The Reading Experience

PDF

EPUB

The Price

What would make the reMarkable 2 better?