PocketBook has added a new e-note device to its InkPad lineup, the PocketBook InkPad One. The e-note comes with a 10.3-inch E Ink Mobius screen, which makes it unique, given that it is quite a rarity these days for e-note devices to feature Mobius displays. It isn’t any new E Ink display tech. Rather, it has been there for quite some time now, though it is only a handful of companies that launch new products based on it.
Mobius displays, as the eBook Reader Blog stated, have their own advantages. They aren’t glass-based, similar to conventional E Ink displays. Instead, they come with a layer of plastic, which makes them more durable and resistant to bending forces that would have otherwise caused a glass layer to crack. That said, there is a layer of glass on top, with the Mobius display sitting flush with the bezels.
The display has a resolution of 1404 x 1872, which translates to a pixel density of 226 PPI. The front bezel is done up in grey, with the display being flanked by a white border on all sides. The back panel sports a piano black finish, though the model sold in Germany has a matte black rear. The display also benefits from the adaptive SMARTlight feature, which ensures the brightness and color temperature adjust automatically, taking into account the ambient lighting conditions.
At its heart, the InkPad One comes with a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, 2 gigs of memory, and 32 GB of internal storage. There is a G-sensor and a cover sensor on board for user convenience. Power comes from a 3,700 mAh battery, which is expected to last 2 months on a single charge. It offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
It does not have a speaker of its own, though you can listen to audiobooks or podcasts by attaching external speakers using Bluetooth. The device sports an aluminum build and measures just 5.15mm in profile. At 400 grams, it is easily among the more lightweight e-note devices out there.
The InkPad One is Linux-powered and boasts an open ecosystem. What that means is that you aren’t tied to a specific content ecosystem as such. You can easily borrow or purchase content from Libby. It is backed by the UK digital e-book library, which offers LCP-protected content. On offer are around 4.5 million English-language e-books along with 90,000 audiobooks.
The device supports an extensive range of e-book formats. That includes ACSM, AZW, AZW3, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DJVU, DOC, DOCX, EPUB (DRM), EPUB, FB2, FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF (DRM), PDF, PRC, RTF, and TXT. You can sideload your own content as well.
Included in the package is the PocketBook Stylus 2, which allows for a very natural writing experience. This makes it very convenient for making markings, comments, drawing, sketching, or annotating. It is priced at $360 or £270 in the UK and is going to be available in two weeks. It is already available in Germany, where it is priced at €299.
