This peculiar device has fallen into my hands and I have been able to test it for a few weeks. It is the new Note Air3 C from Boox, a device 10,3 inches whose main feature is a screen with color electronic ink technology that brings to life the Android operating system that is installed. How it behaves? What features does it offer?
A tablet with peculiarities
The Book Note Air3 C is not a typical e-book reader, and not precisely because of its great color screen. The difference with the rest is in the Android operating system that it has, since it allows it to perform many of the functions that we could do with a tablet, from browsing the internet to watching movies.
But as you surely know, the refreshment of electronic ink screens not particularly suitable for viewing moving content, so the viewing experience is very strange. We would not buy this equipment to consume multimedia, but at least we know that it is capable of moving it.
Where we can find the most exotic touch is when reading books. A color screen gives a lot of play, and consume illustrated novels and comics It's something this team is crying out for. The integrated software allows you to have control of the reading at all times, being able to make direct annotations on the text or images with the help of the included stylus.
A notebook
It is the notes that give a different point of view of the device. The drawings that can be made with the stylus are fast and precise, being especially comfortable to draw or take notes on the screen. This last point is where the importance of the software is seen, since the brand has included an application with which you can take notes in different formats, such as grid backgrounds, staves, tables and a large number of templates available.
Thanks to the low consumption of the screen, the battery can last weeks without running out if it is left idle, but it must be taken into account that this sleep is actually a complete shutdown. And the operating system does not allow you to wait indefinitely, so if a predefined waiting time of 15 minutes is exceeded (you can increase it or even deactivate it), the device will turn off so as not to consume more energy.
Once that is done, turning it on will take a couple of minutes of boot time, which takes away from the immediate traditional experience that a regular ebook offers.
The appearance of a tablet but without being one
Although Android 12 gives a lot of freedom, installing applications like Netflix, YouTube or other multimedia applications does not make much sense. Those on social networks have a pass, but everything that has to do with watching videos loses a lot of meaning. You will be able to see it, but with a very low frame rate and with very strange effects on the screen.
With a price of 449 euros in promotion, this device is perfect for lovers of reading and obsessed with notes, since they will enjoy a very comfortable device for taking all types of notes, being able to download applications from the Play Store that allow access to the cloud or other different services.
It must be taken into account that today we can buy an iPad for 399 euros, so you have to be very clear if you need multimedia entertainment, since otherwise this electronic ink screen promises you many days of autonomy.