Recent advances in ePaper technology have allowed for displays to move beyond e-readers and into tablet territory. Onyx International already has a 13.3-inch monochrome slate in its range, and has now added a 10.3-inch color E Ink tablet.
The Boox Tab Ultra C is essentially a color version of the company's monochrome Tab Ultra ePaper tablet from last year – which recently picked up an iF design award. This new model is based on E Ink's Kaleido 3 color technology, which is reported more color rich than the Plus variety used in color e-readers like the PocketBook InkPad Color. This translates to a touch-enabled 10.3-inch display at 1,240 x 930 resolution (150 ppi) for color or 2,480 x 1,860 (300 ppi) in grayscale.
The device includes Boox Super Refresh chops for the promise of smooth and responsive visuals, benefits from auto screen rotation, is able to display 4,096 colors, and comes with an integrated warm/cold ComfortGaze front light for after-dark use.
A Qualcomm octa-core processor and "exclusive GPU" run the show, supported by 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal UFS 2.1 storage with microSD expansion (plus 10 GB of free cloud storage by signing up to an Onyx account – though the tablet is also compatible with third-party cloud and sync services).
Android 11 is cooked in too, and the device supports a number of document formats, including PDF, DOCX, EPUB, RTF and HTML, as well as the main image formats and WAV and MP3 audio. Dual speakers and dual microphones also feature, there's dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, and a generous 6,300-mAh LiPo battery – which should result in long periods away from wall sockets, though no estimates have been provided.
The E Ink tablet comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera for document scanning, and is compatible with third-party photo/scan apps – "providing versatile options for capturing and managing documents with ease." It ships with a Pen2 Pro stylus that offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and has a built-in eraser feature.
The Tab Ultra C is available for pre-order now at US$599.99, and can be optioned magnetic 2-in-1 keyboard cover for typing ease.
Product Page: Boox Tab Ultra C