E-reader

Smartphones can be great for taking notes on the fly, but are not quite as satisfying as pen and paper. The reMarkable 2 is claimed to offer users a distraction-free, paper-like writing experience, and we've spent the last week or so trying one out.

Though doodling on a touchscreen tablet can get the job done, some prefer pen and paper. reMarkable combined the two in 2016 with a real paper look and feel, but digital tech running the show. Now the second generation has been announced.

​Amazon has rolled out yet a thinner and lighter Paperwhite with double the storage. The new version brings some premium trimmings to Amazon’s mid-level e-reader, most notably in the form of high-level waterproofing for relaxing reading in tub or by the pool.

A year and a half after launching the Kindle Oasis as the thinnest and lightest (and most expensive) of its e-readers, Amazon is back with a follow-up. The 2017 model slims down even more while offering a bigger 7-inch screen, and adds bonus features like water resistance and audiobook support.

What would an e-reader display with 600 ppi, double that of the current top-of-the-line Kindle, look like? Japan Display Inc. has offered a taste of this future, this week showcasing what it calls the world's highest resolution e-paper backplane. ​​

​Shopping for frequent flyers can be difficult: Due to sheer necessity, they likely already have everything they need to navigate the inherent challenges of air travel. Here’s a selection of innovative gifts and gadgets that should surprise and please even the most well-equipped of travelers.

Voracious readers – especially those with an appreciation for light bags and uncluttered bookselves – should appreciate this spec-by-spec comparison of top e-readers.

The newly-announced reMarkable “paper tablet” is designed to replace your ancillary papers – notes, sketches and documents included – in a single device that offers a convincing real-paper look and feel.

Scientists have discovered a way to warp graphene membranes to control the color that they display, raising the possibility of using these "mechanical pixels" to add some color to the e-reader mix. ​​

A new type of material developed at Chalmers University of Technology could bring color to e-paper. The material is flexible, ultrathin and can produce the full color range of an LED-backlit LCD, but requires ten times less energy than a Kindle's e-ink display.

Between homework, official university communication and entirely online courses, some degree of personal computing is necessary to get through campus life. So what’s best for a college student: a laptop, a tablet, a 2-in-1, or some other magical blend of devices?

There are plenty of impressive eReader alternatives to Amazon's Kindle coming from smaller brands like Kobo. The Canadian company's latest is the Aura One, a 7.8-inch eReader designed not to disturb the circadian rhythm of late-night bookworms.