Today Arta Tech announced the released of a new ebook reader available on Onyx-Boox.com called the inkBook. It’s available to order for 124 euros.
The inkBook is a 6-inch ebook reader with an E Ink Carta display, a capacitive touchscreen with multitouch support, a frontlight, it has physical buttons on each side of the screen, and it supports a number of formats, including DRM’d ePub and PDFs.
Other specs include a dual-core 1.0 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, Wi-Fi, 8GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot, and a 2000 mAh battery, which is quoted as lasting up to 6 weeks.
The device runs Android 4.2.2 and it supports installing Android apps, although it does not come with Google Play like some other Android ereaders. It comes with the Midiapolis appstore instead, which appears to run through the Aptoide appstore. A number of ereading apps are highlighted, like Kindle, Nook, Cool Reader, Kobo, FBReader, and Goodreads.
Even though the device is called the inkBook Onyx, it’s actually not an Onyx-branded ereader at all—it’s made by Boyue—even though it’s a lot like the Boox C67ML, especially the newer model with a Carta screen and 8GB of storage, but the inkBook doesn’t support audio and the buttons and design are different. Plus it’s about 10% lighter. The inkBook looks like it’s a newer updated version of the Boyue T61 perhaps.
Update: This article has been updated to indicate that the device is manufactured by Boyue and not Onyx. The fact that they call it the inkBook Onyx is a bit confusing to say the least. Also, Arta Tech plans to sell the inkBook from Amazon in the near future. When that happens I plan on ordering one to review, so stay tuned for more updates.
InkBook Specs
- 6” inch E Ink Carta display.
- 1024 x 758 px resolution (212 dpi).
- Capacitive touchscreen (2-point).
- Built-in frontlight.
- Android 4.2.2 OS.
- Processor: Dual-Core Cortex A9 1.0GHz.
- 512 MB RAM.
- 8GB internal storage space.
- Memory card slot (up to 32GB).
- Micro USB 2.0.
- Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n).
- Supported formats: Adobe DRM, PDF, EPUB, TXT, HTML, RTF, FB2, MOBI, CHM.
- Battery: 2000mAh Li-Polymer.
- Dimensions: 159 x 117 x 7mm.
- Weight: 200 grams.
Good specs but at 212ppi I consider this a flop
What I would love to have is an Android ereader with Bluetooth and a Carta screen. So far, I’m seeing devices that have Carta but no Bluetooth capability, and other devices with Bluetooth that have a Pearl screen. Does this magical combination that I’m looking for exist?
With all of Onyx’s seemingly endless variations they’re bound to come up with that combination sooner or later.
Re: Bekah
I would suspect that, due to their small screen size and specialised intended-use, there’s not too great a market for Bluetooth connectivity for 6″ eReaders.
Thank you; now I have hope! I want to be able to connect a Bluetooth keyboard for taking notes and typing emails. The Carta screen is so easy on the eyes. I have the feeling that, with an Android / Carta / Bluetooth combination, I wouldn’t need any other device.
Are you sure this is an Onyx device? It looks more like a product from Boyue, if you ask me. (I think it looks like the T61.)
And the name is the inkbook onyx, not the other way around.
Good eye. It turns out it actually is a Boyue device. I should have noticed that, especially since it looks exactly like the T61, but the fact that they use the word Onyx in the name had me fooled. Why would they put that name in the title? It makes no sense whatsoever; it’s not even black.
It has been announce on onyx website:
https://onyx-boox.com/shop/inkbook-onyx-eink-carta-ebook-reader-8gb-android-apps-light/
That’s actually Arta Tech’s website, not Onyx’s. The url confuses a lot of people. Here’s the link to the actual Onyx website.
Is this device really new? I saw it on Icarus website, under the name “Illumina”, a few monthes ago.
The Icarus Illumina is the older version of the Boyue T61 with a Pearl screen and 4GB of storage space.
No no no ! 🙂
The Icarus Illumina has silently had a 2015 update, it is now with 8 Go and Carta screen. Check on their website ! I think it is now a Boyue T61D (D=Carta E Ink screen).
How can you be sure? The description says it uses a Pearl screen but then the specs say Carta. All the ones being sold on Amazon still say Pearl.
I just asked them, via their real-time chat tool.
They answered me that the Specs are correct. I know it sounds strange.
Hola! What do you think about the Tolino vision 2? Is it better or not then this one?
Sorry but I cannot comment on any of Tolino’s ebook readers. I’ve never used them or even seen them in person because they aren’t available in the United States at all.
I’ve noticed the difference too between Description and Specifications. Once this is Pearl and once Carta. I emailed them and they said that Icarus Illumina E653 has got E-Ink CARTA screen.
But still the question is: what makes it different from Onyx Inkbook? They are almost exact the same e-readers.
Just as an update to anyone reading this, I’ve bitten the bullet and ordered one. I got a tracking number from UPS a couple of hours later and a few more hours later another email from UPS saying that due to a late delivery from ArtaTech that the shipment may delay a day. The delivery date is set on 1/7/2015.
I’ll try to write up a review but since this is my first ereader, I’d need a bit of help on that.
+ Das Gerät sieht gut aus. Die Farbe ist gut.
– Irgendwie schon zu klein, man will bischen größer, aber das alles individuell.
– Fingerabdrucke sind eine reine Katastrophe!!! Auf dem Plastik und auf dem Bilddschirm.
РDie Kn̦pfe sind zu hart und laut klicken. Das aber nervt, wenn sie mehrere Stunden lesen.
+-Die E-Tinte sieht gut aus, angenehm weiss, genug scharf, aber die schwarze Farbe ist meistens zu hell, besonders beim Sürfen und ich fand nirgendwo, wo das regulieren kann.
-Das Soft ist meistens verlangsamt und mir gefällt nicht wie das blickt beim Renovieren oder Umschalten. Irgendwie auch nervt. Meine andere Readers haben das irgendwie weicher gemacht.
– Bei eingebauten Leseprogrammen will man deutlich mechr Schriften und Schriftseintellungen. Komischerweise die angebotene Fonts sind auch zu dünn und zu hell ohne großen Regulierungdmöglichkeiten das dunkler zu machen. Man kann irgendwie doch passendes finden, aber muss man lange da tanzen.
-Die Leseprogrammen von online Shop funktionieren so eingeschrängt und auch schlecht, so dass ich die kaum benutze.
– Vielleicht das Akku hält wie angegeben, aber mit Beleuchtung es lädt sich aus in wenigen Stunden. Mei Nook konnte man eingeschaltet mit Beleuchtung lange liegen lassen ohne dramatischen Folgen. Hier geht so aber nicht. Komischerweise das Licht schaltet sich beim Lesen ab und zu aus, muss man neu einschalten.
– Die Beleuchtung von sich alleine is nicht schlecht.
Fazit: Nicht so schlechtes Gerät mit nicht so gutem Soft.