Most eReader brands, including Kindle and Kobo, utilize highly-optimized operating systems with a narrow scope of functionality. They’re good products with good software, but they’re designed to lock you into a singular storefront and user experience. But I just can’t deal with that. So, I bought an Android eReader last September, and I have zero regrets.
The Freedom to Get Books From Wherever I Please
As you might expect, Android eReaders can install and run any Android app. If an app is available on the Google Play store or a third-party storefront like F-Droid, it’s fair game. And, importantly, this includes reader apps like Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Scribd, or Google Play Books. Android gives me the freedom to purchase and read books from any source I want without any hassle—I don’t have to screw around with legally questionable DRM-removal tools or poke holes in Amazon’s increasingly anti-consumer distribution system.
This freedom is what encouraged me to buy the BOOX Poke 5 Android eReader. I wanted to give up on Kindle, but I disliked the idea of being locked to Kobo, the number-two eBook platform. Android gives me the best of both worlds, plus the ability to shop from vendors like Google Play Books.
The Android platform also makes it very convenient to “sideload” books. If I buy DRM-free eBooks or download royalty-free books from sites like the Internet Archive, I can transfer them over to the BOOX tablet via SD Card, KDE Connect, USB cable, or Dropbox sync, and read them without issue. Yes, Amazon has improved the process of transferring DRM-free eBooks to Kindle, but Android lets me choose from a practically unlimited number of transfer options, so it’s just an all-around better option. The ability to read these EPUB, MOBI, or PDF files in a variety of different apps, be it the default BOOX reader or a third-party option like KOReader, is also appreciated.
7/10
- Brand
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Onyx
- Screen
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E-Ink Carta HD
- Resolution
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1448 x 1072
- Storage
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32GB
The Onyx Boox Poke 5 does a great job at standing in for all those beat-up paperbacks cluttering your bookshelves. It’s not a perfect device, but its few missteps are more than forgiven by an amazing library of titles and some other great features.
Non-Reader Apps and Android Customizations
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to reiterate that my Android eReader can download and install anyAndroid app. The E Ink screen isn’t ideal for watching YouTube or playing Minecraft(although I tried that once because I thought it was funny), but I can still draw a lot of usefulness from apps like the excellent E Ink Bro web browser, NYT Cooking, the Kiwix Wikipedia downloader, and KDE Connect, which facilitates wireless file transfers.
I can also download writing and notes apps like Obsidian or Google Keep. Then, after connecting a keyboard to my BOOX Poke 5, I can use it like a “distraction-free” writing tablet with an eye-pleasing screen and cloud sync functionality. I’ve tried this a few times, and although it’s not perfect, it’s something that I could tolerate if I gave up my job as a writer and went back to writing as a hobby (I don’t feel like writing outside of work, and I need to write on a real computer to make this job feasible, and all that).
Plus, Android opens up a world of customization that you just can’t find on other eReader platforms. Some people install custom launchers on their Android eReaders, and apps KOReader practically allow you to build your own eReader frontend from scratch, with customizable libraries, eBook and RSS syncing, and so on. Though I’ll freely admit that these customizations take quite a bit of effort, and aside from some forays into KOReader, I really haven’t taken the time to go crazy with customization on my BOOX Poke 5.
Yes, There Are Some Downsides
I enjoy using Android eReaders because they give me the freedom to read any book or install any app that I want. But this freedom comes at a cost—there’s a “jack of all trades” situation going on here, as the Android platform isn’t really designed for E Ink. Most apps are just unusable on my BOOX Poke 5 because the screen turns into a smudgy mess when scrolling or performing other basic tasks (news apps are very scrolling-oriented, for example, so they’re a no-go). Logging into apps with the on-screen keyboard is a nightmare, and if you want to install new apps, it’s best to just transfer them over from a computer.
BOOX tries to remedy this with its custom launcher and lightweight reader app, and although the company succeeds to some degree, the Poke 5 doesn’t feel as intuitive or user-friendly as other eReaders I’ve tested. This is also true of the larger eReaders in BOOX’s catalog, like the Tab Ultra C, which I own but don’t use. I’ve got some special apps that kinda-sorta make things better, like the E Ink Bro web browser, the Capy Reader RSS client, and KOReader, but yeah, Android is in need of some E Ink-specific improvements.
Battery life is an even bigger problem. If I forget to disable the Poke 5’s Wi-Fi, it’ll burn through its battery after about a day of idling. This is a far cry from the typical eReader experience. Brands like Kindle and Kobo typically promise several weeks of battery life, but the Poke 5 can only endure about 10 hours of continuous use under ideal conditions (Wi-Fi disabled, unnecessary background tasks frozen, etc). I tolerate the problem, but it’s still my biggest complaint about the Poke 5 and other Android eReaders.
I don’t think that Android eReaders are for everyone. Like, I wouldn’t thrust these problems onto a family member—I’d probably just buy them a Kindle or a Kobo and call it a day. But I value the freedom that Android offers, so it’s easy for me to look beyond the bad stuff and embrace the good.
Oh, and if anybody knows how to set up an Android launcher that emulates the Sony PRS-505’s software menu, please let me know. I loved the simplicity of that thing.