Boox Palma 2 Pro Review: A Pocket-Sized E-Ink Powerhouse for Productivity and Communication

The Boox Palma 2 Pro represents an interesting evolution in the e-ink device space. Rather than focusing solely on reading or note-taking, it blends productivity, handwriting input, and smartphone-like communication features into a compact form factor. After using it extensively for note-taking, productivity, and even phone calls and text messaging, it’s clear that this device targets a unique audience: users who want the focus and eye comfort of e-ink without sacrificing modern functionality.

This review takes a technical look at what the Palma 2 Pro offers, how it performs in real-world usage, and who stands to benefit the most from it.

Hardware and Design

The Palma 2 Pro  adopts a slim, lightweight design that is closer to a smartphone than a traditional tablet-style e-reader. Its compact size makes it easy to carry in a pocket or small bag, which is a major advantage for students and professionals who need a portable note-taking and reference device.

The build quality is solid, and the device feels purpose-built for daily use. Physical buttons are minimal, keeping the design clean and modern. The star of the hardware is, of course, the color e-ink display, which delivers excellent visibility in bright environments and dramatically reduces eye strain compared to LCD or OLED screens.

Stylus and Note-Taking Experience

One of the strongest aspects of the Palma 2 Pro is its stylus support.

Handwriting feels precise and responsive, with low latency and reliable palm rejection. For quick notes, task lists, meeting summaries, or outlining articles, the device performs exceptionally well. 

The e-ink screen’s matte texture also provides a paper-like resistance that many users prefer over glass displays.

The note-taking software is feature-rich and well optimized:

Multiple pen and brush styles

Adjustable stroke thickness

Layer support

Export options (PDF and image formats)

Folder organization and tagging

For students, this means lecture notes and study materials can stay neatly organized. For professionals and writers, it becomes a distraction-free environment for brainstorming, outlining, and drafting ideas.

Software and Productivity Features

The Palma 2 Pro runs on a customized Android-based system, opening the door to a wide ecosystem of apps while still being optimized for e-ink performance.

After the latest software update, a particularly important capability became fully usable: phone calls and text messaging.

By using open-source applications such as Fossify Phone and Fossify Messages, the device can reliably:

Make and receive phone calls

Send and receive SMS messages

Act as a secondary communication device

This transforms the Palma 2 Pro from a simple productivity tool into a lightweight communication hub. For users who want to reduce smartphone screen time but still remain reachable, this is a major advantage.

Beyond communication, productivity apps such as calendars, document readers, task managers, and cloud storage clients work smoothly, especially when configured using the device’s built-in e-ink optimization settings.

Display Quality and E-Ink Optimization

Like most color e-ink displays, the screen can initially appear washed out or low-contrast, especially to users accustomed to vibrant smartphone displays.

However, this is not a hardware limitation alone—it’s largely dependent on configuration.

The built-in E-Ink Control Center (E Ink Wise) allows users to adjust:

Contrast

Refresh modes

Color saturation

Ghosting reduction

App-specific display profiles

With proper tuning, the screen becomes significantly clearer and more readable, especially for text, diagrams, and handwriting. While it will never match OLED in color richness, the trade-off is superior battery efficiency and dramatically reduced eye fatigue.

Battery Life and Daily Use

Thanks to e-ink technology, battery life is excellent compared to traditional smartphones or tablets. Even with regular note-taking, messaging, and light app usage, the device can last several days on a single charge.

In daily workflows, the Palma 2 Pro shines as:

A digital notebook

A task and planning device

A document reader

A minimalist communication tool

It encourages focused work by removing many of the visual and notification-heavy distractions found on standard smartphones.

Who Is It For?

The Boox Palma 2 Pro is particularly well-suited for:

Students – for digital note-taking, reading academic papers, and staying organized without eye strain

Professionals – for meetings, planning, documentation, and lightweight communication

Writers – for brainstorming, outlining, and drafting in a distraction-free environment

It is less ideal for users who prioritize high-refresh video, gaming, or media consumption, as e-ink technology is not designed for those tasks.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Excellent stylus and handwriting experience

Eye-friendly color e-ink display

Full Android app support

Phone calls and SMS support via Fossify apps after latest update

Compact and portable design

Long battery life

Strong productivity and note-taking software

Cons

Display can look washed out without proper e-ink tuning

Color reproduction is limited compared to traditional screens

Not suitable for video-heavy or gaming workloads

Final Thoughts

The Boox Palma 2 Pro occupies a unique niche between e-readers, digital notebooks, and smartphones. Its combination of stylus input, Android flexibility, and now fully functional calling and texting makes it far more versatile than typical e-ink devices.

For students, professionals, and writers looking for a focused, eye-friendly, and capable productivity companion, the Palma 2 Pro is absolutely worth considering. With a bit of customization in the E-Ink Control Center and the right choice of apps, it becomes a powerful everyday tool that prioritizes usability and long-term comfort over flashy visuals.

Lenovo LOQ 15.6″ Full HD Gaming Laptop Review: Powerful Performance at a Practical Price

The gaming laptop market is crowded with flashy designs and premium price tags, but Lenovo’s LOQ 15.6″ Full HD gaming laptop takes a more balanced approach. Designed to deliver strong performance without unnecessary complexity, the LOQ series targets users who want reliable gaming and everyday productivity in one machine.

After spending time using the Lenovo LOQ, it’s clear that this laptop is built for general consumers who want smooth gaming, solid build quality, and dependable performance—without paying flagship prices.

Clean Design with a Practical Build

The Lenovo LOQ features a simple, understated design that avoids the aggressive “gamer” look found on many competing laptops. This makes it suitable not only for gaming but also for school, work, or casual everyday use.

The chassis feels sturdy, and the keyboard deck offers minimal flex during typing or gaming sessions. The 15.6-inch Full HD display provides sharp visuals and good brightness for indoor use, making games, videos, and web browsing comfortable and immersive.

From a portability standpoint, it’s what you’d expect from a gaming laptop—manageable to carry, but substantial enough to house proper cooling and performance hardware.

Performance for Gaming and Everyday Tasks

Where the Lenovo LOQ truly shines is in its performance. Equipped with modern Intel or AMD processors (depending on configuration) and dedicated NVIDIA GeForce graphics, it handles popular games smoothly at 1080p with medium to high settings.

In real-world use, the laptop feels responsive when multitasking, launching applications, or switching between browser tabs, productivity software, and games. Load times are quick thanks to SSD storage, and system performance remains stable even during extended gaming sessions.

For general consumers, this means the LOQ works well not only as a gaming machine but also as a dependable daily computer for work, content streaming, and light creative tasks.

Cooling and Noise Levels

Lenovo’s cooling system does a respectable job of keeping temperatures under control. During longer gaming sessions, the fans become noticeable, but they don’t reach uncomfortable noise levels for most users.

The laptop maintains consistent performance without aggressive thermal throttling, which is important for gamers who value stability over long play sessions.

Keyboard, Trackpad, and Connectivity

The keyboard offers good key travel and tactile feedback, making it suitable for both typing and gaming. Backlighting adds a nice touch for low-light environments without being distracting.

The trackpad is accurate and smooth, though most gamers will likely prefer using an external mouse.

Connectivity is another strong point, with multiple USB ports, HDMI output, and a headphone jack—making it easy to connect external displays, controllers, or accessories.

Battery Life

As expected for a gaming laptop, battery life is average. During light tasks such as browsing or document work, it can last several hours, but gaming should be done while plugged in for best performance.

This is typical for laptops in this category and unlikely to be a dealbreaker for most buyers.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Strong 1080p gaming performance

Clean, professional design

Solid build quality

Good keyboard and port selection

Competitive pricing for the performance level

Cons

Battery life is only average

Fans can be noticeable under heavy load

Display is good, but not class-leading in brightness or color accuracy

Final Verdict

The Lenovo LOQ 15.6″ Full HD gaming laptop is an excellent choice for general consumers who want dependable gaming performance without overspending. It balances power, build quality, and usability in a way that works just as well for gaming as it does for everyday computing.

For students, casual gamers, or anyone looking to step into PC gaming while still having a professional-looking laptop for daily use, the Lenovo LOQ stands out as a smart and practical option.

BOOX Note Air 4C Review: A Color E-Ink Tablet That Bridges Paper and Productivity

Color E-Ink tablets are slowly carving out a niche between traditional e-readers and full-fledged tablets, and the BOOX Note Air 4C is one of the most compelling examples to date. Designed for readers, note-takers, students, and professionals who want a distraction-free experience with just enough flexibility, the Note Air 4C blends Android versatility with the comfort of E-Ink — now in color.

After spending time using the Note Air 4C for reading, note-taking, and light productivity, it’s clear that this device isn’t trying to replace an iPad or Galaxy Tab. Instead, it aims to replicate the feel of paper while offering digital convenience, and in many ways, it succeeds.

Design and Build Quality

The BOOX Note Air 4C immediately feels premium. Its slim aluminum chassis gives it a solid, well-balanced feel without being heavy, and the minimalist design looks professional in both office and classroom settings. At just under half an inch thick, it’s easy to carry in a backpack or sleeve alongside a laptop.

One thing I appreciated during daily use is how comfortable it feels during long sessions. Whether reading PDFs or writing notes for an hour straight, the weight distribution makes it easy to hold or rest flat on a desk. The textured back also provides enough grip without feeling rubbery or cheap.

The 10.3-inch display size hits a sweet spot — large enough for textbooks, sheet music, and split-screen notes, but still portable.

Color E-Ink Display: Subtle but Useful

The standout feature of the Note Air 4C is its 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 color E-Ink display. Unlike traditional LCD or OLED screens, color E-Ink is designed to be easy on the eyes, and it shows. Reading for extended periods causes far less strain compared to standard tablets, especially under indoor lighting.

That said, color E-Ink is still a compromise. Colors appear muted and pastel-like rather than vibrant, and this is intentional. In real-world use, I found color most useful for:

Highlighting notes in different colors

Viewing charts, graphs, and diagrams

Annotating PDFs and textbooks

Light magazine or comic reading

For web browsing or image-heavy content, expectations should be tempered. This is not a media consumption tablet, and once you accept that, the display makes much more sense.

BOOX’s adjustable front light — with both warm and cool tones — works extremely well. I often used the device at night with warm lighting, and it closely mimics the comfort of reading paper under a desk lamp.

Writing and Note-Taking Experience

This is where the Note Air 4C truly shines.

Writing on the textured E-Ink surface with the BOOX stylus feels remarkably close to pen on paper. There’s a slight resistance that gives handwriting a natural flow, and latency is low enough that it never breaks concentration.

From personal experience, the note-taking software is one of the strongest parts of BOOX’s ecosystem. You get:

Multiple pen styles and thicknesses

Layered notes

Shape recognition

Lasso selection and resizing

Handwriting-to-text conversion

I found myself naturally replacing paper notebooks during meetings and planning sessions. The ability to organize notebooks by folders, tag pages, and search handwritten notes later is a huge productivity boost.

For students or professionals who rely heavily on handwritten notes, the Note Air 4C feels purpose-built.

Android Flexibility Without the Distractions

The Note Air 4C runs Android, giving users access to the Google Play Store. This opens the door to apps like Kindle, OneNote, Google Drive, Dropbox, and various PDF readers.

In practice, I appreciated this flexibility for syncing files and accessing cloud storage. However, BOOX wisely limits refresh behavior to keep performance optimized for E-Ink. Social media and fast-scrolling apps technically work, but they’re not enjoyable — and that’s a good thing.

This balance makes the Note Air 4C feel focused rather than restricted. It encourages intentional use instead of endless scrolling.

Performance and Battery Life

Powered by a capable processor and ample RAM for its category, the Note Air 4C feels responsive when turning pages, writing notes, or navigating menus. E-Ink naturally refreshes slower than traditional screens, but BOOX offers multiple refresh modes to optimize clarity or speed depending on the task.

Battery life is another strong point. With Wi-Fi on, daily note-taking, and regular reading, I easily went several days on a single charge. In lighter use, it can stretch close to a week or more, which makes it far more convenient than traditional tablets.

USB-C charging is standard, and standby drain is minimal.

Who Is the BOOX Note Air 4C For?

The Note Air 4C is best suited for:

Students who read and annotate large PDFs

Professionals who take extensive handwritten notes

Readers who want color highlighting and diagrams

Creatives who sketch or brainstorm in color

Anyone seeking a paper-like digital workflow

It is not ideal for users who want vivid media playback, gaming, or fast multitasking.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Excellent paper-like writing experience

Large, comfortable color E-Ink display

Premium, lightweight design

Strong note-taking and PDF annotation tools

Android app flexibility

Long battery life and eye-friendly lighting

Cons

Muted colors compared to LCD/OLED tablets

Higher price than standard e-readers

Limited usefulness for video or web-heavy tasks

Learning curve for first-time E-Ink users

Final Thoughts

The BOOX Note Air 4C is not trying to be everything — and that’s exactly why it works so well. It excels at what matters most: reading, writing, thinking, and organizing ideas without unnecessary distractions.

From personal use, it feels like a natural evolution of pen and paper rather than a replacement for a traditional tablet. If your workflow revolves around notes, documents, and focused reading, the Note Air 4C offers a uniquely satisfying experience that few devices can match.

For general consumers who value productivity, comfort, and intentional technology use, the BOOX Note Air 4C is a compelling — and refreshingly different — choice.