From reading to note-taking, e-ink has quietly replaced almost everything I used to do on a tablet.
I still remember the first time I saw a colleague at work using a Kindle. It looked nothing like a normal screen, more like a printed page. When they let me borrow it for a couple of hours, I was completely taken by how natural it felt. No glare, no eye strain, just text that looked right. I bought one soon after, and since then, it’s been a steady part of my daily life.
Over the years, I’ve read far more than I ever expected to. The ability to set the text size exactly how I want it and carry my entire library wherever I go changed the way I think about reading. Whether I’m travelling or just sitting with a coffee, my books are always there; ready, light, and easy on the eyes.
Unlike LCD or OLED screens, e-ink doesn’t shine light directly into your eyes. Instead, it reflects ambient light, just like paper. The built-in front-light gently illuminates the page from the sides, which makes for a much softer experience. There’s no harsh glare, no flicker, and I can read for hours without fatigue.
As the technology has evolved, e-ink has moved beyond just reading. With the latest colour e-ink tablets, comics, reference materials, and even everyday apps have come to life without losing that calm, paper-like feel. What’s sealed the deal for me, though, is the ability to take notes directly on the screen. I can mark up reference documents, jot ideas, or capture meeting notes all in one place, and they sync neatly across my devices.
These days, my Boox Tab Mini C has slowly replaced my iPad. Paired with a small foldable keyboard and trackpad, it’s become a compact mobile workstation for writing, note-taking, and light document editing. It’s far less distracting and far kinder on my eyes than any traditional tablet, yet still powerful enough to handle the apps I need.
E-ink has come a long way since that first Kindle my colleague showed me. For me, it’s now more than just a reading device it’s a simpler, calmer way to work, think, and read without the constant glare of modern screens.
e-ink thoughts 