Although devices with a color screen and more powerful processors have been on the market for a long time, users of ereaders do not seem to stop choosing it and the manufacturers of these are opting for more conservative alternatives.
While Kobo recently unveiled its new device called Kobo Elipsa , Geniatech has presented a similar model but with some extra features and characteristics that seem interesting.
Geniatech is a Chinese company founded in Beijing 24 years ago and currently located in the technology hub of Shenzhen . Over the years, it has focused on launching a variety of consumer technology products, accompanied by stable and customized software. In recent months, Geniatech has also turned its attention to the e-reader market , particularly its role as a business tool—a market that seems to be attracting significant interest from the Asian market.
Geniatech has officially unveiled its KloudNote device, which will be available for purchase and delivery in the coming days. The KloudNote is an e-reader designed like a digital notebook , featuring an A4-sized screen and a stylus to help users navigate the device like a digital notebook.
The screen on this device is 10,3 inches , or in the Spanish market, the size of a standard letter (in other countries, the standard letter size is different and does not correspond to the 10,3-inch screen). It uses capacitive touchscreen technology and an E-Ink Carta HD display with a resolution of 1872 x 1404 pixels and 216 ppi . We miss having a backlit screen, but it's also true that if we use it for writing, the light shouldn't be an issue in these situations.
Kloudnote does not have a capped or embedded operating system but uses Android 8.1, a fairly recent version that will allow us to have extra functions that other devices do not have.
The KloudNote is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM processor paired with 2 GB of LPDDR4 RAM , which will make page turning and other functions smoother. The KloudNote has 16 GB of internal storage, which is not expandable, at least according to the device specifications.
The KloudNote measures 250 x 175 x 7.6mm and weighs 385g , quite reasonable for those who want to use it as an ebook reader and quite light for those who want to use it as a work tool.
So far, the characteristics of the KloudNote are quite normal and even inferior to other devices on the market. But this is not the only thing that KloudNote has, there is more.
KloudNote uses Android 8.1 as the eReader operating system
The Kloudnote has a 4.000 mAh battery that provides ample battery life . This battery can be charged via its USB-C port, allowing for faster charging and data transfer. The Kloudnote's official battery life is one week with two hours of use per day. However, this will depend on usage; whether you use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or 4G will affect battery life, potentially resulting in more or less than a week.
This port is accompanied by a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module that allows us to connect to the internet and listen to audiobooks using wireless headphones. On the bottom of the device, we find a 3.5mm minijack port that also allows us to connect wired headphones. In addition to these two ways of listening to audio formats, we must also consider the classic speaker option that Kloudnote offers. In other words, the KloudNote, besides Bluetooth, has a sound card and also supports various audio formats.
The device also comes with a 4G connectivity slot , meaning that if we insert a SIM card we can use the internet anywhere.
Since it runs Android 8.1, the range of formats supported by the device is very wide, and although Geniatech's specifications only mention the basics, we can assume that all ebook formats compatible with Android, and even the most popular library apps for Android, can be used on this device, even though there's no mention of the Play Store.
Regarding software, we know that in addition to an ebook reader, KloudNote has incorporated a note-taking program and an app to upload everything to its own cloud service that is compatible with other devices, and even an app to use the device as a second monitor for our PC.
On the latter we do not know more than the official information and we do not know if it will be compatible with all computers or we will need a USB-C type cable for its connection but it sounds interesting. Nor do we know anything about the type of cloud that we will use, what limitations it has (such as the price for the use of this service) or if it is compatible with other more popular cloud services that allows us to have everything in an orderly and concentrated way.
Finally, I'll talk about the stylus. The stylus that comes with the device is a basic stylus compatible with KloudNote , allowing us to write, highlight, and take notes on the device's screen without any problems. Furthermore, Geniatech mentions compatibility with Wacom devices . While we don't know for sure, it's quite possible that both KloudNote and the stylus contain Wacom components, which adds significant value to the device as a professional tool. Wacom is a well-known and highly regarded brand of graphics tablets and design and digitization tools. This would make KloudNote's hardware and text compatible with other Wacom programs, further enhancing the device's value.
The Kloudnote will be priced at $449 and can be pre-ordered through its official website . However, the final release and sales date for this device, as well as the countries where it will be available, are still unknown.
Personal valuation
The makers of Kloudnote have addressed some interesting aspects, such as sound, Wacom compatibility, Android 8.1 as the operating system, 4G connectivity, and, of course, the price. These appealing features make the device a good option for those looking for a digital notebook rather than an e-reader . However, we don't know the release date or which markets it will be available in, so I still think this device might not reach Europe, or that when it does, it will be outdated. If you're really looking for a similar device and have the time, I would wait for the KloudNote's release. But if you really have some time, I would opt for the Kobo Elipsa or Remarkable 2. And if price is a concern, we can always use traditional paper digital notebooks that are scanned with a mobile phone.