E-Ink Tablets

[CroffleKing]

Hey Everyone - this equally applies to articling students and lawyers - is anyone using an E-Ink Tablet? I'm currently in another profession where there is a good use case for one with the same sort of restrictions (e.g., can use for some applications like research, generally staying organized and general note taking but probably not for confidential note taking in client files without some extra steps). I'll be entering law school in September and I imagine this would be a helpful piece of tech for me there.

It's a bit of an investment, so I'm curious if anyone is using them as a student, in articles, or lawyering. If you are, what model are you using? Do you have any concerns with it and what do you like most about it? How is it making your life easier compared to using regular notepads or typing on a laptop?

I would not be using this as an eReader - I know enough to know that it's very difficult to find one device that excels as an eReader for epub, etc. books that is also exceptional as a replacement for paper pad note taking and can offer a really good reading experience for .pdfs of cases and academic articles while allowing you to annotate and highlight in the .pdf and export it with annotations, etc. I would be adding whichever device into my work/school bag with my Kobo and a laptop.

Specific models I am considering are the ReMarkable Paper Pro and the SuperNote Manta A5X2 so extra points if you've got comments on either or both device. I'm open to other similar in size and capability devices - I am staying away from the Boox line of products as I am aware of some security vulnerabilities which precludes me from using it now for work and I'd want something I can keep for some years beyond law school.

Thanks in advance.

[theoverthinker]

Hey! I recently purchased SuperNote Nomad A6X2, right before Manta came out! If you'll do a lot of readings and or notetaking, I highly recommend an e-ink tablet! I am super happy with mine, and it comes with 32 GB internal storage, so if safety is your concern, you can even transfer files via USB instead of the cloud. I have been journaling and reading a lot more (not just on the device) since it's easy on the eyes and light enough to carry anywhere. Most notably, it has made me a lot more organized by being able to jump from one note to another quickly. One caveat with supernote models is that they don't come with a dedicated "main page" so if you end up getting one I highly recommend creating a DIY "contents" page for your notes. There's a bit of a learning curve, so some features/ writing may feel awkward in the first day or two. You can use it to read existing annotations and/or add new ones on the device easily. 

[CroffleKing]

@theoverthinker Awesome! Thank you so much for this input - I was looking at the Nomad too but I feel like the extra screen size with the Manta is worth the investment. How are you finding the Nomad for rendering .pdf journal articles and cases on the smaller screen size? Do you find it's pretty smooth or can it be clunky? I haven't fully ruled it out yet - I just have some assumptions about what the experience might be like with the smaller screen and I'd be happy to learn those assumptions are incorrect!

Thanks for the tip re: interface! I'm expecting if I go the SuperNote route that there would be slightly steeper learning curve than the ReMarkable, but I get the sense SuperNote is designed to let you do a bit more and make it your own - or they've at least designed a UI that makes you feel that way.

That's awesome re the internal storage - I'm hoping someone with the ReMarkable can weigh in on that too, and particularly the Cloud integration - I can't get a straight answer if the ReMarkable needs the Cloud subscription to function properly or not. It seems you can get by without the subscription, but whatever I choose I want it to be a smooth process when it comes to managing data as well as the devices functionality.

 

[theoverthinker]

1 hour ago, CroffleKing said:

How are you finding the Nomad for rendering .pdf journal articles and cases on the smaller screen size?

I recommend going with the bigger size - zooming function isn't the best on Nomad, and l would have gone with Manta if it had been out. Though, there are workarounds (landscape mode). Supernote team keeps adding new features and takes community feedback seriously and l feel like the product is designed to last for a long time. Good luck with whichever you end up choosing!

 

Edited January 6 by theoverthinker

[CroffleKing]

Sweet! I am definitely leaning toward the Manta right now - there is a backlog on orders for about 2 months... While annoying, I'll take that as a good sign. I'm still not quite ready to make a final decision and order but this is helpful for sure.

[JP5553]

I have been using the remarkable 2 tablet  for several years now and I love it - I'm actually considering upgrading to the paper pro. 

 

I used it for all of law school  and I have used it daily while articling. 

 

advantages -

1. you don't need to worry about losing a notebook or a sticky note becuase anything you write or type (if you have the keyboard) is saved on the desktop and mobile app. also having everything in one place makes it easier to stay organized. 

2. you don't need to print as much stuff off if you can just mark things up on your tablet. 

3. it's distraction  free! I have particularly appreciated this aspect while taking notes in court. 

4. remarkable is constantly upgrading the software and adding new features. 

disadvantages

1. it's expensive 

2. the formatting sometimes doesn't get along with other services like Microsoft or Google docs. What I mean is if you copy and paste something from the desktop app and try and put it in an email the formatting of the text will often be wonky and you will have to spend a minute fixing it. 

3. I know you said you don't want to use an e-ink tablet as an e-reader but i will say that the remarkable 2 is not the best e-reader. The paper pro might be better because it has colour but I'm not sure. 

 

overall I highly recommend using an e-ink tablet - especially if you like handwriting your notes. I got through all of law school handwriting my notes and then using the feature that converts handwriting to text when I made my CANS. The remarkable tablets are probably the better choice if you are looking for a good experience handwriting notes. It just feels like real paper when you use them. 

 

Edited January 12 by JP5553

[SNAILS]

I considered getting something like that. For people moving from place to place frequently, typing on a laptop is not ideal since it's bulky and it takes a minutes to pull up the document you are working on.

In law school, I was 100% a laptop typist since you are at a desk. For articling, I use pen and paper (non-electronic) since it is very portable. The big drawback is that I spend extra time later typing things into the computer. I only transcribe the most relevant 10-20% (summarized) so I end up with a lot of content that cannot be accessed electronically or made available to colleagues on a database. While summering at a firm, I used to scan in a lot of these paper notes with a photocopier. 

An ink tablet type thing is a niche between a laptop and actual pen and paper that I'll probably experiment with soon. I'm not sure it would have been helpful in law school though due to the relatively stationary environment.

Edited January 12 by SNAILS