this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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Remarkable

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Hi All

I’m currently researching the digital paper tablet market. As a fellow enthusiast of digital note-taking and reading technology, I’m exploring the idea of creating a new product that could serve as an alternative to the reMarkable.

I’d love to get your thoughts on a few aspects:

Pricing: Do you feel that the reMarkable tablet is priced appropriately for what it offers? If not, what would you consider a fair price point for a similar product?

Features & Functions: Are there additional features or functions you wish your reMarkable had? This could be anything from software capabilities to hardware improvements.

Likes & Preferences: What aspects of the reMarkable do you especially enjoy?

And of course, any other feedback or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much in advance for your time and for sharing your valuable opinions.

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[–] GaryEP@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't have a reMarkable because it is too expensive for me. So something less expensive

[–] mrswitchypumpkin@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

The scribe is pretty awesome and you can get it with a payment plan on Amazon. The organization is neat ( You can create collections if you use templates or folders for the notebooks) The Ocr on the latest update is nice although I personally wish it made something other than a txt file (for me, I would have to add extra step, copy the text into another document) The sharing is where it's really meh for me personally. You can only share via email up to 5 recipient. And if you are using a pdf template - the sharing features becomes even more wonky for me. If the notes are for you, then it's a great option in my opinion. As a student, I would have loved this! And there are so many great templates available for it: word search, drawing, gratitude journals, various types of journals, planners etc.

I would like some collaboration features. Two people able to edit the same page and notebook

[–] purple_ombudsman@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In this sub, you're going to get a ton of apologists explaining away extremely limited note-taking software (note-taking, not overall software). I didn't want an Android e-ink tablet (Boox Note Air 2 Plus), but I had to go with one because it's the only thing that isn't a hunk of plastic (Supernote) but still feels relatively premium like the Remarkable. The rM2, for what the company is asking for price-wise, is far too limited in its capabilities. I mean, they release the ability to draw a straight line and half the people here lose their shit.

I could look past a lot of the limitations (not being able to move typed text beyond vertical intervals, lack of light, crappy handwriting recognition) if the tagging system wasn't simply "here's a page, you can add a tag." The entire device is designed to take notes, and they still haven't figured out a way to index or table tagged notes like just about any other mainstream e-ink device on the market. It's baffling.

rM has a lot of potential but they are lagging behind the competition. They will have their fair share of fans, that no matter what will buy their products and support it. Their fanfare is diminishing as time goes on and improvements are made at an astonishing rate in other similar products, while they sit back and do nothing.

rM reminds me of Nokia back in the day. At one point held the crown but their reluctance to improve led to their eventual downfall and the rise of other companies that were not scared to innovate and push the limits forward.

[–] F179@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Pricing of the tablet seems decent. The pricing of the accessories however is ridiculous, not to mention the subscription model.

I'd love the rM to have a better/more flexible upload interface. I'd like to be apple to directly access the rM cloud through a file browser, not their stupid app. Or, alternatively, better integration of dropbox etc. Now you still have to copy files out from dropbox first and then you can use them on the tablet.

Otherwise, I love the hardware and how it feels to use.

Finally, I have zero trust in the company for the future. To me, recent updates seem like they have largely abandoned the "digital paper without distractions" approach. Another update a while ago messed up a bunch of my existing annotated pdf's and their response was "Everything is working as intended :)"

The subscription model looks ridiculous to me and it baffles/scares off anyone I speak to.

[–] No_Cricket8339@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I thought about buying it until I saw the subscription model - that's pretty much a "no" from me.

[–] ctl-alt-replete@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I love my rM. But I wish it was more responsive. When I tap on something, it takes maybe 100-200ms to respond. I wish this could be near instant. Like on a smartphone.

Also, colorized e-Ink would be cool.

I love the size, the weight, the user experience.

[–] 1toomanyat845@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For all those who downvoted this you must be either RM staff or guzzled that Koolaid. RM is a very nice looking device. It has very nice integration with the laptop. I like that it has infinite scroll. I think it’s overpriced once you add all the accessories, but device units own earns its money. It has a place in the e-ink market just as all the other devices do. Each one excels at something different, it depends on what you need it for. The RM has no organizational capabilities other than basic “save this here”. The Boox is all singing all dancing b&w android tablet. The Supernote excels at organization IF you choose to use it. It’s simple to make titles, headings, keywords, links that makes things as organized as much or as little as you need. But, it’s white plastic and looks like it’s right out of a Grade 6 backpack and their “sync” software is pretty thin, but you CAN save exported PDF to a USB-C drive to backup anywhere. I have a Supernote that I used for Uni and grad school. I could not have used a RM2 for taking those kinds of nested notes. Now that I am done though, when talking to clients I will strictly need folders and files/notes in those folders so I’m getting an RM2. MyDeepGuide on YouTube will teach you tons.

I actually believe this post was a “marketing” ploy by RM or its partners. Appreciate your thiughts

[–] Own_Ad_5283@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Given the current retail prices of e-ink screens and supporting components, the fact that rM has had to develop custom components for a device for sale in a niche segment, and the retail prices of their competition, the reMarkable was and reMarkable 2 is more than fairly priced.

The only things I'd want next on the reMarkable, given my appreciation of the device and its limitations, would be a more fulsome PDF format support implementation including the ability to move pages between PDF documents and notebooks. I'd also like to be able to use third party keyboards, but this may not be possible on the current rM2 between the absence of a Bluetooth radio and their implementation of the USB-C port. Everything else I trust to the company and its developers, to continue to build the device's features in software in keeping with their philosophy.

On likes and preferences, I especially like how light and effortless the device feels both physically and philosophically. It is literally the easiest thing to grab and go, and it moves with me wherever I do. And it has never lost focus on its core function: replacing a physical notebook. You open it, if necessary find your required page, and just write, or read as the case may be. That is its major differentiator from other allegedly competing devices on the market: it is first, foremost and only a digital book.

For me, honestly, there is no alternative to the reMarkable. It occupies its niche singularly. Everything else that might pretend to be similar to it is either an Android tablet with an e-ink screen or, pointedly, a Kindle.

Without saying much more, the subscription model as currently configured is much and unnecessarily maligned. But this is its own topic.

[–] keberch@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

In this sub, you're going to get a ton of misguided comments on features and such. If you intend to compete against the RM2, remember that its sole function is as a paper-replacement for note-taking.

In that, it's a standout success.

Other tablets and such have OTHER features, no doubt valuable to those who need them. The RM does everything a paper tablet would do -- even has that incredible feel -- and does much MORE than you can do with a simple piece of paper.

Frankly, I worry every time they roll out an update, concerned they may impact something useful as a note-taking device in pursuit of calls to become more tablet-esque.

Its focus is as a paper-replacement for note-taking. If you want/need more (and that's fair), I'd look for another product.

Pricing -- generally fair, though between initial price and subscription, it feels a bit like a gift that keeps giving (or taking).

Likes -- the feel of writing to me is the #1 reason I use the RM. Writing on a screen has been around for well over a decade. But to make it feel almost exactly like writing on paper... that's a big deal for me.

I like the ability to import pdfs, annotate, send back out to PC. Very helpful for my work. I also like the "favorites" and "last viewed" swipes. Have only just begun using tags, though for my money, they're a solution in search of a problem.

Things I'd like -- the response seems sometime slow. Nothing egregious, we've just become so accustomed to immediate responses from phone and tablets that it's noticeable. Would also prefer to be able to access drop-down menu on all pages, not just home.

But that's just me...

[–] Cavolatan@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I think the price of the tablet is reasonable but echo that the accessories are too expensive.

If I were making a competing product it would have a lot of rM’s build quality but would include a frontlight, improved PDF handling software (like Boox), and improved note organization software (like Supernote).

Supernote is far superior for note taking