The digital pocket book area has been rising strongly for over seven years. A number of corporations, corresponding to Supernote, Exceptional, and Onyx Boox, have made their whole enterprise mannequin on this sector. Others are extra centered on e-readers however do supply some note-taking fashions, corresponding to Rakuten Kobo, Hyread, iReader, iFlytek, Hanvon, and, most just lately, Amazon.
Amazon launched the unique Kindle Scribe in late 2022 and entered this area to supply its distinctive worth proposition. It was the primary to offer a 10-inch note-taker with 300 PPI. Customers may write notes in ebooks and freehand draw. Amazon releases firmware updates each few months to introduce new options and enhancements. In late 2024, it launched the Kindle Scribe 2.
The Kindle Scribe 2’s large promoting level is its design. It has been modified from the unique to look extra like a ledger. It additionally has a brand new jade shade to make it stand out in a crowd. The display has been modified to permit extra torque from the brand new stylus, which additionally obtained a minor revision: the guidelines are new, and it has a rubber eraser.
The software program has been drastically modified, too. A brand new AI-driven pocket book shortly summarizes pages and notes into concise bullet factors in a handwritten-style font that may be shared from the pocket book tab. You may as well refine your notes in a handwritten-style font in order that they’re legible whereas sustaining the feel and appear of handwriting.
One other standout function is Lively Canvas; you’ll be able to write your ideas immediately into the guide when inspiration strikes. Your notice turns into a part of the web page, and the guide’s textual content dynamically flows round it—whether or not you enhance the font measurement, change the font fashion, or change the guide format, the notice stays seen precisely the place you need it, so that you by no means lose any which means or context. You’ll additionally have the ability to write your notes within the aspect panel and simply conceal them if you’re accomplished.
{Hardware}
The Kindle Scribe 2 contains a 10.2-inch Carta 1200 E INK show with a decision of 1860×2480 and 300 PPI. Its redesigned show has uniform white borders. The display is flush with the bezel and guarded by a layer of glass. It additionally has 35 white and amber LED lights that may be adjusted mechanically. This lets you learn in darkish or low-light environments. The sunshine from the system doesn’t shine immediately into your eyes however spreads evenly throughout the display.
You possibly can choose two colours for the Scribe 2: tungsten and teal inexperienced. There are tiny rubber toes on the again of the Scribe; that is helpful in order that it doesn’t slip and slide on a desk when drawing. Amazon has a number of equipment for the Scribe, together with cloth and leather-based circumstances.
The brand new Kindle Scribe pen has new colours to match the Scribe 2. The brand new Premium Pen additionally has a customizable shortcut button in order that long-pressing can activate the highlighter, pen, marker, pencil, eraser, canvas, or sticky notice. The rubber eraser on the highest is one other appreciable improve, making it simpler to erase errant notes.
Beneath the hood is a 1GHz MediaTek MT8113 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of inside storage. It has Wi-Fi 5 to obtain e-books from the Amazon Retailer. Bluetooth 5.1 is out there in choose markets to wirelessly join earphones or an exterior speaker to take heed to audiobooks. Audiobooks are unavailable in each nation, corresponding to Canada, however they can be utilized within the US, UK, Japan, and different worldwide markets. A USB-C port is out there to cost the system. Amazon charges the brand new and authentic Scribes as having the identical battery life — as much as three weeks when you write for about half an hour a day and as much as 12 weeks when you learn for that very same period of time. The scale are 196 x 230 x 5.8mm and weighs 433g.
There are two important causes to buy the brand new Kindle Scribe 2. One can use it as a digital pill to take notes, write in e-books, and use present and future AI-driven enhancements. The opposite is to make use of the massive display to learn Kindle Books. Studying e-books is the only motive I take advantage of the Scribe recurrently. The Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version, and Kindle Colorsoft all have round 7-inch screens, whereas the Scribe is 10 inches. I really like sitting on a sofa or in mattress and studying a guide. It makes me cease utilizing my telephone 24 hours a day, and naturally, because it has an E INK display, it’s easy on the eyes.
Software program
Amazon is utilizing Linux on the second-generation Kindle Scribe. They’ve used the identical working system because the first Kindle, launched in 2007. This enables all their e-readers to make use of much less CPU, RAM, and battery energy, because the OS doesn’t want a lot energy. There aren’t any background processes like Android.
The house display appears barely completely different on the Kindle Scribe because of the massive 10-inch show, permitting extra content material to suit on the display anytime. The date, WIFI sign power, and time are on the prime of the display. Beneath that could be a big search bar and an icon to launch the Amazon bookstore and audiobook retailer. Beneath, what are your current objects on a carousel? It could present the quilt artwork of books that you’ve just lately added or are within the strategy of studying. It additionally signifies notes that you’ve made and different paperwork, corresponding to a PDF file. Beneath which can be the entire curated purchasing lists, corresponding to Uncover Books, with a number of tabs that you could click on on to view numerous bestseller lists and genre-specific entries, corresponding to new releases, romance, biographies, and so forth. There’s a scroll bar on the far proper that you could scroll down, or you’ll be able to management the capacitive touchscreen along with your finger or stylus to scroll down additional. Nothing of notice is completed right here aside from additional Amazon suggestions.
For those who faucet on the prime of the display, a drop-down menu will seem. You possibly can set up a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection from right here, activate airplane mode, or alter the nice and cozy or cool lighting. There’s additionally a sync button, which is beneficial if you edit PDF information and wish to view them on different units.
The UI on the underside of the Scribe has a house button, which can all the time take you again to the primary menu. Moreover that, your quintessential library can be the place all of your books, comics, manga, or audiobooks you bought from Amazon. As well as, all books despatched by way of Ship to Kindle and PDF information may also be housed right here. You possibly can kind by doc sort for simple entry to sure supplies. In case you are within the strategy of studying a guide or freehand drawing, there can be a big picture that provides you a way of what it’s. On a typical Kindle, it’s often an image of the quilt artwork of no matter guide you learn. Nonetheless, on the Scribe, let’s say you might be freehand drawing. The icon will present you what’s there. For instance, we wrote, “We’re testing the highlighter” with the stylus within the notice app, and you may see the textual content. Moreover that, there’s a new UI aspect referred to as Pocket book and MORE. Below extra, that is the place you’ll be able to management your studying lists, entry the web browser, or launch Goodreads.
The settings menu is completely different from most different Kindles. You’ve the everyday account, Family and Household Library, Machine Onions, and Parental controls. Nonetheless, there are a couple of new entries, corresponding to Pen and Ebook and Notice-taking choices. Below Pen, there’s a single choice at launch referred to as Pen Shortcuts. Right here, you’ll be able to management what occurs if you click on the aspect button. Your solely choices are a highlighter, pen, marker, pencil, eraser, canvas, or sticky notice.
Notice Taking
The Notice-Taking app is one thing most individuals will mess around with when utilizing the Scribe for the primary time. The variety of choices you could have is geared toward new customers, not individuals who have beforehand owned different e-notes. Only some UI components are on a toolbar on the far left. The primary one controls line thickness. You’ve wonderful, skinny, medium, thick, or heavy. Earlier than you begin drawing, strengths are subsequent to the names so you’ll be able to perceive how they are going to look. Beneath is the highlighter management, which has the identical thickness settings. The eraser settings have a lasso software to delete a selected space or web page. You possibly can management the thickness stage with an eraser in your stylus. There’s a small setting to vary the navigation toolbar from the left to the best aspect. Clicking on the pointer button will carry down a small navigation pane on the highest of the display. Right here is the place you’ll be able to rename the web page you might be drawing on. You may as well choose numerous templates. There are 18 complete templates. A few of them are very distinctive and never on some other e-notes. You’ve the everyday school guidelines and numerous drafting ones, too. One of many fabulous choices right here is sharing the doc you might be engaged on through electronic mail. You possibly can enter a most of 4 electronic mail addresses to ship the doc. It would point out the file sort, and sending is quick because it’s accomplished by way of the Amazon electronic mail servers.
The notebooks in Kindle Scribe don’t simply allow you to take notes; they enable you to arrange your ideas and concepts.
The brand new Kindle Scribe has Lively Canvas, a brand new expertise for taking notes in books. As you’re studying, write immediately within the guide with the Premium Pen, and the sentences will transfer and circulate round your notice, making your ideas a part of the web page. For those who enhance the font measurement or change the font fashion or format, your notice will keep anchored to its authentic place, so it by no means loses which means or context. You may as well use Lively Canvas to mark up Phrase Docs and different reflowable paperwork, which you’ll then share with colleagues.
The brand new pocket book summarization function, powered by generative AI, means that you can shortly create a synopsis of your notes to carry your concepts off the web page and switch them into actions. To make use of the function, choose as much as 15 pocket book pages, open the pocket book menu, and click on the AI icon. Choose “Summarize,” the function will convert your notes into concise bullet factors. The summaries are in a script font, in order that they’re legible and straightforward to share whereas sustaining the feel and appear of handwritten notes.
For those who’re scribbling in a rush or don’t have the tidiest handwriting, the brand new AI-powered refinement function will convert your handwritten notes right into a script font for a extra elegant (and legible) look. Whereas in a pocket book, click on the AI icon and choose “Refine writing.” Your notes can be shortly transformed right into a script font and inserted again into your laptop computer, making them simpler to learn, overview, and share. If inspiration strikes and also you wish to make adjustments, you’ll be able to nonetheless edit and replace your refined notes.
Amazon has a fantastic write-up on the brand new AI options and the place to entry them. You possibly can learn their tutorial HERE.
PDF Recordsdata
Enhancing PDF information is a blended bag. You possibly can’t merely sideload PDF information from the USB cable to your pc. You possibly can view the PDF file, however there isn’t a modifying performance apart from long-pressing utilizing your finger or the stylus and utilizing the keyboard to put in writing a notice. You possibly can solely edit PDF information utilizing Ship to Kindle for Chrome, Home windows, and Mac. Whenever you ship a PDF file utilizing Ship to Kindle, it should sometimes take a couple of seconds to add however as much as ten minutes to be totally despatched to your Scribe.
Utilizing the Ship to Kindle app solely means that you can ship small PDF paperwork to the Scribe. The corporate does have an on-line software that’s able to supporting bigger information, corresponding to 200 MB most.
Suppose you’re a Microsoft Workplace consumer and edit PDF information utilizing Phrase. You possibly can ship paperwork immediately out of your Microsoft Phrase app in your desktop or browser to learn, overview, and annotate immediately in your Kindle. Nonetheless, you should subscribe to the Microsoft 365 subscription.
When the PDF file has been despatched to your Scribe, you could have the identical navigation bar that seems when freehand drawing. You possibly can choose the Pen or Highlighter and decide your required thickness settings. You possibly can then annotate the PDF by manually underlining phrases and writing within the margins. To view your edited PDF on one other Kindle. You want to go to the Scribe dropdown menu on the primary house display and click on on SYNC. You then have to get one other Kindle e-reader and click on on SYNC once more.
One of many monumental advantages of PDF information is sharing paperwork collaboratively. You need to use the Amazon electronic mail service to ship as much as 4 addresses. That is helpful for a number of people who find themselves modifying a single doc or a contract that 2-3 folks have to signal after which submit the signed doc to a third social gathering. instance is an ordinary NDA settlement we signal with everybody to get early entry or overview samples. We regularly must signal a contract, have two folks signal it, after which electronic mail it again to the corporate. With the ability to do that all on the Kindle Scribe, utilizing Amazon’s servers, is compelling.
Wrap Up
The Kindle Scribe 2 2024 mannequin is the newest era, and because it got here out, it has not gone on sale but. Nonetheless, the primary gen Scribe continues to have sale costs each couple of months. Most of the new AI options discovered on the Scribe 2 have made their means over to the first gen a few weeks in the past. There aren’t many distinctions on the latest mannequin to justify the additional $60 worth.
The Scribe 2 has only some slight adjustments. The premium pen has been barely redesigned; it’s higher than the unique. The Scribe 2 show makes it simpler to put in writing on glass. Lastly, it’s considerably lighter and thinner, making it simpler to carry for lengthy writing classes.
It’s only a matter of time earlier than the first era Scribe is discontinued. Amazon will doubtless promote out of its remaining stock in its warehouses worldwide and won’t make any extra as soon as it does. This might make it the right time to purchase one when it sells for $50 to $70 off the asking worth. It ought to nonetheless be supported by firmware updates for a number of years. Nonetheless, if you wish to purchase the Scribe 2024 mannequin, it’s doubtless value it as a result of it’s the newest and best. It ought to nonetheless be supported by updates till 2029.
How does the Scribe 2024 evaluate to the competitors? I consider the writing engine is healthier than the Kobo Elipsa, however the smaller Libra has a full-color display to attract in shade and conduct highlights. The Exceptional Paper Professional additionally has a shade e-paper display, and the Exceptional 2 continues to be of great worth. Onyx Boox has each black and white e-paper shows and colours. All of their fashions run Google Android and have full entry to the Play Retailer.
I feel the Scribe 2 is smart if you’re already invested within the Amazon ecosystem. When you’ve got bought many books from them, studying on a 10-inch 300 PPI display gives a whole lot of worth. Their writing system won’t be pretty much as good because the competitors’s, however it’s user-friendly.
Amazon Kindle Scribe 2
$399.99
Execs
- Upgraded Stylus
- Excessive-Decision Display screen
- AI Ttools which can be Helpful
- Good Battery Life
- Skinny and Light-weight
Cons
- Want to make use of Ship to Kindle to Edit PDF Docs
- Not Waterproof
- Costly
- Not A lot has Modified, In comparison with Scribe 1
- Solely has a Black and White E-Paper Show
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the previous fifteen years. Newspapers and web sites such because the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Publish and the New York Occasions have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
