The 12 months is closing quickly, and plenty of new e-readers and e-notebooks got here out in 2024. Amazon and Kobo refreshed most of their lineup, issuing their first colour e-readers. Bigme launched the Hibreak smartphone with two fashions: one colour and one with a black and white display. Outstanding lastly launched a brand new machine after near a four-year wait: the Outstanding Paper Professional with a Gallery 3 colour e-paper show. Onyx Boox issued a bevy of latest gadgets, together with their new go lineup, and the Be aware Air 4C, Be aware Max, and Palma 2 at the moment are transport. Barnes and Noble had a quiet 12 months, with no {hardware} aside from a Lenovo co-branded Android pill. Pocketbook had a large 2024, with practically 5 new e-readers in varied display sizes.
Viwoods made waves with its new AI Be aware and AI Be aware Mini. Many individuals are interested in cutting-edge Carta 1300 shows and lethal {hardware}. Smaller, extra regional gamers additionally launched new gadgets. Hyread, iFlytek, Hanvon, iReader, and Readmoo had {hardware} that solely got here out in China and Taiwan. The Tolino Shine fifth era Shine Colour and Imaginative and prescient Colour have been primarily marketed in the direction of a German-speaking viewers.
Probably the most important releases of the 12 months, not less than from the attitude of the Western world, primarily got here from Amazon and Kobo. Amazon issued a brand new Twelfth-generation Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version, Scribe 2, and a brand new Eleventh-generation Kindle. The product that captured probably the most worldwide consideration was the Kindle Colorsoft, the corporate’s first colour e-reader. It wasn’t with out controversy, with {hardware} defects plaguing early adopters, however the yellow-band problem appeared to have been solved.
Rakuten Kobo launched their first colour, E INK readers, with the arrival of the Libra Colour, Clara Colour, and a brand new black and white e-reader, the Clara BW. Kobo had a greater launch with their {hardware}, with no high quality and management points.
What e-reader did you purchase in 2024? This was a large 12 months with high quality e-readers and e-notebooks. Or did you determine to not improve as a result of an older guide reader is greater than ample? Lastly, if you happen to didn’t improve, are you eagerly awaiting something new in 2025?
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 Put up and the New York Occasions have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
