Re-use your ‘notebook’ over and over again with the reMarkable!

The digital age is a conundrum of tradition and progress. We constantly seek out new technologies to make our environment paperless but yet feel the magnetic pull of the pen and paper. This conflict between digital and analogue may have a resolution in reMarkable – an E Ink Tablet users can write on.

What is the reMarkable?

The reMarkable tablet delivers the experience of reading and writing on a 10.3 inch digital screen with the feel of authentic paper. The company emphasizes the ultra high friction materials used for the screen to mimic the sensation of actual paper. CANVAS, the proprietary low-latency technology utilised, also provides a faster refresh rate and over 1000 levels of pressure. This helps mitigates the notoriously slow refresh rate of e-paper.

Unlike most tablets, the reMarkable is intentionally designed to be minimalist. It can only display ebooks and documents while allowing users to scribble as they will on the content displayed. With a sleek exterior, it is sure to be a hit with students as a replacement for the heavy textbooks and notebooks they need! Furthermore, all of your notes and drawings can be synced to the cloud service and be accessed on your mobile devices. Wi-Fi connectivity also makes it easy to collaborate with others on the reMarkable.

The lack of glass parts ensures that the reMarkable is a rather sturdy device, able to withstand drops. The device is able to last for days on a single charge thanks to the extremely low power consumption of the E Ink display. InkCase also makes use of this particular characteristic of E Ink to enhance its functionality. It adds a secondary screen to the back of your iPhone, allowing you to read anywhere, any time.

Keep your favourite books in your pocket!

While the reMarkable is indeed remarkable, it comes at a comparatively steep price. Preorders are available for $379 currently. A complete set of the tablet, pen and folio case will cost $716.

(Published on Oaxis, 30 April 2017)

Onyx Boox Typewriter may be the next game-changer.

Nowadays mobile device hybrids are all the range as firms come up with all sorts of interesting combinations. One such example is Oaxis’ InkCase which transforms your iPhone into an e-reader. It adds a second screen to the back of your phone, allowing you to read anywhere, any time.

Never forget another errand again with Inkcase!

Thanks to this trend, E Ink has gained more interest as companies try to improve their products in terms of power consumption, speed and functionality. In fact, just recently Onyx International has revealed a rather interesting prototype – its Onyx Boox Typewriter which is essentially a 2-in-1 E Ink laptop. Yup, you read that right. Onyx has managed to combine an E Ink display with a full fledged laptop, not merely a tablet!

So what’s the big deal with E Ink screens? Well, not only do they consume much less power than LCD and AMOLED screens, they are also much gentler on our eyes. One charge can last a typical e-reader for weeks! However, E Ink screens are also more limited in terms of video playback, colour display and the refresh rate. This has as such limited the usage of E Ink to e-readers mostly. Onyx however, thinks that the Onyx Boox Typewriter may just be the gamechanger.

What is it?

The Boox Typewriter is actually a rather unconventional Android device. It uses a old 1GHz Cortex-A9 processor with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. The device also runs the older Android 4.0 version. Unlike your usual e-readers, the Onyx Boox Typewriter has a metal body and hence looks and even feels like your average 2-in-1 detachable laptop. The most notable difference is that the Boox has a 9.7-inch 1280×825 E Ink display. This allows the Boox to be used as an e-reader when detached from the keyboard. It doubles as a word processor, black and white web browser, and more with a screen that is easy on the eyes. The device also supports an electromagnetic (EMR) pen, allowing users to scribble on the text.

Onyx is marketing the Boox as the perfect tool for people who work on the move and need to type outside with minimal eye strain. The device will definitely also be useful for students and bookworms too! That being said, Onyx has to resolve the problems caused by the E Ink display. The incompatibility of E Ink’s extra slow refresh rate with the user’s fast typing is one such issue. Also the weight of the metal frame can be cumbersome too. Since Boox is only expected to launch until early 2018, here’s to hoping that Onyx uses the time they have to work out all the kinks!

See also: LCD screens: Shedding light on the damage done

(Published on Oaxis, 27 April 2017)

Here’s the future of networking: E Ink Badges!

Plastic Logic is working together with Blendology to combine its bi-stable electrophoretic display, based on a unique OTFT backplane, with Blendology’s oneTap technology. Blendology built a reputation for itself as an event solutions company with its unique interactive oneTap technology. It allows users to connect and network with a simple tap of their special delegate badges

Why E Ink?

While developing its trademark badges, Blendology realised that the display would be imperative. The badge needed to have all the physical characteristics of a traditional paper exhibition badge while retaining interactivity.

The firm uses Plastic Logic’s 4-inch E Ink display, including a logic controller that acts as an interface between the badge and its app. One badge costs US$60 but since it’s designed for reuse, the cost will be covered over time

Plastic Logic’s E Ink display is sturdy enough for the usual taps and drops the badges may undergo. Due to the extremely low power consumption, a single charge can last the badge for many days. The lightweight nature also ensures the comfort of delegates even when worn for long periods of time.

Moreover, the badges can keep the display on with no additional power consumption, providing a paper-like display. These characteristics have made E Ink displays the prime choice for products such as the InkCase which gives you the best of both worlds. The InkCase adds an E Ink screen at the back of your phone, allowing you to read anywhere and any time!

Put your library in your pocket with the InkCase!

The badge utilises the display aptly, maximising the functionality since users can change the content displayed accordingly. The badges can as such double as venue maps, conference agendas and even more. The increased degree of customisation opens up a whole new level of potential for the events industry.

The potential of Blendology

Currently, more than 350 events in 18 countries have used the badges successfully. Blendology is also looking into integrating these badges into other markets such as corporate use and personal electronic business cards.

Keep an eye out too for future collaborations between Blendology and Plastic Logic! Blendology has also expressed interest in working together with Plastic Logic in a venture to produce the world’s thinnest watch in the future.

(Published on Oaxis, 25 April 2017)

Sync up the entire family’s schedules seamlessly with Magic Calendar!

From the way we read to the signage we walk past every day, E Ink has been increasingly incorporated into our daily lives. The InkCase for example, lets you transform your phone into an e-reader with a secondary E Ink screen at the back of your phone.

Read anywhere, any time with InkCase!

While many may argue that E Ink’s progress is indicative of the way technology has taken over our lives, this new E Ink product takes us right back to the good ol’ days of wall calendars.

So what exactly is the Magic Calendar?

On the surface, the Magic Calendar looks just like your typical paper wall calendar. It actually uses a colour E Ink display to organise your schedule cleverly. The E Ink screen hidden in the minimalistic design allows the calendar to display changeable media. Moreover, thanks to E Ink’s low power consumption, each charge can last up to 3 months!

The brainchild of Kosho Tsuboi Design, the Magic Calendar essentially inherits the best of both the smartphone and traditional calendar. Combining the familiar aesthetics of paper and the speed of smartphone calendars, it’ll be helpful in boosting your productivity, be it at home or in the office!

With the ability to sync and display several users’ Google Calendars in different colours, the Magic Calendar makes it so easy for users to sync up their schedules without any hassle. Just think about how easy it’ll be to arrange those family dinners or office meetings! No need to text everyone to ask for their schedules anymore; just log in and let the Calendar work its magic.

Need more persuading? Go ahead and watch the video to see how wonderfully simple and effective the calendar works!

The Magic Calendar is part of Google Android Experiments program which seeks to create new ways to use technology. I think it’s more than fair to say that it has definitely achieved that!

Currently, it’s still in the prototype stage while the designers work out some of the technical hurdles. However according to Kosho Tsuboi Design, they already have a fully-working version and are proceeding with a completed design. One thing is for sure – the Magic Calendar definitely brings us another step closer to blurring the boundaries between analog and digital technology.

(Published on Oaxis, 21 April 2017)

Check out Microsoft’s latest patent – a dynamic E ink keyboard!

The computer has been changed and improved so many times in recent years that we have come to expect changes each year now. Yet the keyboard, an essential component, has remained static despite all the changes. Many major players are now looking to reinvent the keyboard with existing technology such as E Ink. For example, the InkCase gives your iPhone a secondary screen by adding an E Ink display at the back of your iPhone!

Display your daily schedule with minimal power!

As such, a series of smart keyboards have entered the market such as those offered by Microsoft and Lenovo Yoga Book’s Halo Keyboard. Microsoft is pushing ahead of its competitors with its latest patent showcasing an E Ink keyboard cover.

What is it?

Filed in September, the patent shows a device that includes a normal emissive display and an E Ink display which covers the usual display. It also doubles as an actual cover case. Of course, the E Ink display in itself is not new. The crux of the patent lies in how the two displays work together.

The Yoga Book has a static display not etched out on the keyboard. Users can change content accordingly. However, Microsoft’s patent showcases how the display can be used for, beyond touch input. This addresses one of the complaints regarding the unchanging nature of the Yoga Book’s keyboard.

The real hook is a feature similar to MacBook’s TouchBar feature. The regular screen will be situated near the E Ink display which will show controls. The ‘TouchBar’ detailed in the patent is on the emissive side of the device and is not really considered as part of the keyboard.

With all that said, keep in mind that this is still just a patent. It is more than likely that Microsoft would take a few years to bring this into the market. Stay hopeful though; most of the technology needed to realise the patent is already available! In fact, the cancelled Microsoft Courier is rather similar. So keep your fingers crossed!

(Published on Oaxis, 19 April 2017)

Popslate shuts down after raising $1m on Indiegogo

Oaxis’ InkCase is the world’s first phone case to add a second screen to your phone!

While Oaxis’ InkCase was the original phone case which added a secondary E Ink screen to your iPhone, Popslate gained popularity and developed popSLATE. After the initial success, the company announced the sequel popSLATE 2. It would double as a battery charger and also have an improved screen.

Through Indiegogo, Popslate raised over $1.1 million to manufacture popSLATE 2. The announced date of delivery was July 2016. Now, after a lengthy delay in shipping out, the company suddenly announced its bankruptcy in an update to its backers. The email update also informed backers of the lack of refunds and order delivery too. This naturally resulted in a furious backlash. Backers were further infuriated with the lack of explanation as the email update was apparently the last update they would receive regarding Popslate.

What caused Popslate’s downfall?

The reason for this failure, according to CEO Yashar Behzadi and CMO Grey Moon, was largely financial in nature. Preparations for popSLATE 2’s manufacturing consumed used up much of the company’s funding. Technical problems with its design impeded progress. The firm also pushed shipping back from July 2016 to October due to insufficient initial prototypes.

Apple’s iPhone 7  announcement prompted a foray into redesigning the device to fit both the iPhone 6 and 7. This exacerbated the situation. Popslate soon realised its attempts were redundant as such a device failed to comply with Apple’s Made for iPhone program.

Things didn’t improve in 2017 when Popslate found out that its prototypes failed Apple’s certification testing as popSLATE 2 reduced the iPhone’s ability to transmit RF transmissions. Moreover, they also encountered issues with charging as well, causing an even longer delay. The company pushed delivery back to March and suspended refunds as they tried to resolve the problems.

Despite managing to raise $1m, it was still insufficient to cover the additional costs the string of problems caused. This ultimately brought about the downfall of Popslate, earning the dubious honour of being one of the more epic crowdsourcing failures.

While it may be true that crowdsourced projects are essentially based on faith, the curt farewell message offered by Popslate leaves much to be desired and that is loudly reflected in the outpouring of bitter messages by backers.

(Published on Oaxis, 19 April 2017)

5 ways to keep the boredom gone even with the travel ban!

In yet another bid to up airport security, US authorities have implemented a device ban, forbidding passengers from carrying any electronic device larger than a cellphone. This ban specifically targets passengers from 8 countries. The ban applies to laptops, tablets, Kindles and even cameras that are larger than mobile phones. This means that passengers now can’t watch movies, surf the net or even do their work on long flights. So what other entertainment options are available? Here are a few cost-free ways to keep yourself occupied during those long hours!

1. Read

Pick up one of the latest bestsellers at the airport or revisit a old favourite! There’s just no excuse to not read on a flight when you have so much time to spare. No space in your carry-on duffel? InkCase is your answer! Choose from your own library of e-books with InkCase which transforms your iPhone into an e-reader. No need to worry about adding more bulk or being stopped by airport security. Now all you need to worry about is what book you want to read first!

InkCase adds a secondary E Ink screen at the back of your phone!

2. Puzzles

Keep yourself occupied by flexing your brain muscles! Pick up a couple of brain teasers and you’re in for hours of fun! These brain teasers help boost your brain power by enhancing your memory and developing your ability to think out of the box. Your brain will produce more dopamine when you try out these puzzles, keeping your spirits high! The sense of satisfaction after you succeed at solving one will also give your mood a much-needed boost too.

3. Plan your schedule

Make full use of your time by planning ahead! Use those long hours to plan your schedule to maximise your productivity. Instead of just sitting around, make a to-do list and prioritise your urgent and important tasks in your phone. Keep the to-do list or your daily schedule visible by displaying it on the back of your phone with InkCase! That way you’ll never forget your tasklist or miss an appointment.

With InkCase, you’ll never miss another appointment!

4. Create something

Slip a notebook and a pencil in your bag and you’re set for hours! Use those long hours to pen down your thoughts or write a little note for your loved ones. Get your creative juices flowing by writing little stories about what’s happening around you! Who knows, you may just discover a talent for writing!

Not a fan of words? Draw something then! Sketch something as a keepsake for your trips. You can even give them to your friends or family for a more personal gift! Bring some origami paper and get started on your own origami zoo. Just keep your hands busy and you’ll be surprised how quickly time flies!

5. Make new friends

What else can you do when you’re surrounded by people who are just as bored as you are? Step out of your comfort zone and make some conversation with the guy next to you! What’s the worst that can happen? Sure, you may end up discovering that you have nothing in common with him but chances are you’ll probably have a pretty interesting conversation with someone you might have never had the chance to talk to. You may even make some lifelong friends that way. So give it a shot and start the ball rolling! Not sure what to talk about? Show off your most interesting moments by displaying it on the back of your phone with InkCase! That’ll give you something to start off – ask your neighbour about their most interesting memories!

Keep your best memories close by with InkCase!

(Published on Oaxis, 17 April 2017)

5 reasons why you should get your kid a smartwatch

In this age of technology, it can be difficult for parents to establish the right timeline to induce different technologies into your child’s life. At what age is it best to give your child a mobile phone? Many parents are still uncomfortable with young children owning a mobile phone despite the increasingly lower age of mobile device users. Thankfully for parents who still want to stay connected to their kids without having to worry about the cons of smartphone ownership, smartwatches could be the solution to their dilemma. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Peace of Mind

Smartwatches provide a great way for a parent to keep an eye on their children in an unobstructive manner. For example, the WatchPhone can be used to contact your child via phone call or text. It also acts as a GPS tracker, allowing parents to track their children’s location easily with their smartphones. The first of its kind, the WatchPhone is compatible with 3G data, allowing users to send voice memos as well. You’ll never have to worry about not being able to reach your child again

Additionally, many smartwatches come with safety features which allow the child to send a distress signal to their parents instantly. The WatchPhone, for instance, lets the child send a SOS to their parents’ smartphone with a tap. This safeguard brings a sense of reassurance to both child and parent.

Keep in touch with your kids anytime, anywhere.

2. Fostering a sense of independence

A smartwatch can also help create a safe space for your child to develop a sense of independence. The inbuilt tracking and safety features give parents the confidence to let their children go out alone. Parents can preset safety zones for kids by using the geofencing function on the WatchPhone, allowing them to roam within a designated safe area. When a child exceeds the limit, the nominated smartphone will be alerted.

Many other smartwatches also let children keep track of their own schedules and to-do list, fostering a sense of responsibility in them at a young age. This will also enhance their sense of independence and help develop productive habits as well.

3. Activity tracking

Most mobile devices, such as tablets and game consoles, tend to result in more screen and sedentary time. This may ultimately bring about many health issues like child obesity.
Smartwatches can help encourage children to go out and play as most include activity tracking features such as a pedometer. The WatchPhone not only comes with an inbuilt pedometer but also has a calorie tracker. This allows parents to track their children’s activity level and make adjustments to their daily routine accordingly.

The WatchPhone keeps your child active and tracks their level of physical activity in a fun manner!

4. Designed specially for kids

The market for smartwatches designed specially for kids has been growing steadily. While these smartwatches tend to be more primitive in terms of functionality, they are usually also sturdier and affordable than their adult counterparts. The functions included in these smartwatches are also engineered to be useful in a kid’s lifestyle and as such is a lot more practical.

5. Parental Controls

Parents can rest assured that their kids are not communicating with unsavoury characters or information with the wide variety of parental controls available. The WatchPhone keeps your child safe by blocking unknown numbers and only allowing authorized devices to interact with it. The Classroom mode makes the WatchPhone school-friendly as well, minimising distractions during lessons. Other common parental controls in smartwatches include features like restricted game time, Internet restrictions, purchasing permissions and more.

(Published on Oaxis, 21 March 2017)

10 Lifehacks to increase your productivity

With the increasing prevalence of social media and mobile devices in our society, it is little wonder that we are constantly distracted and significantly less productive than we’d like to be. Yet with a few simple tips, your productivity can improve drastically, be it in the workplace or even at home.

1. Schedule

Plan out your week and day! You’d be surprised at how much time you can save simply by organising your weekly schedule. Having a schedule structures your life and also provides peace of mind as your time is maximised to fulfil the most important tasks. Furthermore, with an effective weekly schedule, you’ll be able to improve your work-life balance, ensuring that the growth of the relationships in your life. Revise your schedule for the next day every night in case of any last-minute addition or priority shifts. Not sure where to start? Just make use of the Calendar app on your mobile devices or try out the free schedule templates online! Make sure your schedule is prominently displayed at the back of your phone with InkCase!

With InkCase, you’ll never miss another appointment!

2. To-do lists

To-do lists can help you stay on top of the tasks on hand. It’s much easier to track your tasks with to-do lists which can be easily created on your mobile devices. For instance, InkCase allows you to keep your to-do lists visible and close at hand by providing a secondary screen on the back of your phone! By prioritizing the most important tasks, you can make the most of your time and ensure that you finish your tasks on time. Furthermore, crossing off tasks on your to-do list gives you a sense of satisfaction and helps you visualise your progress as well!

Keep your to-do list always within reach with InkCase!

3. Learn to say no

Time is your most valuable currency so learn to say no to unnecessary meetings and requests! Individually, each engagement may take less than an hour but when added up, they can take up a lot of your precious time that could otherwise be used on more important and urgent tasks. If possible, arrange for online or stand-up meetings instead so as to increase efficiency and productivity. While being a team player in the workplace is important, don’t acquiesce to all requests for help without assessing your own workload carefully and finding out the specifics of the request first. Know your priorities and finish the tasks on hand before agreeing to help with their work. Otherwise, you’ll end up with too much on your plate for you to cope with!

4. Allocate time for replying emails

Constantly checking your email takes up more time than we realise as most of the time all we do is open our inbox, only to see that no new mail has come in. Furthermore, urgent information tends to be conveyed through phone calls instead of email. Try responding to emails at a specific time each day; that way you reply to batches of emails at once and also ensure that each email is replied within 24 hours. Also consider setting up push notifications for your email which will allow you to gauge the urgency of the emails received, saving you the trouble of opening up your inbox constantly throughout the day.

5. Break it up.

Big projects may seem daunting and thus put you off starting them as you get overwhelmed by the magnitude. However, by breaking it down into smaller parts, you make the project seem more manageable and also easier to complete. Deadlines for each small task can be set so as to ensure you stay on track. Furthermore, with smaller tasks, you can also delegate more easily and thus finish the project more quickly.

6. Target-setting

Set realistic targets for yourself and keep a constant reminder somewhere visible such as the back of your phone with InkCase to keep yourself on task and motivated! By setting relevant goals, you learn to prioritize what’s important and to focus your efforts on attaining your goals. Instead of setting unrealistic goals for yourself, try using the SMART mnemonic to maximise the effectiveness of target-setting.

7. Get rid of distractions

Make use of time-management apps such as Pomodoro Technique timers to eliminate unnecessary distractions such as Facebook or Instagram. Such apps provide a structured work-rest timetable, breaking up large chunks of work into manageable time periods. The short breaks in between lessens the monotony of work as well, ensuring maximum efficiency and productivity.

8. Delegate

Asking for help can often cut down a lot of time searching for a solution to a problem that may be beyond your expertise. Instead try maximising your resources by delegating to your colleagues according to each person’s specialised skillset. Furthermore, with more people on deck, an originally huge project can become broken down into smaller tasks which can be completed simultaneously.

9. Time-blocking

Allocate specific time blocks to important tasks so that you have time to fully focus on completing them. Furthermore, this helps tremendously in prioritizing your tasks and time management as well. This will also provide a sense of urgency as you try to finish the task within the time allocated. This applies for leisure time as well! You’d be surprised at how much a little down-time can help increase your productivity. Block out some time to take a break and rest before diving back into your work. Take some time to read your favourite book without any distractions with InkCase! All it takes is just a flip of your phone to transform it into an e-reader.

InkCase adds a secondary E Ink screen at the back of your phone!

10. Exercise

Exercise increases blood flow to your brain and thus sharpens your awareness. Even a short walk during lunch time can work wonders for your focus and help you avoid that infamous tea-time slump. Moreover, your body gets an energy boost each time you exercise as it enhances your body’s ability to transfer glucose and oxygen throughout your brain and body. Not only does a good workout help reduce stress, it also gets your creative juices flowing so the next time you get stuck, try taking a walk!

(Published on Oaxis, 15 March 2017)

Keep your workout motivation with these 6 easy tips!

1. Keep track of your workouts

Log your daily exercise with InkCase! InkCase keeps your daily exercise log visible on the back of your phone.  The visual reminder of your progress will make you feel better about working out and motivate you even more. Also InkCase comes in handy if you’re prone to forgetting when you’re supposed to be working out as it allows you to keep your workout timetable constantly visible too!

The InkCase helps you keep track of your daily physical activity with the activity tracker app.

Not sure if that’ll be enough motivation? Mark every day you skip a workout with a giant red ‘X’. With all those accusing giant ‘X’s as a glaring reminder, you’re sure to be more motivated to go put your running shoes on!

2. Set achievable goals

Did you know that an additional 5 minute walk daily can help shrink your waist in 3 months without any dieting? It just goes to show even a little bit of exercise can work wonders too! So if you’re losing motivation, break down your exercise regimes and goals into smaller units. While it’s important to push yourself, setting unrealistic goals does more harm than good. Constantly not achieving your goals will only make you increasingly demoralised and unmotivated to exercise. I mean, who likes to fail constantly right? Start with simple goals and then progress to long term goals.

For example, if you haven’t exercised in a while, you can set a daily target of walking for 10 minutes. As your stamina improves, increase the duration gradually! Keep things interesting for yourself by adding other exercises such as skipping or burpees too.

3. Make it a family activity

Exercise together with your entire family! Health professionals advocate family fitness as a solution to the growing problem of child obesity and a form of family bonding. Parents who exercise with their children not only get healthier, but strengthen the family’s bond as the family gets to spend more time together regularly.

Afraid that your children may be reluctant to join in exercising with you? Pique their interest with the WatchPhone which integrates exercise into their daily life! The pedometer and calorie tracker functions in the WatchPhone present exercise in a fun and engaging manner by allowing children to keep track of their own level of physical activity. Furthermore, it also doubles as a GPS tracker and a means of communications between parent and child as the WatchPhone lets you call and text your child without the unnecessary frills of a smartphone.

The Watchphone gives children a sense of independence while allowing parents to keep an eye on them.

4. Bribe Yourself

Give yourself something to look forward to by planning something nice for yourself after each workout! This’ll definitely make it easier for you to get through the workout when you have something fun to look forward post-workout. That way, working out won’t be the main focus of your day!

5. Make it fun

Don’t just stick to lifting weights and cardio; why not pick up a new sport instead? That way you get to work out, make new friends and have fun all at the same time! Nowadays, it’s so easy to sign up for classes for Zumba, Yoga or even Pole dancing if you’re feeling adventurous. So what’s stopping you?

6. Keep your workout playlist fresh

You’d be surprised at how much listening to music during your workout can impact you! Create a workout playlist and keep it constantly updated with high-energy music that gets your blood pumping to get the most out of your workout. With a rocking soundtrack, you’re bound to enjoy your workout more and be less likely to lose motivation!

(Published on Oaxis, 6 March 2017)