Product specifications aren't the whole picture
When exceptional features are often left out or mentioned as a footnote.
How do you choose your gadgets? Do you devour all the reviews you can find and pore through specifications, or do you insist on trying them first?
I recently reflected on how specifications and other people's reviews might not necessarily translate into my own experiences.
You might know that I'm a fan of e-ink technology and recently explored some of the top e-ink tablets for notetaking. I shall use them as an example.
When experience matters
Are you considering getting an e-ink tablet to take notes? It won't take too long for you to come up with a shortlist of the top devices available today.
Yet most reviews often don't go too deep into the experience:
- The Supernote Manta is used together with a stylus that sports a permanent nib. To me, the very fine nib most closely resembles an actual pen, though the "feel" of the ceramic component on the soft screen protector took some getting used to.
- Writing on the Remarkable Pro gives you a "scratchy" tactile feel that's exactly like using a pencil. This isn't found in any other devices I've tried.
- The Boox Air3C is extremely versatile, blending a dash of colour, support for handwriting input, and the ability to run Android apps, including Obsidian - which I use for writing stories.
My point? The features we need most differs, and it presence (or absence) can result in a completely different experience.
The features that get missed out
Other times, exceptional features are left out entirely or mentioned only as a footnote.
For example:
- The Remarkable Pro has an incredibly seamless sync experience. Notes magically appear on desktop or smartphone apps, while changes are quickly updated in the background. It just works.
- The Supernote offers a comprehensive system to index your notes or connect notes via embedded links. You can also create headings with a tap that shows up as an automatically generated content page.
My thoughts about e-ink tablets
Anyway, here are the various posts about the three e-ink tablets in the photo.
What are some gadgets that exceeded your expectations... and those that fell short despite the hype?
