Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
Notepad, now the default text editor in Windows 11, is getting many updates these days. Dark mode, tabs, a spellchecker, and a modern interface are pretty big updates for the app that has been sitting without much attention from Microsoft for many years. As it usually goes in the Windows world, not all users like those upgrades and some would like to keep the app without its new bells and whistles.

As it turned out, you can do that. Here is how to go back to the old Notepad in Windows 11.



Restore old Notepad in Windows 11

The easiest way to return the old Notepad is to delete the new one. Open Start > All Apps and locate Notepad. Right-click it and select Uninstall. Now, every text file will open in the old Notepad, which you can still find in the C:\Windows folder.

Uninstalling Notepad will remove its entry from the "Open with" menu. You can fix that and add the old Notepad by following the steps below. Those can also let you keep both variants and select whichever you want whenever you want. Here is what to do:

1️⃣ Go to Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings > App execution aliases (credit for this goes to λlbacore on X).



2️⃣ Scroll down and toggle off Notepad. This will let you open the old Notepad from the Windows folder or with the "
notepad" command. You can similarly launch the old Task Manager in Windows 11.

3️⃣ Download the OpenWithView tool from NirSoft . It is a simple single-file utility that lets you select what apps appear in the "Open with" menu. You will need it to add Notepad to the "Open with" list after deleting the new Notepad.

4️⃣ Launch the app and select notepad.exe.

5️⃣ Click the green button on the toolbar.



6️⃣ Close the app and right-click any text file. You will then see two Notepads: the modern one and the legacy variant.



source
2


Microsoft redesigned several areas in Windows 11, including Task Manager. Almost two years ago, the company released Windows 11 version 22H2, which modernized Task Manager with new features and better visuals. Still, not everyone is a fan of the new Task Manager. If you share the sentiment that the redesigned version is worse than the one in Windows 10, the good news is that you can launch the old Task Manager without its fancy new skin.

Open Old Task Manager in Windows 11: Run
You can open the old Task Manager in Windows 11 by pressing Win + R and typing the "taskmgr -d" command. It will tell the operating system to launch Task Manager without its new XAML user interface.

Pressing Win + R and typing the command every time you need Task Manager is not the most convenient option, so you can pin the old variant to the taskbar:

   1️⃣ Right-click on the desktop and select New > Shortcut.

   2️⃣ Type taskmgr -d into the "Type the location of the item" box.

   3️⃣ Click Next and give your shortcut a proper name.

   4️⃣ Click Finish and drag the shortcut to the taskbar to pin it.

Now, you can launch the old Task Manager with a single click on its taskbar icon.

Open Old Task Manager in Windows 11: SysWOW64

Open File Explorer and navigate to Drive C > Windows > SysWOW64. Find the Taskmgr file and double-click it. There goes your old Task Manager from Windows 10.



You can also right-click the file and select Show More Options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). Drag the shortcut to the taskbar to pin it or keep it in any other convenient folder.



You might find guides describing how to replace Task Manager in Windows 11 with the old one so the OS can launch it when you press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, Ctrl + Alt + Delete, or right-click the taskbar. However, we do not recommend messing with this part of Windows. Pinning the old Task Manager is a much safer option that does not compromise your system's integrity. Of course, you will have to teach yourself to open Task Manager using a pinned icon on the taskbar.

And of course, staying on Windows 10 is still a viable option until at least October 2025.

source
3
Apple / Fully Remote Jobs at Apple You Can Apply for in March 2024
« Last post by javajolt on March 25, 2024, 09:19:21 AM »
The iPhone maker is hiring for a wide range of positions that let you work from home, and you can apply for them today.



Want to work for a prestigious tech firm while still maintaining your schedule flexibility? Well, we've got good news for you, as Apple is hiring a wide variety of remote work positions that will have you working in your PJs in no time.

Remote work has remained a popular employee perk since taking off during the pandemic. While the overall numbers have understandably dropped given the increase in return-to-office mandates, many businesses are still offering the option to work from home. You just have to be willing to look.

In this guide, you'll learn about the remote work positions open at Apple right now, as well as the value of remote work as a whole. Plus, we'll dive into what you can expect when working remotely at Apple.

Fully Remote Apple Jobs: Listings for March 2024

To help you on your journey to finding a job where you can work from home, we've looked through Apple careers page to get you started. Below, we've listed some of the 26 jobs listed on the website that fall into the “Home Office” filter, which is Apple's phrase to denote remote work positions. Check out some of your options and read on to learn more about remote work at Apple.

   • Merchandising Field Leader (Shanghai, China)

   • Financial Services Enterprise Account Executive (New York, NY, USA)

   • Enterprise Pre-Sales Systems Engineer (Minneapolis, MN, USA)

   • Enclosure Global Supply Manager (Shenzhen, China)

   • Senior Applied ML Engineer (Pittsburgh, PA, USA)

   • People Business Partner – Retail (Paris, France)

   • Education Leadership & Learning Executive (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

   • Enterprise Systems Engineer (Dallas, TX, USA)

   • Browser Security Researcher (Seoul, South Korea)

   • Vulnerability Researcher (Cupertino, CA, USA)

   • Security Engineering Manager (Cheltenham, UK)

There's a good chance that you're looking at that list and asking yourself, why are there locations listed next to remote work positions? Well, while you may be able to work from home, these jobs are based in the cities listed above, so you'll know where to report if an in-person day arises.

The Value of Remote Work

As an employee, the perks of remote work are pretty obvious right out the gate. For one, you get some serious schedule flexibility, allowing you to tackle errands and attend appointments when you need to, rather than on a strict timeline. Additionally, you can save money by ditching the commute, which is also a good source of positive mental health changes.

It's not only good for employees, though. While many businesses are instituting return-to-office mandates, studies show than remote work has a lot of benefits for business owners as well.

Surfshark logo🔎 Want to browse the web privately? 🌎 Or appear as if you're in another country?
Get a huge 86% off Surfshark with this special tech.co offer.See deal button

For one, businesses offering remote work are more productive, according to the Impact of Technology Report from Tech.co. Even better, remote working organizations are unique in the business world today, as they are having limited trouble when it comes to hiring new talent when in need.

All that to say, don't buy into the return-to-office hype when buzzwords like “collaboration” and “company culture” get thrown around. The reality is that the option to work remotely is driving successful businesses, and any claim to the contrary isn't really supported by facts.

Apple Perks and Employee Benefits

If you've never worked for a big tech firm like Apple, you've likely heard that lore about all the perks and benefits that come with this kind of role. While you obviously won't get to take advantage of all of it because you're working from home, Apple still provides some excellent benefits that make it even more worth the effort.

From maternity and paternity leave built into your contract to the gym and wellness reimbursements, Apple definitely treats its employees well. Even better, if you're a big user of Apple devices, employees get a 25% discount at Apple stores, as well as a $250 yearly credit to buy whatever you'd like.

Employees seem to like working at Apple as well. On Glassdoor, the company has a respectable 4.2/5 rating, with 81% of employees willing to recommend the company as a good place to work.

If Apple isn't the right fit for you, that's okay too! We've got our guide to remote work jobs at Microsoft too, which actually has a slightly higher Glassdoor rating to assuage your concerns.

Is Remote Work Right for You?

All the perks of working from home and the benefits of working for Apple sound pretty great, right? While you might be feeling excited about this prospect, it's important to consider whether or not remote work is actually going to be a good fit for you as an employee, particularly if you never did so during the pandemic.

For starters, it can be a bit isolating. If you're more comfortable in a group setting or think you'd miss the idea of having a “work bestie” to gossip with between meetings, remote work might not be a good fit, as you won't have that office culture to fall back on.

Additionally, if you're easily distracted by activities at home, your productivity could definitely take a hit when working from home. The lure of the TV and the call of the video game are strong when working from home, so a bit of discipline is required to actually get work done.

All that to say, remote work can be a huge perk for many workers, but if you're not set up to succeed in that setting, you might want to check out some other job openings.

source
4
General Discussion / At long last, Spotify Miniplayer launches on the desktop
« Last post by javajolt on March 24, 2024, 04:47:43 PM »


It has been an extraordinarily long time coming, but Spotify has finally launched the miniplayer that users have been requesting for years.

The arrival of Spotify Miniplayer sees the music streaming service catching up with the likes of Apple Music. The new discreet player floats over other running apps, and gives users a choice of UI designs to switch between.

Spotify says that the new floating miniplayer has been designed to give "maximum control over [...] music and podcasts with minimal intrusion, ensuring the workflow goes undisturbed". The new mode sees the Spotify app working much like a picture-in-picture window, and a simple button click is all it takes to switch back and forth between mini and full modes.

While it is always a good idea to make sure that you have all of the latest updates installed for Spotify -- or, indeed, any app -- this will have no effect on the availability of the new Miniplayer. It is being enabled via a server-side update and, for now at least, it is only available to Premium subscribers. Spotify has not revealed whether or not it will be made available to non-paying users at some point in the future.

If the feature has been enabled for you, you will see a new square button nestling between the volume control and full screen toggle to the lower right of the Spotify window. If you are a Premium subscriber and don't yet see this, you will just have to wait a little longer.

Spotify has more information available here.

source
5

Privacy experts worry about growing use of digital dragnets. Credit: Lam Yik / Bloomberg via Getty Images

If you've ever jokingly wondered if your search or viewing history is going to "put you on some kind of list," your concern may be more than warranted.

In now unsealed court documents reviewed by Forbes, Google was ordered to hand over the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and user activity of Youtube accounts and IP addresses that watched select YouTube videos, part of a larger criminal investigation by federal investigators.

The videos were sent by undercover police to a suspected cryptocurrency launderer under the username "elonmuskwhm." In conversations with the bitcoin trader, investigators sent links to public YouTube tutorials on mapping via drones and augmented reality software, Forbes details. The videos were watched more than 30,000 times, presumably by thousands of users unrelated to the case.

YouTube's parent company Google was ordered by federal investigators to quietly hand over all such viewer data for the period of Jan. 1 to Jan. 8, 2023, but Forbes couldn't confirm if Google had complied.

The mandated data retrieval is worrisome in itself, according to privacy experts. Federal investigators argued the request was legally justified as the data "would be relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation, including by providing identification information about the perpetrators," citing justification used by other police forces around the country. In a case out of New Hampshire, police requested similar data during the investigation of bomb threats that were being streamed live to YouTube — the order specifically requested viewership information at select time stamps during the live streams.

"With all law enforcement demands, we have a rigorous process designed to protect the privacy and constitutional rights of our users while supporting the important work of law enforcement," Google spokesperson Matt Bryant told Forbes. "We examine each demand for legal validity, consistent with developing case law, and we routinely push back against over broad or otherwise inappropriate demands for user data, including objecting to some demands entirely."

Privacy experts, however, are worried about the kind of precedent the court's order creates, citing concerns over the protections of the first and fourth amendments. "This is the latest chapter in a disturbing trend where we see government agencies increasingly transforming search warrants into digital dragnets," executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Albert Fox-Cahn told the publication. "It’s unconstitutional, it’s terrifying, and it’s happening every day."

Advocates have called on Google to be more transparent about its data-sharing policies for years, with fears stoked by ongoing open arrests of protestors and the creeping state-wide criminalization of abortion.

In December, Google updated its privacy policies to allow users to save their location data directly to their devices rather than the cloud, and shortened the retention time for such storage — the new policies also indirectly stunted the long-used investigatory workaround in which law enforcement officials use Google location data to target suspects.

Google has been taken to court over such concerns over the past year, including two state supreme court cases surrounding the constitutionality of keyword search warrants, which force sites to turn over an individual's internet search data.

source
6


Discovering a dip in your internet speed or noticing odd activity on your connection might hint at an unwelcome guest piggybacking on your WiFi. Luckily, there are steps you can take to safeguard your network and keep uninvited surfers at bay. Depending on your internet service provider (ISP), the specifics might vary, but let’s dive into some universal steps to secure your WiFi network.

Securing Your Network Across Different ISPs

No matter which ISP you’re with, accessing your router’s interface is the first step. For example, for Orange users, navigating to http://livebox in your browser will get you there. Once in, looking under “Home Network,” you can check which devices are connected to your network.

To keep your WiFi name hidden, delve into the WiFi settings of your router and select the option to hide your network’s name. Additionally, enabling MAC address filtering adds an extra layer of security, allowing only approved devices to connect.

Free and Bouygues users have similar paths to securing their networks, involving accessing specific URLs in a web browser and managing connected devices, hiding the network’s name, and enabling MAC address filtering from the security settings.

By following these tutorials tailored to each ISP, you can easily monitor connected devices, conceal your network’s name, and filter MAC addresses to block unauthorized access. Implementing these steps will bolster your WiFi connection’s security, offering you peace of mind.

Extra Tips for WiFi Protection

Beyond the aforementioned strategies, here are a few more tips to fortify your WiFi connection:

By following these tutorials tailored to each ISP, you can easily monitor connected devices, conceal your network’s name, and filter MAC addresses to block unauthorized access. Implementing these steps will bolster your WiFi connection’s security, offering you peace of mind.

Use a Strong Password: A robust password can significantly deter hackers. Incorporate a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to create a unique and hard-to-crack password.

Regularly Change Your WiFi Password: Keeping the same WiFi password for too long can be a security risk. Regular updates to your password can help keep your network safe.

Disable WPS: WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) makes connecting new devices to your network easier but can also be exploited by hackers. Turning off this feature can enhance your network’s security.

Update Your Router’s Firmware Regularly: Firmware updates often include critical security fixes for your router. Make sure to install them as soon as they’re available.

By taking these security measures, you can ensure that your WiFi connection remains protected, and you retain exclusive access.

Back in my early days in Austin, before becoming a savvy internet user, I learned the hard way about securing my WiFi. After months of sluggish internet speeds and strange device connections, a friend pointed out that my network was a free-for-all. Implementing these steps not only secured my connection but also significantly improved my online experience. Remember, in the digital age, your WiFi security is as crucial as locking your front door.

source
7


Microsoft is banking on Windows on ARM to be the next big thing and previously launched the Arm Advisory Service for developers in 2023. Now, it’s expanding support to developers worldwide to assist them in building apps and devices for ARM.

The new announcement explains that the service now supports English, Chinese (simplified, traditional), and Japanese languages. In addition, it will be available during business hours in any local time zone.

This program intends to encourage developers to build new apps and transition existing apps for Windows ARM devices. Microsoft considers Windows on ARM an excellent opportunity, and the App Assure team can help developers iron out the kinks and make apps work.

Microsoft also said that interest in the new ARM processors has risen sharply, and “many across the industry consider Windows on ARM devices as the future of computing, with unparalleled speed, battery life, and connectivity.”

Along with the extended support, Microsoft shared that a new series of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops from major manufacturers will hit the market in 2024. These processors will pack a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to handle AI tasks natively on the device.

Microsoft plans to bring multiple NPU-based features in Windows 11 settings and apps, including an AI upscaling feature, AI Explorer, Paint, and more. It already launched the new Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 laptops with Intel Core Ultra processors with NPU.


Image Courtesy: Intel

But the Snapdragon X Elite performance benchmarks are extremely promising and overshadow previous-gen Apple M-chips.

Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips will power the upcoming ARM devices.

Previously, Windows Latest spotted the Snapdragon X Elite’s Geekbench scores, which looked very impressive. With a single-core score of 2574 and a multi-core score of 12562, it is hard to overlook the impressive power of the new Snapdragon X Elite processors.


Snapdragon X Elite benchmark | Image Courtesy: Geekbench / WindowsLatest.com

A recent leak revealed that there would be four variants of the Snapdragon X Elite processors, each suited for a specific use case. Moreover, the leak also shed light on the Snapdragon X Plus series processors, which are somewhat inferior to the Elite series.

Windows ARM devices, at least the current-gen ones, are costly, but a moderate-performance processor would appeal to a broader segment of laptop users. Microsoft considers ARM devices to be a perfect blend of performance and efficiency, thereby extending the battery life of a portable computer.

However, it has already onboarded multiple manufacturers (Lenovo, DELL, HP) who plan to release new devices. Moreover, app brands like NordVPN, SurfShark, and Foxit have joined Microsoft’s ARM endeavors.

If you are a developer curious to build apps for ARM devices or are looking for support, you can use the form to contact the App Assure team.

source
8
March 2024 driver updates are now available for Windows 11 or 10 from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. These updates are designed to fix bugs and help some games run better on your devices. Important driver updates will be offered via Windows Update, so you don’t need to rush for drivers when you don’t need these fixes.

Let’s first take a closer look at Intel’s updated GPU drivers. According to release notes, Intel has released an update for its graphics drivers, which support a range of hardware, including Arc, Iris Xe, and Core Ultra. Intel GPU driver version 31.0.101.5379 optimizes several popular games, such as Diablo IV and The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

Notably, games like Sons of the Forest and Granblue Fantasy: Relink see performance boosts ranging from 5% to 174%. Intel published the graphics driver 31.0.101.5379 version on March 20, and you can grab the offline installer (gfx_win_101.5379.exe) on the company’s website.


Screenshot of Intel’s website
But we strongly recommend using Intel’s support assistant app, which is a web-based installer that quickly updates drivers. Also, you’ll find it in your system tray, so you can check for updates anytime.

Here’s a full list of key fixes you’d see after the update:

• Intel Arc users might encounter crashes with games like Counter-Strike 2 and DOTA 2.

• Core Ultra with Intel Arc users may see crashes in applications like Serif Affinity Photo 2.

However, watch out for some known issues. Intel warns some of you may experience increased loading times for Horizon Forbidden West and potential crashes.

One more thing: If you use Arc Pro Series workstation graphics, there’s also a new update for your gig, which increases the version to 31.0.101.5319 (WHQL), adds certifications for new software, and improves DirectX API optimizations.

This update is especially beneficial for users of Autodesk 2024 software, and you can grab the offline installer from Intel’s website.

AMD Adrenalin Edition 24.3.1

AMD’s March 2024 driver release brings Adrenalin Edition 24.3.1, which fixes several issues, including micro stutter in games when AMD Fluid Motion Frames are enabled.

There are also improvements for games like HELLDIVERS 2. Finally, some may notice World of Warcraft opens faster after the update. You can get the updated drivers directly on AMD’s website.

Also, there’s an AMD chipset driver version 6.02.07.2300, which is available on the company’s website (installer now works) with minor fixes, but watch out for these issues:

• The uninstall summary might incorrectly show a “Failed” status.

• Ryzen PPKG installation or update issues may occur.

Nvidia Game Ready and Studio Driver


Nvidia GeForce version 551.86 downloaded using the new Nvidia app | Image Courtesy: WindowsLatest.com
Nvidia GeForce version 551.86 brings support for Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition with DLSS 3 technology, as well as the following changes:

• Fixes for issues such as notebook wake-up problems and stuttering in Hitman 3 on Optimus notebooks.

• Known problems include video display issues in the Edge browser, and potential PC freezes when certain features are enabled.

As shown in the above screenshot captured by Windows Latest, you can grab the update using the Nvidia GeForce app or the new unified app called Nvidia. Of course, if you’re looking for offline installers, you can get them directly from Nvidia (DCH).

Remember, when you install any of these drivers, your screen could flash or turn black for a while, but that’s an expected behavior.

source
9
With devices like Valve's Steam Deck selling well, and major PC makers launching Windows 11-based portable gaming PCs this year like the ASUS Rog Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, many people are wondering if Microsoft would launch its similar device. Recent rumors suggest that the company may work on a native handheld gaming device.

Microsoft's goal is to expand the Xbox ecosystem beyond traditional home consoles. According to Xbox insider Jez Corden, the tech giant currently has internal prototypes for a "fully native" handheld device that does not rely on cloud gaming.

While prototypes don't guarantee a commercial product, pursuing a handheld makes strategic sense for Xbox. The Nintendo Switch has massively expanded the handheld market since 2017, selling over 100 million units. Meanwhile, the Valve Steam Deck and other PC handhelds like the Aya Neo show consumer demand.

Phil Spencer, CEO of Xbox and Microsoft Gaming, hinted that Xbox's next projects will be "unique and powerful". Microsoft Xbox President Sarah Bond also implied at new hardware announcements this holiday season and an ambitious new console generation in the works.

In September, The Verge reported on a handheld Xbox cloud gaming device. "Microsoft has developed a lightweight version of the Xbox user interface that can run on handheld devices, dedicated cloud consoles, and TVs," the report said.

The article didn't offer any details on when this Xbox cloud gaming handheld was in development, nor when the company decided to end the project. So, Microsoft may have given up on its cloud-based handheld plans.

If developed, an Xbox handheld would likely run its games natively without streaming limitations, rather than relying on cloud gaming like the recently rumored products. It will allow gaming on the go. Whether this business plan will be accepted by PC gamers remains to be seen.

source
10


There’s a new note-taking tablet in town — it just wandered in — and its name is Nomad. Like its name and brand suggest, the Ratta Supernote Nomad is an Android tablet designed for writing notes on the go. With this feature in mind, it rivals the likes of the reMarkable 2, and its compact dimensions make it all the easier to tote along.

The focus on writing does leave it lacking in reading capabilities, so it doesn’t challenge the best e-readers. Its limited software leaves a lot of room for Onyx’s many Boox tablets to swoop in with more flexibility. But as far as writing goes, there’s so much to like about the Supernote Nomad that we’ve already gushed about its capabilities.

Price, availability, and accessories

A somewhat pricey start, with important accessories sold separately

The Supernote Nomad is available from Supernote for $299. Unfortunately, this price does not include essential or helpful extras. Supernote sells its styluses as add-ons, going for $59 and up — the stylus included for review was the premium Heart of Metal Pen 2 (Samurai version), a $75 option. The tablet’s special folio covers cost an additional $49 for a canvas model or $69 for the vegan leather option tested here.

Since the Supernote Nomad supports generic EMR styluses, you could buy just the tablet if you already have a stylus you like. And giving you stylus options at checkout means you won’t end up with an extra stylus you don’t want if you choose one of the higher-end options. But, you’re realistically looking at $358 for the tablet and stylus at a minimum.



Design

Clearly classy



The Supernote Nomad has fairly simple looks. It situates its E Ink display front and center with modest side bezels and thicker top and bottom bezels. The side bezels house capacitive controls that react to swipes and multi-finger touches. The tablet comes with either a white plastic shell or a clear shell, as seen here in the Crystal Edition. This clear shell shows through to the internal components, like the replaceable battery and the microSD slot, and it certainly looks slick.

The rear plate is held on by 18 small screws. This removable cover provides access to a battery that users can swap out should it ever die, which is a thoughtful feature for a product users could be using for many years, which is the point. Unfortunately, the numerous screws also make accessing the microSD slot something of a task.

The top edge of the Supernote Nomad has a USB-C port and a power button at opposite corners. That’s it for exterior hardware; there are no mics, speakers, or cameras on this tablet. It is designed with a purpose that is palpable while using it.



The rear of the tablet includes two magnetic anchors at the top and bottom where the first-party folio cover can attach. The link is reasonably firm and not prone to accidental disconnections. Disappointingly, the folio cover doesn’t have any magnetic or physical clasp to keep it from flapping open, so while it offers some protection to the display while held snugly in a bag, it won’t necessarily protect against a fall.

The display might also cycle between sleeping and awake if the cover flops. The design may be more akin to an actual paper notebook, but plenty of paper notebooks include clasps or straps, and the lack here leaves something to be desired in practice.

As fun as the exterior plastic looks, it feels like a cheaper plastic that could get roughed up easily, which tends to be the case for clear plastics. This is a device you’ll probably want to treat with care.

The Supernote Nomad is quite slim, at just under 7mm thick, which makes it very travel-friendly. It weighs little more than most large-screen smartphones. That’s good news for handheld reading, though you’ll likely want to do your notetaking with the Nomad resting on a stable surface.

The 7.8-inch display doesn’t provide much room to rest your hands while writing on it with a stylus, so the display's thin design is all the more handy. It lets you rest your hand on a table while still comfortably reaching the screen with a stylus.

Display and stylus

It's like they were made for each other



Supernote has used a sharp, 7.8-inch ePaper display that provides a crisp 300 ppi that’s well suited for notes and books alike. It also displays grayscale content well with decent contrast. Beyond that, it’s not a very special panel.

The display refresh is slow like you might be used to from similar E Ink devices, and while this doesn’t lend itself well to animations (like the Kindle app’s default page slide), it does result in minimal ghosting after a transition — something competing E Ink displays tend to incorporate through software so users can speed up or slow down full refreshes. The flip side is that the slow refresh makes zooming in and out in documents and the drawing app somewhat sloppy.

That said, the display’s surface finish is something special. Writing on it feels fantastic. I’ve been extremely pleased while taking notes on Onyx tablets, but the Supernote Nomad has the edge here. There’s little parallax separating the tip of the pen from where the ink shows up on the display, and the sharp ceramic nib paired with the textured display cover feels much more like writing on paper than glass. The inking is exceptionally responsive as well. I couldn’t detect much penning latency.



The stylus itself, Supernote’s Heart of Metal Pen 2 Samurai, is excellent. It’s thick enough that my hand didn’t quickly cramp while squeezing it, and it has an elegant design. It has a cap like you’d find on a decent pen, and it serves as on-the-go protection for the ceramic nib. That nib might never wear down on the display, but a drop could be fatal, so protection is important.

Beyond the writing feel, though, there’s not much exceptional about the Supernote Nomad’s display. Plenty of other writing tablets and e-readers are offering 300ppi displays. The “white” of the display is still fairly gray, and that only further holds it back next to something like the Onyx Boox Nova Air, which looks brighter at a baseline and can boost that even further with its built-in reading lights.

The Nomad also lacks its own lighting, which means you’ll need an external light source if you want to do any reading or writing in the dark. Some users may appreciate the lack of lighting, which makes the experience much closer to using real paper books and notepads, which does appear to be Ratta’s goal: digital stationery.

I found the lack of lighting an inconvenience for reading, as I had to turn on a lamp while my partner slept rather than reading by the soft lighting I could get from many other similar devices.

Software

Barebones Android with limitations



The Supernote Nomad perhaps sets itself apart most in the software department, for better or worse. Like the Onyx Boox lineup for tablets, the Supernote Nomad runs a specialized version of Android. In this case, it’s a custom build of Android 11 that Supernote dubs Chauvet, and it’s incredibly trimmed down.

While a company like Onyx’s fuller implementation of Android provides access to a wealth of Android apps — some that work well enough with the E Ink display and many more that don’t — the Supernote version of Android has just a few stock apps for taking notes, reading, drawing, browsing files, and accessing emails.

The only third-party application on deck is the Kindle app, which provides a handy way to tap into reading more content and makes up for the somewhat limited support for different file types. Unfortunately, the Nomad’s software is built around special navigation, removing the common Android nav buttons that the Kindle app expects.

This can prevent some navigation using the app, as I ran into during the sign-in process when I tried to do something as simple as going back to the prior screen. This led me to a dead-end that took a half-hour to get out of. It will probably be a fringe issue, but it is something the company should prepare for ahead of any additional third-party app support.

It’s best to approach this product as a note-taking device, and to that end, Supernote has built effective software. Its Note app is straightforward for diving right in but also fairly rich for taking notes to a higher level. It has a handful of templates, which are useful if you prefer writing on lined or gridded paper. You can add headings, keywords, and stars to your notes for organization, and you can use character recognition to turn handwritten notes into searchable text. While the stylus doesn’t include a dedicated eraser, holding two fingers on the left sidebar (by default for right-handed users) turns the stylus into a lasso eraser.



In addition to the notes you can create yourself, the Nomad allows you to add notes to documents you’re reading in the reader app, such as books and PDFs. If there’s no space for your notes on a document, you can surround text with brackets, and the app will create an embedded comment. You can search through books to easily see where you’ve made markups and export the files with your notes.

The device is really built around the writing experience, with a UI that provides quick access to making new notes, opening recent notes, or jumping back to the most recent document you were reading. The tablet doesn’t even turn itself off after a set time, instead electing to use a bit more battery to always remain in a ready state so you can start jotting down your thoughts in as little time as possible.

As capable as the note-taking abilities of the software, there’s still room for improvement. For one, there’s some inconsistency. The embedded comments work in epub books but not in PDFs. Searching a document for your notes will turn up all annotations but not those comments — you can only find them in a separate “Digest” tool. If any of that starts to get confusing, bear in mind there’s also so much depth to the product that it requires a 162-page manual to grasp everything it can do.

Installing the Atelier drawing app was bugged, and the first download button in the UI didn’t work. Instead, you had to click through on the name of the app to get to a functional download button. This is a disappointing bug, considering Supernote is only working with two apps in its “app store.”

You can access e-mail via the built-in client, which can link to Gmail, Microsoft Exchange, Outlook/Hotmail, or others that use IMAP. It’s a little slow, but it works. You can even use it to pen e-mail that will show your handwriting, an enjoyable novelty for sure.

Performance and battery life

Fast enough, lasts enough



There is very little to say about the performance of the Supernote Nomad. It’s not a fast machine, but it doesn’t have any tasks that require speed. Opening documents and scribbling down thoughts are fast enough, and without access to more involved apps and games that you might play on a typical Android tablet, you won’t miss out on having the latest Qualcomm SoCs loaded with memory.

That said, sometimes the Nomad doesn’t seem as responsive as it could be. I can’t tell whether it’s missing touches because of the display sensitivity or because it was a little too slow to respond, but now and then, an interaction goes completely unnoticed by the tablet, something that should be familiar to any E Ink users out there. I’d tap on things and get no reaction, and because the UI doesn’t always clearly indicate what is and isn’t a button, I’m left wondering if I’m at fault or not.

With limited performance generally comes long battery life, and that’s the case here. I got in plenty of reading, and a bit of notetaking, and my Nomad easily ran for more than a week. Even on its small 2700mAh battery and without ever powering down, the Nomad can go the distance. It’s helped along by the lack of backlighting, the minimal processing behind the scenes, and the largely static nature of its display. Again, it’s a device with a purpose, and it isn’t shy about it.

Competition

In the viable alternatives danger zone



The Supernote Nomad is far from alone in the digital notebook space. It runs up against the larger-screen, note-focused reMarkable 2, which starts at $279 but is effectively $360 with a stylus, as well as the $399 Onyx Boox Note Air3 (we tested the Note Air3 C model that includes a color E Ink display and costs $100 more).

Both are larger tablets, providing more screen real estate for taking notes and viewing PDFs better. The reMarkable 2 offers an excellent writing experience and focused note-taking features like the Nomad, but Supernote’s tablet is more portable thanks to its smaller size. The Nomad also has the benefit of access to the Kindle app, making it easy to load up books to read.



The Onyx Boox Note Air3 is more of a threat. It’s a little more expensive, but that price includes the stylus and (at the time of writing, anyway) a magnetic folio cover. The writing experience isn’t quite on the same level, but it’s close. And where Supernote locks its OS down, Boox opens it wide open with Android 12 and the Google Play Store, letting you go beyond the stock reading app to include Kobo, Libby, and Kindle — take your pick. Not all apps work well, and most third-party apps are laggy with the stylus, but the flexibility is there.

Should you buy it?



The Supernote Nomad fits into a niche within a niche. Where E Ink tablets are a specialty, those almost entirely dedicated to writing and annotation are another class entirely. Because of its limited software and app ecosystem, it really doesn’t compete well in the wider E Ink tablet space that devices from Onyx have carved out so nicely for themselves.

That said, the pen-on-paper-like feel of the Nomad is so brilliant that there’s certainly something for the dedicated journal-keepers. The operating system is also designed around the experience, so you’re less likely to get distracted by other things or wait for the system to start and your notes to load. While it might seem pricey for such a limited role, a nice Moleskin notebook with similar dimensions can cost well over $20, and you can very likely fit more notes in the Nomad than you can in 200 of those notebooks.

source
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10