Well, I have both the iPad Pro and the Remarkable 2, and by far the Remarkable feels way more natural - like writing on paper. It really does. To me it does. The other pros are no screen glaring in your eyes, no other distractions, no color. It's exactly like using a paper notebook and a black pen - very different experience from handwriting on an iPad.
Could you say more about your experience of using Remarkable as a E-Reader? I own Ipad pro as well, and looking for a device for reading and annotating some documents, so I don't need a device for taking notes, just reading and making some minor annotation
I have used it for over a year and couldn’t live without it! You can mark in different colors (it is just on the screen that it is grey) but when you access your document online on my remarkable you can see the annotations and colors of the markers!
You can annotate, highlight, and draw on PDFs in Microsoft Edge heck it can even read aloud the text to you. That coupled with the window's color inverse filter (dark mode for reading without eye strain) has been a life changer. Especially as a student who cannot afford something like remarkable although I'd love to have it.
I have a 1st generation reMarkable and I really like it. I find the distraction-free environment helpful, tbh. Why would I need yet another device that distracts me with videos, social media and the like? It's a treat to get away from all that stuff and just use the reMarkable.
This is my reason for buying one. The multifunctionality of a standard tablet is actually not helpful. This device cuts the distraction and organises my work. That is exactly what I need.
I did feel a bit ick when he mentioned his friend talking about discipline. Some of us are neurodivergent and just want accommodations that suit our brains rather than having to further change ourselves to deal with the already exhausting challenges of life 😅
Thanks for the review it was great! A quick comment on not being “willing to develop discipline”. In some ways yes, we as this new tech generation should be learning how to use self control with it. However, tech and the apps on them are often designed to keep us on them, or coming back to them as often as possible. An addict to anything may have a strong desire to quit or control themselves, but struggle to do so alone. We as humans with weaknesses often need support systems, including changing our environment, to keep us from things that can be harmful to us and others. Especially things that are designed to be addictive. So even if someone doesn’t have a full addiction to tech, but is a heavy user, there is no shame in not being able to put it aside without help.
Absolutely. But also nowadays all ipads have the personalised regimes for work/scool, etc. And they are good, you can even have the apps "deleted" in a sense so you don't even see them on the home screen :)
I'm with you. I actually have adult ADD though and am easily distracted. I have two needs for my Remarkable 2. I need to get back to my writing, without distractions, and I carry several notebooks around for several different classes. The Remarkable 2 is slim, clean, and distraction free. It may not be for everyone, but it definitely has its client base.
Was just gonna comment something like this. I feel like the point about using the device to do the discipline FOR you is not exactly exclusive to devices like the reMarkable. In fact, I feel it is quite similar to having a "work space" in your home that is free from distractions. In a way, that space does do the "discipline" for you like the reMarkable does. In any case, I don't think it's right to say it does the discipline for you anyway because the very fact that you opt to use it over your laptop or iPad already shows a sort of discipline in itself.
I thought the perspective presented in the video about said issue was quite interesting. I see it more as, I have this issue, so I'm going to buy a device that will serve me in the way I want it to
As a fellow literature student & full time copywriter, the R2 is key to my continued productivity. Nothing will ever be as self-indulgently satisfying as a mound of notebooks, but it certainly saves on the space!
@@Ghostme4L You can edit any client documents, take notes in meetings, hand-edit certain copy, and generally use it for all admin & productivity stuff. It's very useful!
The stylus lag you’re seeing may be due to a missed upgrade to the software; usually it’s right on it. The surface friction is better than writing on slick glass of a tablet. E-ink causes less eye strain (& sometimes headaches) than backlit tablet screens.
I've been using an e-ink tablet for about a year while studying for a masters and it's been incredibly useful. I don't use a remarkable, i use a boox tablet that was cheaper and also runs a version of android so I can run apk apps on it. I use it mainly for taking notes in seminars, notating readings, and for productivity apps like forest. I also have an eye condition that makes screens hurt my eyes after using them for a while, so it's helped with managing that too.
From a strictly writing perspective (notebook) : This is a tablet/device that resembles writing on paper--it is as close as an electronic device can get --at least today. It is certainly remarkable i that sense. The fact that you can organize your notebooks/sheets by category/date/template is amazing. I enjoyed writing on it. It is way better than kindle scribe in terms of writing experience. i'd prefer it to be bigger and lighter.
Very solid review, and yes, price is a caveat. I would suggest that someone's perception of the writing experience might vary depending on what they are using as a baseline. For me, it's the closest experience I've found to my fountain pens on finely toothed paper, but does it match pencil? No, although some of the Wacom nibs can get you closer to that experience. I also own an iPad and find very different use cases for that device (primarily the consumption of content). As a working professional with ADD, when I need to concentrate on my writing I simply cannot use a device with internet access. First drafts are done on the reMarkable 2 and then transferred to my other devices for editing.
The Remarkable 2 tablet looks so sleek. It's very convenient to bring along. It's not too heavy that it weighs you down all the time. Great review. Will definitely look forward to more.
Thank you for this fantastic video! I have been looking into this device for note taking and starting a journal. My fiancé and I actually bind our own books to write in, but I get very self conscious when starting to write as I can not organize and shuffle thoughts on paper like you can in a digital environment.
In my honest opinion and experience, as a ADHD student, this is what I need for taking notes of the classes. I do not have one of these, I do have a Samsung galaxy tab, which is pretty great, and I do everything that I need on it, especially taking notes. But my adhd is getting harder to deal with distractions. It's not a matter of discipline. That's why I recently got a Kindle (I wish I had more money to buy maybe a Kindle scribe, but I'll stick to the Paperwhite for a while) and take notes with a regular paper.
Try looking into a Supernote (A5X, with the Heart of Metal 2 pen). They do have a A5X 2 queued for 2023Q3 and an A4 queued for 2023Q4. Amazing for distraction free note taking (with titles and keyword file management) and annotation.
I’ve missed you!!!! Glad you’re back, happy for you to almost have your degree🫶 Your videos help me better homeschool my kiddos- I’ll be showing my 15 year old your skillshare videos. Thank you ❤❤❤
As someone with ADHD, I think that the developing discipline aspect only applies to neurotypical people. I am at an attention deficit by comparison. I need as many guiderails for my attention as possible. That means that this distraction free device is perfect. Annoying that it costs so much. I really am sweating a bit now that I've bought one, but I think it will be a useful investment as I do use my kindle ALOT, and I actually prefer it for reading to a book at this point. If the same holds for organising and simplifying note-taking, I can see myself getting a lot of mileage out of a device like this (I'm a student as well, so definitely relevant).
I have very little self discipline at different times of the day so the Remarkable2 sounds like a perfect addition to my iPad 😂 - I found it second hand with a grey folio + marker plus for £313 which I am chuffed about (vs £519 new), I agree the retail price is a bit steep. Can't wait for it to arrive.
1) Get a 40$ discount via other remarkable owners 2) buy a Lamy for 40$ 3) Get a 3rd party case for 40$ 4) get a pen holder for 1$. Makes 400$ instead of the 550$ (at least). So one can save at least 150$.
I've been curious about this thing since it first came out. Thank you for an honest review! (I'm so tired of every RU-vidr trying to sell me something.)
E-Ink tablets are really nice, only that Remarkable might not be the best choice for everybody. There are cheaper, more transparent und simply fairer brands like Boox. I personally got a small Supernote device and I am really happy with it. It hits the sweet spot of minimalism and good features for reading, annotating and coming back to readings (digests, keywords, little star marks to jump to etc.). One thing I certainly have to agree on though, is that these do not feel like actual paper. They do feel nice to write on but not like proper paper. That is marketing. And depending on where you live, these are really expensive because of the screen technology. Especially Remarkable.
A year late here, I ordered the R2 two days ago. As a software developer and a student at the same time, it's been very enticing to get a feature and integration rich tablet, where i could have Office, Teams, email, note making and pdf studying all in one device. Unfortunately, work and family responsibilities grow with us, so sometimes less is more. I need to write (journal and management) and i would also love to pencil draw.. This device fits all of the above. I need nothing more than a connection to Google Drive, just to save my notes.
Godspeed with the last sprint of your Bachelor's, can't wait to see more content in the future! Thanks for this review, have been eyeing it for a few weeks and needed an unbiased pov.
Wow -- you've gained a subscriber just because of your lucid, thought-out, clearly presented outline of the pro's and con's of this device for students (and many others). I've lost count of the dozens of tablets and dedicated e-readers I've used since their very first days, and currently my iPad Mini is so superior to all of the others that there's really no comparison. Thanks for removing the temptation to try yet another device.
I know this is an old video, but for future literature students in any capacity (I'm about to begin my PhD in January), the new Kobo Elipsa 2E is a FANTASTIC tool; think Remarkable 2 but an actual e-reader too. Highly recommend for students and professionals alike. Personally, I feel like it provides much more for the same price tag as the Remarkable 2 digital notebook. I also have an iPad and think that out of the two, I'd once again recommend the Kobo Elipsa 2E.
Perfect, simple, and honest review. I’ve been watching videos for a couple days trying to decide whether or not to buy it, and I have my answer. Really appreciate you man.
As a reMarkable owner, ima have to disagree. To me, writing on the reMarkable is very reminiscent of writing on paper. My handwriting is nearly identical.
I disagree with the discipline argument since information overload is a thing. You can optimise the iPad for studying but internet pc devices would always be distracting to a certain level. When I always go internet free I notice it’s easier to focus as there is just less distractions.
I happened upon your video. Little late, but CONGRATULATIONS 🎊 on your graduation 👏. I graduated myself last week from BS Criminal justice. Headed towards my masters in April. Out of all the videos about the remarkable, I found yours to be the absolute best. Thank you for your honest opinion. I purchased the remarkable 2 and after a few days returned it. I too love to write and read. The remarkable didn't live up to battery claims as I write much more than the average person. I will stick to the real thing... Paper and my foubtain pens. 😉 have a good evening.
Hey this is very interesting because when you went to Melbourne university and made a video about it. Me and my school group from Goulburn Valley Grammer School (NORTH VICTORIA / AUSTRALIA) were there. I was talking with my friends and saw you and I said "wow he looks like R.C Waldun, nah it can't be him" I want closer and saw you and then said "wow it's actually him" thank you though for the amazing videos and I hope you'll reach 300k soon.😄😁😀
No colours on an annotating device? I mean not watching youtube, okay, it´s there to be just for reading and writing. But to colours, even for marking? That is a dealbreaker... I did think of maybe buying it because looking at a regular screen is quite tiring after many hours, I can´t print out so much, like you said, but the past semesters, studying on a regular screen has just been... NO. Now another question would be, is it really much nicer to look at? (I don´t own a kindle so I´ve only looked at it for like 2 seconds in a store).
Great review. I sold my iPad since I primarily work off of my MacBook and my iPhone. But I do miss the writing experience and regular notebooks. Sometimes don’t do it for me. Your friend had a very good point though. Help me to decide if I want to buy one or not.
I pre-ordered the remarkable 2 summer 2020. I have owned it since Fall 2020. I have used it off and on for two years of university. It has been helpful. I was falling in love with fountain pens at the time, and I only use those as pens, but I really just love pencils. It's a newfound love. The remarkable can't compare to the joy of using pencil on paper or a fountain pen, but it does what it does well. I can access my lecture notes from some course from two years ago on my phone. The other features of it are great. The biggest complaint, that I CANNOT overlook for the remarkable 2 is how small the screen is compared to A4 paper. So I prefer blank printer paper, and pencil. I'm a math major, and soon to be math grad student.
Finally a maths person!! I’m getting mine next week and am sooo excited! Interesting point on screen size. On A4 do you have quite spaced out work? Cuz I write quite densely and find A4 quite big, but A5 is too small. How d’you think I’ll find it?
@@fredgoodyer4907 156mm x 208mm is what I measured just now, maybe not what they state on their site, but that's very similar to A5 dimensions of 148.5mm x 210mm.
@@asusminor Great thanks! Let’s hope the extra ¾ of a cm width makes all the difference :’) In fairness, it may just force me to stop having lots of = on the same line xD
I disagree about the discipline point. Willpower is not magic, it is a resource in short supply. Discipline is not the ability to ignore disgracions right next to you(that's called impossible), it's the ability to put them away from the reach of your attention.
Discipline to choose a less distracting environment is still discipline (like choosing to study in a library over a bus depot). Besides, ipads give those intense blue light to the eyes. Im pretty sold on getting a remarkable.
Oh I SO PREFER paper and a pen/highlighter. But my environmentally conscious side goes “😣😣😣”. And then you gotta have an organisation systems. And then you gotta have somewhere to store it. And then you don’t have it on you when you need it. Argh 😤 But I’m with you RC: I HATE reading pdfs off a screen!
I think it depends on the addiction. You don't put alcohol in front of a recovering alcoholic for a long period of time and hope they will be able to abstain themselves from drinking it. Now maybe if they have gone a few years without drinking at that point, it may be a bit different. I guess you as the "alcoholic" will have to be completely honest with yourself to know if your strong enough to put yourself in that situation/position or if you need to be completely away from it.
So Ive been using the R1 for a few days now with calc. I like that i can save my homework, and the clarity of the super scripts. With an mdf hardcase its akward to write on. Maybe its the fragility of the screen or the expense of the nibs? Even at $279, Im afraid of damaging it. Ive got near 100 pages stored on the huge hdd. And even with the double tap feature for undo, you still need to open the menu to get the eraser. I do like the selectabel stuff. 50/50 for replacing paper. 100% for storing notes.
The issue with the discipline argument is that iPads are designed by some of the best minds in the world, and the apps you can download on the iPad, which are time-consuming, are also designed and planned for some of the best professionals, designers, and engineers. That means that you are fighting an unfair battle when you try to develop discipline. As Tim Ferris said on the Huberman lab podcast, "Trying to go to his apps and devices only with self-discipline is going to a gunfight with a knife; you can win, but it is unlikely." Sometimes, finding ways of self self-restricting yourself makes sense.
In terms of paper feel this thing is leagues above the iPad Pro. This device isn't competing with tablets, and if a tablet is what you're wanting then you can get a better deal than an iPad
As someone who struggles with discipline and wants something specifically for reading articles, this works for me. Like it's not an ipad. That's the point. It's strictly a reading and annotating device. Also, when we read physical books, are we doing it because we lack discipline? Like what's we that mindset?
I'm looking for a tablet to read & annotate my textbooks on, what does the storage capabilities look like? And also, do you feel a difference with your eyes when you read on the Remarkable vs an iPad or computer? Thanks :)
I donu but as far as what I understand and experienced. The paper-like surface exp. is basically coming from the friction between the marker and the screen of the tablet (sound, texture, etc)
I have an issue with "discipline" regarding an iPad. Because of willpower depletion during the day, I'd rather NOT use a tool where each app is highly engineered to make me distracted.
The discipline argument doesn’t really make sense to me as someone with a psych degree - willpower is a limited resource. The less you have to use it, the more you can free it up for tasks that actually matter. Forcing yourself to use an iPad with “discipline” is really just exerting unnecessary willpower when you could be using it for better things. I think comparing it to an iPad is kind of like comparing an mp3 player to an iPhone. Their purposes are just different.
Aside from regular tablets like the iPad, I'm wondering how this will compare to the new Kindle Scribe Amazon announced. By the looks of it, the new kindle will come with a basic pen and only costs ~£30 more than the Remarkable 2 base model without the pen. It looks like Amazon is trying to corner the same market that Remarkable is in. Maybe this will force them to reduce the price a little and make it more accessible?
@@willaliburd9834 I think to me the scribe will win out purely because it's also a kindle. One of the reason these devices appeal to me is that I'd be able to write notes directly onto digital copies of books/papers. If the scribe allows me to do that onto kindle ebooks directly, then it's hands down the better choice for me and, most likely, many people.
Current version of scribe looks promising. Great if you have a large kindle library. Think of it more as e reader with basic writing tool than a full writing tool. For kindle books you will not be able to write directly on the page. Instead a pop up window will show and you can write/type in it. Basic tools like moving part of your writing with a loop is missing and navigation through you notes will be difficult since you cant jump directly to a particular page. No handwriting recognition so searching for particular note will be difficult. Plus side it has higher pixel density and it is larger screen which means less page turning though I wish it had physical button to turn the page.
@@Belgarathe Yeah I must admit, I'm a little disappointed in the Kindle offering. I was a little excited at first, but having seen some reviews it feels like a very lacklustre attempt by Amazon to enter this kind of market. As you said, it's got so many missing features that I feel are a necessity for it to be a 'writing tool'. And the fact that the handwritten notes within books are essentially post-it notes rather than written on the page is a bit disappointing. I can understand why it needed to be done that way, but at the same time it makes it less smooth to use for many people :/
that self discipline counter argument is great, but when i have to do self discipline with what I eat, how I move around in the city, how I spend my money... I get all the help I can get when I am working. ;) O
I toyed with the idea of getting this but in the end went with the iPad Air + paper-like screen protector, just because I can also use other apps like Obsidian (I’m building a private database on a certain subject)
I was interested in the reMarkable2 basically for the reflected-light screen. I have to do a lot of reading with documents/ pdfs, but I can't use a computer because of the light emitted (eye sting), does anyone have any suggestions for an e-reader that doesn't use emitted light, similar to this or the original Kindle?
It’s weird that when you say you can’t read pdf of a computer I can’t read it from a desktop but I can from my smartphone. Although of course paper is easier because less distractions whilst reading. But paper is messy
I personally find a Samsung tablet far better for this penpose. My job primarily involves a lot of reading and writing and I hate typing. Samsung notes, the default app for Samsung is excellent for the peerpose. The S-pen also comes free with it and if you put a paper like screen guard, it feels a lot like paper and it also mimics the sound of pencil on paper. The direct conversion of handwriting to text, especially if you use language other than English is also quite good. In fact, this comment I wrote ussing s-pen and it converted my handwriting directly to text. My ipad experience was really not good for reading and writing, and I use it primarily to access the apps that are provided only on Apple platform, while Ikeep my Samsung tab for reading and writing.
Besides the ability to cut out distractions (btw, folks with ADHD shouldn't be shamed for lack of "discipline" dude!), writing with the e-ink screen just feels much better to me than on the glass of a regular tablet. And I'm not sure the black and white limitation is bad for artists, either. I'm an art teacher and other than in digital art classes, I want my students to use pencils & paper for practice and developing their ideas because there are very good reasons why artists _should_ work in black and white a lot of the time! A reMarkable combines both worlds. Is it too expensive for a student? Yeah, it totally is. I imagine their production facilities are in Europe, which means the workers are being paid a wage that allows them to maintain a good quality of living, which is much better than buying cheap stuff made by slave labor in developing countries. But it does mean a student should ask their parents to purchase this item for them, perhaps as a holiday or high school graduation gift, rather than buying it on their own.
I've recently gotten the Boox Note Air 2 Plus and I do a lot of reading and notetaking, and I love it. It uses Android apps, which opens up a world of reading apps. Was there any reason you didn't consider the Boox devices?
ill consider it when they have colors. i want this but for artists. off topic but what mbti type are you? i think your Intj. you decribe your Ni learning similarly to how I learn
I want an ebook reader and while the remarkable 2 is a note taking tool foremost I wanted to know how good it does with reading pdf,epub data. I do find the note taking extremely useful, although my purposes would be less academic and more of a literary nature. Does it work as an ereader? Or rather does it do it good?
I have attention problems (add), wait….LOOK! SQUIRREL!! 🐿️ Oh so I was saying… Laptops and iPads are too distracting for me: too many things to take my attention away from my writing. It looks ideal for that niché.
Are the PDFs created on the RM2 fully Adobe PDF compliant? Can notes taken on the RM2 in PDF format be subsequently edited in Acrobat DC on a Mac, then transferred back for additional editing? I like the idea of the e-ink device for note taking due to its lightweight and extraordinary battery life. The other requirement is that I can save my docs to Dropbox. Yea, and iPad can edit PDFs using Acrobat DC & access Dropbox, but the iPad is not ideal for note taking outdoors due to its glossy reflectivity.
Hi, Thank you for the review, it was really useful. Would you please let us know how convinient it is to read pdf books or articles where two A/5 pages are scanned as one A/4 page? My professor keeps bombarding me with articles and readings in this format and my kindle paperwhite is no help in this case. I also struggle with reading from a screen therefore a tablet is not an option for me. TIA
I'm actually a Game Art bachelor's student, but there's a lot more written notes than one might expect. It's not so much as needing to buy digital art items, as I realize I just need something that helps me organize my project notes. You'd be surprised how much written notes goes into the pre production of an animation, or a punch sheets for a modeling project. I've noticed that my own stack of handwritten notes has gotten uncontrollably large and I'm not gonna be able to save all of that... lmao. You have a thoughtful, honest review. But to be honest, I may give it a go just to see how useful it would be for my particularly specific workflow with my note taking.
Currently storm chasing Hurricane Ian, weather geek nerd jerk that I is, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa; but needed a break to catch my breath, and I found this oasis amidst surf, sand, and storm. First and foremost, I recommend staying cynical with regard to Derrida and Foucault. Now, paper I must have, the E-Z1042s absolutely can't stand; excepting Penguin Press, which press ink stings my eyes like cannot stand. Simone Weil begged me stay but I fled. Unfortunately, cannot use this tablet, my paper fetish is solid cast iron addiction. Last, hearty congratulations for the baccalaureate. Best wishes post bac career, in-out academe. I always recalled Schopenhauer's quip that all philosophy gain is achieved beyond campus wall, stockade, moat; behind which politically correct praetorian professorial sentries are posted every twenty paces. Also, I must show my age and recommend Viktor Frankel's Man's Search For Meaning; Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame; and especially Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov to all your college-age readers. Bloom's The Closing of The American Mind, with all Ayn Rand, stuff inside knapsack to haul around campus. What I wouldn't give to be an undergrad in this woke warlock-witchcraft campus coven mileu. 🙃
