I largely use my laptop computer to do my work, however I even have my Samsung and iPhone available for pressing notifications and two-factor authentication. Nonetheless, as a result of my telephones even have all my video games, social media apps, and streaming platforms, I simply get distracted every time I get a ping on them. These disruptions can simply value me an additional 15 to half-hour per activity, which provides as much as plenty of misplaced productiveness per 30 days.
Since these apps are nonetheless useful for me exterior of working hours (and I additionally often use them for work), I can not eradicate them. So, I put all my telephones on silent, turned on Do Not Disturb, and hid them in my drawer. I put in the naked minimal apps I exploit each day on an e-ink system, lowering interruptions to close zero and bumping up my productiveness.
Organising the Onyx Boox Palma 2 as my important cell system whereas working
Whereas working, I used the Onyx Boox Palma 2, which I reviewed final 12 months, as an alternative to my Samsung S24 Extremely and iPhone 14. It took me a while to get used to it, primarily as a result of it wasn’t as responsive as these different telephones, but it surely received the job accomplished. I simply put in Microsoft SwiftKey to exchange the inventory keyboard, permitting me to resize the keys and make them simpler to press. However apart from that, it really works simply in addition to some other smartphone, albeit a lot slower.
Because the Palma 2 makes use of Android 13, I can simply set up the apps I want, like Slack, Gmail, OneDrive, and Microsoft Authenticator. It additionally has a unbelievable battery life, with the e-ink reader lasting as much as two weeks on a single cost. I do have some gripes about it, although, just like the fingerprint reader typically not working or the automated backlight not working as meant.
It’s nice for studying and textual content communication
As a journalist and researcher, I learn plenty of paperwork and primarily talk via electronic mail and Slack. Due to this, the Palma 2 is ideally suited to my wants. It notifies me every time I get a brand new electronic mail or message for work, but it surely additionally retains me from seeing the most recent drop from my favourite YouTube channel or that the restore of my automotive in Actual Racing 3 is lastly completed.
I have to be affected person when scrolling and typing, but it surely nonetheless will get the job accomplished. One other constructive facet impact of utilizing the Palma 2 is that I can relaxation my eyes from vivid screens when taking a look at it. Lastly, my e-ink system’s screensaver is a clock, permitting me to right away inform the time at a look.
The Palma 2 solely makes use of a black-and-white e-ink display screen with a a lot decrease refresh price than your traditional telephone. So, don’t anticipate to get pleasure from photographs and movies on it, and limitless scrolling is sluggish at greatest and unusable at instances. However that’s the level of this system.
Because it solely dietary supplements my important workstation, these limitations profit me as I don’t get undesirable interruptions. However after I’m working away from my laptop computer, I nonetheless depend on my cell phone for every little thing I want.
You need to depend on Wi-Fi
Because the Palma 2 (and most different e-ink readers) are primarily designed for studying, discovering one with a SIM card slot is difficult. If you happen to primarily use SMS and voice calls to speak, that is undoubtedly not for you. It additionally gained’t prevent as a backup knowledge connection in case your major service supplier fails you.
One factor I like particularly about this system is that even when it has a black-and-white display screen, it nonetheless comes with its personal digicam. Its high quality is nothing to put in writing dwelling about, but it surely’s useful sufficient for capturing QR codes and taking fast snapshots. I may also set up Spotify on it and play music by way of an affordable DAC or Bluetooth headphones, however I nonetheless want listening from my desktop audio system.
It’s not a substitute to your work smartphone
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 is a good system for fundamental communication with out getting distracted by the myriad different apps you’ve gotten in your telephone. At $300, that is too costly for the common individual. However this is a wonderful possibility when you’re a bookworm and wish to cut back distractions at work. That method, you possibly can hold your telephones on silent and hidden when you’re getting issues accomplished.
If you’d like one thing bigger, you possibly can attempt utilizing a bigger e-ink pill, just like the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 or the mooInk V folding e-reader. These e-ink gadgets aren’t as highly effective as many Android telephones, however that’s their major energy for productiveness, not their weak point.
