June 6, 2024 Onyx Boox launches Onyx Boox Go Color 7 color E-Ink e-reader with Google Play
- ChungT.
- Feb 12
- 4 min read
Looking closely at the growing reading trend in recent years, the unique technology of electronic ink can create a reading experience that is almost identical to paper reading. There is no need to worry about eye discomfort. All books can be stored in one device, and it becomes a portable mobile bookcase. E-book readers seem to be a new trend.
In the market, the more well-known ones are the Kindle launched by Amazon, the Kobo e-reader launched by Rakuten, and the Remarkable e-notebook reader. However, these brands all need to use a proprietary closed e-book operating system, which may have more limitations in the context of rapidly changing information technology.
Others that have gradually emerged and have a good reputation include Readmoo and Boox, etc., but the former also uses a dedicated closed e-book system Operating System, while Boox adopts an open system and can use the Google Play Store and other Android system functions, breaking the inherent limitations of e-reader use.
"Open" refers to e-readers that use the Android system and can be used with e-book programs on different platforms; "Closed" refers to e-readers such as Amazon Kindle, Rakuten Kobo and Readmoo MooInk, which use proprietary operating systems and restrict their use.
On June 6, 2024, Onyx Boox launched the 7-inch Onyx Boox Go Color 7 e-reader, which offers a color e-ink screen and wide reading application compatibility, making it more suitable for carrying around than ordinary 10-inch e-readers. Onyx Boox Go 7 Color is equipped with Google Android 12 and all core Google Play services. You can log in to your Google account and from the Play Store, you can freely install your favorite apps - whether they are for reading, listening to podcasts, or managing your schedule, which means that whether it is Kindle, Kobo, or Readmoo's apps, you can access them for reading. The Onyx Boox Go Color 7 has near-universal text format compatibility, supporting everything from comic books to standard EPUB novels. If you want to download books for offline reading, you can use the built-in Neoreader reading application. Neoreader supports different types of document files such as pdf, djvu, azw, azw3, doc, doc, docx, epub, fb2, fbz, html, mobi, odt, prc, rtf, sxw, trc, txt, chm and ppt, allowing you to read them offline.
The Onyx Boox Go Color 7 features a 7-inch E INK Kaleido 3 color e-paper display and Carta 1200 for enhanced page turning and performance. The black and white resolution is 1680×1264, 300 PPI; the color content resolution is 1240 x 930, 150 PPI. The colors look lifelike, but not as vivid as those on traditional LCD monitors. Because the colors have increased clarity, it is more like what you see in a printed newspaper, which increases the paper texture of the device.
Available in stylish black or pure white, the display is seamlessly integrated with the frame and protected by a layer of glass. The textured back gives it a paper-like feel, adding a touch of sophistication, and is easy to hold, perfectly blending practicality with elegance. Since the monitor is equipped with front lighting and color temperature system, it can be read comfortably regardless of day or night. The page-turning buttons are located on the right side of the screen, similar to those on the Onyx Boox or Amazon Kindle Oasis, and are soft and tactile. If you are left-handed, the e-reader supports automatic rotation.
The Onyx Boox Go 7 series is equipped with a quad-core 2.4 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. It also has a microSD card slot that supports an additional 1TB of storage. It supports Wi-Fi 2.4GHz + 5GHz and Bluetooth 5.0, has a built-in speaker, suitable for listening to audiobooks, music or podcasts, and a microphone can be used for voice communication applications. It's powered by a 2300 mAh battery that can last for weeks on a single charge under normal use.
On the same day, Onyx also released the BOOX Go series of 10.3-inch "ultra-thin" e-paper reading laptops, which are equipped with a 300PPI black and white e-paper display, smart note-taking tools and a 3700mAh battery for longer battery life.
Specifications of some similar products on the market
Onyx Boox Go Color 7 | Kobo Libra Colour | Amazon Kindle Colorsoft | Readmoo mooInk Nana Color | |
Release Date | 6 June 2024 | 10 April 2024 | 30 October 2024 | 26 September 2024 |
Price | USD249.99 | USD219.99 | USD279.99 | NT$ 9,299 |
Screen | 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 | 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 | Amazon’s 7” Colorsoft display | 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 |
Resolution | 300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color | 300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color | 300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color | 300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color |
Operating system | Android 12 | Linux-based | Linux-based | Android 14 Based |
Storage | 64GB (expandable) | 32GB | 32GB | 256GB eMMC |
CPU | 2.4Ghz Octa-core | 2.0GHz Dual-core | 2 GHz | 1.8 GHz × 4 core |
Battery | 2,300mAh | 2,050mAh | 2,310mAh | 2,300mAh |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C |
Waterproofing | water-repellent design | IPX8 | IPX8 | N/A |
Speakers | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Dimensions (mm) | 156 x 137 x 6.4 | 161 x 144.6 x 8.3 | 176.7 x 127.6 x 7.8 | 162 × 146 × 7.8 |
Weight | 195g | 199.5g | 219g | 215g |
Data updated January 1, 2025
The considerations for choosing an e-book do not hinder factors such as picture quality, overall size, screen weight, screen clarity, system features, and battery life.
Sources
Although reading e-books brings many convenient advantages, the indescribable experience of the touch of paper, the smell of paper, and the weight of the book in your hands is difficult to replace with e-books.
