In a digital age where technology aims to supplant traditional pen and paper, the reMarkable 2 tablet is unique – blending the simplicity of handwriting with the advantages of modern tech. But does it truly deliver? Our General Manager, Connon Daly, took it for a spin to find out.
What Is It?
The reMarkable 2 is a slim, sleek tablet designed to mimic the experience of writing on paper but is tailored for notetaking, sketching, and reading, without the distractions of a typical tablet. Its monochrome display and high-friction stylus/pen aim to replicate the tactile sensation of pen on paper.
What Benefits Does It Claim to Have?
This device promises a paper-like writing experience, long battery life, and the ability to keep all your notes in one place digitally. It’s designed for those who want to focus without the constant pings of modern tech, offering a distraction-free environment to think, create, and work.
What I Was Looking For
As someone deeply attached to traditional notebooks, I’ve always found typing on a keyboard during meetings impersonal. I love to scribble, doodle, and draw diagrams; it’s how I think best. Yet, the accumulation of years’ worth of notebooks became a burden, despite my reluctance to part with them. With generative AI, I began digitising my handwritten notes with some success and wondered if the reMarkable 2 could take this to the next level.
My actual Experience:
After spending a month with the reMarkable 2 every day I feel I’m able to have an opinion as to how good it is. Here’s my thoughts.
The Pros:
- It’s like writing on paper: The feel of writing on the reMarkable 2’s “paper” is impressively like actual paper. One of the most notable features is the almost non-existent latency, which allows for an immediate response to my pen strokes. Annoying it captured the nuances of my sloppy handwriting accurately which I had hoped it would finesse.
- Pens: I used it with a range of different pen types – ballpoint, highlighter, calligraphy pen and pencil. Each of them worked well.
- Portable: The tablet is light and thin, making it easy to carry alongside my laptop without adding unnecessary bulk. It looks professional and the battery life is impressive, requiring only a charge once a week.
- Integration with other tech: Collaborating with other technology, like using ChatGPT to convert my written text, works amazingly well with the reMarkable 2, and really streamlined my workflow. Additionally, the ability to quickly email notes to myself and others directly from the device is both fast and convenient.
- Ping Free Zone: One of the tablet’s strengths is it is distraction-free. While the technology could easily include more features, such as email and messaging, its simple design meant I was more present in meetings and less distracted by the constant pings that accompany most digital devices.
The Cons!
- Cost: It isn’t cheap. The total investment for the tablet, the pen, and a quality case/sleeve was about NZD 950.
- Syncing with OneNote: I had hoped for seamless integration with Microsoft OneNote to facilitate easy collaboration with Copilot 365, but this aspect has been disappointing. While the Remarkable 2 can store notes on OneNote, it does not synchronise as easily or automatically as I had expected.
- Handwriting to Text Conversion: The device’s ability to convert handwriting to text does not work as well as I had hoped. However, I found a workaround by using ChatGPT for text conversion, which, despite requiring a few extra steps, performs exceptionally well.
Conclusion
After a month of daily use, the reMarkable 2 has become an essential part of my daily routine. While it hasn’t been the technological revolution I had hoped for, it has made my note-taking process much more enjoyable than using traditional notepads. It strikes a good balance between digital convenience and the tactile satisfaction of writing on paper. For those who frequently use notepads but struggle with organising and revisiting their notes, the reMarkable 2 is good tool. I recommend it.