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This weird e-ink laptop is my dream computer

This weird e-ink laptop is my dream computer

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Now all I have to do is learn Chinese

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Onyx

The Boox 打字机 — Boox Typewriter is how Google translates it from Chinese — is an upcoming laptop from Onyx, a Chinese maker of a myriad of e-book products (via Liliputing). The Boox line of products typically Android, and add interesting touches to the traditional e-book experience, such as pen input or huge screens. 

In an online brochure (which is accompanied, naturally, by a peppy soundtrack) announcing its latest onslaught of e-ink products, Onyx lists the Boox 打字机 as a 9.7-inch "electronic ink typewriter for more focused writing or better reading." That's all the info we have so far, but I'm already in love.

"But wait, Paul! There's already an e-ink typewriter you goofus." Yes, I've heard of the Freewrite "smart typewriter." Specs-wise it's exactly what I'm looking for: e-ink screen, great keyboard, endless battery life, and zero extra features to distract me from writing. But it's also enormous, and I can't imagine myself putting it in a backpack — or, even worse, pulling it out of a backpack in sight of other coffee shop patrons.

It's weird to me that there aren't more e-ink laptop options out there. The panels themselves are cheap and plentiful, Android is free, and rest of the parts to make a low-end ARM laptop go for around $100. There was a brief moment when Pixel Qi was going to be a thing and give us the best of both worlds, but that sadly wasn't to be.

The 9.7-inch Boox Typewriter probably has a garbage keyboard, and some old and crusty version of Android. But it's all I ever wanted in a machine. And I want one.