review – The Mobiscribe Origin e-ink notebook can do a lot, but its main purpose is to reduce the need for pen and paper. It allows you to keep all your notes in one place and gives you the ability to search for keywords or tags.
What is it?
Mobiscribe Origin E-Ink Notebook is a digital notebook, e-reader and calendar with a folder management system to keep everything organized.
What’s in this box?
- Mobiscribe Origin E-Ink Laptop Tablet
- electronic medical record stylus
- USB A to USB C cable
- Tweezers and 3 tips for stylus
- Quick Start Guide
Hardware Specifications
• 6.8-inch capacitive e-ink touchscreen with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity
• 2 GB RAM
• Allwinner quad-core B300 CPU
• Custom Android 8.1 operating system
• 32 GB internal storage with micro-SD card slot for expansion
• Wi-Fi capability
• rechargeable battery
• USB-C charging input
Design and Features
The Mobiscribe Origin e-ink notebook is the second iteration of their original Indiegogo device. While the original tablet had a black body, the Origin’s body is basically the same color as the screen, which in my opinion makes it look a little bigger than it actually is. The device is just the right size for taking notes. Every day, I take a lot of notes, so I check pens and notebooks regularly.
The Origin is slightly larger than my Kindle Paperwhite, but feels a bit lighter. The e-ink display is the same as the Kindle’s, making it easier on the eyes. It also has the option to change the color temperature of the screen when using the backlight. So you can go from blue-white to amber to your liking. Writing with a stylus feels natural, like a pencil on paper. I can tell there’s a slight delay when writing, which usually bothers me, but that’s not a problem. It’s fast enough that I can keep writing without feeling like I need to stop and let it catch up.
You can create as many notebooks as you want and store them in separate folders. It’s great because I can separate my work from my personal belongings. Different items can be separated to help you find them quickly. It even has a search function to search for keywords, starred documents or tagged pages, which was one of the deciding factors for me.
The Mobiscribe Origin E-Ink Notebook also has a built-in calendar, and I haven’t delved into whether it can import my Google or Outlook calendars. Not a deal breaker for me, but others might think so. It has an onboard e-reader that works, not great, but it works. There is also an app store that allows you to install a limited number of apps, one of which is the Kindle app. For the past few years, most of my reading has been done on my Kindle Paperwhite, so I have an Amazon ebook library. I installed the app, logged in and synced with my library. So now I can read on Origin and get rid of my used Kindle.
what do I like
- Device size and feel
- Responsive writing experience that feels natural
- It’s not the only device trying to be the only device that rules them
- Scalable storage options
what would i change
- Different CPUs – current CPUs can feel a little sluggish at times
- Better documentation, the quick start guide is completely lackluster, nothing is available on Mobiscribe’s website
final thoughts
I’ve only had a Mobiscribe Origin e-ink notebook for about a week, but already feel like my purchase is a good one. It’s one of the cheapest options for an E-ink notebook, especially for its features. Most others cost about twice as much. I hope this thing lasts as long as my Kindle, and if so, this company has a lifetime customer.
Price: $239.00
where to buy: Mobiscribe’s online store
resource: The samples for this review were purchased with my own funds.
