MatePad Paper: HUAWEI’s e-ink pad with tablet functions
It changes the experience
E-ink tablets have been around for quite some time, but they’re usually limited to taking notes and reading books. For those who don’t know, e-ink screens simulate the feel of paper. Microscopic capsules about the thickness of a human hair, suspended in a liquid inside the screen, contain positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles. Applying a negative electric field brings the white particles to the surface and vice versa. By applying different fields to different parts of the screen, a monochrome text can be produced on the screen. E-ink screens consume much less energy than traditional LCDs and are pleasing to the eye, just like when we read a book.
However, HUAWEI has recently revealed the new MatePad Paper , an e-ink tablet which, in addition to a traditional e-reader, is also something very familiar to a normal tablet. To begin with, its build quality is very high for e-ink tablets of its kind. Its 10.3-inch screen occupies 86.3% of the front surface, leaving a “handle” on the left for a comfortable grip, while its weight is only 360 grams and evenly distributed throughout its surface.
Its monochrome screen has been awarded the TUV Rheinland Paper Like award as the best screen that simulates reading from a book. The refresh rate is automatically adjusted according to the content, for a smooth and clear reading experience. However, don’t expect normal tablet performance as there is some lag, as with all screens of this type. The screen is by default without lighting, but it also has two default brightness levels or a custom option to adjust it to your liking at night.
Running HarmonyOS 2, it offers a wealth of functions, such as widgets on the central screen to have your daily schedule, emails, notes and books right in front of you. Multitasking is simple to use by simply swiping down from the top right side of the screen.
An extremely important role of course is played by the second generation HUAWEI M-Pencil with 4,096 pressure points which magnetically attaches to the MatePad Paper frame, so you don’t have to worry about losing it. The screen’s 26ms response time offers a writing experience that is strikingly similar to writing on paper. You can annotate something you want in the document you’re reading, convert handwritten text into digital characters, automatically translate it into another language (even entire books), or even encrypt your notes to be opened only with your fingerprint , by touching the power button.
But in addition to handwritten notes, the four microphones of the MatePad Paper can also record audio notes, simultaneously with the handwritten ones, while you can mark each note with its exact reference in the audio file.
Of course, you can choose from a multitude of books of all kinds to read, while you can comfortably listen to audio books thanks to the MatePad Paper’s two speakers.
In terms of technical characteristics, we have the Kirin 820E with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space. It has a fast Wi-Fi 6+ connection at 2.4 and 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.2 and a USB-C port for charging or transferring files.
The 3,625mAh battery lasts for 28 days in standby, while just 1.5 hours of fast charging 22.5W is enough for six days of use.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that cooperation with HUAWEI mobile phones or laptops is problem-free and content can be transferred directly from one screen to another.
The HUAWEI MatePad Paper is definitely not for everyone. It is aimed at a special market, students or professionals who want a reliable companion for their daily tasks, to take notes, send mail, draw, read books, listen to audio books and not worry about the battery. I think that in this category of e-ink tablets, HUAWEI has made a move and deserves your attention. At the moment there is no update on availability, but we hope it will come to the Greek market soon.
