Boox Firmware Version 4.2

Current sub-version: 4.2

This page takes a deep dive into the firmware that is pre-installed on Boox e-ink tablets to help potential customers decide if Boox tablets have the software functionality that they need.

The build numbers and release dates can vary slightly between different models, however the general functionality of the software remains consistent across Boox’s product range. Where there are substantial differences in the firmware between models, I will make a note.

What’s new in this version?

Whilst Firmware 4.2 is not a revolutionary overhaul of the BOOX software experience, it does introduce a collection of incremental refinements and improvements that collectively make the platform feel a little more mature. Some additions are admittedly more consequential than others, but there are are a few updates that stood out to me during hands-on use.

The most substantial enhancement, in my opinion, is the overhaul of the Calendar Memo application. Historically, Calendar Memo felt somewhat ancillary, more of a lightweight archival utility than a genuinely useful productivity tool. Previously, it primarily functioned as a chronological record of notebooks and ebooks accessed on specific dates, alongside the ability to create short memo notes attached to those dates. Functional, certainly, but hardly indispensable.

With Firmware 4.2, however, the application has evolved into something far more practical. It now behaves like a legitimate calendar platform, supporting text-based events, reminders, and synchronization with external calendar services including Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and CalDAV calendars. This dramatically increases its utility and finally makes it feel integrated into a broader productivity workflow rather than existing as an isolated BOOX-exclusive feature. For users who rely on their E-Ink tablet as a daily organisational device rather than simply a reading or note-taking appliance, this is arguably one of the most meaningful additions in the update.

Another intriguing inclusion is the new Template Hub. This is effectively a BOOX-curated repository of downloadable note templates that supplements the locally installed selection already available on the device. Conceptually, I think this is an excellent idea. One of the enduring strengths of digital note-taking is adaptability, and expanding the available template ecosystem has the potential to significantly improve workflow customisation.

That said, at present, the Template Hub feels embryonic. The number of downloadable templates is still relatively limited, which makes it difficult to fully evaluate the feature in its current state. Ultimately, its long-term value will depend almost entirely on the breadth, quality, and regularity of the templates added over time. The infrastructure is promising, but whether it becomes genuinely useful remains contingent on BOOX continuing to meaningfully support it.

Within the native note-taking application itself, BOOX has introduced additional configuration options for the standard pen tool, including stroke stabilisation and pressure sensitivity adjustments. These are not transformative additions, but they do offer greater granularity for users who prefer to fine-tune their writing experience. Different users naturally have different handwriting styles and preferences, so the additional configurability is welcome.

The eraser tool has also received an “auto deselect” option. In practical terms, this means that after switching to the eraser and using it, the software can automatically revert back to the previously selected writing tool without requiring manual intervention. It sounds like a minor alteration on paper, but in real-world use it noticeably improves workflow fluidity, particularly during fast-paced note-taking sessions. I suspect many users will end up appreciating this feature more than they initially expect.

The EInkWise Center has likewise received several additions. There are now image smoothing options available for HD and Regal refresh modes, which can help improve visual presentation in certain third-party applications and media scenarios. More interestingly, BOOX now allows users to upload and share their optimised application settings to BOOX servers so that other users can download them. In theory, this should reduce the laborious process of manually experimenting with refresh configurations, DPI adjustments, and rendering settings for individual Android applications. Considering how much trial and error has traditionally been involved in optimising third-party apps on E-Ink hardware, this has the potential to become an unexpectedly valuable community-driven feature.

One area where I am considerably less enthusiastic, however, concerns the continued mentions of the ‘Talk Insights‘ application. Firmware 4.2 advertises improvements to Talk Insights, an application capable of transcribing voice recordings into text and generating AI summaries of conversations. The problem is that, for many users including myself, the application still is not actually available.

This is particularly frustrating because Talk Insights was publicly announced back in October 2025 as part of a BOOX product launch campaign, and I strongly suspect there are users who purchased devices partly on the basis of that announcement. BOOX continues to state that the feature is being rolled out gradually across different regions, but we are now well over six months beyond the original unveiling and, personally, I am still not aware of anyone who has actually had meaningful hands-on access to it. As such, advertising “improvements” to software that many customers still cannot use feels somewhat disingenuous.

A significant drawback of this version is that there appears to be more frequent ghosting within the system and native apps – something I will go into more detail about later on…

Overall, Firmware 4.2 feels less like a monumental software evolution and more like a careful process of refinement. There are no earth-shattering additions here, but there are some thoughtful optimisations that collectively improve the overall user experience. For me personally, the revamped Calendar Memo application is unquestionably the standout feature of the update, because it finally transforms what was previously a rather forgettable utility into something genuinely functional and worthwhile. But, to me, the frequent ghosting negates all of the improvements.

Operating system

One of the defining characteristics of BOOX tablets is that they run a relatively open version of Android rather than a heavily restricted proprietary operating system. Unlike some competing E-Ink brands that intentionally lock users into tightly controlled ecosystems, BOOX instead positions its devices closer to conventional Android tablets (albeit with substantial software modifications intended to accommodate the peculiarities and limitations of E-Ink displays).

Google Play Store support is both preinstalled and pre-certified, which means there is very little friction involved in installing third-party applications. You simply tap the Play Store icon, log into your Google account, and begin downloading apps exactly as you would on a regular Android phone or tablet. In practical terms, this dramatically expands the versatility of BOOX devices because you are not confined solely to the native applications supplied by the manufacturer. Whether you want Kindle, Kobo, OneNote, Obsidian, Evernote, InstaPaper, Microsoft Office, or even obscure specialist applications, the option is generally available (although performance of third-party apps is variable on any eink device).

BOOX currently uses two distinct launcher interfaces across its product range. Lower-end and more reading-focused devices typically use BOOX’s bespoke launcher, whilst higher-end models more commonly utilise a more conventional Android-style launcher complete with widgets and a traditional home screen layout.

The bespoke launcher is heavily structured around BOOX’s core functions. A toolbar permanently resides along the left-hand side of the screen, providing quick access to areas such as the reading library, notebooks, applications, settings, and storage management. Functionally, both launchers accomplish very similar tasks, but aesthetically and behaviourally they feel different. The primary disadvantage of the bespoke launcher is the absence of widget support, which makes it feel somewhat more restrictive and less dynamic than the conventional Android alternative.

Personally, I can understand the rationale behind both approaches. The bespoke launcher arguably feels cleaner and more appliance-like, whereas the conventional Android launcher feels more familiar and flexible. Unfortunately, BOOX does not allow users to freely choose between them, which is somewhat disappointing because I suspect many users would appreciate the ability to select whichever interface better suits their workflow.

Across the top of the display sits a persistent status bar. On the left-hand side are notifications and the current time, whilst the right-hand side displays indicators for battery life, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth status. The interface borrows heavily from standard Android conventions. Swiping down from the top-left corner opens the notification shade, whilst swiping down from the top-right corner opens the Control Center.

The Control Center itself is one of the more feature-rich portions of the operating system. Basic toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present, with a tap enabling or disabling the connection and a long press opening the corresponding configuration menus. There are also sliders for volume and frontlight brightness, including warm light intensity on supported devices. Models equipped with active styluses additionally display a stylus battery indicator. There is also a customizable panel of shortcut icons. Users can add, remove, and rearrange numerous quick-access buttons according to personal preference. These include aeroplane mode, manual refresh, screenshot tools, screen recording, EInkWise Center, AI assistant, rotation controls, mute notifications, NaviBall, Kids Mode, screen mirroring, split-screen multitasking, Do Not Disturb, and more.

The notebook management application is similarly comprehensive. Opening it presents a full catalogue of your notebooks alongside options for creating new ones, altering view styles, adjusting sort order, applying filters, searching notebooks, and organising content through folders or tags. It feels mature and highly functional, particularly for users managing large quantities of handwritten material.

Likewise, the library management application allows extensive organisation of ebooks, PDFs, and documents. Integration with third-party cloud services such as Google Drive and Dropbox is supported, allowing users to browse and import documents directly from cloud storage platforms. This considerably streamlines workflows for users who regularly move documents between multiple devices.

The storage application essentially exposes the full Android directory structure and acts as a conventional file manager. Files can be copied, moved, deleted, renamed, and manipulated much as they would be on a desktop operating system. Again, this contributes to BOOX’s philosophy of openness and flexibility.

Gesture navigation is also heavily customisable. By default, swiping upwards from the bottom-left opens the task switcher, swiping upwards from the bottom-centre returns to the home screen, and swiping upwards from the bottom-right opens the EInkWise Center. However, many of these gestures can be reconfigured according to user preference. And there are also side gestures as well.

The EInkWise Center is arguably one of the most important aspects of the BOOX software ecosystem because it governs how third-party Android applications behave on an E-Ink display. Since most Android apps are not designed with E-Ink screens in mind, extensive optimisation is often necessary to achieve acceptable usability.

BOOX provides a surprisingly comprehensive collection of configuration options here. Users can select between multiple refresh modes such as Regal, HD, and Speed mode, alongside adjustments for DPI scaling, refresh frequency, contrast enhancement, image smoothing, dark colour enhancement, and text boldness. This degree of control is one of the major reasons BOOX devices are often considered among the most versatile Android E-Ink tablets available.

Unfortunately, there is also a rather frustrating contradiction within the software design philosophy. Whilst third-party applications receive an enormous array of configurable display settings, BOOX’s own native applications expose only a comparatively limited subset of these controls. Presumably, BOOX assumes that its own applications are already fully optimised for the hardware. In practice, however, I do not believe this is entirely true.

During my usage of Firmware 4.2, I encountered a substantial amount of ghosting throughout the operating system. Ghosting, for those unfamiliar with E-Ink technology, refers to faint residual artefacts from previous images or pages remaining partially visible in the background. To some extent this is inevitable on all E-Ink devices regardless of manufacturer. However, with this particular firmware iteration, the phenomenon appears noticeably more aggressive and persistent than I would ordinarily expect.

In fact, it became frequent enough that I created a custom gesture specifically to trigger a manual full-screen refresh whenever I swiped left from the right-hand edge of the display. To verify whether this was genuinely a regression or merely my imagination, I revisited my original Gen 1 BOOX Go 10.3 running Firmware 4.0. The difference was immediately apparent. Admittedly, the older device is still using firmware that is two iterations behind the latest, but there is unquestionably less ghosting present throughout the interface compared to Firmware 4.2.

The pics below directly highlight the ghosting issue, but if you look closely at any of the pics in this article, you will likely see some level of ghosting.

One area where BOOX continues to excel, however, is the virtual keyboard. In my opinion, it is among the best software keyboards currently available on any E-Ink device. Not only is typing responsiveness relatively good considering the constraints of E Ink technology, but the keyboard also supports handwriting-to-text and voice-to-text input methods.

This becomes extraordinarily useful in practical day-to-day workflows. For example, when filling in text fields such as calendar events, notebook titles, or search boxes, you are not restricted solely to conventional typing. Instead, you can handwrite directly onto the screen using the stylus or dictate using your voice, with the system automatically converting the input into text. Personally, I find this functionality immensely beneficial and frequently integrate it into my own workflows. However, when you wish to type special characters, it is not always intuitive how to find them.

Ultimately, the BOOX operating system is simultaneously one of the platform’s greatest strengths and one of its greatest weaknesses.

Its extraordinary configurability and openness make it remarkably versatile. There are very few E-Ink devices capable of adapting to such a broad variety of use cases and workflows. However, this flexibility comes at the expense of simplicity. Compared to competitors such as reMarkable or Supernote, the BOOX software experience is unquestionably more complex, less intuitive, and accompanied by a steeper learning curve.

It takes considerably longer to become fully comfortable with the operating system, and even after prolonged usage there are still moments where the interface can feel somewhat cumbersome or unintuitive. Yet paradoxically, this very complexity is also what grants BOOX devices their immense potential. The software may occasionally be frustrating, but it also allows the hardware to be utilised in ways that many competing E-Ink platforms simply cannot accommodate.

Native note-taking software

The native note-taking application remains one of the most substantial and feature-rich aspects of the BOOX software ecosystem.

When creating a new note, BOOX provides several different notebook types. These include conventional handwritten notebooks, infinite notes, text notes, quick notes, and even imported PDF documents that can function as notebook templates whilst retaining their original hyperlinks and internal navigation structure. That final capability is especially useful for planners, journals, interactive PDFs, and hyperlinked templates downloaded from third-party creators.

However, the most commonly used notebook type (and undoubtedly the core experience for most users) is the standard handwritten notebook.

Creating a new handwritten notebook is straightforward. You are first prompted to assign a name and select a template. BOOX includes more than forty templates preinstalled locally, ranging from standard ruled and graph paper layouts to planners, music sheets, calendars, and specialist productivity formats. Additional templates can also be downloaded through the cloud-based Template Library introduced in recent firmware updates (although at the time of writing, the number of templates available is extremely limited).

Once inside the notebook itself, the interface is dominated by the writing canvas. Along the top sits a horizontal toolbar, whilst a secondary toolbar resides vertically along the left-hand side of the screen. The interface can initially appear somewhat dense due to the sheer quantity of available tools, but importantly, the vertical toolbar is highly customisable. Users can rearrange icons according to personal preference, and a dedicated fullscreen mode hides the interface almost entirely for distraction-free writing.

The upper toolbar houses the core writing instruments. BOOX allows up to five custom pen presets to be pinned for rapid access. There are five brush types available: pen, ballpoint pen, pencil, marker, and brush.

Each behaves a little differently and attempts to emulate distinct real-world writing instruments. The standard pen is pressure sensitive and additionally supports fountain pen and calligraphy modes, allowing stroke width variation depending on writing direction. BOOX has also added supplementary controls for pressure sensitivity and stroke stabilisation, giving users finer control over the handwriting experience.

The ballpoint pen, by contrast, is intentionally non-pressure-sensitive and produces a more mechanically uniform line. The brush tool is extremely pressure sensitive and more painterly in behaviour, whilst the pencil supports both pressure sensitivity and tilt sensitivity, allowing shading effects reminiscent of a traditional graphite pencil.

All brush types support multiple stroke thicknesses alongside sixteen selectable colours. Naturally, on monochrome devices many of these colours simply appear as varying shades of grey on the display itself, although they remain fully preserved when exporting notes to colour-capable formats.

Also present on the top toolbar are the eraser tools, including both pixel erasing and stroke erasing modes, alongside standard undo and redo functions.

The top toolbar additionally displays the current page number and total page count within the notebook. Tapping this opens the Page Overview interface, which presents thumbnail previews of every page in the notebook for rapid navigation. This section is surprisingly powerful and extends well beyond mere navigation. Pages can be copied, moved, reordered, duplicated, deleted, renamed, and added to outlines (which effectively function as a table of contents system). Handwriting and text search are also supported, which becomes increasingly valuable when maintaining larger notebooks.

The left-hand toolbar contains many of the more advanced organisational and editing tools. Templates can be changed on a per-page basis, and BOOX also supports fully custom templates created by the user in either PDF or PNG format.

Layer support is included as well, with up to five separate layers available per page. Conceptually, these behave like transparent sheets stacked on top of one another. Layers can be hidden, reordered, merged, or edited independently. For artists, diagram creators, and technical workflows, this functionality can be genuinely useful.

The lasso selection tool is particularly versatile. Users can select handwriting, sketches, or objects and subsequently move, resize, rotate, mirror, cut, copy, or paste them. Selections can also be transferred between layers.

Interestingly, BOOX extends the lasso tool beyond simple manipulation. Selected handwriting can be transformed into links, tags, or even calendar events. In these cases, the software automatically converts the handwritten selection into text to generate the event or tag title. It is an unexpectedly clever integration between the note-taking system and the wider productivity ecosystem.

The shapes tool supports inserting both two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric objects, alongside arrows and lines, whilst the fill tool allows enclosed regions to be coloured rapidly.

There is also a gestures menu that enables users to toggle various interaction methods on or off, including taps, long presses, and page-swiping gestures. Adjacent to this is the AI menu, which governs BOOX’s “Smart Scribe” functionality.

Smart Scribe encompasses several intelligent handwriting tools including ‘scribble erase’ (draw a wavy line through strokes to remove them), ‘shape perfection’ (hold the stylus on-screen after drawing a shape and its edges are straightened), and ‘smart lasso’ (circle an area to select it without manually switching to the lasso tool) behaviour, and handwriting recognition. Handwriting can be converted into editable text and subsequently exported in formats such as PDF or plain text.

The notebook export system itself is also comprehensive. Entire notebooks or selected pages can be exported as editable PDFs, flattened non-editable PDFs, or proprietary .NOTE files. I should mention that the proprietary BOOX .NOTE format is primarily useful for backups rather than interoperability, since it can only be opened within BOOX’s own software ecosystem.

Exports can be saved locally, shared directly into third-party applications, or uploaded to BOOX cloud servers where they become accessible through temporary links or QR codes.

The insert tool permits the inclusion of images, file attachments, links to other notebooks, and website links directly into your notebook. This contributes significantly towards making notebooks feel more like dynamic workspaces rather than merely static pages of handwriting.

BOOX also allows users to choose how notebooks are viewed – paginated (swipe left/right to turn pages) or scrolling (scroll up and down). Depending on the type of work being undertaken, one or the other may feel substantially more natural.

Text boxes can also be inserted directly into handwritten notebooks, complete with relatively standard formatting options such as font selection, alignment, bold, italic, and size adjustments.

Voice recording support is integrated as well, allowing audio notes to be embedded directly inside notebooks. However, these recordings remain audio-only and currently lack built-in transcription or translation capabilities (as offered by some other brands).

On smaller BOOX devices such as the BOOX Palma 2 Pro, the interface is adapted to conserve screen real estate through the use of a single floating toolbar. Thankfully, this floating interface remains highly customisable, and users can even create multiple toolbar configurations for different workflows.

Infinite Notes behave similarly to conventional handwritten notebooks, with one key distinction: rather than separate pages, the notebook consists of one endlessly scrolling vertical canvas. Consequently, there is no conventional page overview. Instead, users can create navigational “pins” throughout the document to divide sections and improve navigability within the otherwise enormous workspace.

Text Notes, meanwhile, operate more like lightweight word processors. They support typed text, headings, bullet lists, alignment adjustments, and basic formatting controls. BOOX has also incorporated some Smart Scribe gestures here, allowing users to scribble out words to erase them, draw vertical strokes for line breaks, or underline text for selection. Voice recordings are supported in text notes as well (but are not converted to text).

Quick Notes appear, at least from my own usage, to function almost identically to ordinary handwritten notebooks except for one major behavioural difference: they bypass the initial notebook creation dialogue entirely and immediately open a writing canvas without asking for a notebook name or template selection. Beyond this expedited workflow, I have struggled to identify any truly substantial distinction between Quick Notes and standard handwritten notebooks.

The writing experience itself varies considerably depending on the specific BOOX hardware being used. Hardware plays a major role here, particularly with regard to screen texture, stylus technology, latency, and panel responsiveness. Some BOOX devices provide genuinely great writing experiences, whilst others feel comparatively mediocre. As such, I would strongly recommend consulting my individual device reviews for more hardware-specific observations.

From a software perspective, however, the note-taking application performs impressively. Latency is generally low, pressure sensitivity is responsive, and tilt functionality works well (but can vary).

Overall, the BOOX native note-taking application is exceptionally comprehensive and arguably among the most feature-rich E-Ink note-taking platforms currently available. It contains virtually every major feature one might reasonably expect from a modern digital notebook system.

There are still a few omissions compared to certain competitors. For example, there is currently no integrated AI summarisation system for handwritten notes, nor is there voice-to-text transcription for embedded audio recordings (although, technically speaking, some of this functionality can be approximated using BOOX’s voice-enabled keyboard input methods).

Nevertheless, many competing brands lack these features as well, and for a considerable proportion of users they may be entirely unnecessary.

As with most aspects of the BOOX ecosystem, the extraordinary abundance of features inevitably increases the complexity of the software and steepens the learning curve. Yet despite occasional frustrations and moments of interface clutter, it remains one of my personal favourite note-taking applications available on any E-Ink platform today.

Native reading & annotation software

BOOX’s native reading application is called NeoReader, and much like the rest of the BOOX software ecosystem, it attempts to be extraordinarily comprehensive rather than minimalist. It is not merely an EPUB or PDF reader, but rather a broad document platform capable of handling a surprisingly extensive variety of file formats.

In addition to standard EPUB and PDF support, NeoReader can also open CBZ and CBR comic archives, AWZ3 files, DjVu documents, and various Microsoft Office formats amongst others. This versatility is one of the application’s greatest strengths because it allows the tablet to function as a genuinely multipurpose reading device rather than something narrowly focused on ebooks alone.

Handwritten annotation is supported across virtually all formats using the stylus. However, there is an inherent limitation when dealing with reflowable formats such as EPUBs. Since the text layout can dynamically change depending on font size, margins, orientation, or spacing adjustments, the positioning of handwritten annotations can sometimes become misaligned after the document layout changes. This is not a Boox issue, it is a fundamental complication of handwritten annotation on reflowable text formats, and is true for all eink brands. But it is nonetheless something users should be aware of.

General navigation within NeoReader is fairly conventional. Swiping left or right turns pages, whilst tapping near the centre of the screen reveals the main toolbars and configuration menus.

Across the top of the interface sits a horizontal bar containing tabs for each currently open document, allowing rapid switching between multiple books or files. This multitasking-oriented design philosophy permeates much of the BOOX software experience.

The top toolbar additionally contains buttons for opening the handwriting annotation tools, adjusting stylus and touch gesture behaviour, enabling or disabling Smart Scribe features, performing searches, and accessing various settings menus.

The Smart Scribe functionality is particularly interesting within NeoReader because it extends beyond simple handwriting recognition. Features include shape perfection, scribble erase, underline-to-highlight, circle-to-highlight, and double-tap handwriting-to-text conversion. In practice, these tools can make annotation workflows feel substantially more fluid and natural once you become accustomed to them.

Along the bottom of the screen resides another bar divided into several separate sections.

The first section primarily concerns navigation and document structure. Here you can access the table of contents, bookmarks, text highlights, and a list of pages containing handwritten annotations. This latter feature is especially useful for academic or technical reading because it allows rapid access to all annotated sections of a document.

Handwritten annotation pages can also be exported independently as either PDFs or PNG images, whilst text highlights can be exported separately as text files.

The next section contains the progress controls. A slider allows rapid traversal through the document, accompanied by next and previous chapter buttons for quicker navigation through larger works.

The Style section is where much of NeoReader’s configurability becomes apparent. For EPUBs and other reflowable text formats, users can adjust font family, font size, line spacing, margins, alignment, and switch between light and dark modes. PDFs receive a somewhat different collection of tools. Here, the emphasis shifts towards text enhancement, contrast adjustment, boldness controls, and switching between paginated and scrolling layouts.

There is also an additional Layout section specifically for PDFs that contains features such as Article Mode and Comic Mode. These are genuinely useful additions. Essentially, NeoReader can intelligently divide a complex page layout into smaller navigable sections which are then displayed individually in fullscreen. This proves especially beneficial when reading comics, newspapers, academic journals with multiple columns, or densely formatted technical PDFs that would otherwise be awkward to navigate or uncomfortable to view on smaller displays.

The Split View functionality is another major feature. This allows the screen to be divided into two separate panes. On one side sits the primary document, whilst the opposite pane can display another document, a notebook, or BOOX’s translation tool. For research workflows, studying, or cross-referencing information, this can be remarkably practical.

The Refresh section governs the E-Ink display behaviour specifically within NeoReader. Importantly, these settings override the broader system-wide configurations established in the EInkWise Center.

Finally, the Display section contains additional image-processing adjustments such as contrast enhancement, image sharpening, and image smoothing.

As though the interface were not already complex enough, NeoReader also includes multiple floating toolbars layered on top of the primary interface. One floating toolbar positioned just above the bottom bar contains quick-access toggles for text-to-speech, night mode, automatic page turning, and the AI assistant.

Additionally, there is another vertical floating toolbar usually docked to the side of the screen. This itself contains shortcuts to many of the features already present elsewhere in the interface. One of its buttons opens yet another floating toolbar known as the Writing Toolbar – a horizontal annotation interface containing handwriting tools such as pen selection, lasso selection, text insertion, and eraser controls.

From a usability standpoint, this is perhaps where NeoReader begins to feel somewhat overengineered. The functionality is undeniably extensive, but the sheer quantity of layered menus, floating panels, hidden options, and overlapping toolbars can make the interface feel cluttered and occasionally disjointed.

Text highlighting is handled competently. Users can long-press on text and drag highlight handles in the conventional Android fashion. Alternatively, if Smart Scribe gestures are enabled, highlights can also be created by circling or underlining text directly with the stylus.

Highlighted passages can be added to a master highlight list accessible through the table of contents panel. Sticky notes may also be attached to highlights, although these are text-only rather than handwritten. That said, because the BOOX virtual keyboard supports handwriting-to-text conversion, you can effectively handwrite your notes anyway and have them automatically converted into typed text (or even dictate your notes and have them transcribed to text).

Selecting individual words opens further functionality. Definitions can be looked up using onboard dictionaries, and importantly, BOOX supports user-installed custom dictionaries. Unlike some competing platforms, dictionary functionality is fully local and does not require an internet connection.

There are also translation tools, AI-assisted explanations, clipboard copying functions, text-to-speech integration, and sharing tools that allow highlighted passages to be exported either locally or directly into third-party Android applications.

Ultimately, NeoReader is extraordinarily powerful and exceptionally versatile. Very few E-Ink reading applications offer such a vast range of layout controls, annotation systems, export options, multitasking capabilities, and document compatibility.

However, the downside of this immense flexibility is (again!) complexity.

The interface is not especially intuitive, and at times it genuinely feels as though new features have simply been layered on top of older ones over many years without a fully unified design philosophy. There are toolbars within toolbars, menus hidden behind floating panels, and overlapping systems that can initially feel bewildering.

Once mastered, NeoReader is capable of handling an enormous range of reading and annotation workflows extremely well. But becoming comfortable with it requires patience and a willingness to navigate a fairly steep learning curve.

And unfortunately, underpinning all of this remains the persistent issue of ghosting. Whilst some level of ghosting is inevitable with all E-ink technology, the degree to which I have experienced it manifest throughout Firmware 4.2 feels like an uncomfortable compromise that, frankly, users probably should not have to tolerate to this extent.

Ecosystem

Compared to some competing E-Ink brands, BOOX adopts a relatively open and flexible ecosystem philosophy. Rather than attempting to lock users entirely into a tightly controlled proprietary environment, BOOX instead provides a hybrid approach that combines its own cloud infrastructure with extensive third-party integration options.

BOOX currently provides 10GB of free cloud storage for users who create a BOOX account. This storage can be used to synchronise notebooks, ebooks, reading progress, highlights, annotations, and associated metadata across multiple BOOX devices. For users who own several BOOX tablets, this can be genuinely useful because it creates a relatively seamless continuity between devices. A notebook created on one tablet can automatically appear on another, complete with all annotations and progress preserved.

To access these synchronisation services, users must create a free BOOX account. Importantly, however, the ecosystem does not force you into doing so. Unlike certain competitors, BOOX generally allows users to bypass its proprietary cloud services entirely if they prefer alternative workflows.

Instead, notebooks and documents can be exported directly to a variety of third-party services including Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft OneNote, Zotero, or virtually any WebDAV-compatible storage provider. Notes may be exported as standard PDFs or as BOOX’s proprietary note format depending on the user’s needs.

The flexibility here is commendable. BOOX devices feel far less restrictive than many competing E-Ink platforms precisely because users are not compelled to exclusively inhabit the manufacturer’s own ecosystem.

In addition to exporting files, the system also allows direct browsing of connected cloud drives so that documents can be imported from external services directly onto the tablet. For users with existing document archives stored in cloud ecosystems, this integration substantially improves convenience.

The primary advantage of using BOOX’s own proprietary synchronisation system is that it preserves considerably more metadata across devices. Not only are notebooks and documents synchronised, but reading progress, annotations, and organisational structures are retained as well. There is also a companion mobile application and web interface intended to provide browser-based access to synced files.

Unfortunately, this is an area where my enthusiasm diminishes rather substantially. Whilst the underlying synchronisation functionality generally works adequately, I personally find the BOOX companion application and web interface to be slow, cumbersome, and somewhat inelegant. Navigation often feels clunky, page loading can be sluggish, and the overall user experience lacks the refinement found in some competing ecosystems. I recently discovered that notebooks that use multiple layers are not rendered correctly within the app. As a consequence, although I appreciate the existence of these tools conceptually, in practice I almost never use them myself.

BOOX additionally allows users to select between Asian, European, or United States server regions for their cloud services, which may be reassuring for users concerned about regional data handling preferences or latency considerations.

One area where BOOX deserves praise is offline functionality. For the most part, BOOX devices remain highly functional even without an internet connection. The overwhelming majority of core features operate locally on the device itself. Reading, note-taking, handwriting recognition, annotation systems, and handwriting search continue to work perfectly well offline once initially configured.

This gives BOOX devices a distinct advantage over certain competitors whose ecosystems rely far more heavily on persistent cloud connectivity for core functionality.

That said, some caveats do exist. Features requiring server-side computation, such as cloud-based AI assistants or certain online AI tools, naturally still require an internet connection. Additionally, whilst handwriting recognition and voice recognition can function offline afterwards, the initial language packs and model data must first be downloaded whilst connected to the internet.

Firmware updating is another somewhat restrictive area. BOOX currently does not provide a particularly convenient mechanism for manually downloading firmware packages onto another device and installing them locally. Instead, the tablet itself must connect directly to the internet in order to retrieve firmware updates automatically. For users who prefer entirely offline workflows or manual update management, this may prove mildly frustrating.

Overall, however, I would describe the BOOX ecosystem as strong, albeit imperfect. And, to be honest, I can only think of one brand (Supernote) that permits complete offline usage.

Its greatest strength lies in its openness and flexibility. Users are not imprisoned within BOOX’s own cloud infrastructure and can instead integrate numerous third-party services according to personal preference. Simultaneously, those who do choose to remain within the BOOX ecosystem benefit from synchronised libraries, notebook continuity, and cross-device metadata preservation.

The weakest aspect is unquestionably the polish of the companion software experience. Whilst functional, the mobile app and web interface feel comparatively unrefined and considerably less elegant than the core tablet software itself.

Nevertheless, the ecosystem as a whole remains highly capable, particularly for users who own multiple BOOX devices or who value the freedom to choose between proprietary and third-party cloud solutions according to their own workflow preferences.

Other native software

In addition to the core note-taking and reading applications, BOOX tablets also include a fairly extensive collection of supplementary native software. Some of these applications feel genuinely useful and thoughtfully implemented, whilst others feel more experimental or unfinished. Nevertheless, taken collectively, they contribute significantly towards the overall versatility of the platform.

One of the more recent additions is the AI Assistant application, which essentially provides a built-in AI chat interface. Users can choose between different underlying models, including offerings from OpenAI and Google Gemini. In practice, however, the implementation currently is somewhat rudimentary.

The underlying training data only appears to extend to around 2024, outputs are subject to daily character limitations (although they are large at 100,000 characters), and formatting behaviour is often problematic. In my own testing, responses would frequently display raw Markdown and LaTeX syntax rather than properly rendering formatted output. To be fair to BOOX, the feature is explicitly labelled as beta software, and it is at least functional enough to experiment with. But at present, it feels more like a proof of concept than a polished productivity tool.

BOOXDrop, by contrast, is one of the most useful utilities included with the system. Essentially, BOOXDrop transforms the tablet into a lightweight local web server accessible across your Wi-Fi network. By visiting the provided address through a browser on another device, files can be transferred to and from the tablet extremely easily without requiring cables, cloud services, or third-party software. In day-to-day usage, this becomes remarkably convenient and is one of those features that quietly integrates itself into your workflow over time.

The Calendar Memo application has also evolved considerably in Firmware 4.2. In previous firmware generations, it functioned largely as a digital calendar template onto which users could scribble notes. It now behaves far more like a genuine productivity calendar system.

Users can create proper text-based events and reminders, and events can synchronise with third-party services including Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and CalDAV calendars.

Calendar Memo additionally maintains a chronological log of notebooks and documents opened on particular dates, whilst also supporting handwritten daily memos. If you are using a BOOX account, handwritten notes synchronise between devices. Curiously, however, reminders remain local-only, whilst events synchronise externally through third-party calendar services rather than through BOOX’s own infrastructure.

There is also a built-in dictionary application for word lookups and translation, alongside a basic gallery application for viewing images and a straightforward music player for audio playback.

NeoBrowser functions as BOOX’s native web browser. For relatively simple websites it performs adequately enough, although more complicated web applications and heavily scripted sites can feel sluggish or awkward.

The system also includes screenshot functionality, scrolling screenshots, screen recording, and screen mirroring capabilities.

One particularly interesting utility is an application called FreeMark. This allows users to write directly over third-party applications using the stylus and then capture annotated screenshots containing those handwritten additions. For educational workflows, document markup, or collaborative feedback, this can sometimes be rather useful.

Additional bundled utilities include an RSS reader, calculator, audio recorder, and a fairly standard file management application capable of moving, copying, renaming, and deleting files throughout the Android directory structure.

Of course, one of the most significant aspects of the BOOX ecosystem is the inclusion of the fully certified Google Play Store. Because the Play Store is preinstalled and officially certified, users can simply log into their Google account and install Android applications normally without complicated workarounds.

Most third-party Android applications run reasonably well within the context of E-Ink limitations. Naturally, highly resource-intensive applications or software dependent upon fast frame rates are never going to feel especially smooth on any E-Ink device regardless of manufacturer. BOOX mitigates this problem better than many competitors thanks to the extensive optimisation controls available through the EInkWise Center, but physics and display technology still impose unavoidable constraints.

Performance also varies considerably across the BOOX product range. Higher-end models with faster processors and more BSR (Boox Super Refresh) generally provide noticeably better experiences when multitasking or running demanding Android applications. Even so, no current E-Ink tablet truly approaches the fluidity of a conventional LCD or OLED Android device when running modern applications.

Overall, however, the breadth of supplementary applications, combined with the freedom to install and extensively optimise third-party software, is one of the defining strengths of the BOOX platform.

Few competing E-Ink ecosystems feel this open-ended or adaptable (the main competitor for running third-party Android apps is Bigme). The software occasionally lacks refinement, some applications feel more mature than others, and certain AI-related features still require significant development. Yet the sheer versatility afforded by the combination of native utilities and Android app support makes BOOX tablets among the most flexible and multifunctional E Ink devices currently available.

Final verdict

BOOX continues to offer perhaps the most comprehensive, versatile, and ambitious software ecosystem currently available in the E-Ink tablet marketplace. Both the native note-taking application and NeoReader are extraordinarily feature rich, with an almost overwhelming quantity of functionality available to the user. Whether your workflow revolves around handwriting, annotation, document management, multitasking, research, cloud synchronisation, or third-party Android applications, BOOX devices are capable of accommodating an exceptionally broad range of use cases.

However, this versatility comes at a cost.

The software is undeniably complex, and combined with some occasionally baffling user interface decisions, it results in a fairly steep learning curve. There are multiple toolbars and configuration menus, and features scattered somewhat inconsistently throughout the operating system. Whilst experienced users may eventually come to appreciate the depth of configurability, newcomers will likely find the software initially intimidating and at times rather unintuitive.

One of BOOX’s greatest strengths remains its use of Android combined with an officially certified Google Play Store. This dramatically expands what the tablet is capable of compared to more closed ecosystems. Third-party applications can be installed easily and, thanks to the EInkWise Center, users are given an unusually high degree of control over how those applications behave on an E-Ink display. BOOX has arguably gone further than almost any other E-Ink manufacturer in attempting to mitigate the inherent limitations of E Ink technology through software optimisation tools. Adjustable refresh modes, contrast tuning, DPI scaling, image smoothing, and per-application configuration collectively allow Android applications to function considerably better than one might initially expect on E Ink hardware.

Unfortunately, however, this particular firmware iteration also introduces one of the most persistent ghosting problems I have experienced on a modern BOOX device.

Ghosting (the faint residual visibility of previous screens or interface elements) is, to some extent, an unavoidable characteristic of E-Ink displays. No E-Ink device is entirely immune to it. However, with Boox Firmware 4.2, the issue feels substantially more aggressive and persistent than it did in previous firmware versions. There is often a constant debris of faint afterimages lingering in the background, to the point where I found myself repeatedly triggering manual refreshes throughout normal usage.

In fact, the problem became intrusive enough that I created a custom gesture specifically dedicated to performing manual fullscreen refreshes on demand. When I revisited older BOOX hardware still running earlier firmware revisions, the difference was immediately noticeable. There is simply more ghosting present throughout Firmware 4.2 than I am personally comfortable accepting.

And that is disappointing because, fundamentally, ghosting management is one of the core responsibilities of E-Ink software optimisation.

Another point that deserves criticism concerns ‘Talk Insights‘, BOOX’s voice transcription and AI summarisation application.

Ordinarily, I avoid criticising or discussing features that I have not personally tested. However, I feel compelled to mention Talk Insights precisely because it remains unavailable for many users despite being prominently featured within BOOX marketing materials since its announcement roughly seven months ago.

The application is supposed to record conversations or meetings, transcribe speech into text, and generate AI summaries. Yet despite repeated mentions in firmware changelogs and product launches, many users – myself included – still do not actually have access to it. BOOX support have told me that rollout is occurring gradually by region, but at this stage the prolonged absence of the feature for many users deserves to be acknowledged.

Outside of those criticisms, however, the overall software package remains extremely strong.

Many of the supplementary applications and utilities are genuinely useful. BOOXDrop is excellent, Calendar Memo has evolved into a legitimately practical productivity tool, and the broader Android integration dramatically increases the flexibility of the platform. The ability to synchronise notebooks across devices, integrate third-party cloud services, install Android applications, and customise the system extensively makes BOOX devices some of the most adaptable E-Ink tablets currently available.

Ultimately, despite its flaws, I still believe the BOOX software ecosystem is among the best in the industry for users who prioritise versatility and functionality above simplicity.

If you want a minimalist, highly polished, appliance-like experience with minimal configuration, there are other brands that arguably execute that philosophy more elegantly. But if you want an E-Ink device capable of adapting to a vast variety of workflows, applications, and productivity scenarios, BOOX remains exceptionally compelling.

That said, I have personally scored Firmware 4.2 slightly lower than the Boox’s previous firmware iteration. Whilst there are certainly worthwhile improvements, particularly to Calendar Memo, the increased prevalence of ghosting represents a regression significant enough that I cannot comfortably ignore it.

It is frustrating because, in many other respects, BOOX’s software ambitions are genuinely impressive. Yet basic display cleanliness and refresh management are foundational aspects of the E-Ink experience, and at present I simply do not feel BOOX has handled them as well as it should have with this firmware release.

Firmware Overview

Reviews of Older Versions of Boox Firmware

My rating	Firmware version	Tablets using this firmware
	4.2 (current version) Apr 2026	Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Lumi
	4.1 (current version) Aug 2025	Boox Go 10.3 Boox Note Air5 C Boox Palma 2 Pro Boox Note Air3 Boox Note Air4 C Boox Note Air3 C Boox Go 7 Boox Go Color 7
	4.0 (current version) Oct 2024	Boox Note Max Boox Tab Ultra C Pro Boox Tab X Boox Tab X C Boox Tab Mini C Boox Tab Ultra Boox Max Lumi 2 Boox Tab Ultra C Boox Note Air2 Plus Boox Note 5
	3.5 Sep 2024	Boox Nova Air2 Boox Nova Air C Boox Nova Air

Boox E-Ink Tablets

My rating	Item	Description
	Boox Go 10.3*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Lumi*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Note Air5 C*	10.3" color
	Boox Note Air3*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Palma 2 Pro*	6.13" color
	Boox Note Air4 C*	10.3" color
	Boox Note Max*	13.3" monochrome
	Boox Note Air3 C*	10.3" color
	Boox Tab X*	13.3" monochrome
	Boox Tab X C*	13.3" color
	Boox Tab Ultra C Pro*	10.3" color
	Boox Max Lumi 2*	13.3" monochrome
	Boox Tab Ultra*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Go 7*	7" monochrome
	Boox Go Color 7*	7" color
	Boox Tab Mini C*	7.8" color
	Boox Note Air2 Plus*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Nova Air2*	7.8" monochrome
	Boox Nova Air C*	7.8" color
	Boox Nova Air*	7.8" monochrome
	Boox Note 5*	10.3" monochrome
	Boox Tab Ultra C*	10.3" color