The ReMarkable’s compact design also just feels really good in your hands. The thin silhouette is easy to pinch between your thumb and pointer finger as you write, and the surface is smooth and satisfying to hold.
The screen
The ReMarkable 2 features a stripped down, simple interface. It really only does one thing: display text (whether those words are yours or someone else’s). Either way, this bare bones tablet is immensely refreshing.
According to Rachel Goldberg, LMFT, a therapist based in Los Angeles, devices like the ReMarkable can help us hop off the endorphins hamster wheel that is the internet right now. “Receiving messages, notifications, likes, retweets, or reposts often triggers an endorphin rush,” she says. “However, for someone who gets easily overwhelmed and is trying to focus, these notifications can instead lead to anxiety.”
Ignoring the constant conversations that are happening on our phones can help us feel more comfortable sitting with our emotions and improve our productivity, she adds. “With 24/7 access to messaging, social media, and news, thoughts often turn into reaching for their screen, deviating focus. Without this constant access, the option to stray is eliminated, allowing for better concentration,” says Goldberg.
Although the ReMarkable offers minimal features, it does its job really well. The screen and Marker have a slightly rough, paper-like texture (unlike an iPad and Apple Pencil) that’s incredibly satisfying to write on. Plus, the display responds quickly to touch.
Similar to a Kindle Paperwhite, the ReMarkable exclusively shows black type on a white background. But unlike the Kindle, this device doesn’t have a backlight—which may be a bummer for those who like to read or write under the covers. (My workaround is to just clip my book light onto the device and work away.)
Another example of the ReMarkable’s simplicity? When the device is asleep, the screen simply reads “ReMarkable is sleeping.” There’s no cover art, design, or advertisements. That’s all.
The features
In a world where all of our devices have one thousand jobs, ReMarkable does very little, very well. It has one on-and-off button, and once you turn on the touch screen, there are less than 10 options to choose from. You can create a new notebook or a folder, mark up an existing document, or read a PDF file or EPUB file. The most complex thing ReMarkable does is connect to your Google Drive, so you can work on your files on the go.
Once I downloaded my books onto the tablet, I found that the reading experience was similar to using other devices. When you’re ready for the next page, you simply swipe your finger across the screen from right to left. As you read, the ReMarkable 2 shows you which page you’re on, so you can keep track of your progress. The only challenge was that I love to borrow e-books from my local library, but they don’t always offer EPUB or PDF formats, meaning I couldn’t get every title I wanted onto my ReMarkable.