The Boox Palma 2 has a faster processor and adds a fingerprint reader

Boox has announced the Palma 2, the next version of its popular smartphone-sized e-reader. Palma 2 faces some initial shortcomings, with a faster processor to cope with the original interface and using a new version of Android.

But it was the Palma’s compact size and access to thousands of apps that helped it become a popular alternative to the Kindle and Kobo, and Boox doesn’t mess with that formula with the Palma 2. It features the same 6.13-inch 300ppi E Ink Carta 1200. screen like the original (a generation behind what’s found in the latest Kindle Paperwhite) and it also comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Although Boox didn’t share specifics, it says the new Palma 2 now uses a “faster octa-core CPU,” which we hope will help speed up the new e-reader interface. It also runs Android 13 instead of Android 11. That’s still a few generations behind the latest version of Android, but it means the Palma 2 will get new features like improved copy and paste. It should also give the e-reader a few more years than the original before apps stop supporting its version of the OS.

Another notable upgrade to the Palma 2 is the addition of a fingerprint sensor integrated into its power button, making it easier to secure the device while still being able to quickly unlock it with one hand.

Although leaked images from earlier this week suggested that Boox might be removing cameras from its smartphone-sized e-readers, that was a version of the Palma limited to China. The Palma 2 has the same 16MP rear camera with flash as the original, which the company suggests is useful for documenting.

Alongside the Palma 2, Boox also announced two new note-taking devices. The 10.3-inch Note Air4 C features the latest Kaleido 3 color E Ink display with improved refresh rates and an octa-core processor that Boox claims makes the tablet 50 percent faster than the previous model. The $499.99 Air4 C Note also runs Android 13 and has a new “tablet-like” UI that the company says makes it easier to customize its home screen and organize apps.

The new Boox Note Max is a black-and-white, stylus-capable tablet featuring a large 13.3-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display powered by a 2.8GHz octa-core CPU. At 4.6 millimeters thick, the Note Max is about the same size as the Boox Palma 2. But unlike the other two Boox devices launched today, it won’t be available for pre-order on the company’s online store for a few weeks.