Tag: minimalismus

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Remarkable 2: Experiences After the First 2 Weeks

I had purchased a used Remarkable tablet of the first generation back in May because I wanted to test whether the device was right for me before spending a lot of money on the second generation. I have already written enough about the pros and cons of the Remarkable approach, so here I will focus on the new device with comparisons to the first generation.

First of all, the Remarkable 2 looks incredibly sleek. This starts with the packaging that arrived. Everything was thoughtfully designed, with small and large packages that together formed a block that fit perfectly into the shipping box. Everything was carefully packed, especially with paper. The plastic wrap could have been avoided, though.

As an early adopter, I paid a lower price for the whole package, meaning I got some extras for a much smaller additional cost. I treated myself to a Book Folio and a Marker Plus. This marker has an “eraser” built in, meaning I don’t need to go into the menu to erase something. You get used to it very quickly. However, the “eraser” is so wide that it’s easy to erase too much. But I wouldn’t want to miss this feature anymore. It definitely makes the work easier.

The marker attaches to the Remarkable 2 just like the Apple Pencil 2 attaches to the iPad — magnetically. This is already a significant improvement over the previous solution. The Folio also sticks magnetically. However, what’s missing from the marker is the ability to store extra nibs inside it. That’s unfortunate because I found that feature extremely practical. A nib lasts me about a month, and in the last few days with a nib, you start to wonder if the writing is becoming messy. With or without the Folio, the Remarkable feels really good in the hand, and have I mentioned how sleek it looks? Even with the Folio? 🙂

Apparently, the new generation is also faster than the previous one, but I haven’t really noticed much of a difference so far. Overall, the Remarkable is still not the fastest software, and I hope they make some improvements in that area.

The Remarkable first generation looks almost cheap next to the second generation. The display size is the same, but the case is slightly larger. The plastic of the first generation always seemed a bit dirty. However, I do miss the buttons from the first generation; the swipe motion from top to bottom to return to the home screen is still a bit unfamiliar. Sometimes, I also find the response a bit sluggish. As mentioned earlier, it’s not super fast, neither the old nor the new model.

Despite daily use (sometimes more, sometimes less per day), the battery lasts surprisingly long for me, definitely over a week. The USB port, which is now built into the side panel, is a USB-C port, making it much easier to plug in.

I mainly use the Remarkable for:

  • Taking notes during meetings
  • Brainstorming and story writing (see below for an example of how I add a story to a PowerPoint)
  • Making annotations in PDFs, such as correcting papers or adding notes to articles I need to read
  • Reading books
  • Journaling and planning

For all these activities, the device is extremely well-suited. I use it more than my iPad, which I could now sell. However, with the iPad, I can draw on a virtual whiteboard in Zoom calls, which is a bit more complex with the Remarkable, though still possible. Overall, I am very satisfied with the purchase. It’s a lot of money for a device that does so much less compared to an iPad, but it has exactly what I need: something analog that doesn’t strain my eyes as quickly and offers a better writing feel. Is the higher price compared to the used first-generation device justified? I don’t know. For me, it’s about how practical it is, and the new generation is definitely more practical with its longer battery life and well-thought-out accessories. The rest is an extra cost for a significantly better design and aesthetics that are in a completely different league. And yes, that’s also worth something to me. After all, who doesn’t know that the writing tool also affects writing inspiration? 🙂

Update August 23, 2021: With a heavy heart, I sold my Remarkable 2. I still think it’s an excellent device, but it just didn’t fit into my workflow. And since I’m constantly trying to reduce the number of my gadgets… 🙁

Update August 2022: I have a Remarkable again. It’s simply unbeatable when it comes to taking notes, and it’s better for reflective work where you shouldn’t be distracted…

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The Compact: 4 weeks of experience

ATTENTION: The Compact has NOTHING to do with the magazine Compact! 4 weeks ago I had decided to renounce consumption for 6 months and not to buy anything new. First of all: It’s easier than you think, and it’s relieving. You no longer have to buy anything at the last minute just because you want to buy something. However, I also have to report failures:
  • 1 pair of jeans (one broke, and I didn’t have the time to go buy a used one between two business trips)
  • 1 memory card for the digital camera (during the vacation I had to choose whether we either take fewer photos or buy the memory; eBay was out of the question at short notice)
  • 1 software update (absolutely pointless, the software had done well before)
  • 1 book for the daughter’s heart
All in all, not the big editions, but annoying except for the book (I think I will generally allow exceptions for books, as long as the books are really read immediately; I can’t always wait until a book is available used for professional reasons). Since food is allowed, I brought chocolate from the business trips or we used gifts that we had “in stock”. My girlfriend benefited from the whole story in that some purchases were due for her; also expenses for concerts etc. are allowed, and thus the wallet has not really been spared. The participants in the Compact group at Yahoo! go much further, some are thinking about how to save on gas, water and electricity, which leads to suggestions such as using water several times (taking washing water for the toilet). Saving energy is a good idea, and I have decided not to leave my computer in sleep mode anymore, but to really shut it down when I don’t need it. Even more radical is a couple on the East Coast who call their experiment No Impact and about whom even the New York Times has written: They live only on organic food grown within a 400-kilometer radius of Manhattan, produce no waste except compost, use no paper and do not use carbon-fueled transportation. No toilet paper. The project is not entirely altruistic, because the husband is a writer and uses what he has experienced for a new book. Even though I’m not quite as radical, the first 4 weeks went quite well. This is now my plan for the next month:
  • Get rid of everything on ebay that I don’t really need
  • No more buying drinks in plastic bottles or paper cups (if it can be avoided, this is a bit difficult when traveling by air, after all, you can no longer bring your own drinks)
  • Always shut down the computers in the evening, as well as do not leave the TV/DVD player on standby
  • Finally read the books that are still unread on the shelf
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The Compact: Life Beyond Consumption

ATTENTION: The Compact has NOTHING to do with the magazine Compact!

In the New York Times supplement of yesterday’s Süddeutsche Zeitung, there is a report on a group that has decided not to buy anything new for 6 months. The goals of the group, which calls itself The Compact, are as follows:

  • Going beyond recycling to counteract the negative global environmental and socio-economic impacts of the throwaway and consumer society and to support local companies and farmers
  • Reduce the clutter and garbage in your home
  • Simplify your life

There are two principles to achieve these goals:

  • Don’t buy new products of any kind from stores, websites, etc
  • Borrow, exchange or buy used

There are exceptions, of course you can buy personal things such as laundry, toothpaste and toothbrush, and of course you have to buy something to eat. It is also allowed to spend money on intangible things such as music or sports. It’s not about castigating oneself, but about reflective consumption.

In addition to the financial savings, the participants say they get more time that had previously been lost due to shopping and its effects.

The group’s action turned into a global movement. More information can be found in the Yahoo! group, of which there is now also a European counterpart, as well as a blog.

For me as a gadget addict, this is both a nightmare and a relief, and I have several questions:

  • Can I bring surprises from long journeys to my loved ones at home?
  • Can I buy a new battery for my computer if the old one is flat?
  • What about software?

Apart from these questions, I will start today. And I will report on it. 6 months.

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Jimi: The wallet for people who don’t want wallets

Wallets, wallets or purses, no matter what you call it, I have had a deep aversion to them for years. I can’t carry it cool in my back pocket, so I can’t sit, which may also be due to my lack of sitting flesh. And if you want to go out in the evening, I never know where to put it: If I have it in the back, it’s stolen from me, it looks stupid in the front, and apart from that it bothers me. Exactly for people like me, there is now the solution, and she calls herself Jimi.

The Jimi Wallet is not a normal wallet, but a nice little plastic box that has a compartment for banknotes and one for one or two cards, for example EC card and driver’s license. If you press on one side of the box, it opens, and you can also simply fold it up again. Supposedly, the shutter lasts 1 million times open and close. That would be more than 100 years (with opening and closing 20 times a day). Small change: No. Identity card: No. Customer cards: No. Fits well in one of the front pockets, where it’s hard to steal anything, and besides, the small box doesn’t get in the way. Ideal for going out in the evening, because that’s all you need. Also go into town for the afternoon. Or… Actually, you can almost always limit yourself, because do you always have to have 10 different loyalty and bonus cards, credit cards, receipts of your last purchases, etc. with you?

Nice idea. I would have liked to have had it earlier.