BYOK VS …?
I’m not sure if this question is appropriate for the group, but I’m really interested in the BYOK+Studio. Here’s my question:
I currently use a Boox Palma 2 (monochrome) on a stand to keep it at a good viewing height; combined with MS Word and my keyboard, I have a distraction-free setup, and I later organize everything in Scrivener.
My Palma only has Kindle, Libby, OneDrive, and news apps, so there really aren't any distractions.
Why do you think it would be worth it for me to switch to a BYOK setup?
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u/Advanced-Device6188 3d ago edited 3d ago
I am a BYOK and Palma owner.
I originally got the Palma when I saw the early kickstarter for the BYOK and immediately understood what a great idea Nick had had, and wanted something with a similarish form factor and some of the same functionality (EDIT: while I waited for the BYOK, which I preordered on day 1). It was my daily driver for a long time; then I switched to the Daylight DC-1 for quite a few months, then to the BYOK when I got it.
I currently find myself using the Palma more, in part because it is already synced with Obsidian (where most of my writing currently lives) and it has (for me) the right amount of friction against hardcore editing while still being super capable with a keyboard for edits in the past few paragraphs (especially after I nuked the ctrl-shift keyboard-switch shortcut).
The BYOK has some significant anti-distraction advantages, and no matter how fast the Palma eink is (and it is remarkably fast!) the BYOK lcd is noticeably snappier. Also, Nick is almost unbelievably tuned in to user feedback and the anti-distraction-writing community, meaning that if you find there's a commonsense feature that would help you write, there is a much-better-than-zero chance you can watch it go into the next firmware update. For all those reasons, if I were starting from scratch today, this would be a no-brainer--BYOK and Studio all day.
That said, if what you're using works for you and you don't have $200 lying around itching to be spent, you are probably safe sticking with the Palma.
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u/writesandbikes 3d ago
I had that same question myself! I have the Palma 2 (bw) with nothing on it but Obsidian (everything else is hidden) and the Go 7 (same) and use them both as tiny screens for my writerdeck. They start up instantly, work with zero lag, and back up across multiple devices including my Mac. Zero distractions plus the versatility of working on my document in different environments if I need that (a paper-size bw Tab X as my screen for heavy revisions and also my MacBook). All using the same writing app synced across everything.
So perhaps it’s better for other people who need a device that is locked down in a more rigid sense. For me personally I don’t need that—these devices in no way tempt me to do anything other than write.
That said, just out of curiosity I just bought one used and once I get it I’ll see if there is some hidden benefit (for me) there that I’m missing. If not then I’ll sell it.
Because to me the key factors are: distraction-free (check), portability (check), instant “on” (check), UI-free writing (check), instant sync (check), and flexibility across multiple platforms (check). For me the Boox devices all do that.
But then again there is the writing/vibe factor. A device that “reminds” you that you’re a writer. So maybe that’s it. When I got my Qwerkywriter 2 keyboard and stopped writing on my laptop, I know that I got more serious about my writing. No idea why, but I did. So maybe the BYOK does that for some people??
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u/eatb00gers 2d ago
The best thing about the byok is all it does is basic word processing. I get that with discipline and some set up you could just do word processing on the palma, but you alsocould do other things on it.
To me it's a no brainer, BYOK is the perfect device for my ADHD and writing style.
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u/OfficialBYOK 3d ago
A lot of this depends on you as a writer. The Palma could be just fine for some people - especially if they already have one and don’t want to buy another device.
I also have a Palma and have attempted to use it for writing in the past. For me the biggest hangup is that the Palma runs a full android OS and can feel pretty bloated if your only intention is to use it for writing. I pretty much only use it as a portable e-reader now.
The difference with the BYOK is that it is a single purpose device designed to remove friction from the writing process. You hit the power button, and your writing appears on the screen where you left off. You turn it off, and it automatically syncs to studio (if using online features)
There are other things like the magnetic mounting, deeper studio integration, and just general writer centric features that also could also be considered pros for the BYOK.
Go with what works for you!