u/Apprehensive-Way8126

I just wanted to take a moment to thank the team at AINOTE for the last several updates. The team has been on fire lately. Being able to sync between the AINOTE 2 and AINOTE AIR 2 is a real game-changer. It has allowed me to use the Air 2 more now. The update for PDF linked files is another real game-changer. I can use my PDF planner again with confidence. Awesome job!!

These updates show both iFlyTek's commitment to its users *they really listen to feedback" and its commitment to offering the best experience possible.

I have begun using my TCL A1 Note more often. The T-Pen Pro works well in the notes program. However, I have discovered a problem when making annotations in PDFs. The highlighter seems to work fine, but when I use the "ballpoint pen" feature to write a note, the writing is spotty, like a bad pen that is about to run out of ink. Unlike the iFlyTek devices, there is nowhere to submit a tech support request/bug notice on the device itself. So, I am submitting it here in hopes that the team handling the A1 Note will see it.

Has anyone else experienced this problem when annotating a PDF?

I am not a professional device reviewer.  I have discovered that most YouTube reviewers are allowed to review devices if they give them a glowing review without pointing out any weak spots.  I have been using digital ink devices for 2 years now.  I started with the ReMarkable Paper Pro, then the Boox Tab XC, the Vinwood AI Paper, and the iFlyTek AINOTE 2.  Each device has its weaknesses and strengths. 

I wanted to love the TCL A1 Note NXTPAPER.  The screen refresh rate is 120 Hz.  So, it is quick and responsive.  I am surprised that TCL did not set up the device like their NXTPAPER 14, with three screen modes: high-res color, simulated digital ink black and white, and simulated digital ink color.   The interface lets you tweak the screen to make it easier on the eyes (which it really is).  But the “Paper-like” screen is limited to the display and is not textured to feel like you are writing on paper (which nearly all of their competitors do).  This was a big misstep for the development team.

 

While the T-Note app also serves as the basic interface, it is limited in scope.  They do have some nice additions to the Notes app, like a ruler for drawing straight lines at any angle, and the selection of predefined shapes is nice too, but the manipulation of shapes once created needs a little work.  I also think the fountain pen needs a little work, as it doesn't write like a fountain pen.  AI integration, which is good in many aspects, is limited to the Notes App.  The Calendar-Todo app is buggy.  Half the time, it shows all the appointments, but they are shifted over one day (Monday’s appointments show up on Sunday, etc.).  Sometimes, half of the appointments do not show up at all. 

 

Instead of integrating all of Android's productivity features (such as Vinwood and iFlytek), they simply install Outlook on the system and leave it at that.  This was a real misstep in the software design.  While my corporate accounts use MS Exchange, it is hosted on our own servers.  Newer versions of Outlook do not work well with MS Exchange, unless the servers are hosted directly by Microsoft. 

 

The decision not to have the keyboard cover ready for distribution at the product launch has left a bad taste in the mouths of most early adopters, too.  The keyboard cover was included with the KickStart program and was also provided to all the reviewers on YouTube, as well as being pictured in the device's promotional materials.  For these devices to be truly functional in the creative and corporate workspace, the keyboard cover is essential.

 

While there is no perfect device on the market right out of the box, developers continue laboring tirelessly to improve the software that powers them.   For me, the iFlyTek AINOTE2 is about as close as it gets for my daily carry (although I still want to see them integrate Google Contacts into the native email program that works with Gmail). 

 

If I had been on the TCL development team, I would have examined my competitors as I designed the product, drawn on their strengths and concepts, and integrated AI into every aspect of the device.   Then I would have released a mature, highly functional device to the public, with a screen refresh that the digital ink world could not have matched.  Instead, the TCL A1 Note sits on my device as something that I play around with occasionally, hoping that future firmware updates will make it more functional in the real world.  (Also looking for a screen protector for it that will feel more like real paper, too.)

In the pictures on Amazon for the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER it shows a keyboard cover being used with the device. I have ordered the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER, but I really need the keyboard cover for it to meet my needs. Does anyone know where one can be purchased in the US?

The ReMarkable Paper Pro was my first digital ink device. The quality of the device, pen, and writing experience is superior to anything else on the market. I used it as my daily carry for nearly a year. There are so many things that ReMarkable does well. Unfortunately, I had to settle on other devices of lesser quality to accomplish the creative processes that I am tasked with. I write books and articles, prep for podcasts, interviews, and even TV shows. There are several things that the ReMarkable lacks that are essential for me.

• A real, native functioning calendar app that will sync with Google, Apple, etc.
• A real task app that also syncs and has the ability to create a task from within my notes.
• A native app that can create and edit in MS Word format, and does not have to import/export.

While a new device is nice (and I hope for a future solid upgrade to the Paper Pro), functionality is crucial in real business and creative life.