iReader had earlier launched the Smart 3 e-note device which takes things forward from the Smart 2 e-note that the company had introduced in 2020. The Smart 3 comes with several intuitive features that make it unique in the segment. For instance, there are the physical page turn buttons included in the left spine. That is kind of rare for a 10.3-inch note-taking device with a Wacom display. This is going to be immensely helpful when the Smart 3 is used as an e-reader device though a more ideal scenario will be to let the button perform different tasks depending on the app being used. It can be like letting the button act as one that takes you back to the previous page while the other can act as the page refresh button and so on. You can buy this from the Good e-Reader Store for $369.99

Another interesting aspect of the Smart 3 is that the company is offering a brand new pen with it. Made of gunmetal, the pen is also seemingly larger than most pens out there and is an entirely new development. This no doubt makes the offering all the more interesting considering that many manufacturers skip out on this. Even iReader does not offer a pen with the Smart XS Pro 8. The company meanwhile had stated it’s an electromagnetic pen that does not require frequent recharging.

Otherwise, the Smart 3 comes with a 10.3-inch E Ink Carta 1200 HD display having a resolution of 1872 x 1404 pixels. That translates to a not-too-bad pixel density of 227 PPI. Under the hood lies a 2Ghz quad-core processor that works in tandem with 2 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage. The device comes pre-loaded with Android 10. A 4000 mAh battery keeps the device going.

iReader is also offering the Smart 3 in shades of both white and black right from day one. This again is unique in the 10-inch or so category of note-taking tablets. Huawei too had launched the MatePad Paper which initially came with the Black color option and it is only recently that the company started offering the same in what it refers to as the Moonlight color for the white shaded MatePad Paper.

Coming to the basic design, the Smart 3 does not break any new ground. Rather, it conforms to what is fast turning out to be the staple design for the 10-inch category of e-notes. That includes a thickish left spine while the rest of the bezel is kept quite thin. The left spine is also what you will be holding on to when reading e-books or other text files, with the page turn button conveniently placed to allow for easy single-handed operation.

Overall, it’s a familiar yet nice design with square edges. The power button is placed at the top while the bottom edge hosts the USB-C port and the microphone. There are twin stereo speakers at the bottom with each placed along the two ends. The rear has a matte finish to it which does look cool. It feels good to hold and does not act as a fingerprint magnet as well.

Unfortunately, though as it is with most e-readers or e-notes originating in China, there is very little English support available. So unless you are resorting to using your smartphone to get the texts translated via Google Translate, which no doubt is far from being the ideal scenario, using the device can be a bit of a chore. The only viable option is to make your way through using the icons which are self-descriptive.

The company also said they are working to include English which no doubt will enhance its appeal in the English-speaking countries immensely. It’s not that the Smart 3 is completely unusable in its present form. Rather, it’s the contrary and it speaks volumes of the simple yet elegant UI that is easy to use. The device is also well put together and has quality written all over it.

The post First look at the iReader Smart 3 e-note first appeared on Good e-Reader.