I Tested the Thinnest Paper Tablet Ever! AINOTE 2 Review

Today, we’re taking a close look at the AINOTE 2, an upcoming e-ink tablet that has just launched on Kickstarter.

So, what makes this device stand out from the crowd? Here’s a quick snapshot:

• Ultra-slim design: 10.6-inch tablet that’s incredibly thin and lightweight.

• Operating System: Runs on Android 14, giving it a familiar and versatile interface.

• Display: Features the Carta 1300 Mobius e-ink screen, one of the most impressive screens I’ve tested.

• Productivity-focused features: Packed with tools designed to enhance reading, note-taking, and overall productivity.

I had the chance to test the AINOTE 2 before its official launch, and even though the software is still being refined, the device already shows serious potential.

By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly what to expect if you’re considering supporting this project.

Special offer for Kickstarter backers:
During the campaign, you can get up to 31% off, with pricing starting at $449. Super Early Bird backers also receive 1TB of free cloud storage. Check out the KICKSTARTER LINK  if you want to support the project.

🔷 In a Nutshell

In a nutshell, the AINOTE 2 is a super slim 10.6‑inch e-ink tablet running Android 14, and honestly, it’s one of the most exciting e-ink devices I’ve tried recently.

Here’s why it caught my attention:

• Ultra-thin design: At just 4.2 millimeters, it’s currently the thinnest e-ink tablet on the market. Insanely thin—but is it too thin? I’ll dive into that later.

• Impressive display: The Carta 1300 Mobius screen is sharp, responsive, and smooth for both reading and note-taking.

• Accurate and comfortable stylus: Writing feels natural, precise, and enjoyable for long sessions.

• AI-powered features: Includes handwriting-to-text conversion, real-time transcription, and AI summarization—all of which are genuinely useful. Voice transcription, in particular, worked impressively well, even with background noise.

• Portability: Lightweight and easy to carry, making it ideal for lectures, meetings, or travel.

• Solid battery life: Allows for hours of use without strain or interruption.

Bottom line:

The AINOTE 2 is more than just a tablet—it’s a smart productivity tool. If you want a device that keeps you organized, enhances your note-taking, and uses AI where it truly matters, this one is worth checking out.

🔷 Tech Specs

Let’s dive into the hardware and software that make the AINOTE 2 tick. Here’s a detailed look at its specifications:

💻 Hardware

📱 Software

• Runs a custom Android 14–based system optimized for:

  • The e-ink display

  • AI features like handwriting-to-text conversion and real-time transcription

• Third-party apps can be installed, though not all are perfectly compatible with e-ink screens.

🎙 AI & Productivity Features

• Real-time transcription: Capture meeting notes effortlessly.

• Supports 14 languages: Great for multilingual work or study environments.

• Handwriting-to-text conversion: Converts your notes accurately for editing and sharing.

⚠️ Note: The AINOTE 2 does not include a built-in speaker, so you’ll need Bluetooth headphones or an external speaker for audio playback. While this isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s worth keeping in mind if you rely on audio content.

🔷 Build Quality & Design

The AINOTE 2 is impressively thin and lightweight—perhaps even a little too thin for my taste. At just 4.2 millimeters thick, it claims to be the thinnest e-ink tablet in the world, which is quite remarkable. The tablet weighs 295 grams, or 313 grams if you include the stylus.

The overall design is minimalist and modern, with narrow bezels, clean lines, and a smooth plastic back. Four rubberized feet keep the device stable on surfaces, and pogo pins allow for a keyboard protective case (sold separately).

The metal edge frame transitions smoothly to the plastic front, which has thin bezels and a slightly wider bottom chin. This chin houses the Quick Bar, letting you open AI tools, take notes, or turn pages instantly—there’s quite a lot of functionality packed into this small area.

On the top edge, you’ll find the power button and a new AI button, which opens the AI search feature. In terms of portability, the AINOTE 2 is easy to fit into a backpack or bag. It is roughly the same size as the Viwoods AiPaper, smaller than the reMarkable Paper Pro, but larger than a Kindle Paperwhite.

One area where the design shows its compromise is thickness. Because the tablet is so slim, pressing on the corners produces a slight flex and an audible give, similar to the Viwoods AiPaper. It doesn’t have the solid, one-piece feel that some other e-ink tablets offer.

Personally, I would have preferred it to be slightly thicker and heavier for added sturdiness. However, the ultra-lightweight design makes it easy to hold for hours without discomfort. The takeaway: the AINOTE 2 is light, elegant, and highly portable, but a protective case is recommended if you plan to toss it into a backpack regularly.

🔷 Display

The AINOTE 2 features the latest generation Carta 1300 Mobius e-ink screen, delivering excellent contrast and clarity with an improved refresh rate compared to older Carta panels.

The “Mobius” aspect means the screen is flexible e-ink, made from durable plastic rather than glass. While you won’t be flexing it, this design makes the display lighter, thinner, and less fragile, potentially handling drops or stress better than traditional glass screens.

Key Display Features

• High resolution: 300 PPI ensures crisp text, sharp images, and clear graphics, making reading and note-taking a pleasure.

• Refresh modes:

  • Best Display: Optimized for visual quality.

  • Best Speed: Extremely fast, allowing smoother video playback compared to most e-ink tablets, though some ghosting is still visible.

• Ghosting management: Ghosting is noticeable, especially in Best Speed mode, but can be easily cleared with a double-tap two-finger refresh. Regular reading isn’t significantly affected, as pages refresh automatically every few screens.

What’s Missing

The AINOTE 2 does not have a front light, similar to other Carta 1300 Mobius devices like the Boox Note Max and Viwoods AiPaper.

• In well-lit environments or with a reading lamp, this isn’t an issue.

• However, if you plan to read in complete darkness or at bedtime without external lighting, the lack of a front light might be limiting.

🔷 Reading Experience

The AINOTE 2 delivers a highly comfortable reading experience, making it easy to enjoy long sessions without eye strain. Its lightweight design combined with the crisp Carta 1300 Mobius display ensures that reading is effortless, even for hours.

Despite running Android, the custom interface remains clean and distraction-free. There are no intrusive notifications or pop-ups, allowing you to focus entirely on your EPUBs, MOBIs, PDFs, or other documents.

Key Features for Readers

• Split-screen mode:

  • View your notes alongside your book or document.

  • Ideal for studying, annotating, or reviewing research papers.

  • Export all notes directly into the Notes section.

• Annotation and highlighting:

  • Annotate directly on your books.

  • Highlights and notes are saved in one place.

  • Export everything as PDF or Word documents, which is perfect for students and researchers.

• Text customization:

  • Adjust fonts and layout easily.

  • Simple and intuitive, avoiding the clutter of devices with complex menus.

• Supported formats: EPUB, PDF, TXT, MOBI, AZW3, DOCX, Excel files, and more.

• Page turning:

  • Best Speed mode: Lightning-fast for smooth reading.

  • Best Display mode: Optimized for visual quality, taking full advantage of the Carta 1300 screen.

• File transfer:

  • Sideload via USB-C.

  • Sync from OneDrive or other cloud services.

  • Use WiFi Import to send files directly via a browser link.

🔷 Writing Experience

The AINOTE 2 delivers a solid writing experience, comparable to the Viwoods AiPaper, thanks to the same Carta 1300 Mobius display. This ensures excellent responsiveness, high contrast, and a bright, clear screen.

Stylus Performance

• Accuracy and responsiveness: The stylus performs well even during long writing sessions.

• Screen texture: Smooth, though I personally prefer slightly more resistance to mimic paper.

• Stylus design: Made of plastic with a comfortable, non-slippery grip—feels elegant and well-balanced.

• Sound: Writing is slightly louder than on some other devices, giving a tactile feel reminiscent of writing on paper.

Multifunction Button

The stylus includes a multifunction button with smart functionality:

• Press and hold with the tip away from the screen: Switches to eraser mode.

• Press and hold close to the screen: Activates a selection lasso for AI searches or clearing notes.

• Customizable actions: You can assign different functions to the button according to your workflow.

Screen Flex

• A noticeable flex occurs when pressing with the pen, particularly near the bottom of the device.

• While it doesn’t affect writing performance, it’s more apparent than on other e-ink tablets.

Smart Gestures

• Drawing symbols like stars or circles in your notes automatically organizes your handwriting into tasks or priority items:

  • Circle: Adds text to a to-do list.

  • Star: Marks text as a priority item (Focus Star).

• There’s a slight learning curve, but gestures are intuitive and easy to use once familiar.

Handwriting-to-Text Conversion

• Languages supported: 83 languages using a combination of AI and OCR for recognition.

• Test results:

  • English: Highly accurate.

  • Polish and Farsi: Generally good but occasionally inconsistent.

• Despite minor errors, the feature is perfectly usable for everyday note-taking and transcription tasks.

🔷 AI Functionality

One of the areas where the AINOTE 2 truly shines is AI integration. Unlike many e-ink devices that include AI as a gimmick, the AINOTE 2 focuses on features that actually enhance productivity.

Quick Access to ChatAI

• The bottom Quick Bar provides instant access to ChatAI, powered by the ChatGPT 4o model.

• Completely free, no subscription required.

• Pops up over any app or note you’re working on, allowing you to copy answers and paste them directly into your notes.

Voice Transcription

• The device can record and transcribe voice with impressive accuracy.

• Handles background noise surprisingly well, making it ideal for lectures, meetings, or interviews.

• Transcriptions can be saved, exported, or used for note-taking, streamlining workflow significantly.

AI Summarization

• After a meeting or conversation, the AI can summarize content into neat bullet points.

• These summaries are easy to copy, share, or email, saving time and effort.

Contextual AI Assistance

• While reading, you can highlight sentences or paragraphs and instantly use AI to:

  • Search for explanations

  • Gain deeper context

  • Extract insights efficiently

Bottom line: AINOTE 2’s AI features are practical, well-thought-out, and seamlessly integrated into everyday tasks. From transcription to smart summaries and contextual assistance, AI is not just a gimmick—it’s a tool that enhances productivity.

For a full list of AI features, check out their Kickstarter page via the link in the description.

🔷 Who Is This Device For?

The AINOTE 2 is designed with productivity in mind, making it ideal for a variety of users:

Students & Academics

• Perfect for lectures, research, and study sessions.

• AI-powered transcription and handwriting recognition make notes easy to manage.

• AI summarization can condense long research papers into quick, digestible bullet points.

• Cloud sync ensures that your work is always backed up and accessible.

Professionals & Business Users

• Ideal for meetings and collaborative work.

• Real-time voice transcription captures conversations accurately.

• Supports 14 languages, making it excellent for global teams or multilingual meetings.

• Ensures that every detail is recorded for efficient follow-ups and documentation.

Travelers & Digital Nomads

• Extremely lightweight and slim, making it easy to carry anywhere.

• Supports offline note-taking, reading, and annotation.

• Voice transcription and translation require internet, but everything syncs automatically once reconnected.

• 4000 mAh battery provides up to a week of active use, offering peace of mind for those constantly on the move.

🛒 Thinking of getting AINOTE 2?

AINOTE 2 Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/569412238/ainote-2-the-worlds-thinnest-ai-powered-paper-tablet?ref=cmzili