[Question] Analog rewritable tablet

[NormanPerlmutter]

I am requesting suggestions for an analog-ish rewritable tablet. Details below.

I have a paper and pencil task list for work that I repeatedly erase and write over as I complete various tasks. After a month or two, it gets hard to read and I have to copy everything onto a new list. I’m looking for an alternative type of paper that can be erased many times without smudging or erasing accidentally. I don’t want a fully digital solution like an iPad or a digital text document, but rather something with a look and feel similar to paper or a dry erase board, but that erases easier than paper and avoids the sort of smudging and accidental erasure that you get with a dry erase board.

The two possibilities that I found so far are Boogie Board and Rocketbook (and other brands producing similar items to those two.) They seem nice in theory but reviews indicate that the technologies are not quite mature. Boogie Board all the text lightens every time you use the partial erase, and Rocketbook takes 15-30 seconds for the ink to dry and still smudges after that.

[Algon]

Try a blackboard if you’re OK with the large size and chalk. It is also quite aesthetic. You can be like Walter Lewin! So fun.

[NormanPerlmutter]

I love blackboards, I was a research mathematician for many years and they have a special place in my heart along with a stick of Hagoromo chalk. But they don’t fit my purposes here for much the same reasons as dry erase boards—they erase accidentally and don’t allow for small writing.

[meedstrom]

The reMarkable has a surprisingly paperlike writing experience, according to every review I’ve read.

[NormanPerlmutter]

Thanks. This is similar to what I’m looking for, but a bit too small. I’d prefer something the size of an 8.5x11 sheet of paper, but I might give Remarkable a try.

[Trevor Hill-Hand]

I need to +1 the reMarkable, especially the older version if you can find one. My wife has spent years looking for the perfect notetaking experience and the reMarkable blew everything else out of the water, especially with the fact they embrace and encourage homebrewing.

[NormanPerlmutter]

How is the older version better than the newer version (other than meedstrom’s comment)?

[meedstrom]

Now I’m glad I recently ordered the older version. (my motivation was that it can run Parabola GNU/​Linux + Emacs)

[NormanPerlmutter]

I just found out that electric erasers are a thing. (Similar to an electric toothbrush, but an eraser.) I have ordered a high-end electric eraser, going to see whether it helps me to do better using my current paper and pencil setup.

[NormanPerlmutter]

Well, the electric eraser was maybe a slight improvement over my manual eraser when I use both together, but not enough to really solve my problem. I went back to using mostly the manual one as it’s more convenient.

[Ann]

Wax tablets with a stylus are a historic solution but I haven’t actually tried one yet. If I do I’ll come back with a review.

[Kenny]

How do you erase what you’ve written/​drawn?

[Ann]

The stylus has a flat spatula-type device at the not pointy end, that you use for erasing.

[Kenny]

Sorry – how does the “flat spatula-type device” ‘erase’? Does it just smooth the indentations made in the wax?

[Ann]

Yeah, basically scraping and reshaping the wax back into a flat shape. Not sure how much you can get away with before that gets more complicated and how your type of stylus impacts it (see metal or wood available, would guess metal might steal fewer bits of wax).

‘Tabula rasa’ is from ‘scraped tablet’, which seems like it might’ve worked decently well for those used to it. I’m sure contrast is lower on pigmented wax that’s soft enough to erase compared to chalk on a slate, but … chalk sounds aren’t my thing and neither are dry erase smells, so I’ve thought about trying it. Usually use a paper notebook that I don’t erase for most things, though.

[NormanPerlmutter]

Cool idea, I like the historic and low-tech aspect. I will look into it.

[meedstrom]

What’s your opinion of wet-erase boards? No accidental erasure as with dry-erase boards.

[NormanPerlmutter]

I’m not familiar with them and am curious to learn more. My main concern would be whether they allow for fine-scale writing and erasing, since I am writing in small print with lines close together and erasing line by line. Is there a particular brand that you would recommend?