Fujitsu Quaderno A4
Fujitsu is renowned international brand which has recently entered E Ink Industry. Fujitsu Quaderno A4 is a digital writing device that combines the best of both worlds: the natural and intuitive experience of writing on paper and the convenience of digital technology. This 13.3 inch digital note taking device reads PDF files exactly as they were intended.
This A4 Sized E Ink Tablet is using a brand new E INK Carta 1250. This version has a thinner film and faster ink, enabling faster page turns. When employing the stylus, 1250 also has less latency, you can expect less than 30 milliseconds. The device is lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry around.
In-Depth Review Coming Soon…
Fujitsu Quaderno A4 Specification
| FEATURES | Onyx Boox Tab Mini C | ONYX Boox Tab Ultra C |
| Release year | 2023 | 2023 |
| Display | ||
| Screen type | Kaleido 3 | Kaleido 3/Carta 1200 |
| Screen size | 7.8" | 10.3" |
| Resolution (B/W) | 1404 x 1872 | 2480 x 1860 |
| Resolution (Color) | 702 x 936 | 1240 x 930 (C) |
| Pixel density (PPI) | 300ppi/150ppi | 300ppi/150ppi |
| Hardware | ||
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 6,300mAh |
| Thickness | 8.3 mm | 6.7 mm |
| Weight | 310g | 480g |
| Connectivity | Wifi+BT+OTG | Wifi+BT+OTG |
| Operating system | Android 11 | Android 11 |
| Google Play Store | ✓ | ✓ |
| Handwriting recognition | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other Features | ||
| Backlit Screen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Speakers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto-Rotate | ✓ | ✓ |
| Waterproof | ⨯ | ⨯ |
Aspect of Consideration
- Design
- Display
- Hardware
- Software
- Stylus
- Notetaking Experience
- Reading Experience
- Service
- Pricing
Key Takeaways
- The preinstalled Scheduler for planning / organizing has a really great UI
- The device has a plastic screen, giving durability and a better writing experience
- Stylus response is great and any stylus in the market can be used on this device
- The UI is simple and the split screen features is great
- Though it runs on android, 3rd Party apps aren’t supported
Design and Build Quality
The Quaderno A4 boasts a premium build with its all-metal stylus and an onboard lithium-ion battery. While the stylus requires micro USB charging, it charges quickly due to its small battery. The device offers a seamless transition between A4 and A5 paper sizes, using the same stylus.
Display
The Fujitsu Quaderno A4 sports a 13.3-inch Mobius flexible 1250 panel, featuring a standard resolution of 1650 x 2200. This results in a pixel density of 207 pixels per inch (PPI). The display offers both capacitive touch input and an EMR digitizer, making it compatible with stylus pens.
Its unique feature is that the ink appears to be on the surface of the screen, enhancing the reading and writing experience. The display offers excellent clarity for both text and images, with good contrast and legibility.
Software & UI
The device’s user interface is user-friendly. It doesn’t feature a traditional home screen but displays a list of accessible functions. Functions include “Return to Document,” “Schedule,” “All Documents,” “Folders,” “All Notes,” “Create a Note,” “Import from ScanSnap,” and “Settings.” We explore each of these functionalities in detail.
- Return to Document: Easily return to the most recently read or opened PDF.
- Schedule: A powerful tool for managing schedules and interacting with interactive PDFs.
- All Documents: Your main access point, where all your documents are listed.
- Folders: A feature that allows organization for easy access.
- All Notes: A dedicated section for storing all your notes.
- Create a Note: Your starting point for note-taking.
- Import from ScanSnap: Integration with the ScanSnap device for scanning and document management.
- Settings: Configurable options for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and more.
Reading Experience
The reading experience on the Quaderno A4 is relatively basic. Users can open PDF documents and navigate through them by swiping the screen. Pinch-to-zoom is available, although it may not be as responsive as expected. Once zoomed in, you’re locked into a zoomed mode, limiting page flipping and readability.
Additional Reading Features
The device provides some essential reading features, such as the ability to search for specific words or marks within the document. There is also a progress list with page numbers and the option to jump to a particular page. However, the absence of direct page number input is a notable limitation.
Annotation and Highlighting
While you can highlight text with the built-in highlighter, you can’t add annotations to the highlights. This can be limiting for users who want to make detailed notes on their documents.
Note Taking Experience
Notebook Basics
The notebook functionality of the Quaderno A4 revolves around creating PDF files that can be used for note-taking. Notebooks are similar to regular documents, but they allow the insertion of new pages.
Template Options
Selecting a template for your notebook appears to be a one-time choice without an apparent option to change templates later. This limitation could be frustrating for users who prefer flexibility in template selection.
Pen and Eraser Functions
The Quaderno A4’s notebook feature employs the same set of pens and erasers available for regular documents. Users can choose from pens with various thicknesses and colors, but there’s no pressure sensitivity. Additionally, the eraser functions as a stroke eraser, applicable to all pen thicknesses.
Highlighter Limitations
While a highlighter tool is present, it seems to serve no purpose for notebooks, as there’s no text to highlight. This highlights a lack of adaptability in the toolset based on the document type.
Notebook Management
Managing notebooks and documents within the Quaderno A4 involves using a basic file system with folders. There isn’t a dedicated library or in-depth management system. Users can sort files by name, date modified, or choose ascending or descending order.
Stylus
The default EMR pen included with the Fujitsu Quaderno A4 is a standard, budget-friendly option. It comes in basic black and was commonly bundled with older Boox devices such as the Nova, Nova 2, and Note 2.
Pen Features
The pen features a standard nib at the front, making it compatible with various other nibs like the ones designed for the Remarkable tablet. It includes a button on its side, which functions as an eraser, and there’s also a built-in eraser on the back of the pen. However, the build quality and overall design of the pen leave much to be desired. It lacks weight, feels slippery, and can bend under pressure.
