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ReMarkable's latest update fixes my biggest gripe about the tablet (and possibly yours, too)
Earlier this week, Amazon released an update for the Kindle Scribe, the combination e-reader and digital notebook. The update added several features and improvements to the Scribe's note-taking experience. Not to be left out, ReMarkable released an update of its own for its ReMarkable 2 e-ink notebook.
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If you have a ReMarkable 2, you can check for any pending software updates by opening the Menu from the main screen, then selecting Settings and tapping on the Version in the Software section followed by Check for Updates. I'm still enrolled in the beta program, but I'm currently running Version 3.3.2.1666 and have no further updates.
What's new
ReMarkable Version 3.3 has a handful of improvements and new features. For example, you can now bold any of your typed text when using the ReMarkable Type Folio keyboard accessory with the tablet. That sounds like a nice addition, but I don't have a Type Folio, and I never used the reMarkable companion apps to type notes.
Also new in 3.3 is the ability to clear out your recent recipient list when emailing a document. Again, I don't email documents to anyone, so I can't vouch for how nice of a change this is -- but as someone who likes a tidy digital experience, having a way to get rid of the extra noise is welcome.
What I'm most excited about, and have already used several times while it was in beta, is the ability to go back to the standard 100% zoom level when taking notes.
ZDNET's Editor in Chief, Jason Hiner, tested the ReMarkable 2's type folio case last month.
I can't tell you how many times I would be in the middle of taking notes during a call or meeting, and somehow, some way, me moving my hand across the screen as I was writing would cause the page to zoom or scroll for no reason. It sounds like a minor issue, but prior to the 3.3 update, you couldn't easily get back to the default view.
Instead, you were left to pinch, zoom and scroll until you felt it was close. Or as I most often did, exit the notebook and then go back into it, wasting a bunch of time and missing potential notes (not to mention distracting you from the task at hand).
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This experience was so frustrating, I gave up on taking notes on the ReMarkable 2 for several months. In fact, I purchased an iPad Mini and used that as my digital note-taking machine instead.
Eventually, I gave the ReMarkable 2 another shot and attempted to minimize any accidental touches along the way.
A ticker at the top of the screen tells you how much you've zoomed in or out.
With the latest update, if I happen to zoom in or out, I can now get back to the default view with a quick tap of a button that shows up at the top of the screen. That simple addition eliminated almost all of my major complaints about the ReMarkable 2.
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Oh, but there's more. At the bottom of the release notes is a quick mention that the update also addresses accidentally triggering touch gestures, which is what caused my zoom and scroll issues in the first place. Indeed, since installing the beta I've yet to experience any sort of accidental scrolling or zooming.