V2.3.1 Firmware Is Coming With Amazing New Features
Are You Ready to Update?
After three months of the release of V2.3 firmware, BOOX is now publishing its latest firmware V2.3.1. The first upgrade package batch for Max3, Note2, Nova2 and Poke2 will be released this week. The package for the other models will come out in the next two to three weeks.
In the V2.3.1 firmware, BOOX adds some refreshing, unique features to its system and NeoReader and optimizes some functions for the built-in Note app.
Let’s see what we can expect from the upcoming V2.3.1 firmware updates.
Here's what we're going to cover in the article:
- Custom Homepage
- NeoReader's New Improvements
- New App: Calendar Memo
- New Screensaver Styles for Max3/Note2/Nova2/Poke2
- Note App Enhancements
- Others and V2.3.1 Changelog
A warm heads-up: The updated features may vary from different models. Before you decide to go with V2.3.1 firmware, please make sure you have learned your device model's upgrade info and backed up essential data.
Rock the main interface: Set a preferred module as the home page
The first significant optimization with the update is the customizable main interface. The new firmware will enable you to select your home page from all modules in the function area, including Library, Store, Notes (only for stylus-based devices), Storage, Apps and Settings. You can go back to your frequently used module quickly after setting it up as the home page.
Improved NeoReader Make Reading More Flexible and Convenient
In the V2.3.1 firmware, BOOX tries to make the built-in NeoReader more versatile and flexible.
Hand-written text recognition? Try double tapping.
The hand-written text to typed text transformation can only be used in Note app in V2.3 firmware, now V2.3.1 firmware enables this function in NeoReader and makes it even more appealing.
Max3, Note2 and Nova2 users can write down text on reading materials on NeoReader and tap the hand-written text twice to transform it into the printed version. With this function, your hand-written annotations will become more organized. You can speed up your review process without guessing the illegible scrawl.
It is worth noting that the recognition is irreversible, which means the transformed text cannot be changed into hand-written text. And the firmware will recognize words or letters separately if their spacing is over 0.5cm. Vice versa, texts in different lines will be transformed together only if they’re close enough.
Besides text, lines and shapes can also be recognized with the tapping and they have different transformation patterns.
Adjust the Floating Toolbar to a preferred style
BOOX introduced the Floating Toolbar into NeoReader in V2.3 firmware, and it becomes more flexible in V2.3.1 firmware.
You can add function buttons on the Floating Toolbar to comply with your workflow or remove some to make it concise. But three necessary buttons cannot be reduced:
- The Hide the Menu button
- The Scribble Toolbar button
- The Palm Rejection button.
You can also disable and contract the Floating Toolbar and adjust its size with setup.
As for the scribble toolbar, it can also be tailored to your needs. Like the Floating Toolbar, you can add and remove buttons at will. But you cannot delete four essential buttons:
- The Hide the Menu button
- The Pen Brush button
- The Color button
- The Eraser button.
Look, TOC is available for DjVu files.
DjVu is a computer file format most used to store scanned materials, especially those containing a combination of text, line drawings, indexed color images, and photographs. If a DjVu file has an embedded table of content, you can view it after your BOOX device is upgraded to the V2.3.1 firmware.
Stop TTS at any time with new timing function
In the previous firmware, TTS will not stop until the user turns it off manually.
Now TTS fans can be happier with the V2.3.1 firmware as we add a timer to help TTS stop within the set time. Users can choose to turn off the TTS after 15min to 90min to save the battery.
Drum Roll Please: Welcome the Calendar Memo App and New Screen Saver Types
Besides new features for NeoReader, BOOX introduces a new app and some novel screen save types in the V2.3.1 firmware.
Create a memo at a specific day
The built-in application that appears on BOOX at the first time is the Calendar Memo app. This application combines a calendar, a memo, an email function, and an overview of the notes taken and books read on a specific day.
When you open the Calendar Memo app, you can select a day and create your memo based on it. If you’re Max3, Note2 and Nova2 users, you can write your memo with a stylus. Poke2 users can type texts on the memo.
You can add more than one page on your memo and tap the envelope button to email it as a whole pdf file after you’re done. The email function is activated after you’ve logged in your Onyx account.
Upon tapping on a specific day, you can view the notes created on that day and what books you read.
New screensaver styles are added: There’s always a suitable one for you
Users could set up their favorite images as standby screensavers in the past; now, they're offered more options.
In V2.3.1 firmware, BOOX introduces two new types of screen savers for Max3, Note2, Nova2 and Poke2:
- the Calendar Screensaver showing the day's memo
- The Transparent Screensaver remaining the current interface.
Also, you can choose to display the real-time clock on the Image Screensaver and the Calendar Screensaver. The clock refresh interval is optional with 1min, 5min, 10min and 30min. You can also decide the clock style (digital or analog) and its color (black or white).
When you select images as your screensavers, you can add a motto or enter your signature and choose the text color. It will be shown on the image as the device is in standby mode.
Because new screensaver styles are added in the V2.3.1 firmware, the update will overwrite the previous screensaver data. If you set up your favorite images as standby or shutdown screensavers, please keep in mind to make a backup before you begin the upgrade process.
New Brush and Faster Embedding Speed Render Better Note-taking Experience
The V2.3.1 firmware adds a new pen style to the stylus-based devices: the writing brush stroke.
The writing brush stroke on BOOX aims to imitate the ink pattern of real writing brush, so it is more sensitive to pressure than the pencil and the fountain pen. Although it cannot 100% reproduce the generic writing brush effect, it can definitely help drawing gurus to create details more precisely on E Ink devices.
Besides the writing brush, BOOX increases the note embedding speed of the Note app by 40%. The sidebar and Floating Toolbar in the scribble interface can also be customized with the V2.3.1 firmware.
The sidebar has to remain at least seven basic buttons, but you can add more function buttons. As for the Floating Toolbar, it can be added to many buttons and displayed vertically or horizontally. You can also adjust its size to match your note-taking patterns.
Other Improvements
In addition to the awesome new features we introduce above, there’re many other optimizations in the V2.3.1 firmware, such as the virtual keyboard. The V2.3.1 changelog has been released.
Are You Ready to Update?
After the V2.3.1 firmware package is released, users can upgrade their devices in the Settings or download the package in the BOOX website. You can read this article for more upgrade instructions.
Are you ready for the V2.3.1 firmware update?
I have been hoping that a new update would add the option to choose the font family for recognised text. It shouldn’t be too hard a stretch to handwrite, recognise, choose font?
Any chance this will become a feature?
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for your awesome advice about adding optional fonts for recognized text! You can go to the “Feedback” in the Settings module of a BOOX device to submit your idea, then our developers can receive it and make a further discussion.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
These new features are pretty cool. The one thing that is still missing for me is to be able to see neoreader and the notes app as running applications in the multi task view to be able to quickly switch between them and other apps.
Hi Paul,
The built-in app quick switching feature sounds great:) Please do share with us your idea via “Feedback” in the Settings. Look forward to your feature request.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
I recommend Boox Customer Service to analyse the Samsung Galaxy Note series note taking software, it is most suitable for these products
Hi Murat,
Can you tell us what note-taking features of Samsung Galaxy Note attract you most? We’d love to hear from your user experience, and your perspectives can inspire us for better product development. Thank you.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
When will the 2.3.1 firmware update be released for the Max 2 Pro and where can I download it from?
Hi Ralph,
The package of V2.3.1 firmware for Max2 Pro is already available at our downloads page: https://www.boox.com/downloads/#max-series. You can also check the updates in the settings to upgrade through OTA. For detailed instruction of upgrading firmware, you can check out this post: https://medium.com/@OnyxBoox/how-to-get-updates-on-your-boox-fb0997dcd80b?source=friends_link&sk=78c9284c3d853d6d34a8b4ca29f15f1b.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
I have a Boox nova 2 and I’m loving. I have two problems that I would like to solve. Problem 1: Size of pdf with notes! I don’t understand why but when I take some notes and I need to export for example one page of a big pdf, the size of that page is very big (almost the size of the inicial pdf). I have to use a 3rd part app to reduce de size of the pdf. Problem 2: when we will have Boox app for iOS?
Hi Tiago,
We can offer better help if you would like to further elaborate on your “pdf with notes”, as we aren’t sure if you mean “the notes on pdfs” or “notes in the Notes App exported as a pdf”. For the second question, the BOOX Assistant app is available in the Apple Store already.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
I have upgraded my note2 to the new firmware and there is now a problem. With the new floating toolbar button when I press the button ||> to retract it, it completely disappears and now I’m stuck in the full-screen mode (in the note-taking app) without any option to get out. Can you help me regarding this?
Hi Omid,
You can swipe from the edge to expand the floating toolbar.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
the new calendar memo very good app but if it should be searchable then it will be even better then you add tags to find easily
Hi Erkan,
Thanks for your kind comments. It will be appreciated if you can submit your feature request via feedback to reach out to our dev team directly and let them know your idea.
Best regards,
BOOX Team
I’m quite happy with the calendar memo but a bit lacking in being able to search then one finds easier
I would really love if you could implement the ability to write on the screensaver. I use a Boogie Board to write todos before going to bed so that I see them in the morning. I would really like if on the Boox I could just write on the lock screen and then it is there in the morning.
If battery usage is a concern you could implement it such that after going into lock screen mode, it “listens” for stylus writing for upto 5 minutes, after which it goes fully to sleep.
Hi miaohaha,
Thanks for your advice. You can either use the calendar screensaver to show your notes regarding the date on the screensaver or choose the transparent screensaver to keep your current interface as the standby mode image. We believe that even though we cannot achieve the screensaver hand-writing feature currently, these two kinds of screensavers can help remind you of the do-to-list.
Best regards,
BOOX Team