In a move that signals deeper ambitions in the burgeoning e-paper device market, TCL has unveiled its own version of a color e-ink note-taking tablet, aiming to challenge Amazon’s Kindle Scribe and other similar offerings. As first reported in Startup News under the headline “TCL Introduces Its Own Take on a Color Kindle Scribe,” the Chinese tech firm is expanding beyond its traditional strongholds in displays and budget-friendly consumer electronics to enter the increasingly competitive realm of digital reading and productivity devices.
The new product, dubbed the TCL NXTPAPER Color Note, features a 10.3-inch color e-paper display that allows for full color annotation, note-taking, and long-form reading—all while minimizing eye strain and energy consumption. The company’s proprietary NXTPAPER technology, which first made headlines in its smartphones and tablets, leverages a layered, reflective display design that mimics the appearance of paper while supporting color rendering without backlight glare.
Unlike traditional LCD or OLED screens, the NXTPAPER display is designed to be more comfortable for extended viewing, particularly for applications such as document editing or textbook reading. Its core appeal rests in balancing the legibility and low-power draw of monochrome e-ink with the versatility of full-color visuals that are increasingly important in educational, business, and creative contexts.
The device includes a stylus with pressure sensitivity, onboard handwriting recognition, cloud sync capabilities, and USB-C charging. TCL asserts that users can expect multiple days of battery life under regular use—an important benchmark for devices intended for daily academic or professional work.
Although TCL has not yet confirmed the retail price or global availability, the NXTPAPER Color Note is expected to ship in select markets in the first quarter of 2025. At a time when consumers are seeking alternatives to traditional tablets for focused, distraction-free workflows, TCL’s entry into the niche raises the stakes for incumbents like Amazon, Boox, and Remarkable.
While the company is best known for affordable televisions and Android smartphones, its investment in NXTPAPER technology reflects a broader strategy to diversify into experience-oriented electronics that prioritize eye comfort and battery efficiency. Analysts suggest that if TCL can deliver on the performance and usability fronts, it may carve out a distinct space in a market that remains largely experimental and fragmented.
As reported by Startup News, TCL’s move also highlights the broader trend toward convergence between e-readers and tablets—devices that marry the ergonomics of paper with the interactivity of modern computing. Whether TCL’s approach will resonate with productivity-focused consumers or find a foothold in education and enterprise sectors remains to be seen, but the company’s entry unquestionably adds momentum to a category poised for innovation.
