With the RoWrite 2, notes that you write with real ink are stored digitally. In a much tighter version than its predecessor. Read our RoWrite 2 review now.
RoWrite 2 review: writing digitally with ink
With an iPad and an Apple Pencil you can write text and make drawings in a very flexible way, as you normally do with pen and paper. Do you think this combination is too expensive or do you simply prefer to write on paper? Then the RoWrite 2 from Royole is the solution.
The original RoWrite has been available in the Netherlands for a while. With this device you can write on normal paper with a special pen, after which what you write or draw is digitally stored in the accompanying app. That works well, but the RoWrite itself left a lot to be desired. The notepad you write on has to be clamped in a heavy, clumsy folder full of compartments.
Upgrade
The successor feels like an upgrade on almost all fronts compared to the original. The RoWrite 2 is a lot smaller, thinner and feels firmer. The device is finished with light brown leather, which makes it look more like a chic notebook than a bulky file. Where the original weighed 775 grams, the RoWrite 2 is a lot lighter at 420 grams.
Instead of a clip, this time slide the notebook into a slot with the back flap, after which it is firmly attached. Most of the hardware in the RoWrite is neatly concealed in the back this time, with the on / off button at the top and the connection for the USB-C charging cable at the bottom.
The pen works well
Significant progress has also been made with the pen. This no longer has to be slid into a box, but is held at the top by a magnet. More importantly, you no longer need batteries. You had to open the original pen at the bottom to insert a single battery. The new pen charges as soon as it is in the case.
The pen is particularly sensitive, so that even the small touches on the paper are already registered and can be seen in the app. Unfortunately, the pressure difference is not reflected in the digital version of your drawing or notes. The RoWrite 2 is therefore not a product that you buy to digitize your detailed drawings.
In principle, you can simply use the RoWrite 2 separately from your phone and later sync the note with the app. But if you use the app and the paper together, you have a nice interaction between writing with the pen and on the screen.
You can choose different tools, such as a marker. If you have selected this marker and you put a line through it on paper, then that word will be correctly marked in the app. It is also handy that you can correct mistakes on paper by tapping the back button. Of course the line will not disappear on paper, but in your digital copy. You can also add a photo to your note quickly and easily via the app.
The app is disappointing
There are now several products on the market that offer similar functionality. Think of pens that digitize your notes, or paper tablets such as the Remarkable. Using regular paper like with RoWrite doesn’t feel so sexy, but it might work best. And with the new design it is in any case a device that can be seen.
The RoWrite 2 can only be stopped mainly by the accompanying app. You can find your notes in the app and even choose a digital cover for your notebook. During work you have the choice of an eraser, three pens and a marker, but it actually stops there. And there are not even options available to organize your notes. The move from the RoWrite to the RoWrite 2 feels like the ugly duckling has become a swan, but the app has yet to grow up in a similar way.
The app does have text recognition that Dutch can recognize, and even with my horrible handwriting goes a long way. That’s impressive, but not good enough to stop editing the text afterwards.
Conclusion RoWrite 2 review
The RoWrite 2 is a big improvement over the original on almost all fronts. The design is sleek, there is no superfluous space and the device feels light yet sturdy. Would you like to work with paper, but also easily have your note digitally? Then the RoWrite 2 is an ideal product. It’s just a shame that the app is still so limited.
The RoWrite 2 is available for a suggested retail price of 119.99 euros at:
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