Eink Mode: Making Web Pages Easier to Read

How Wikipedia looks in Eink mode

What is Eink Mode?

The Eink mode, as the name suggests, is a web browsing mode specifically designed for users of Electronic Ink (E Ink) devices. Its purpose is to present the website's content in a way that is most suitable for electronic ink devices, allowing E Ink users to have an immersive experience similar to reading a physical book while viewing the website's content. With the presentation of the Eink mode and electronic paper, the act of going online is transformed from merely "surfing" the internet to being more akin to "reading" the internet.

Table of Content

• Experiencing the Eink Mode
• Eink Icon and Entering Eink Mode
• Web Browsing in Eink Mode
• Rich Gesture Support
• Rich Keyboard Shortcuts Support
• Features of Eink Mode
• Preventing Accidental Clicks on Hyperlinks and Images
• Adjusting Text Size on Web Pages
• Jump to the Table of Contents
• Using Highlight Annotations
• Changing Colors by Gestures
• Changing Colors by Floating Action Button
• Notebook of Highlights
• Cross-Page Highlighting
• Exiting Highlight Mode
• Using the Pen Mode
• Stylus Support
• About Smoothness of Handwriting
• Other Touch Gestures
• WYSIWYG Printing (PDF Saving)
• Returning to Traditional Scrolling Mode
• Bluetooth Page Turner and Volume Key Paging Support
• Browser Compatibility of Eink Mode
• Features in Development
• Why Use Eink Mode?
• How does Eink Mode differ from online EPUB readers or general reading software?
• Eink Mode's Universality
• Eink Mode's Support for Website Advertisements
• Website Types Suitable for Eink Mode
• Future Applications of Eink Mode
• Eink Mode is Completely Free and Open Source
• About My Story
• Citations
• Notes

Experiencing the Eink Mode

To help you better understand the benefits of Eink mode, experiencing it directly is the fastest way. This webpage already supports Eink mode, so it can be displayed using this mode. I will introduce the features and operation methods of Eink mode one by one. If you have an E-ink device that can use a browser, such as an "open-system" E-reader[Note 1], E Ink tablet , E Ink phone  or monitor , you can try reading this webpage on them. However, before using it, it is recommended to set the refresh mode of the device to fast refresh mode, as some features will provide a better user experience only in fast refresh mode.

Eink Icon and Entering Eink Mode

First, when you see the eink icon on the website, it indicates that this site offers Eink mode, which is suitable for viewing on Eink devices.  When the webpage is partially loaded, the icon will become a button and then you can click on the icon, or swipe from left to right anywhere on the webpage to enter this mode. (Note: If you're currently viewing this using Facebook's built-in browser, you can only enter this mode by clicking the button. This is because the Facebook app's swipe gestures cause interference. Therefore, I recommend opening this web page using an external browser to have a better experience.) If you are using an E Ink monitor but the screen does not support touch, you can enter this mode either by clicking the eink icon with the mouse or by long-pressing the left mouse button anywhere on the webpage to enter this mode.

If the webpage your are viewing support Eink mode, you can see an eink icon on the webpage.

After successfully entering Eink mode, you will see a brief instruction of this mode. This not only provides a simple operational guide for users who are unfamiliar with this mode but also reminds users that they have entered Eink mode, where the operation method will differ from the usual scrolling behavior, preparing users mentally. If the internet speed is slow or the webpage has a large amount of data, a loading icon (Loading...) will appear in the upper right corner of the instruction view. When the loading icon disappears and a close button is displayed, you can click anywhere on the instruction screen or on that button to close the instructions and enter the main webpage.

Web Browsing in Eink Mode

The characteristic of Eink mode is that it rearranges the content of web pages in a paginated manner, presenting the content like a book, one page at a time. Clicking on the right side of the screen will jump to the next page, while clicking on the left side will go back to the previous page. This is different from the traditional continuous scrolling up and down to browse web pages; the experience in Eink mode is very much like reading an e-book. Because the aim is to make users feel like they are reading a book when viewing web pages, the design of the screen strives for simplicity, hiding all user interface elements as much as possible, focusing primarily on presenting the content. The only interface element that appears on the screen is the page number icon in the lower right corner, which informs users about the approximate amount of content on the web page and their current position within it. The function of this page number is similar to the scroll bar on the right side of traditional scrolling web pages, but it also serves to remind users that they are using the paginated Eink mode rather than the scrolling mode to browse the web.

Rich Gesture Support

Currently, most E Ink devices are handheld mobile devices, sized like books. Therefore, the default user scenario for the Eink mode is to hold it in hand or lay it flat on a table and operate it through touch. To make user interactions faster and more convenient, the Eink mode has actually designed a variety of gesture operations. In addition to the previously mentioned left and right taps for page turning, swiping up from the bottom can directly jump to the top of the webpage, while swiping down can jump to the bottom of the webpage. There are also more gestures, which I will explain along with the features of the Eink mode in the following sections.

Rich Keyboard Shortcuts Support

If you are a user of Electronic Paper monitors, the Eink mode also offers a variety of keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions, allowing you to operate more conveniently and quickly. For example, as mentioned above, to turn the page, simply press the right key on the keyboard to go to the next page, and the left key to go to the previous page; pressing the up key will return you to the top of the page, while pressing the down key will jump to the bottom of the page. As for other shortcuts, I will explain them while discussing the features of Eink mode below.

Features of Eink Mode

Preventing Accidental Clicks on Hyperlinks and Images

First, it should be noted that the default setting of Eink mode disables the click actions on hyperlinks and images within web pages. This is to prevent users from accidentally clicking on hyperlinks when trying to turn the page, especially when there are many hyperlinks and images on the page, which could lead them away from the website. However, this does not mean that hyperlinks and images cannot be clicked; instead, users can long-press on a hyperlink or image, and once the browser's default menu appears, they can select options like opening in a new tab or saving the image. Therefore, when using Eink mode, you can confidently click anywhere on the page to turn the page without worrying about accidentally clicking on hyperlinks and leaving the website.

Adjusting Text Size on Web Pages

As society gradually moves towards an aging population, the ability to adjust text size on web pages is very friendly for older users. Therefore, Eink mode also provides a very quick and convenient way to adjust the font size on web pages: by using a two-finger pinch gesture, you can zoom in and out of the text. Importantly, when you zoom in or out, the text or images will not be cut off, which is different from traditional scrolling web pages. In traditional scrolling web pages, when you zoom in with two fingers, the text may become larger, but many texts and images can get cut off at the edges of the screen, making it impossible to view an entire line of text. This forces users to swipe around the screen to reposition the text for viewing, which is very cumbersome and inconvenient. You can now try zooming in and out with two fingers; the text will quickly resize. After adjusting to the appropriate text size by the degree of your finger's opening and closing, you can release it. The text and images on the screen will not be cut off at the edges, thanks to the quick rearrangement of the web page. Therefore, if you click to go to the next page, a reminder indicator will appear, informing you of the starting position for reading on the next page after the web page has been rearranged, so you don't have to worry about finding where to continue reading.

For users on the computer version, the Eink mode supports the browser's native font zooming feature. Therefore, Mac users can press Cmd + or Cmd - , while Windows and Linux users can press Ctrl + or Ctrl - to rearrange the webpage fonts and images in Eink mode.

Jump to the Table of Contents

In addition to the two-finger zoom gesture, you can try swiping from the bottom left to the top right to jump to the table of contents of the article. Here, you can tap on the subheadings you want for quick page navigation. After tapping a subheading, you will jump to the page where that subheading is located, and a "Continue Reading" indicator will appear, allowing users to quickly find the starting point for reading after jumping pages.

If you are using a desktop or laptop, the way to quickly jump to the table of contents is by pressing the shortcut key Ctrl + c for Mac and alt + c for Windows.

Using Highlight Annotations

Now you can swipe from the top left corner of the screen to the bottom right corner to bring up the highlighter. At this point, a highlighter icon will appear on the right side of the screen, indicating that you are in highlight annotation mode. After seeing the icon, place your finger at the starting position of the text you want to mark, and drag to start highlighting. The highlighting will stop when you lift your finger off the screen. In highlight mode, tapping the screen will still allow you to turn to the previous or next page. You should notice that you can highlight a line repeatedly, with the colors layering and becoming darker. This mimics the state of ink layering when highlighting in a physical book, and some people are accustomed to using this method to emphasize key points, thereby distinguishing the levels of importance.

If you are using a desktop computer or laptop, to quickly use the highlight annotation, just hold down the Cmd key for Mac and Ctrl key for Windows, then move the mouse to the position where you want to start highlighting, click the left mouse button, and drag the mouse to the end of the paragraph. Remember to keep holding down the Cmd/Ctrl key during the process; if you release the Cmd/Ctrl key, it will revert to the text selection mode.

Changing Colors by Gestures

What should you do if you want different highlight colors? The Eink mode provides three basic colors: red, green, and blue. If the E Ink device you are using is large enough and supports multi-touch with three or more fingers, you can directly change the highlight color using gestures. It's very simple: tapping the screen with two fingers will switch to green, three fingers will switch to red, and four fingers will switch to blue. If you want to erase the highlights, tab the screen with five fingers will change to the eraser.

If you are using a desktop or laptop, you can quickly switch highlight colors by pressing Ctrl + 1 to 3 (and Alt for Windwos), where the colors correspond to: 1 for green, 2 for red, and 3 for blue. To erase the highlighted annotations, simply press the Alt key for Mac and Start key for Windows, and the mouse cursor will change to an eraser. Keep holding the Alt/Start key and the left mouse button while dragging the mouse, all highlighted annotations that the mouse passes through will be erased.

Changing Colors by Floating Action Button

If you are using a small screen, such as a mobile phone, and it is inconvenient to press all five fingers together, or if your device does not support multi-touch with more than two fingers, how can you change the color? Actually, the highlighter icon that appears on the right side of the screen is also a floating action button (something like the assistive touch in iOS). After tapping the button, the floating action button will expand, and you can select the desired highlight color. If you find that the position of the floating action button obstructs the text, you can simply press and hold the floating button to drag it to any position on the screen. After tapping the floating button, in addition to seeing various highlighters and an eraser, you will also see an icon of a notebook. What is this? Tap it to find out! (If you want to return to this view, just swipe from right to left)

If you are using a desktop computer or laptop, how can you bring up the floating action button? Just press and hold the left mouse button, and a tool menu will appear. Click on the highlighter icon, and the floating action button will show up. The operation with the mouse is similar to finger touch; when you click and open the floating button, you will see the notebook icon. However, this icon was also present in the tool menu, so you can actually tap the icon in the tool menu as well. Additionally, if you want the floating button disappear and enter pure reading mode, just press the Esc key on the keyboard, and the floating button will vanish.

The highlighter icon is actually a floating  action button. Clicking it reveals additional highlighter tools.

Notebook of Highlights

This notebook (also presented in a paginated fashion) collects the content you just highlighted with the highlighter, somewhat similar to the concept of a scrapbook. The content you highlighted on the webpage will be organized and collected here, categorized by the color of the highlights, and listed in bullet points. Additionally, images and videos can also be highlighted! If you used the highlighter to annotate images or videos during your trial, those images and videos will also be collected here. If you highlight a sentence multiple times, that sentence will appear in this notebook as a highlighted note, meaning it is the essence of the essence. At this point, you might wonder, since these highlighted points are on the webpage and cannot be saved, what is the purpose of collecting them? In fact, you can save this notebook as a PDF file using the print function provided by the browser (desktop shortcut Ctrl + P) or the "Save as PDF" function (the EinkBro browser has this feature). The layout in each page of the PDF file will be exactly the same as how it is presented in the notebook, and it will include links to the original webpage. Therefore, you can directly save this PDF to your local device or upload it to note-taking software like Evernote, Notion, etc., for management. [Note 2]

So how do you return to the original webpage? Simply swipe your finger from right to left and you will return to the original content. If you are using the desktop version, pressing the Esc key on the keyboard will return to the original content. Additionally, the desktop version also has a shortcut to quickly access this notebook: just press Ctrl + n for Mac and Alt + n for Windows.

Cross-Page Highlighting

Some might wonder: if you want to highlight a long passage that ends on the next page, how do you extend the highlight across pages? Eink mode’s approach is simple, it's completely identical to how you highlight in a paper book: Simply highlight to the last word on the current page as you normally would, then jump to the next page and continue highlighting to the end of the passage. The highlighted sections will then automatically combine, unless the last highlighted word on the previous page ends with punctuation. If that’s the case, a dialogue box will appear, asking if you want to combine the previous page’s end highlight. If you want to combine them, just press 'Yes.' This way, the joined highlights will only be listed as one point in the notebook , not as two separate points.

Exiting Highlight Mode

To exit highlight mode, tap the 'X' icon in the submenu of floating action button, which will turn off the highlighter and return you to the normal text selection mode. Alternatively, you can long-press the screen with two fingers until the floating action button disappears.

Using the Pen Mode

Next, if you swipe diagonally from the top right of the screen to the bottom left in reading mode, a pen icon will appear. You can then freely draw or doodle on the webpage. In pen mode, you can still turn pages up and down by tapping the left or right side of the screen, but other swipe gestures are disabled since they will be interpreted as drawing on the (electronic) paper. Tapping the color icon in the submenu of floating toolbar will bring up other color options, with a total of five colors: red, green, blue, black, and gray. You can also select colors by gestures : Tapping the screen with two fingers will select blue, three fingers red, four fingers green, and five fingers black.

Within the pen's floating submenu, you'll see a line icon. Tapping this allows you to switch the pen's line thickness. There are three options: thick, medium, and thin, with thin as the default.

Similarly, in pen mode, you can exit by long-pressing with two fingers, or return to normal reading mode via clicking the book icon in the submenu of floating action button.

If you are using the computer version, because using a mouse is not ideal for writing or drawing, there is no shortcut key to activate the pen mode. If needed, you can access the pen mode from the tool menu.

Stylus Support

Most E Ink readers and tablets come with a stylus. Because you have 'paper,' you naturally need a 'pen.' Writing on E Ink devices provides an excellent experience, as their surface imaging and reflective properties closely mimic those of paper and ink. Eink mode's development philosophy is to turn the knowledge within the internet into the form of books, allowing users to interact with it through the medium of "paper" and pen. Therefore, stylus support is essential. If you happen to have a stylus, whether it's a WACOM electromagnetic inductive pen or if you are currently using an iPad to view this webpage, you can pick up your Apple Pencil and write 'directly' on the webpage. 'Directly' means that you don't need to use the top-right to bottom-left swipe gesture, as described in the pen mode section, to bring up the pen floating action button. Instead, you can simply pick up your pen and start writing.

Using a stylus has a significant advantage: sliding gestures still remains active. You can still swipe up to the top of the page and down to the bottom, and these gestures won't be recognized as pen strokes. You can even long-press to select and open any images or hyperlinks on the webpage, or long-press to select text for lookup or translation. [Note 3]

If you've already started drawing on the webpage with a stylus, you might notice that Eink mode supports pressure sensitivity. This means you don't need to switch line thickness; you can change it by varying the pressure of the pen tip. Furthermore, if your stylus has a built-in erase button, such as a button on the pen tail or side, you can erase pen strokes directly by it. Therefore, I highly recommend using this mode with a stylus. Coupled with the paper-like display of an E Ink device, it can create the illusion of reading on paper while browsing the web.

Using E Ink device and Eink mode to read the blog is similar to reading on paper.

Eink mode also support iPad with Apple Pencil

About Smoothness of Handwriting

Regarding the smoothness of the handwriting feature, if your reader supports the latest fast refresh technologies, such as Boox Super Refresh (BSR) from Onyx or X-rapid from Bigme, using the speed mode generally results in acceptable handwriting latency. While it may not match the fluidity of native software handwriting, it's sufficient for annotating articles and making simple notes. If your reader lacks similar fast refresh technology, it's advisable to avoid using the handwriting feature. After all, even without handwriting, Eink mode's page-turning reading style is still suitable for reading web pages using your reader's high-quality refresh modes (such as normal, HD, or optimized or Regal modes). [Note 4]

To achieve native handwriting smoothness, original manufacturer support for third-party handwriting software is required. Although achieving the fluidity of native handwriting is currently difficult, I believe that writing directly on the webpage is significantly more convenient than the global handwriting feature provided by the device manufacturer. And using Eink Mode allows handwritten notes to be saved directly as a complete PDF document, rather than as individual screenshot images."

If you desire smoother handwriting in Eink mode and happen to be an Onyx reader user, there's a workaround currently available. By employing a handwriting optimization program on top of the app, similar to Onyx's optimization to third-party handwriting, thus you can achieve the smoothness of native handwriting. Currently, this handwriting optimization program, named Boox Rapid Draw, is provided on GitHub. Interested users can download and install it here: https://github.com/sergeylappo/boox-rapid-draw/releases. While this method achieves the same handwriting smoothness as the native note-taking software, it does have some drawbacks:

• Pen strokes initially appear in black before changing to the intended color.
• Pressure sensitivity is not supported.
• The app is still somewhat unstable and prone to crashing.

Therefore, achieving smoother handwriting in Eink mode depends on whether future official updates or this handwriting optimization software can provide relevant support.

As for users of other backlit screen tablets, such as iPad users, the smoothness of handwriting with an Apple Pencil in Eink mode is excellent. I believe that writing directly on the web page is much faster and more convenient than Apple's native Safari markup.

The smoothness of handwriting under Eink mode using Boox Rapid Draw

Other Touch Gestures

Here are some additional touch gestures:

• Swipe from left to right: This will bring up the tool menu. Most tools in this menu can be accessed using gestures, such as font-size zooming, the highlighter, and the pen, as mentioned earlier. After the tool menu appears, tapping anywhere on the screen will close it. The tool menu serves as a simple way for users who may have forgotten gesture controls to access various functions.
• Swipe from bottom right to top left: This gesture opens the highlight annotation notebook.

WYSIWYG Printing (PDF Saving)

When printing web pages, browsers typically use a default pagination algorithm that rearranges the content based on the printed paper size. This ensures images aren't cut off by page boundaries. However, this pagination isn't tailored to the user's current device screen size. Instead, it uses standard paper dimensions like A4, A3, or B5. As a result, when downloading a PDF on a small-screen device using A4 sizing, the text may appear too small to read comfortably in a PDF reader, requiring zooming. This leads to the same issues as general web page zooming: inability to view full lines of text and the need for constant horizontal scrolling.

In Eink mode, pressing the print button will produce a PDF that mirrors the screen's display. While the paper size might be larger, resulting in surrounding whitespace, using an E Ink device's native PDF reader (such as Onyx's Neoreader) to automatically crop the margins will create a PDF that exactly matches the on-screen view. All highlighted annotations and handwritten notes will be preserved in their original page positions, achieving a true 'What You See Is What You Get' experience. This allows users to conveniently save and later review content on the same device without text size issues.

Note: When printing, please ensure that the 'Print background graphics' option is checked in 'More settings' for highlighted annotations to display correctly.

Note 2: EinkBro users can choose the smallest paper size when printing, such as A9, to make the printed output match the screen size. For iOS users, if the content is appearing larger than the paper, choosing a bigger paper size will resolve the display issue.

What you see on the webpage

Is what you get when saved as PDF or printing

Returning to Traditional Scrolling Mode

Eink mode is an alternative way for E Ink device users to browse websites. Of course, most websites will retain the mainstream scrolling design. To switch to traditional scrolling mode from Eink mode, simply swipe from right to left. This returning feature is provided to E Ink users for several reasons:

• Handling interactive elements: If interactive components on a website are interfered by the page-turning actions, you can switch back to scrolling mode to use them. Websites often contain buttons or forms and sometimes they may not function correctly in Eink mode, thus switching back to scrolling mode will guarantee a normal function. While website designers should ideally ensure compatibility in both modes, Eink mode is still in its early development, and full compatibility across all web designs is not yet guaranteed. Therefore, the ability to switch back to scrolling mode is essential.
• Different format for printing or PDF Saving: if you don't want to use the WYSIWYG printing of Eink mode (e.g., if you want to save the webpage in A4 size for later viewing on a 13-inch reader), you can return to scrolling mode and then print, allowing the browser's built-in algorithm to handle pagination using A4 size.

In scrolling mode, highlighted annotations from Eink mode will be preserved. However, handwritten notes will not appear due to different content alignment. But don't worry, returning to Eink mode will display the handwritten notes again.

For desktop or laptop users, you can return to traditional scrolling mode by pressing the ESC key on your keyboard.

Bluetooth Page Turner and Volume Key Paging Support

Many E Ink device users prefer to view their devices on a stand and use a Bluetooth page turner for turning pages. Therefore, Eink mode is specifically designed to support Bluetooth page turners, allowing users to turn pages using the page turner's keys. For users with small-screen devices, such as phone-sized readers, the most convenient way to turn pages with one hand is not by tapping the left or right side of the screen, but by using the volume keys. To accommodate this, Eink mode is also specifically tuned to support the EinkBro web browser's volume key paging feature. Users browsing with EinkBro web browser can turn pages using their phone's volume keys.

Eink mode supports page turning with volume keys in the EinkBro browser.

Eink mode supports page turning with Bluetooth page turners. It can be paired with high-definition refresh mode (Regal) for remote viewing.

Browser Compatibility of Eink Mode

Eink mode is developed with E Ink users in mind, prioritizing seamless functionality on the EinkBro browser. However, compatibility with Chrome and Safari is also considered important. Current testing shows that Eink Mode performs very well on both Chrome and Safari, making it suitable for both Android and Apple users. For users of Internet Explorer or other less common browsers, if Eink mode does not function correctly, you can switch to traditional scrolling mode or use Chrome.

If you're an E Ink device user who is unaware of or has not yet used EinkBro, a web browser specifically designed for E Ink users, you can download it here: https://github.com/plateaukao/einkbro/releases

Features in Development

The features described above are those that have been developed. However, many more features are currently in development. I believe that the functionalities already provided are sufficient to enhance your web browsing experience on E Ink devices. If you have any feedback or suggestions regarding this mode, please feel free to contact me via email at: jacks101311@gmail.com

If you are a developer, you can visit the module's GitHub repository to submit issues, fork or provide feedback. https://github.com/jack101311/EinkMode

Why Use Eink Mode?

Some might ask, given that modern E Ink technology has fast refresh mode that already makes it more suitable for video and web browsing, why bother with Eink mode instead of traditional scrolling? While that's a valid point, Eink mode is actually a software design that truly aligns with the inherent characteristics of E Ink displays. The main advantages are:

1. Enhanced Energy Efficiency: E Ink displays excel at static content display, consuming no power when the content displayed remains unchanged. This is similar to inkjet printing, where ink molecules stay in place once positioned. However, continuous image changes, like scrolling animations on traditional websites, require rapid ink particle alignment which is driven by the rapid change of electric field, increasing power consumption.  

I conducted an experiment to compare the power consumption of paged versus scrolling web browsing on the same E Ink device. Using an Onyx Tab Ultra C Pro (TUCP) E Ink tablet , fully charged, I simulated continuous scrolling with a script that scrolled the webpage every two seconds for one hour. A control group, using the same fully charged device, simulated paged browsing in Eink mode, turning pages every two seconds for one hour. The results: continuous scrolling consumed 12% of the TUCP’s battery, while paged browsing consumed only 8%. This 33% reduction in power consumption is substantial, effectively extending the device's battery life for continuous web browsing from 8 hours to 12 hours, an increase of four hours.

Simulation of scrolling to view the web pages for one hour by E Ink device

Simulation of Page Turning to view the web pages for one hour by E Ink Device.

Power consumption after one hour of continuous scrolling.

Power consumption after one hour of continuous page turning.

2. Enable website reading by high-quality refresh modes: On E Ink devices, browsing websites using a "scrolling" method requires the use of "fast refresh modes". However, this mode degrades image quality because it doesn't display true shades of color; instead, it uses a color mixing technique called "dithering", resulting in a grainy and dotted screen. Also, continuous scrolling can cause severe ghosting on older E Ink devices. Even with newer devices that have automatic ghosting removal, the constant algorithm operation still increases power consumption. But if we display webpages like e-books, using a "page-turning" method, we can use slower, but higher image quality refresh modes. This is why e-readers like Kindle have a very clean display. They are designed only for reading e-books (page-turning), not for web browsing or using apps (scrolling), allowing them to consistently use the best image quality. If webpages were displayed like e-books, we could view them with high image quality modes.

Fast refresh mode uses a dithering algorithm, which, while increasing refresh speed, reduces image quality.

Even though the Pubook Pro's hardware performance and fast refresh technology aren't strong enough for handwriting, using its Eink mode with high-quality refresh mode still provides a decent web browsing experience.

3. The combination of Eink mode and E Ink displays can make web reading feel much closer to reading a physical book: If web pages are designed to suit E Ink devices, the acceptance of web reading on these devices will increase. This allows users to experience digital information with a paper-like display, rather than a traditional backlit screen. This paper-like presentation increases reading duration and reduces blue light exposure, thus providing eye protection during long reading sessions. Additionally, Eink mode’s support for stylus and allowing users to write notes directly on any part of the web page encourages immersive reading, learning, and knowledge absorption, rather than just rapid browsing.
4. Presenting information in a paginated format can enhance comprehension and memory:Numerous research studies indicate that scrolling slows down knowledge absorption. This is because scrolling demands readers to split their attention between tracking the constantly changing position of the text and processing the content. This divided focus strains cognitive resources. Moreover, the continuous nature of scrolling text hinders memory retention, as the brain relies on stable visual placeholder for memorization, scrolling makes it challenging to form mental maps.
5. Freely adjustable font size makes reading websites less tiring on mobile devices: While desktop browsers typically support this feature, many mobile sites don't offer easy text scaling. Pinching to zoom often cuts off text and images, forcing constant scrolling, which severely hinders the reading experience. Eink mode's font-size adjustment, similar to that of reflowable e-books, reflows text to prevent cutoff, which is a great help for those who struggle with small font.

Easy text resizing greatly improves website readability for elderly users.

6. Interactive design better aligns with today's web browsing devices: Traditional scrolling website layouts were conceived in an era dominated by desktop computers, before the prevalence of mobile devices and touchscreens. Back then, people navigated websites via desktop monitors using keyboards and mice. Thus, the mouse was the primary input device, and scrolling was designed to work seamlessly with mouse wheels, allowing users to move through content beyond the visible window. However, with the advent of smartphones and tablets in 2007 and 2011, respectively, the primary medium for web browsing has gradually shifted in the last 15 years from desktops and laptops to tablets, smartphones, and even E Ink devices. Touchscreens are the primary input on these mobile devices, and with the advancement of electromagnetic and capacitive touch technology, styluses also have become essential tools. Consequently, web design should adapt to the input methods of today’s devices, including comprehensive gesture support and stylus handwriting, to deliver a smoother and faster user experience. Eink mode incorporates extensive gesture controls and supports immediate stylus writing, eliminating the need for users who want to take notes of the web content to download it to local devices and then open it by separate reading or note-taking apps. This makes web-based learning more like reading a digital e-book on the local device, reducing operational friction and enhancing immersion, ultimately improving comprehension and knowledge retention.

How does Eink Mode differ from online EPUB readers or general reading software?

Eink mode is specifically designed to optimize webpage content for E Ink displays. It aims to replicate a paper-like reading experience by transforming dynamic web pages into a static, page-turning format. It also integrates features like rich gestures, stylus support and annotation tools. Online EPUB readers and general reading software are tailored for ebook formats. They provide specialized features for managing and displaying ebooks, such as customizable typography and layout. While the presentation might seem similar at first glance, there are fundamental differences, as detailed below:

• Information Flow: E-book formats, whether fixed-layout like PDF or reflowable like EPUB, are encapsulated file formats. For instance, EPUB uses XHTML within a closed container, such as a .zip file. Consequently, e-book content is static and cannot dynamically update or communicate with external sources. While e-books may support unidirectional hyperlinks to external content through browsers, they cannot fetch external information or interact with back-end servers and databases. Conversely, Eink mode displays the website content itself, which is not confined within a closed container. This allows it to communicate freely with external servers, dynamically and in real-time updating webpage content. Thus, it fully supports all front-end and back-end web programming languages like JavaScript and PHP, with content continuously updatable by the back-end server.
• Content Variety and Interactivity: As Eink mode displays live website content and communicates via HTTPS, it supports cross-domain data access. Users may feel like they are reading a book, but they can actually watch and interact with YouTube videos, use Google Maps, access interactive learning materials, play games, and engage with other front-end elements. Users can also log in, fill out forms, and submit text as usual. Website providers can dynamically display targeted ads based on user profiles, and even implement 'full-page advertisements' similar to those found in print magazines.
  Although it feels like reading a book, you can still interact with many webpage elements, such as Google Maps.
• Eink mode is a form of Responsive Web Design (RWD): For front-end web developers, Eink mode can be viewed as an RWD approach. Before 2007, developers only needed to consider how websites appeared on desktop monitors. However, with the widespread adoption of mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, RWD became essential. Front-end developers had to ensure their websites maintained good layouts and readability on these mobile devices. Similarly, Eink mode is an RWD tailored for E Ink devices. As E Ink devices become more prevalent, it is crucial for front-end developers to ensure their websites offer a consistent and high-quality user experience on these devices.
• Website Style Compatibility: Current e-book standards do not fully support the CSS syntax used by websites and browsers. Therefore, while many browser plugins (like Evernote or Pocket) and browsers themselves (like EinkBro) can capture website content or download it as EPUB and PDF, website styles may still be disrupted or content may not display correctly. However, Eink mode, being integrated directly into the website as a front-end RWD module, fully supports the website's CSS stylesheets. The rendering engine remains the browser engine, and the displayed appearance matches the website developer's intended design for that device. (Style settings for Eink mode can be specified using Media Queries, namely @media eink in the CSS stylesheet. If you are a front-end developer and interested in using this module, please refer to the Github page of this module or this module's online documentation: Eink mode Documentation).

Eink Mode's Universality

Eink mode is suitable for all devices. While designed primarily for E Ink users, its page-turning browsing and gesture-based features are also well-suited for traditional backlit mobile devices. Thus, iPhones, iPads, and other Android tablets can all use Eink mode for web browsing, with a user experience that rivals or surpasses the constant swiping required in traditional scrolling. While prolonged reading on backlit displays is not ideal due to potential eye strain and computer vision syndrome, short-term reading of concise online articles in Eink mode on these devices can still offer a reasonably good experience.

Desktop and laptop users can also benefit from Eink mode's page-turning style. Eliminating the need for mouse input, they can navigate through web pages using the up and down keys on a Bluetooth keyboard or page turner, viewing content one full page at a time. This allows for increased viewing distance, reducing eye muscle strain.

Eink Mode's Support for Website Advertisements

Eink mode is a module developed 100% using electronic paper devices. Over the past six months, I've primarily used the 25.1-inch color E Ink display, the Bigme 251, for its development, with the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro on the left for consulting technical documents and the Remarkable Paper Pro on the right for note-taking and brainstorming. Using E Ink displays, even if I develop for over ten hours a day, my eyes don't feel strained or irritated—it's very comfortable, and the visual effect is like reading printed material. Finally, I can say goodbye to computer vision syndrome.

For those interested in any of the E Ink devices mentioned above, please refer to the following websites:

• Bigme B251 Color E Ink Monitor
• Boox Tab Ultra C Pro Tablet
• Remarkable Paper Pro

The full-page advertisement you saw on the previous page is an example.

As mentioned earlier, Eink mode is not a closed-file format reader but rather a form of responsive web design (RWD) integrated into the website itself. Therefore, it fully supports and displays existing website advertisements. However, the paginated website design opens up new possibilities for ad placement and presentation, allowing for innovative approaches in terms of ad type, location, size, and interaction compared to traditional scrolling.

Eink mode provides users with an e-book-like reading experience, enabling them to highlight and annotate directly on web pages. These highlighted and annotated sections often represent the user's key interests, allowing for more targeted and relevant ad placements. Furthermore, users often download articles, especially those with annotations, as PDFs for local storage or knowledge management software. Consequently, ads embedded in the website will be included in these downloaded PDFs, increasing ad exposure each time the user reviews the PDF file. The embedded hyperlinks within the advertisements also remain functional, allowing users to navigate to the advertiser's website via their PDF reader.

Knowledge-based website providers can also offer different PDF download options for paid subscribers versus non-paying users. Paid subscribers could download ad-free PDFs, while non-paying users receive PDFs with embedded advertisements, providing a tiered reading experience.

Website Types Suitable for Eink Mode

As mentioned above, since Eink mode is a form of responsive web design (RWD) tailored for E Ink devices, it can theoretically be used on all types of websites, including corporate websites, online shopping sites, and social forums. One of the core objectives of this mode is to transform the traditional scrolling browsing experience into a page-turning format suitable for E Ink displays. Therefore, with careful design, all kinds of websites should be able to provide a good user experience in this presentation mode. If some scenarios are genuinely unsuitable for paged presentation, website developers can proactively guide users to switch back to scrolling mode or automatically switch back to scrolling mode. This ability to switch between scrolling and paged browsing provides maximum device compatibility, similar to how many websites or browsers still offer a desktop version of the webpage to mobile users, allowing them to switch back to the desktop version when needed.

The following website types, in my opinion, are most suitable for providing this mode (listed in no particular order of importance):

• Education, online learning websites
• Blogs
• Knowledge-based content platforms that seeks immersive reading experience: such as Wikipedia, Scientific American, National Geographic, etc.
• News media: such as United Daily News, Economic Daily News, Business Weekly, etc.
• IT online documentation, academic online literature, thesis databases
• Online novels, e-book stores

To show you how Eink mode renders on different websites, I'll use Wikipedia as an example:(I've tried my best to keep the website's original styling, but achieving a perfect match is extremely difficult...)

https://jackscogito.blogspot.com/p/wikipedia-demo-english.html

Future Applications of Eink Mode

• Support for Foldable Device Design: To improve the portability of large-screen devices, many manufacturers have been developing foldable phones and tablets. Foldable devices, due to the crease dividing the screen in half, would benefit significantly from web or software designs that support a page-like layout. This would enhance browsing and usability, as users could simply tap either side of the screen to update the display, mimicking the act of turning a page in a book. Foldable designs are even more ideal for E Ink devices, as flexible E Ink screens inherently possess a certain level of bendability. The advantage of foldable designs for E Ink lies in the ability to implement a four-page folding configuration. When users are viewing two pages, the other two hidden pages can refresh slowly without any user-perceived flicker. This is particularly beneficial for full-color technologies like Gallery 3, which can achieve 60,000 colors with sufficient refresh time.

This is the foldable E Ink device recently announced by E Ink and Readmoo, showcased at Touch Taiwan 2025. As you can see, without paginated software design, the text in the center crease area becomes difficult to read. When viewing web pages, it would be much better if they could be displayed as left and right pages, rather than both sides scrolling simultaneously.

• Enhanced Targeted Advertising: When Eink mode is integrated with backend databases, it can analyze user browsing behavior, such as highlighted sections and handwritten annotations, to deliver more precise targeted advertising or content recommendations based on user interests.
• Browser Plugin Development: Because the module is developed using JavaScript, it can be developed into a browser plugin. This would allow users to apply Eink mode even to websites that do not natively support it. Furthermore, browser plugins can be combined with AI applications to create even more varied user experiences.

Eink Mode is Completely Free and Open Source

Eink mode, licensed under the MIT license, is a completely free and open-source module for website developers to quickly implement Eink mode on their websites, thus providing E Ink users with an enhanced web browsing experience. The open-source nature also aims to encourage collaboration from engineers interested in this module project, to collectively develop more robust and user-friendly features. After all, my original expertise is not in front-end programming, and there's still much technology and knowledge I need assistance and learning with.

This open-source project has one sole request for those using the module: that websites implementing Eink mode display the text or icon  'eInk' in a prominent location on the page. This is to inform E Ink device users that the website supports this mode, encouraging them to take advantage of this browsing method. This is similar to websites offering a desktop version link. Or you can simply stating, 'This website supports E Ink devices.' Ultimately, my initial intention in developing this mode was to provide all E Ink device users with a comfortable web browsing experience.

Interested individuals are welcome to download and use the module from the following GitHub link: https://github.com/jack101311/EinkMode For any feedback or questions, please feel free to email me at: jacks101311@gmail.com

About My Story

I am a dentist, not a programmer. However, because I have a deep passion for physics, electrical engineering, and programming, I dedicate my after-work hours to advancing my knowledge through numerous online educational platforms. From 2016 to 2018, I spent countless hours daily using my iPad and Apple Pencil to learn MITx courses, earning many certificates. During this time, the close-range usage of my iPad for note-taking, reading course materials, and mathematical calculations severely strained and irritated my eyes. I initially dismissed it, believing rest would suffice. However, one day, I began to see numerous black specks, like flies, floating before my eyes. This alarmed me greatly. After consulting an ophthalmologist, I discovered that I had developed multiple retinal tears, which, if not promptly treated with laser surgery, could lead to retinal detachment and blindness. The ophthalmologist advised me to avoid prolonged exposure to digital screens. This was a significant blow to me, as I sought to learn and enrich myself with the vast and abundant knowledge available online, and I also enjoyed dedicating extensive time to challenging programming puzzles, all of which seemed to be slipping away from me.

Subsequently, I discovered E Ink technology. Unlike traditional LCD screens that direct light into your eyes, E Ink mimics paper by using ambient reflected light for display, producing a very soft image. Long-term reading feels like reading a physical book, without causing eye strain or irritation. Consequently, I switched to using E Ink readers and tablets to pursue my online learning and to program. Over the years, I've truly come to appreciate the immense benefits E Ink offers to humanity. Not only does it protect the eyes, allowing for extended reading of digital information, but it is also a highly energy-efficient technology.

After joining E Ink's Facebook and online communities, I realized that many people shared my predicament. Many of them had developed eye problems, making prolonged use of backlit screens impossible, including conditions like floaters, retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. For these individuals, E Ink is a lifeline in the digital age. Therefore, I hope to adapt the rich knowledge and information of the internet to be presented on paper-like E Ink devices, enabling those with eye injuries to learn online. Future generations of children will inevitably live in an era of remote learning and online education, requiring a safe and suitable medium to access digitized knowledge and protect their eyes, as the eyes are the windows to the soul and they are our hope for the future.

Consequently, I reduced my clinical hours to dedicate myself to developing a module that makes web content display more suitable for E Ink devices. This module is designed to help those mentioned above and to promote the adoption of E Ink devices, which are more eye-friendly and environmentally sustainable, in future digital learning.

Citations

1. Klyszejko el al. Mode of Text Presentation and Its Influence On Reading Efficiency: Scrolling versus Pagination. January 2014. Studia Psychologica 56(4):309-322. Doi: 10.21909/sp.2014.04668
2. Sanchez CA, Wiley J. To Scroll or Not to Scroll: Scrolling, Working Memory Capacity, and Comprehending Complex Texts. October 2009. October 2009. Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 51(5):730-8 DOI:10.1177/0018720809352788
3. Brady K, et al.Is Scrolling Disrupting While Reading? https://repository.isls.org/bitstream/1/497/1/18.pdf
4. Nurmahanani, I. (2024). The effect of text display in mobile reading to reading comprehension, attention, and cognitive. International Journal of Instruction, 17(2), 29-48. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2024.1723a

When I traveled in Japan recently, I only brought my Boox Tab Ultra C Pro E Ink tablet. Through remote desktop, I was able to write code and blog even in my hotel room. Enjoying the paper-like display on the screen under natural light, free from eye discomfort, is a true delight. If you're interested in this E Ink device, you can check out the following link: Boox Tab Ultra C Pro Tablet

Notes

Note 1、An open-system e-reader refers to a device whose operating system uses Android and allows users to install apps either directly or indirectly. In contrast, a closed-system e-reader does not allow app installations.⤴️

Note 2、The Eink mode aims to provide a front-end module to developers, but as long as the website has a back-end database account management system, these highlights can be saved to the user's account.⤴️

Note 3、iOS browsers do not currently support simultaneous Apple Pencil use and text/image selection. This feature is currently designed for Android users using E Ink devices, especially those using the EinkBro browser.⤴️

Note 4、I once conducted a handwriting test on Pubook Pro's Chrome browser. Despite the reader's hardware performance being touted as comparable to the Onyx Tab Ultra C, the handwriting latency was abysmal, even in fast mode.⤴️

About the Author

Jack Black

Driven by a passion for physics, science, and engineering, I seek to leverage my medical experience to advance human health and environmental sustainability.

If you liked what I wrote, feel free to support me. It'll give me more motivation to create. Thanks!