PocketBook InkPad 3 Update: Disable Touchscreen & Enhanced Note-Taking Features

The PocketBook InkPad 3 has been one of the best eBook readers on the market since its launch. Not only does its hardware impress, but as we’ve come to expect from PocketBook, the software offers a lot too. With the update released on July 9, version 5.20.1010, the feature set expands even further while also addressing a point of critique I raised 8 years ago during our first PocketBook device review.

Notes can now finally be created and edited directly in reading mode. It might sound trivial, but it’s not. Previously, you could create notes directly, but couldn’t open or edit them without switching to the dedicated notes mode. With this change, the note function on the PocketBook InkPad 3 now works pretty much like what users are familiar with from other manufacturers.

Better Design with New Features

Additionally, the design has changed, meaning instead of just a single-line input field, the text field is now multi-line, detached from the keyboard, and thus more user-friendly. The manual note-taking mode is also back and has been revised. This allows for highlights or drawings to be made directly in the book with a finger. Although PocketBook had this feature before, it was removed at some point.

With the return of this highlighting feature, its scope has been expanded, allowing the line thickness to be adjusted in 5 levels. Highlights can also be combined into a note, which is useful if you create several on one page.

All notes are now displayed via an icon on the left side of the screen. If you frequently take notes, it’s advisable to increase the margin of the text as these icons slightly overlap the text (even with the largest margin currently). However, this issue is not too severe since the text remains legible.

Deactivatable Touchscreen for More Comfort

Also new is the option to completely deactivate the touchscreen. Since PocketBook is one of the few manufacturers that almost exclusively uses eBook readers with physical buttons, such a feature can be effortlessly utilized.

With a simple double-click of the menu button, the touchscreen can be deactivated and reactivated. The function can also be assigned to another button, as usual.

Turning off the touchscreen minimizes potential input errors, which is especially handy if you like to rest your thumb on the screen while reading. A similar feature has been available for some time with the Kindle Oasis.

The complete changelog can be found, as usual, on the PocketBook website and can be viewed here.