I love digital devices and gadgets of all shapes and sizes. I also love the tangible nature of things not digital. When “devices” didn’t exist I used to journal – a lot. I still have most of my journals and one day I’ll bring myself to read them, or maybe my children will. At some point in my life I stopped journaling. I didn’t switch to typing things out on a phone or computer, I just stopped. I’ve tried many times to resume with a physical paper journal, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted to write around various topics, but I didn’t want to mix content in a single journal. I also wanted to start sketching again, but I didn’t want to have multiple “things” floating around the house that I had to keep track of.

Within the past few years, technology for e-ink devices has progressed by leaps and bounds. The look and feel of writing on a device is an incredible realistic feel. I began to wonder if this was the answer to my journaling problem. I could write and sketch like I normally would with a piece of paper, but I could manage and organize everything in a single device. The biggest thing that was holding me back was the price tag. It’s a pretty significant cost considering how an e-ink device stacks up against a full blown tablet. I sat on this decision for a LONG time. I also found myself reading and re-reading every article that Dan wrote on his E-Ink blog because I wasn’t sure which device to get. I finally settled on the Ratta Supernote A6 X2 Nomad as I loved all the same things that Dan loved about it.

If you’re into journaling, but you want a digital solution, I would highly recommend an e-ink device, but don’t go cheap on your purchase. The “cheapness” usually is reflected in the actual feel of the writing and if it doesn’t feel like writing or drawing, you might as well stick with a typical tablet.