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It’s no secret that a large part of electronics comes from China. In addition to the large number of tech brands owned by Chinese companies, operating in the United States and around the world, there are also some really innovative and really cool new gadgets that can only be found in China. It is a technology powerhouse with the infrastructure, supply chain and extensive manufacturing ecosystem to support massive production. It should therefore come as no surprise that your favorite products are either manufactured directly in that country or contain components from that country. Many phones, tablets and e-readers are made in China, with names you might recognize. Kobo models are made in China and Taiwan (mainly the latter), Kindles were made in China at one time, and there are a handful of similar devices from companies like Huawei, iFlytek, Bigme, and iReader. What about the Onyx Boox (or simply “Boox”) models? The simple answer is yes, Boox e-readers and devices are made in China.
The company is based in Guangdong, China, and its manufacturing operations are also centered there. Boox is the brand, Onyx International is the parent company that owns it and has been manufacturing e-readers and tablets since 2009. In its inventory, there are not just e-readers but feature-rich tablets, like the Note Max. Newer models cover the Boox Go 10.3 Gen II, Palma 2 Pro and Note Air5 C, all tablets and e-ink devices, with the smaller 6-inch Go models focused on portable reading. The Boox Go 6 Gen II is generally comparable to a Kobo, Kindle, or Nook.
Are Boox devices secure from a privacy and data perspective?
Given that the brand comes from China, this raises questions about data privacy and security for device owners. There are no known security threats to date, and data researchers have examined Boox devices and their use of data, including allegations that they make calls to China. The results seem rather benign in most cases. Even if some services appear to collect more data than necessary, they still fall under legitimate uses.
Boox also explained its approach to data privacy and security. The devices purportedly use end-to-end SSL encryption for data transfers, offer file protections for privacy with the ability to lock certain content behind a password, and give you full control over access with proper security measures and cloud storage and data management tools.
Of course, none of this means that the devices are completely safe. Further research would be needed to definitively confirm this, and there are still privacy and security risks. But when considering the kind of data Amazon collects if and when you use a Kindle, which is a huge swarm of information, the general rule is to keep in mind that most devices do it anyway. Many popular e-readers certainly collect data related to usage and reading habits, which is usually evident from the general success of their recommendation engines.
What makes Boox devices different from other e-readers?
If you look through the Boox range, you’ll immediately notice that the devices are intended for general use rather than just reading. Smaller Boox models, like the Go 6 or Go 7, have the same shape and style as many other popular e-readers you may be familiar with. All Boox devices use the e-ink display format, which is easier on the eyes and dims the brightness of regular, modern LCD screens. Most importantly, Boox devices run Android and come with Google Play support, meaning you can install just about any app you want, as long as it’s compatible.
This gives you the flexibility to do whatever you want with the device aside from reading, and you can even install your favorite reading apps or services and take your library with you – you’re not locked into a single ecosystem. You could say it’s a step backwards from other e-reader models, as it exposes you to a lot of distractions, much like a smartphone, but you can completely limit what you install and use on these devices, so it’s still up to you. Many Boox owners say the brand outperforms Amazon Kindles in terms of customization, and knowing that you can install virtually any app, it’s easy to see why.
As a side note, Onyx Boox also makes other devices like the Mira E Ink Monitor, which is a solid alternative to traditional LCD monitors. It takes the e-ink technology used in Boox tablets and applies it to computer screens.
