Initial Review of Oaxis' InkCase+: A Kickstarter Product

The InkCase+ is an 3.5 inch e-ink device connected via Bluetooth to your Android smartphone made by a company called Oaxis that used Kickstarter to crowd-fund their project. The main goal of this device is to look at your notifications, reading ebooks, answering phone calls, and so on without needing to turn on your phone. Therefore, it won't decrease the battery of the phone as much if you had it on. They also marketed a specific case for the InkCase+ and phone so that it makes it more convenient to carry with you. You can also use the pouch to carry the InkCase+ separately. Since I am writing this post, the project was successfully funded on August 14, 2014. 

After a couple of months of delay, I finally have the product shipped to me earlier in the week. I'm not too bothered by the delay in shipping as it may give the company a little more extra time to fine-tune the product before sending it out to the backers. After opening the box all giddily like opening a present on Christmas Day, I was surprised by the quality of the device. It feels nice and small in the hand and the pouch that came with the device fits pretty nice. The only problem is that it is rather slippery inside the pouch and can leave the pouch either top or bottom if not careful. At the time of when the crowd-funding phase ended, I was using the Nexus 4 but since then, I had gotten the bigger OnePlus One. I had chosen the Universal Small FitCase as they were not making a specific case for the Nexus 4, but when I switched phone to the OnePlus One, I had asked whether I could change my decision. On receiving the package, I had gotten the Small Universal FitCase but fortunately after e-mailing them about it, they are sending the larger FitCase to me. I can't comment on the FitCase, but will do so in the full review at a later date.

After connecting the InkCase+ to my phone, I installed the companion apps and other apps from the company to start to set up the device. One thing that I had hoped they would do is they put the apps onto the Google PlayStore. That would make it easier when they push new updates to the app and such. The Companion app needs some work as the InkCase+ keeps on losing connection with the app on the phone, and it needs to be optimized as it drains my phone's battery on standby for some reason. I haven't used the other apps yet, but will comment in the full review later. I can't comment on the battery life yet in this initial impression review, but will do so in the full review.

In conclusion, Oaxis has made a good looking device but in order for this product to be a hit, I am looking forward to what they do with the software. I am interested if third party developers will develop apps for this device as it will increase what the InkCase+ can do. I hope the updating process for software is easier (via Google PlayStore), but I'm hoping some optimizations are made until then.

Left: The small universal FitCase. Right: The pouch.