Maybe I'm just showing my age, but even when sitting in front of a computer, I often prefer the physical act of writing down a temporary note over typing one. This task is usually filled by a mix of a paper notebook, a pad of sticky notes, and in recent years, a Boogie Board (another brand of LCD writing tablet). Of the three, I've come to prefer the Boogie Board for its endless reusability [meaning no waste], but its large size often had me reaching for sticky notes when I'm pressed for desk space (which is often). The Mini LCD Writing Tablet from YOLIPULI has swiftly dethroned the larger Boogie Board as my preferred desktop companion, but it's not without its flaws.
What I like best: Aside from the fact that its only slightly taller and wider than my Pixel 8 (see picture next to a phone case for size comparison), I was pleased to find that the YOLIPULI mini tablet produces very thin lines — while the Boogie Board is akin to writing with a Sharpie, the YOLIPULI is like writing with a ball point pen, meaning it is easier to write smaller text and have it remain legible. I was surprised to find that if I intend to actually read back what I wrote, I can fit more text on the 6.5" YOLIPULI than I can on the larger Boogie Board [to be fair, I'll note that am using a years-old Boogie Board model WT14029, and I don't know what the brand is up to these days]. As a point of reference, I wrote the entire first paragraph of this review on the YOLIPULI (and later typed it, there are no fancy smart features here).
What could be better: The tablet is very thin and has no grip. While I have no concerns about durability in my environment, a thicker product would be easier to hold, and grippy back would have been nice to prevent sliding while writing on a smooth surface (the Boogie Board slides around, too and is also very thin).
What I don't like: The erase button is on the back of the tablet and is not completely flush with its surroundings, which causes two problems. 1-the tablet can wobble slightly when writing on a flat surface, which leads to: 2-If the lock switch is not engaged, it is possible to accidentally erase the tablet while writing on said flat surface.
Solutions: The tablet is usable as-is (just remember to engage the lock while writing), but I decided on some DIY to perfect it for my needs. By adding strips of 3M foam tape to the back, I was able to "unalive" not two, but three birds with one stone: 1-Increased thickness for better grip in-hand. 2-Increased grip while writing on a flat surface. 3-The erase button now "floats" slightly above the writing surface, eliminating accidental erasing without having to use the lock switch. This was an easy, two minute project with tape I already had on hand, and I'm very happy to have this tablet on my desk… If YOLIPULI had considered these things in the first place, this product would have earned an easy five stars.
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