TCL launches Note A1 NXTPAPER — a color note-taking tablet with LCD and AI features

TCL has introduced the Note A1 NXTPAPER, a color-focused note-taking and reading device that uses the company's paper-like NXTPAPER LCD rather than E Ink.

The tablet has an 11.5-inch “NXTPAPER Pure” display with a 2,200 x 1,440 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, which TCL says should make it look clearer and feel smoother than color E Ink screens such as those on some rival devices.

The Note A1 supports TCL's T-Pen Pro and includes eight built-in microphones for recording and transcribing audio. It also packs a 13-megapixel camera for scanning documents, an 8,000mAh battery and 256GB of storage, with optional access to cloud services like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.

TCL says the device runs Android but has not confirmed whether it will include Play Store access. The company positions the Note A1 as a productivity tool rather than a media tablet and highlights AI features for processing and organizing handwriting, real-time translation and “handwriting beautification.”

TCL’s NXTPAPER approach is presented as an alternative to color E Ink tablets such as Boox devices. The Note A1 is available to order now on Kickstarter with bonuses and discounts, and it will go on sale officially for $549 at the end of February.

Engadget has reached out to TCL for more information about the Note A1's software and will update the story if it hears back.

Key Topics

Tech, United States, Tablets, Hardware, E Ink, Productivity