The new iPad Pro (2024) may be the thinnest device Apple has ever made, but a new tablet from startup Daylight has an arguably more exciting claim. It's apparently "the world's first 60fps paper-like computer", making it an intriguing cross between an Amazon Kindle and an iPad.
The Daylight DC-1's unique feature is its 10.5-inch display, which the company calls 'LivePaper'. While the tablet's official site isn't explicit about the tech behind this screen, it appears to use a transflective LCD, which is visible both with and without a backlight. The result is something that looks something like E Ink but has an LCD's responsiveness and refresh rate.
We'll need to see a DC-1 in the flesh before making conclusions on how well that works in practice, but the signs are promising. The display is still black-and-white, but is apparently viewable in direct sunlight and works with many existing Android apps. It also has an amber-only backlight, which means you can use it in darker environments without worrying so much about eyestrain or the impacts of blue light.
This all means that the DC-1, which runs on custom version of Android 13, has carved out an intriguing spot somewhere between the Amazon Kindle, reMarkable 2 and an iPad. In theory, you get a calmer, less distracting experience than the best iPads, but a more functionality and apps than an E Ink tablet.
You get a generous 128GB of storage (much more than the best ereaders) plus 8GB of RAM. The DC-1 also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, plus a passive Wacom EMR stylus for note-taking duties. It also charges via USB-C (the battery will apparently "last you days on a single charge") and comes with a microSD slot to boost the storage.
One downside is that the tablet doesn't appear to work with the Google Play Store, meaning you'll need to download your apps from alternative stores. But it's otherwise a promising new contender and early fans seem to agree. Its first two batches are sold out, but you can buy a DC-1 for $729 (around £575 / AU$1,100) ahead of an estimated shipment on September 30.
A new breed of tablet?
While most tablet buyers will find it hard to ignore the versatility and functionality of the best tablets with traditional color screens, the Daylight DC-1 is part of a growing trend of tech that focuses on reducing distractions and protecting your sleep.
According to some sleep experts, the brightness of a display likely has a bigger impact on your sleep than the amount of blue wavelength light it contains. But the DC-1 appears to do well on both counts, with its amber-only backlight only really kicking in during the evenings or in darker environments.
It also sounds more versatile than a reMarkable tablet thanks to its support for Android apps (albeit not the Play Store) while offering a Kindle-like reading experience. Still, though, the black-and-white screen and lack of cameras mean the DC-1 won't work for photo editing, video calls, or watching movies.
But if you're looking for a tablet that sits in between the calmness of an E Ink reader and the functionality of an iPad, Daylight's new offering certainly sounds interesting on paper (if you can stomach its high price tag). We're looking forward to taking one for a test-drive soon to see if it can live up to its lofty claims.
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