Supernote
- First you have to find you Kindle serial number.
- Then you can follow this instructions to instal the DeDRM_tools plugin
I’m super impressed by the new #Supernote digest feature. It not only gives me a reason to go back to their #ePub reader (we’ll see about that), but it also solves a problem I’ve been struggling with for a long time: capturing and saving snippets from physical media.
Moving all the online services I use to the EU will definitely be much harder than I anticipated, for many reasons. So, I decided to take the small steps I can already deal with.
The Mastodon instance I regularly post to is already in Europe. As for #Obsidian, I run my own syncing service between my home and office. A few months ago, I moved my Supernote notes to a server in Europe. And because I was already working on the migration of my site back to Micro.blog, I decided to move it to a server in Europe and also switch the domain from .com to .eu.
In case you don’t know…
According to Wikipedia, “The
.comdomain was originally administered by the United States Department of Defense, but is today operated by Verisign, and remains under ultimate jurisdiction of U.S. law.”As for
.eu, it is “based on Regulation (EC) No 733/2002 and was launched in December 2005. EURid, a Belgian not-for-profit organisation, manages the.euTLD registry.” Source
I don’t believe small attitudes like this make any difference in the grand scheme of things, but they definitely make me feel better, and this matters a lot.
I’m trying to visualize a project I’ve been brewing for a long time. It’s a small one, but it demands a few precisely cut pieces of wood, and that’s why I’ve been postponing it for a while. But this coming weekend may be it. Wish me luck with those cuts! 😁 #Maker #Woodworking #Supernote
AI as a powerful Tool, not a Commander.
It’s tempting to outsource more and more tasks to powerful AI tools. But how far should we go? Have we already reached a point where we’re blindly handing over too much control? And what harm is this already doing to our growth and critical thinking?
In a recent post, I discussed keeping AI siloed, and here’s an example of what I meant. When I’m with a client, I take notes while we’re talking. This helps me better process everything and puts my brain into an intentional mode. Which, in turn, helps me come up with important questions to ask in real time and also triggers ideas for solutions to their workflow.
Even so, sometimes real-time note-taking isn’t possible. For instance, the other day, when I was helping an independent professional, I was demonstrating how to use the Timeline System to build his workflow by sharing my Supernote screen. In other words, I didn’t have enough hands to type.
However, right after the meeting, I opened Voicenotes, pressed record, and started speaking as if I were typing in real time. If I can’t take notes during a meeting, I make sure to do it immediately afterward to avoid forgetting any essential details. After all, that’s the whole point of taking notes.
I usually write everything out, even if it’s after the fact. But, in this particular case, I had another appointment, and, as I said, I would rather not forget anything. (By the way, any similar application would have worked; I chose Voicenotes because it has a web app.)
After finishing the recording, I went to the web, copied the transcription, and pasted it into the client’s note in Obsidian. There, I fixed the mistakes and added additional details, which ultimately triggered new ideas, also noted down to be shared with the client in the next session.
Yes, I can hear you! Here’s why I haven’t used AI to do everything.
Imagine asking AI to create all the topics for a specific meeting. Then, it emails all participants who, during the meeting, used AI to record and summarize it. Each attendee then asks AI to generate suggestions. Finally, someone consolidates all the suggestions in another AI and asks it to create a plan of action.
You’ve probably seen jokes about this online, but is it that far from reality? If you are afraid of AI taking your job, at least stop helping it by handing everything over on a silver platter.
I know, we’ve passed the point where not using AI is possible. It’s challenging to avoid something that’s excellent for many tasks. However, I strongly believe it is a terrible idea to put it in control. If I had used AI to record, transcribe, and summarize everything, I would never have had the insights, which, in the end, would have made taking the meeting notes pointless.
Another reason why I love how hackable the Supernote is. It now precisely fits my EDC setup.
That penholder on the Nomad case is very convenient, but when I wanted to bring the Supernote in my EDC pouch, it was always a pain to make it fit. I had to put some pressure on it to fold the holder down while zipping the bag.
Don’t be mad, but I’ve actually thought of cutting it off a few times. Thankfully, I’m not that young and anxious anymore, so I did what I always do in situations like this. Instead of rushing to cut it, I let the search for a solution slowly brew in my brain.
One day, out of nowhere, I had a ‘click’ moment. A good velcro was probably the solution! I grabbed the device, removed it from the case, and, to my surprise, there were just a few stitches connecting the penholder to the case. “No way it will be that easy,” I thought while looking around for my x-acto knife.
It took me just a few seconds to disconnect them. It was so quick and painless that I completely forgot to take pictures or film it. Sorry.
I’ve said this so many times, but here we go again: I love how hackable the Supernote is! Anyway, I then cut a piece of velcro to precisely fit the rectangular space left behind, used contact glue to attach one side to the case and the other to the pen holder, and voilà.
I considered using thinner velcro, but after some tests, it was evident that it wouldn’t hold the pen in place. The 3M strips I ended up using are probably overkill, but I was super excited about my insight, and I already had those in a drawer.
However, because they are a bit thick, the case is no longer flush with the Supernote. Not a big deal, I thought. It’s just slightly raised on the corner where the penholder is, and the magnets are strong enough to keep everything connected.
I’ve been using this hack for a few months now and couldn’t be happier. The pen stays attached most of the time, and when I want to bring the Supernote with me, there’s no more fighting with the Peak Design Tech Pouch. By the way, let me know if you’d like to see a video of what I carry with me everywhere and how I organize my EDC pouch!
Caliban's War
When was the last time I read a fiction book as quickly as Leviathan Wakes? I don’t even remember. Even before finishing it, I bought Caliban’s War, which I’m also enjoying very much. But this time I’m reading it on my Supernote.
I started reading it using the Supernote’s ePub reader, but after learning about the amazing BookFusion plugin for Obsidian, I had to install the BookFusion app on my Supernote, and that’s where I’m currently reading it. By the way, a video about all these tech adventures is coming soon.
Leviathan Wakes
I don’t remember the last time I couldn’t stop reading a book. Better yet, when I was reading Leviathan Wakes, the first book in The Expanse series, it was comforting to know that I would be able to keep enjoying more stories set in that universe.
I developed a more in-depth understanding of the characters, and the most delightful aspect of this was that it occurred naturally as I was enveloped in the adventure narrative. It’s time to find out if the next books are as good as this one. However, if you like the TV show, you should probably read at least this first book.
I purchased it in paperback while on a recent trip to Ireland, but I chose to go digital for the second book, Calvin’s War. And I’m not using a Kindle or Kobo device or apps. This reading is happening in my Supernote.
I freed my Kindle library and have it synchronized with all my devices
First, I converted the books to ePub using Calibre. Next, they joined my Timeline System in Obsidian for automatic synchronization across all devices, Supernote included.
Like many other modern conveniences, the Kindle ecosystem is built to keep us locked in. As you know, I’ve been taking down walls around digital goods I won, and now it’s time to do it with my books. This project has been on my list for a long time, but it was a recent feature removal from Amazon that motivated me to finally pull the trigger.
We used to be able to go to Amazon.com and download our Kindle books, but that’s not possible anymore. A while ago, when Amazon announced the policy change, I downloaded all my books. If you haven’t done that, I believe you can still have access to them by connecting your Kindle to a computer and manually coping the books.
But having the books is just part of the process, as the majority of them are linked to your account via what’s called DRM. Additionally, Amazon uses a proprietary format instead of ePub, which is more widely adopted by e-book readers. In other words, it’s like having your books locked in a box that is locked in another box.
Calibre is the master key that can help us with all of these locks. Additionally, it works as a library management software, keeping all the books in a folder on our computer. That’s just perfect for the Digital Caveman project, right?
When you are first installing the app, it will suggest a folder for your library, but you can change it to what better suits you. In my case, I created a new Static Container (folder) called ‘eBooks’. And because the files in my Timeline System structure synchronize with multiple devices, my library is now widely available. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
As a tip, you can also move the library to a different folder in the future. Just click on the ‘eBooks’ button on the toolbar to choose a new location.
Next, we need to prepare Calibre to be able to remove the DRM from our books. This is done in two parts. First, we need to install and set up a plugin. It’s only after doing this that we’ll be able to tell Calibre to remove the DRM and convert the books to ePub.
Preparing Calibre
Add the serial number to the box and that’s it.
Converting to ePub
With all the above done, go to Calibre’s main window and click on the ‘Add books’ buttons. Select one or more books, and they will be added to your library’s folder.
Next, select one or more books in the list and click on the ‘Convert books’ option. You’ll see a new window with countless details that you can tweak on each book. There are even several formats available in addition to ePub, which is the pre-selected on. In my case, I kept everything as it was and clicked on the button to convert.
The Supernote
To understand how my books are being automatically sent to my Supernote, I suggest watching the video below.
But remember, the books are in my Obsidian Vault. And looking at how Calibre creates folders for each author, I’m already having insights about making those folders somehow connected to other content I have in Obsidian. Especially the ‘Knowledge Base’ notes, which share a strong relationship with the books I read. And that’s one of the reasons I chose to set the ‘eBooks’ folder as a Static Container.
The Digital Caveman Project
There are plenty of details I still would like to adjust, but all the digital content I create and own is now local first and free from walled gardens. In other words, 100% under my control.
In addition to my notes and website being created in Obsidian, my music, photos, now my books, every single file I use for my personal life and work, and even my passwords, are on my computer first. I even have my own ‘cloud’ system and a backup strategy.
🪨 I did it!
My Supernote Manta is scheduled to arrive at my office today. 🤞 If it arrives during the morning, I may be able to share an unboxing video with you this evening.
How to set the number of synchronizations per day on Syncthing-Fork
On 2025-05-23 What is Syncthing-Fork there’s an option to reduce the number of synchronizations per day.
Go to Settings, then Run Conditions, and scroll down, you’ll find the Run according to time schedule option.
A few thoughts on using the Obsidian app on the Supernote.
After a few days with the new Obsidian vault I set up for the Supernote, it’s time to discuss some other little tweaks I made and issues I experienced.
I still haven’t found a solution for the context menus that pop up when I hover the pen over clickable items. In the video below, you can see it happening on Obsidian, but it’s also affecting Syncthing.
At first, I thought it was linked to sideloaded apps, but it’s not happening to all the apps I installed, and I can see it happening when I’m using Obsidian on my computer. In other words, it appears to be a normal behavior found in certain apps, and I’ll have to investigate further to resolve this issue.
Battery
The battery is also draining faster than usual. It’s not something crazy fast, but it was bothering me, so I decided to try a different configuration. Syncthing-Fork has a setting to change the the number of synchronizations per day.
I hope it will improve the battery situation. The drawback is that I’ll have to pay more attention to the synchronization status, but I am fine with that.
Supernote Cloud & Tasks
Since we’re talking about sync, I went back to the Supernote cloud. In my opinion, it’s a better option, since I can see and manipulate files seamlessly on the phone and computer companion apps, where, by the way, I can also manage tasks.
I love how the Tasks app works seamlessly with notes, but there’s one thing that’s still driving me crazy. As you already know, I see Inboxes as a huge waste of time, so when a system has a folder like that the user cannot remove, I just ignore it. However, the Supernote forces me to use it.
On the Mac or Android companion apps, I can open a specific list and create takes there, but that’s still not possible to do that when creating tasks on notes.
Syncthing
Back to the sync topic, the one thing the Supernote cloud was not as efficient as Google Drive, was giving me quick access to my sketches exported to JPG or PNG. But, as I show in the video below, I’m now doing this using Syncthing.
I am still working on improving my workflow to efficiently combine what the Supernote and Obsidian do best, but I am already thrilled with what I have accomplished so far.
There’s a new Supernote in town 👏. I will be sharing my thoughts about the new A5X2 Manta soon, as there is one coming my way as I post this. For now, check the link below for more information about it.
After installing Obsidian on my Supernote I can clearly see that the battery it is draining faster. It’s not substantial, like going down in a few hours or days, but it’s definitely draining a little faster. It could also be because I’ve been trying and testing so many new things lately.
There are some settings that I can change on Syncthing to improve the situation, but before I go that route, I’ll give it a few weeks under normal use conditions to see how it performs.
Stay tuned. I will keep you updated.
How to install a Micro SD Card on the Supernote Nomad
Follow along with me and learn how to open the Supernote Nomad and install a Micro SD Card.
I ended yesterday’s video telling you I had an idea that got me really excited. Actually, it’s a plan that combines two visions into one. First of all, I realized that instead of doing all the complicated maneuvers to synchronize only my Action Containers, I could create and synchronize a new vault just for my Action Containers and keep everything else, including the Timeline, in the current vault.
When it comes time to move a file to the Timeline, I can do so using the computer file system. This will have no impact on the way the Timeline System works, and I may be able to come up with an automation in the future to move completed actions to the Timeline on the other vault.
The second part of the plan is to put this new vault in the Supernote SD card. This not only keeps me from using all the Supernote internal storage space with my vault, but also opens up countless possibilities. I’ll show some of them in more detail in an upcoming video, but here’s an example.
Imagine that I sketched a project on Supernote and wanted to add that to a note on Obsidian. In the past, I would have to synchronize the image using Google Drive, for example, then, on my computer, drag it to Obsidian. I can now do it right there on the Supernote.
It’s just a matter of exporting it as a PNG and saving it to the folder where my Obsidian vault is. This will make it instantly available to use on Obsidian, which, in turn, will also synchronize with my computer and phone. Mind-blowing!
How to install Android apps on a Supernote using a Mac
The first step is to prepare the Supernote to receive Android apps. Go to Settings, then Security & Privacy, and then turn on Sidloading. This means that you are allowing the Supernote to accept the installation of Android apps.
Next, we have to make sure the Supernote can connect to the Mac. Under the hood, the Supernote is an Android device, so we will need to install an app on the Mac to allow both of them to talk to each other. This step was a bit of a pain for me. After trying different options, MacDroid was the one that worked. If that does not work for you, please search for other options on Google and try them.
I suggest using the Supernote USB cable, as not all USB cables are the same, technically speaking.
Now we need to get the Android apps ready. Obsidian offers the APK on its website, which, I think, is an excellent practice, as they are the company behind the app.
I am also using Syncthing-Fork, which I downloaded from the developer’s GitHub page. However, if you are using Obsidian Sync, you don’t need Syncthing. Please download either one or both and place them aside for now.
Next, download and install Homebrew. You’ll find the instructions on their website. Just follow the steps. This app is needed to install the next app on your Mac.
Now download the Android SDK Platform-Tools, which is what will actually talk to the Supernote. To install it, you’ll have to use a command on the Terminal.
To open the Mac Terminal, hold the Command key and press the Space Bar. Type Terminal in the search box and click to open the Terminal. In the Terminal window, write the following code:
brew install android-platform-tools
When you hit Enter, Homebrew will install the Android SDK Platform-Tools on your computer. You’ll see some code scrolling on the screen and then a message that says it was installed successfully.
Now it’s time to connect your Supernote to the computer, and make sure MacDroid can see it as a device.
If you get a screen like the one above, go back to the Mac Terminal and type the code below to make sure the system is seeing it:
adb devices
You should get a message similar to the one below.
Finally, it’s time to install the Obsidian APK (Android file). Go back to the Mac Terminal and type adb install, followed by the path to the APK file on your computer. In my case, it looks like this:
adb install /Users/office/Downloads/Obsidian-1.7.7.apk
Alternatively, you can type adb install, hit space, and using the mouse, click and drag the APK file to the front of the command. That will create the path for you. Hit Enter and wait until you see the success message.
That’s it. To install other apps, repeat adb install command, adding the path to the app on your computer.
Installing Android apps on a Supernote using a Mac
If you are a Mac user, it is not exactly a simple process to install Android apps on your Supernote, but it is totally feasible.
Before we start, I have some disclaimers.
I am not a developer, and I have only a rough understanding of what is actually happening when following the steps below. I’m simply sharing what I learned researching online. It worked for me, but you should always do your research.
As for the Android apps, please be careful with what you are installing. Apps downloaded from the Internet, known as APKs, are not being checked by the Google Play Store.
So, if you decide to follow the steps below, know that you are doing it at your own risk. And make sure you have a backup of your Supernote before starting.
If you are curious to see how Obsidian performs on the Supernote, I invite you to watch the video below. And if at some point you decide to purchase a Supernote, please consider using my affiliate link (clicking here). Thank you!
Sometimes doing things on a Mac is much harder than it is on a PC/Win. Today, I was finally able to sideload Obsidian onto my Supernote. Meaning that we’ll soon have some fun installing and testing the Minimal theme on it as well.
The more I use the Supernote, the more I appreciate how the system incorporates chronology everywhere. Check out the Recent Files section. It fits perfectly with my Timeline System. How cool is that? Not to mention the Last Opened Document/Note. I use these three buttons all the time.
