Under a Thousand: A basic sketch and scribbler from Redmi

Mention the word ‘tablet’ and there’s a fair chance the geek squad will think you are referring to the iPad and its Android competitors. However, not all tablets come with five-figure price tags. In fact, the most basic of them are available for under Rs 500 and are extremely popular too. We are talking of the super basic dark “digital slates” on which you just scribble anything, erase it, scribble again, erase and repeat as long as you (and the tablet’s battery) wish. They have no connectivity, no colour, no sound and no apps. These are often available at extremely low prices (as little as Rs 200) and are a grey market favourite – you can get one from a local general store or even off the pavement. They are considered a great option for children, as they are easy to use, and provide a writing and sketching surface that can be used again and again. Best of all, since these tablets do not cost a bomb, even when they get damaged, one can simply go out and get another for about the price of a coffee in an upmarket cafe.
The challenge with these basic scribbling slates is that as they are often found in the grey market, quality and warranty are in short supply. To the extent that most people who pick them up do not even expect them to last too long. There are no offerings from established brands either. Xiaomi is looking to change that with its Redmi Writing Pad.
Basics in a branded package and with a sleek design
Priced at Rs 699, the Redmi Writing Pad might seem a little expensive to those used to picking up basic digital slates for half the price from the grey market. The point to note, however, is that unlike many of its lower-priced alternatives, this is a product from one of India’s leading tech brands. And it comes with a three-month warranty. This is not a product that you purchase with a prayer in your heart hoping that it works and does so for a while.
The Redmi Pad is pricier than its rivals but with the trust of Redmi, you get a three-month warranty here. (Image Source: Nimish Dubey)
It also comes neatly packaged in a typically orange Redmi box. Opening it brings you face to face with the Redmi Writing Pad, which has basically a dark 8.5-inch display in front and a black plastic back. It is incredibly light at a mere 90 grams, lighter than your daily newspaper. It is very slim and it does seem a little fragile, but it is well-finished with no rough edges. It comes with a stylus for writing and drawing, which is a neat touch and can be slotted into the side of the tablet. Below the display is a bright orange button, whose purpose is to delete whatever has been written on the tablet. On the side is also a lock and unlock slider – move it to lock and the delete button will not work, allowing your content to remain on the slate. There is also a slot for the single-cell dot battery, which you can replace yourself when it runs out.
It ain’t fancy, but it just works
And it all works surprisingly smoothly. The Redmi Writing Pad definitely delivers the best “basic scribble and sketch” experience that we have seen on a super low-cost tablet. The LCD screen is very basic and a little prone to smudges but is very sensitive. The stylus is pressure sensitive and while you can only write in green, you can change the thickness and shades of what you scribble depending on how hard you press the stylus into the surface or the angle at which you use it.
The Redmi Writing Pad can be a perfect doodle pad, letting you make very quick notes or even small sketches. (Image Source: Nimish Dubey)
There are no colours and nothing remotely like handwriting recognition. But we found that scribbling on the Pad was fun. In fact, the Redmi Writing Pad can be a perfect doodle pad, letting you make very quick notes or even small sketches. Of course, it is great for children as they can draw and write on it endlessly. The absence of colour also means that there is hardly any eyestrain in using this tablet.

The one thing that we really wish the tablet had was some option for saving content. Right now, the most you can do is stop it from being erased moving the slider to ‘lock.’ But this is pretty much a use-and-erase device. So if your child makes a beautiful drawing, the only way you can save it is taking a picture of it. Yes, you can ensure it does not get erased but as the Pad has no scroll option, you will have to remove the picture to be able to write or draw anything else on it. There are no multiple pages, no saving options and no sound.
The one thing that we really really wish the tablet had was some option of saving content. Currently, you can only prevent an erase using the slider on the side to ‘lock’ the screen. (Image Source: Nimish Dubey)
Get it for your kid (and use it yourself!)
The responsiveness of the display and the performance of the stylus make the Redmi Writing Pad perhaps the best super affordable digital slate you can get for your child to draw and doodle on. But you can also get this also for yourself. It is handy enough to be placed on a table for a super quick note – there is no switching or booting involved. So you can literally just pull out the stylus and write a quick point or a phone number, URL or mail ID on it. It also has the potential to be used in restaurants and cafes – one can simply scribble one’s order on it. It is at its best in the hands of a child, saving paper, allowing creativity and not being a strain on the eyes. But we wager older folks will not be averse to using it as well. The battery is said to last 20,000 pages (so more than a year even if you make 50 drawings a day on it) and is replaceable. And if something goes wrong, you are covered a three-month warranty.
All of this makes the Redmi Writing Pad a terrific option for those who want to do some digital sketching and scribbling without getting into the four-figure zone. It is well crafted (if a little fragile), works smoothly and is fun in a charmingly basic way. Buy it for your child, but be warned – you will find yourself using it just as often. And without the fear of damaging an expensive gizmo.