remarkable

emacsgui — GUI Emacs on e-ink

Real GNU Emacs 30.1, graphically, on the reMarkable Paper Pro — Xvfb, an e-ink framebuffer pusher, and a raw Type Folio keyboard bridge. Built for firmware 3.26.0.68 exactly; a one-time snapshot with no updates planned.

A$37 · one-time payment · instant download

For Paper Pro · tested on firmware 3.26.0.68
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⚠️ Read before buying

  • Firmware 3.26.0.68 only. Built against that exact firmware; anything else is untested and unsupported.
  • No updates are planned. This is a one-time snapshot of a working setup. If a future firmware breaks it, there will be no fixed build. Buy it for the firmware it targets.
  • Type Folio required — there is no on-screen keyboard.
  • If it doesn't work as described on the stated firmware, you're covered by the refund policy — nothing here limits your Australian Consumer Law rights.

What it is

Actual GUI Emacs on your paper tablet. The app boots a headless X server (Xvfb), runs GNU Emacs 30.1 into it, and pushes damage rectangles to the e-ink panel with tuned waveforms — crisp bilevel fonts while typing, full refresh when it matters. The Type Folio is read raw through a keyboard bridge, so Ctrl/Meta chords land in Emacs exactly like on a laptop. org-mode, dired, magit-level workflows — on e-ink, offline, yours.

Features

  • GNU Emacs 30.1, the real thing — your own ~/.emacs.d/init.el loads first, then a small e-ink override layer (fonts, frame fit).
  • Rotate (alt-opt+r) between portrait and landscape without restarting X; zoom steps; black-&-white ↔ colour render toggle.
  • Sleep-aware: the device stays awake while you type (kernel wake-lock) and auto-sleeps again when you walk away; exit releases everything.
  • keyd included: a pass-through keyboard daemon creates the input device the bridge reads. If you already run keyd with your own layout, the installer detects it and touches nothing — your remaps just work.
  • Honest packaging: GPL corresponding source for Emacs ships in the zip (build scripts + version pins); MIT/OFL notices included.

Requirements

  • reMarkable Paper Pro on firmware 3.26.0.68 + Type Folio.
  • xovi + rm-appload (free; links in the README).
  • ~450MB free space. No other paid item required.

Open-source components

This bundle includes GNU Emacs 30.1 (GPL-3.0) and an X11/Xvfb runtime. Complete corresponding source: the exact upstream tarballs (emacs-30.1.tar.xz from ftp.gnu.org, X.org/Debian packages via snapshot.debian.org) plus the pinned build scripts shipped in the zip (build-sources/), with all license texts in LICENSES/. The paid components (launcher, keyboard bridge, framebuffer pusher) are separate proprietary programs.

Install

Three copies from your computer (app folder, runtimes tarball, keyd installer) — exact commands in the README. Launch from the AppLoad menu. Uninstall is two rm -rfs; nothing on the system rootfs is modified except the optional keyd unit (documented, reversible).

what you get

  • emacsgui AppLoad app (launcher, keyboard bridge, framebuffer pusher, e-ink config)
  • GNU Emacs 30.1 + Xvfb/X11 runtime (aarch64 builds, ~390MB installed)
  • keyd keyboard daemon + pass-through config + installer (skipped if you already run keyd)
  • GPL corresponding-source bundle (build scripts + version pins) and install README

license

proprietary launcher + GNU Emacs 30.1 (GPL-3.0) & X11 (MIT) — sources pinned in zip

attribution

GNU Emacs 30.1 (GPL-3.0) — corresponding source included in the zip

X.org Xvfb (MIT); keyd v2.6.0 (MIT); fonts OFL/MIT

Runs under xovi / rm-appload (free, installed separately)