<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-Q2MC6HHGTH"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-Q2MC6HHGTH'); </script><script id="Cookiebot" src="https://consent.cookiebot.com/uc.js" data-cbid="9a575506-32c3-4ed2-8123-3527a9a1f3a7" type="text/javascript" async></script> Alright, the title may be a little much, but seriously, there is a lot going on in both the e-paper space and regarding Ratta and their [Supernote](https://tinyurl.com/2p9ttt48) platform. If you are interested in watching my YouTube Video where I tackle these same issues, you can find it here:  In tis blog post, we will talk about recent events surrounding potential tariffs on goods from China, Ratta's response, and the new beta released that seem to be taking Supernote back to it's roots. Again, there is a lot going on so let's dive right in. ## Tariffs Recently, President Trump announced that he would be canceling the De Minimis trade exemption, which exempted goods under $800 from import duties coming into the United States from China, although it was later delayed ([See Guardian news article here](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/trump-china-tariffs)). Additionally, the administration planned, and has already implemented a ten percent tariff on imported goods from China. In response, Ratta proactively released an announcement on Reddit responding to customer concerns about cost. You can read the thread here: #### [Supernote Pricing Update Plan: Adapting to New US Tariffs](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supernote/comments/1ijrea8/supernote_pricing_update_plan_adapting_to_new_us/) My reaction to this announcement was very positive, and I believe well received by the community overall community. The highlights are that Ratta was very transparent in their approach to how they were going to deal with these tariffs. The key takeaways were that they will be cost-sharing with customers. Below is a good summary table of the impact of the tariff just on devices, accessories are a little more nuanced. | Device | Pre-Tariff Cost | Tariff | Share to Consumer | Final Cost | | ------ | --------------- | ------ | ------------------- | ---------- | | Manta | $460.00 | $46.00 | $23.00 (50 percent) | $483.00 | | Nomad | $300.00 | $30.00 | $24.00 (80 percent) | $324,00 | It's important to note here that Ratta also honored their commitment not to upcharge any orders already placed and to absorb those costs entirely. Finally, they recognize the impact on accessories and set them at a flat 50/50 cost-sharing model. Of course, with the delay, it is unclear if this will be seen any time soon. The big takeaway is a proactive stance and transparency in pricing. It should also be noted that this is a newer phenomenon in the U.S. Many of my YouTube subscribers and those who read these blogs have been dealing with excessive taxes (like VAT) and import duties, which drives the cost of e-paper devices tremendously higher. This just now hitting the U.S. may provide some understanding and context to that conversation. ## Ghosting This is a slightly shorter section, but I believe important. It also leads us to our beta discussion but does deserve it's own description. It appears that all of the newest generation of Carta 1300 panels have some issues with Ghosting. This has been covered by [myself]([Organizing for Change - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@Change-1820)), Voja at [My Deep Guide]([My Deep Guide - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@MyDeepGuide), [Kit Betts-Masters]([Kit Betts-Masters - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@KitBetts-Masters)), Roderick at [Rants about Tech]([Rants About Tech - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@rantsabouttechnology)), and [Jeffrey Moss]([Jeffrey Moss - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@jeffreymoss)) (just to name a few). It's important to recognize that this is not device specific but seems to be related to the way the software interacts with the panel, making it a debate over whether it is a hardware or software issue since performance is not consistent. My personal take is that since the ghosting is so different on devices that handle ghosting differently, it must be combination of the software and hardware. By this I mean that I don't believe there is a flaw with the panel itself, but rather a learning curve for the manufacturers in how to code properly to set the parameters for their devices. This is definitely causing some confusion. ## Betas One of the most interesting things that happened prior to the release of the [Manta](https://tinyurl.com/2p9ttt48) was that Ratta seemed to be rushing device updates. Between May and December of 2024, there were no beta released to the software. This was a huge departure in the way the company had operated in the past. What we have seen in this new year seems to be a return to basics. Not only has there been a beta, but an updated beta to address feedback from the community. This is historically the way the company has operated, leading to very good stable released with limited bugs. In this particular case, it has led to identifying issues with the new straight line feature and an auto-refresh to address the ghosting we talked about previously. You can see the details of both betas below: - [Chauvet 2.18.31 Beta Release for A5 X and A6 X]([Chauvet 2.18.31 Beta Release for A5 X and A6 X : r/Supernote_beta](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supernote_beta/comments/1ijjl7i/chauvet_21831_beta_release_for_a5_x_and_a6_x/)) - [Chauvet 3.20.31 Beta Release for Manta and Nomad]([Chauvet 3.20.31 Beta Release for Manta and Nomad : r/Supernote_beta](https://www.reddit.com/r/Supernote_beta/comments/1ijjh0g/chauvet_32031_beta_release_for_manta_and_nomad/)) Why is this important? It's important because being able to solve as many issues in the beta phase as possible keeps pain points low for users on the stable release. There is a certain amount of risk and inconvenience that can come with being a beta tester. However, there is also a tremendous amount of pride and validation in working with a company that takes feedback seriously. Ratta is very wise to have reinstituted this process. I feel it will pay dividends in the future. I my video mentioned above, I illustrate some of the changes and talk through how it was improved from the first version of the beta. ## Conclusions & Final Thoughts So, what does this all mean? To me, this shows a shift from the somewhat chaotic responses that Ratta had during the [Manta](https://tinyurl.com/2p9ttt48) launch, specifically around transparency and having open lines of communication. I welcome this return to openly engaging in dialogue with the community. It also does not hurt that Reddit seems to have a short memory and the vitriol that was prevalent in late 2024 has subsided, welcoming back the collaborative and informative community that was there before. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this return to core principles will help to create a more consistent and supportive user experience moving forward. One of the joys of owning a Supernote is knowing that you are part of a community and that the company is actively involved in that community. Until next time, please check out the other pages on the site and read the blog archives if you are so inclined. Thank you and keep on moving forward. **| [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdofOksT0V35qf1-zqsIXUQ/) | [Patreon](https://patreon.com/OrganizingforChange?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/edward.w.finn/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/changeagent1820/) | [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@changeagent1820) | [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/change1820.bsky.social) | [X](https://x.com/EdFinnIII) | | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6Tvle14n3fjG8mn0DGfO1G?si=k4B3ocohTI2EuNoFWos1GA) | [iHeart Radio](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-change-chat-274015995/) | [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/change-chat/id1812220268) |**