The CEO of this brand once portrayed himself as a first-time entrepreneur, launching a small batch of products at extremely low prices, then raising prices and quickly rolling out new models. But earlier this year, one of his competitors publicly presented a series of allegations that were subsequently substantiated, including that he had actually been involved in multiple previous ventures with a highly questionable track record, and that some of the products' key specifications had been seriously misrepresented.
The company later apologized for the inaccurate specifications, claiming that the misinformation was unintentional. However, it offered neither a recall nor any meaningful compensation to affected customers. Soon afterward, the brand launched yet another new product, only for customers to discover after receiving it that the promotional images were also misleading.
At the end of the day, this brand's business model seems to be little more than assembling cheap off-the-shelf components and using aggressive social media marketing to convince people that they need its products.
Care to link these allegations and substantiated proof/evidence? Not that I don't believe you, but would be nice to read the original source of this, even if it happens to be in another language than English.
You need to search for "阅星瞳" on RedNote, which is their official Chinese name, and look at the official statement they posted on April 25 this year. In that statement, they had listed the device's RAM as 128 MB, while the actual usable RAM was only around 400 KB.
You can also find plenty of other discussions about the CEO himself and the company's products by searching on RedNote. In fact, RedNote users make up a major part of the brand's customer base in China.
Is it fair to say that your previous comment was based mostly on various individual comments made by individuals on RedNote, rather than some published article from journalists, or investigation, or similar?
I got an X4 (slightly larger model) less than 2 months ago and I already finished 9 books on it. It is always in my pocket and I started reaching for it instead of my phone during tiny moments of boredom. Sometimes it's just a few paragraphs when I'm waiting for a train, but it is also surprisingly good for longer reading sessions.
Yeah, the connector they've made is absolutely bananas, wonder what they were thinking? Was there a 3rd-party docking ecosystem they were expecting to be spawned by this, or something? The magnetic connector by itself makes no sense, unless I severely misunderstand how it's supposed to be used in practice.
Just for improved thinnness; they're able to reduce about 2 mm from the thickness with the pins (and you can still technically use them for data transfer depending on how it's wired to the SoC).
I bought a 6 inch model for $60 (it's now double the price) from another brand a couple months ago and I love it. A 4 inch screen is just too small IMHO.
I got a kobo clara bw and a xteink x4 that I gave to my kid. Im quite happy with the kobo, it’s a much better experience for reading imo despite not having buttons. The touch screen is usable after all. I started dumping things into epub format, for example lyrics/chords, things that I want to read, etc. chatgpt is quite helpful with formatting epub files.
I considered buying an X4 for the portability (and to be honest installing and tinkering with crosspoint sounds fun).
But the kobo can fit in my jeans pocket and is about the size of a normal paperback page. I feel like the X4 would be too small and might be frustrating.
I was thinking of getting one for exactly the use case you've described here but then I thought, "why don't I just get my phone out and read the ebooks directly on that?"
Can you explain to me why one of these is better for this please?
Personally I much prefer e-ink when I read for more than 10 minutes or so. The LED light from my phone just makes my eyes tired, while e-ink + "backlight" (guess it's really "kind of from the front light" in reality) just feels like reading normal paper.
The font rendering in the official firmware isn't that great though, especially compared to even a old phone screen. I had much better text rendering with 3rd party firmware.
It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't used an e-reader, but e-paper screens just look more natural, they also don't require a backlight so they can be easier on the eyes. Combined with a matt display, you can comfortably use them in direct sunlight without having to faff about with brightness or finding shade.
Also e-readers have way less distractions than a phone.
It's a mental thing. The phone is the doorway to all the things, and the reader is the doorway to reading. When I'm being intentioal about my phone usage (not always, but most of the time), I defer to devices that are focused.
On the reader, the entire thing is one reader app. On the phone, the reader app is one of many that lives in the phone. Easier to switch apps than switch devices, so I guess it's easier for some to stay away from certain activities by having a dedicated device for certain purposes.
The phone's reader app is quite good. I use Librera FD and quite enjoy the scroll mode.
But then I'm subject to the bright screen, all of the colors, all of the notifications, and everything else that the phone brings. The calm of the X4 is quite nice.
None, I use a Kobo for ebooks and mostly buy "real" paper books. But I was thinking this sounded like a great (and cheap) use case but then I thought why not just use my phone...
I don't have any social media apps on my phone anymore except "Hack" for HN... as you imply, too much temptation to distraction. I haven't missed them at all.
It's not snobbery, reading and listening activate different parts of your brain and you'll experience them differently. Just like reading an interview transcript is different to listening to an interview.
Experiencing the story through someone else reading the words to you is different to reading though. I'm not sure why people are so weirdly defensive about this.
E-ink devices place no demand on fine-motor skills the way turning a page does. I'll stand by by bet.
I'm not defensive about the fact that the experience of reading vs listening are different - I challenge the (often implicit) insinuation that one is inherently superior to the other in all circumstances. I do both and know the trade-offs for each. My comment was inspired by the old, but very similar "real books vs kindles" debate.
It's easier on the eyes. LEDs and related technologies give me eyestrain after a while; eInk devices don't (and many, like the X4 model, have front-lighting, also easier on the eyes than backlit screens.
In addition to some of the other great answers, it is cheap enough to lose. The unexpected breakage/theft of a cellphone ranges anywhere from annoyance to world ending disaster. So, I have to be a lot more deliberate in protecting my valuable phone.
The tiny ereader contains no secrets or valuables, so I feel fine pulling it out in an area where I might otherwise be reluctant to use my phone.
Something that others haven’t mentioned is that you can flash an open source OS/reader software (Crosspoint, among others) so you can change the UI and experience for your preferences. I like having an e-reader that lets me modify how it works.
I first stared reading ebooks on my Palm Vx. I went on to a Nook, Nook Color, some no names, Kobo. Five years ago, I became disabled and no longer had a free hand to carry an ereader and did not want to carry a bag just to carry an ereader/book. I started reading on my phone.
Last April, after seeing a comment on the X4, here on HN, I decided to get one. I prefer the display and I can advance a page by pressing the button, rather than swiping the screen. It's always with me, in het same pocket as my phone/
The phone has doomscrolling available which is higher immediate value and negative long term value. I just have to grab this and i am locked into long term value
The portability is such a game changer compared to the usual kindle-like devices. Compared to my kindle which I have to put in my backpack or only when I have big coat pockets in the winter, this can be put in my pocket and taken everywhere.
I wish they have a magsafe case with 1-2 card holder slots, then it would just be a perfect wallet replacement.
The problem with using it as a wallet replacement is if you want to read whilst in public queues etc. and that would be fairly easy for a thief to swipe. If you're just holding the Xteink then you're less of a target.
Although I would argue that I already see many people using phone cases with card slots or magsafe card holders. This is a safer option because the xteink costs less and it makes your phone less likely to be swiped.
My setup now is simply my transport card duct taped on the outside of the xteink case. For payments and music and such I'd still use my phone, which is in the other pocket.
I have an X4 as well, but shamefully I have to admit I find myself browsing HN much more than reading on X4, despite being a reader of physical books and kindle
I am planning updating my Kindle Paperwhite from 2016. I love the idea of having a smaller e-reader I can have always in my pocket, but I worry about it being too small. Do you have another e-reader or have used any before? How would you compare them?
Yes. I had Kindle DX (2010) and Kindle Paperwhite (~2016?). I still have and use Onyx Boox Air (2?). As X4 has no touchscreen layer and no backlight, the contrast is best. Resolution not as good as Boox, but no complaints there. The only downside is no backlight, but not a problem for me. Buying a new eink reader I would for sure avoid color screens. Their contrast is worst by far.
Same, got it about 6 months ago, flashed crosspoint, and have since sold my entire family on the X4. The innovation of getting respectable book formatting running on ESP32 is remarkable. Impressive work.
I'm tempted, despite being wedded to Kindle. I can search for and borrow a library bok on Libby in 30 seconds, then have it automagically appear on my Kindle; I doubt the experience is so seamless with Crosspoint, and of course the progress won't sync. But otherwise, an e-ink screen on the back of my phone is something I have always wanted. Hey Amazon, how about a Kindle counterpart to this?
Going back a decade or so, I bought a Yotaphone 2, which had a full-sized e-ink display on the rear. Fantastic for any text reading/writing in bright sunlight (I was based in Sydney at the time). Yotaphone is now dead, but I really don't understand why the idea hasn't been taken up by other makers.
> but I really don't understand why the idea hasn't been taken up by other makers.
Same, but now that it quickly looks like smartphone-sized e-ink readers are the 2026 hardware trend, I can see them making a comeback now. Or as an "outside" screen on foldable phones.
But the biggest issue with Kindle is the vendor lock-in and the books don't even belong to you. There were many cases of Amazon deleting books with no refunds. That's why I am not getting any Kindle ever again.
What's the point of getting a DRMed e-book from a library, and then converting it? You are not supporting the author, you are not supporting the library, and you are not even being a good boy, legally. (You also typically get worse files than you'd get through other means)
> "Instead of being offered a replacement, they received a statement they shared to Reddit explaining that recently shipped devices from Xteink now come with firmware flashing disabled."
I had only heard about these things on HN, and thought they were primarily popular as a toy for people to hack on. I didn't realise they are so popular amongst "normies".
I have no current need for one as I am happy with my cheap second hand Kobo but it's great that they exist, especially with the open source alternative firmware. Hopefully they don't clamp down on that in future.
TikTok (ironically) has a bunch of anti-brainrot content, I think the Xteinks got popular that way. Super easy to use and even flash to 3rd party firmware.
I have one and am very happy with it. I vibe coded a bilingual ebook reader, which is what I bought it for. However a Kindle is a way better deal and is much better as far as screen quality etc. But I like how small my XTEINK X4 Pro is.
I really didn't think I would, but I really enjoy using my X4. The only thing I wish it had was a backlight. It seems Xteink is hellbent on including pogo connectors on all their other models, and that the original X4 with USB-C was an unfortunate outlier in this regard.
I actually really like not having backlight, forcing me to use non-directional yellow light during the night reading sessions. I wish all electronic screen were like that.
The backlight of the X4 Pro have configurable "warmth" of the backlight, works pretty good even in completely dark rooms and much better than the eye-train you get from traditional screens.
I generally disbelieve in anti-features. You can just... not use the backlight! It's frustrating when people insist on a lack of features. There's no practical downside to backlights being an option.
Maybe that's why they include some sort of screen protector with the device? At least they did with the X4 Pro, did you get that with the X3 as well, and were you using it while it cracked if so?
I've been having mine in a beach bag I'm not too careful with, for about two months, which goes out with me when I swim in the sea, without using the included screen protector, and still no scratches or cracks in mine.
it's hard to complain about this device, but here are my random ones:
1. yes, it is small and wonderful to one-handed read with, but _everyone_ around you notices you have a unique, small ereader in your palm. granted, maybe just reflects my self-consciousness. but until these are more ubiquitous, you'll be getting looks on the train/plane.
2. the whole "stick it on the back of your phone" idea is super silly and a bit of a gimmick at least:
2a. I don't want to make my expensive phone larger by volume and weight
2b. I do struggle to not fool around with my phone, and simply using "the back of the phone" is about the equivalent of being given a cigarette upside down as if that will stop me from smoking it.
3. after 14 years of Kindles, it's obvious how much better the eink tech is in premium devices (not a game changer at all, at most a nitpick)
yeah it's a super great device. I got it when prices were a bit lower a few months ago and it was a no-brainer. if you're really into reading and being thrifty/resourceful to get your ebooks, I'd check it out.
I’ve seen the Xteink devices mentioned here and am intrigued, but the screenshots turn me off instantly. The font rendering or hyphenation or kerning (not sure exactly what) looked terrible.
Fortunately, since these run open source software, this will likely eventually be fixed. The Kindles weren’t great at the start either, so I have a lot of hope for future versions of the Xteink devices.
Easy to flash Crosspoint and then you can add any font you like (there's also a selection you can download directly on the device) https://crosspointreader.com/fonts
Kerning and hyphenation is also better than the stock firmware
I got an X3 the other week when it was on sale for €50. Been enjoying it for "read anywhere" as I can always carry it on me unlike my Kobo Clara BW.
I sideloaded the Amazon Kindle fonts (Bookerly and Ember) and a few others using the builder at https://crosspointreader.com/fonts obviously you need to be running CrossPoint to load the fonts so have that flashed on first.
That said the Clara BW is still my preferred e-reader as I find the larger screen better for longer reading sessions however you really can't beat having a tiny 3.7" e-reader with you everywhere. All those "micro waits" at places and I can read a few pages or even a chapter of a book rather than using my phone for nonsense stuff.
Another tweak I do is use the ePub optimiser at https://inky.crossink.dev to give me more "friendly" ePub files for the X3. I didn't have any issue with my regular ePubs but this optimised ones open faster and do look a bit nicer overall so it is worth the few minutes it takes to optimise all your books IMHO.
font styling is one thing but the xteink devices use very low resolution displays (220PPI for the X4) versus the 300PPI on any modern Kindle/Kobo ereader so you're not going to get around text looking worse on them
I actually like the magnet and use it to stick the reader to my phone. :) I don't consider it a thing that keeps me from using my phone; it's just a way to carry it in my pocket.
I recently got an X3 (on a sale £58 with shipping) after deciding between X4 and X3 for a long time and I think I made the right decision. I fits perfectly in my wallet and I don't think about it.
Carrying my regular 6" ereader around feels like I'm taking something with me, it feels like extra weight. I have to either carry it in my hand which is inconvenient or take a rucksack with me when I go for a walk. X3 is so small that it doesn't feel like I'm carrying anything, but it's always there. So when I go for a long walk and decide to take a short break I take it out and read for 10-20min. Same on my commute, I replaced reading the news on my phone with reading for 25-30min on the train.
First think I did was flash Crosspoint on it, because it's lightweight and preserves the battery much like original OS. Battery feels great, I love that it's not touchscreen. Buttons take getting used to, but overall I'm impressed!
As someone who actually started reading more with bigger screen sizes[1], this article is really not jiving with me and is light on details. I still don't understand why I'd prefer this to a Kobo. Other than the size, what is the benefit?
[1] I read more with a 7" than a 6" and even more with an 8".
The size is pretty much the selling point compared to other e-readers. The screen quality isn't great, it doesn't have more features than the rest or anything else, but it's tiny and I can lie down on my back holding my arm up in the air for longer than with my phone, so reading at the beach is comfortable for example. If you like bigger devices, you won't like any of the Xteink devices I think.
Then the device is not for you. I have this and it’s amazing for me. Being able to pocket this and whip it out during moments I would’ve doom scrolled has been great for my reading.
I think for ebooks this isn't for me. I like to focus when reading ebooks so quickly whipping it out when I have only a few minutes (the way I do with my phone) isn't for me.
I'm wondering what other uses this could have other than reading books.
As an example, it would be great if I'm reading an article that I could just send a screen reader version of the article to this. Not sure how easy it is.
I do want a bigger phone at some point than the 6" I have now. But, I will say, when I read, it definitely is me using the same top of the screen all the time. I'll literally open notes in split screen even if I don't intend to write, just to reduce the reading area. To an area considerably smaller than this tablet.
1. Yes, the size. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about "do I really want to bother with this in my pocket, I'm just going to the store."
2. The ecosystem. There's a lot of different firmware forks, people tinker and optimize. Which is important, because that helps with..
3. The UI. There's only a few buttons, no touch screen, so the power on experience sends you straight into the last page you were reading, and there's not a lot of farkles trying to drive engagement.
4. No touch screen. The buttons aren't very soft, and there's no touch screen, so you can just toss it back in your pocket, without turning it off, and pick it back up.
5. It's cheap, and it is not linked to my accounts. I'm not terribly worried about theft or someone accidentally knocking it out of my hand.
All that comes down to just.. no ceremony. No unlock the screen, push past the notifications, find the app, wait for Kindle to pass some advertising back and forth with Amazon. Nothing. Pick up the book, read the next page while you are waiting for coffee to steep.
That said, there's some suck to be had:
6. No frontlight. You can't read in the dark without a separate light.
7. No, the font rendering is not perfect, the DPI is pretty low. This is not the most beautiful screen. But it's pretty readable. I got over it.
8. It's a pretty small screen. If you have awful eyesight, you're going to go through a lot of page turns. But if you are prone to skipping ahead and scanning, you might actually read more of the book this way.
9. It is not fast. The firmwares I have used all do some indexing at the start of each chapter, and it can take a few seconds.
10. The vendor either doesn't quite understand its customers (it seems like xteink got lucky sometimes) or is scrabbling through parts bins and unable to communicate with its customers. The X4 Pro really confused its fans.
I think it really just comes down to "this thing is too simple to become more fucking adtech pretending to be useful."
Much to my wife's chagrin I never have anything on my wishlist since I'm not a huge fan of (receiving) gifts in general, but I did put the X4 on my list a couple of months ago, since my decade+ old Kobo is getting long in the tooth, and I don't enjoy the manual syncing.
Crosspoint is the way to go, imho. Together with the CrossX app (https://github.com/jtvargas/crosspoint-app) it's so nice! Nicely supports sending web articles as epubs onto the X3/X4 device (I use X3).
I use [Crossink](https://crossink.dev) and I absolutely love it. Have it both the X4 Pro and the X3, and surprisingly (to me) I prefer the x3 for everything but reading in the dark
Agreed. The X3 just feels kind of magically small, and well proportioned in a way the X4 Pro doesn’t. Both have their merits though and I’ll be keeping both, because in some situations a backlight is near-essential for me.
Your decade old Kobo is going to be a better reader than this. Kobo Nickle or Koreader will render epub a ton better and faster. Do this if you want the smaller size. It's not an upgrade in anyway.
That's good to know. I am very happy with the screen on the my current one (kobo clara hd). It's just that the usability and lack of sync is annoying enough that I'm tempted to switch. Perhaps a bit of itchy tinkerfinger too.
I guess it does feel like more of a real book in that regard, though.
for me, the killer feature of the little xteink readers is _no touchscreen_. This is important because you can hold the device as you would a paper book, thumb on the page itself without accidentally turning the page or triggering some menu system.
195 comments
[ 0.21 ms ] story [ 11.4 ms ] threadI think it's a great name. To me it reads like "extend e-ink", crazy how perception can be so different.
So yeah that’s the strategy
You can also find plenty of other discussions about the CEO himself and the company's products by searching on RedNote. In fact, RedNote users make up a major part of the brand's customer base in China.
No, I was merely trying to clarify what the source is.
> Yet during the early development of XTEINK, the founder concealed much of that problematic history. You can find reporting on it here:
Thanks :) And thanks also for the previous notes about RedNote, because I found a bunch of what you were talking about.
So yes, I didn't disbelieve you, nor tried to imply anything, I just wanted to get more pointers to where I could read more about it myself.
Considering Kindle's Bezos who's had a pristine track record?
They have added backlight, but still left charging/connecting to proprietary magnetic adapter.
Yeah, the connector they've made is absolutely bananas, wonder what they were thinking? Was there a 3rd-party docking ecosystem they were expecting to be spawned by this, or something? The magnetic connector by itself makes no sense, unless I severely misunderstand how it's supposed to be used in practice.
Terrible trade-off. I do not want a marginally smaller book if it means I have to worry about losing a proprietary cable.
They're supposedly not proprietary but a standard size that's easily replaced.
I don’t want to looking where to order it when it’s lost or broken.
I’m on Calibre Web and Shelfmark.
I considered buying an X4 for the portability (and to be honest installing and tinkering with crosspoint sounds fun).
But the kobo can fit in my jeans pocket and is about the size of a normal paperback page. I feel like the X4 would be too small and might be frustrating.
Can you explain to me why one of these is better for this please?
Also notifications etc
The font rendering in the official firmware isn't that great though, especially compared to even a old phone screen. I had much better text rendering with 3rd party firmware.
Also e-readers have way less distractions than a phone.
But then I'm subject to the bright screen, all of the colors, all of the notifications, and everything else that the phone brings. The calm of the X4 is quite nice.
I don't have any social media apps on my phone anymore except "Hack" for HN... as you imply, too much temptation to distraction. I haven't missed them at all.
This doesn't matter. What matters to me is I experienced the stories conveyed by the words.
I bet reading a hardback lights up different parts of the brain compared to e-book readers, but that difference does not to me matter either.
Experiencing the story through someone else reading the words to you is different to reading though. I'm not sure why people are so weirdly defensive about this.
E-ink devices place no demand on fine-motor skills the way turning a page does. I'll stand by by bet.
I'm not defensive about the fact that the experience of reading vs listening are different - I challenge the (often implicit) insinuation that one is inherently superior to the other in all circumstances. I do both and know the trade-offs for each. My comment was inspired by the old, but very similar "real books vs kindles" debate.
The tiny ereader contains no secrets or valuables, so I feel fine pulling it out in an area where I might otherwise be reluctant to use my phone.
I first stared reading ebooks on my Palm Vx. I went on to a Nook, Nook Color, some no names, Kobo. Five years ago, I became disabled and no longer had a free hand to carry an ereader and did not want to carry a bag just to carry an ereader/book. I started reading on my phone.
Last April, after seeing a comment on the X4, here on HN, I decided to get one. I prefer the display and I can advance a page by pressing the button, rather than swiping the screen. It's always with me, in het same pocket as my phone/
I wish they have a magsafe case with 1-2 card holder slots, then it would just be a perfect wallet replacement.
Although I would argue that I already see many people using phone cases with card slots or magsafe card holders. This is a safer option because the xteink costs less and it makes your phone less likely to be swiped.
My setup now is simply my transport card duct taped on the outside of the xteink case. For payments and music and such I'd still use my phone, which is in the other pocket.
Review (overly lengthy) from 2014: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/technology/phones/yotaphone-...
Same, but now that it quickly looks like smartphone-sized e-ink readers are the 2026 hardware trend, I can see them making a comeback now. Or as an "outside" screen on foldable phones.
- There's KOReader sync in Crosspoint
But the biggest issue with Kindle is the vendor lock-in and the books don't even belong to you. There were many cases of Amazon deleting books with no refunds. That's why I am not getting any Kindle ever again.
And it's pretty hackable, with an open firmware, bunch of community involvement in developing third party alternatives for the default software.
I have even vibecoded random software to run on it.
https://www.theverge.com/tech/921552/xteink-x3-x4-e-reader-t...
> "Instead of being offered a replacement, they received a statement they shared to Reddit explaining that recently shipped devices from Xteink now come with firmware flashing disabled."
I have no current need for one as I am happy with my cheap second hand Kobo but it's great that they exist, especially with the open source alternative firmware. Hopefully they don't clamp down on that in future.
Neat little esp32 eReader with the standard bs around the company.
I guess West Coast shipping from China is much cheaper
I've been having mine in a beach bag I'm not too careful with, for about two months, which goes out with me when I swim in the sea, without using the included screen protector, and still no scratches or cracks in mine.
NOBODY asked for a proprietary pogo pin usb cable. shame on you!!!!
1. yes, it is small and wonderful to one-handed read with, but _everyone_ around you notices you have a unique, small ereader in your palm. granted, maybe just reflects my self-consciousness. but until these are more ubiquitous, you'll be getting looks on the train/plane.
2. the whole "stick it on the back of your phone" idea is super silly and a bit of a gimmick at least:
2a. I don't want to make my expensive phone larger by volume and weight
2b. I do struggle to not fool around with my phone, and simply using "the back of the phone" is about the equivalent of being given a cigarette upside down as if that will stop me from smoking it.
3. after 14 years of Kindles, it's obvious how much better the eink tech is in premium devices (not a game changer at all, at most a nitpick)
yeah it's a super great device. I got it when prices were a bit lower a few months ago and it was a no-brainer. if you're really into reading and being thrifty/resourceful to get your ebooks, I'd check it out.
I’ve seen the Xteink devices mentioned here and am intrigued, but the screenshots turn me off instantly. The font rendering or hyphenation or kerning (not sure exactly what) looked terrible.
Fortunately, since these run open source software, this will likely eventually be fixed. The Kindles weren’t great at the start either, so I have a lot of hope for future versions of the Xteink devices.
Kerning and hyphenation is also better than the stock firmware
I sideloaded the Amazon Kindle fonts (Bookerly and Ember) and a few others using the builder at https://crosspointreader.com/fonts obviously you need to be running CrossPoint to load the fonts so have that flashed on first.
You can download the Kindle fonts from https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/alexa/branding/echo-guide... if you don't already have them.
That said the Clara BW is still my preferred e-reader as I find the larger screen better for longer reading sessions however you really can't beat having a tiny 3.7" e-reader with you everywhere. All those "micro waits" at places and I can read a few pages or even a chapter of a book rather than using my phone for nonsense stuff.
Another tweak I do is use the ePub optimiser at https://inky.crossink.dev to give me more "friendly" ePub files for the X3. I didn't have any issue with my regular ePubs but this optimised ones open faster and do look a bit nicer overall so it is worth the few minutes it takes to optimise all your books IMHO.
Which is a little embarrassing to be so absorbed in a device.
Carrying my regular 6" ereader around feels like I'm taking something with me, it feels like extra weight. I have to either carry it in my hand which is inconvenient or take a rucksack with me when I go for a walk. X3 is so small that it doesn't feel like I'm carrying anything, but it's always there. So when I go for a long walk and decide to take a short break I take it out and read for 10-20min. Same on my commute, I replaced reading the news on my phone with reading for 25-30min on the train.
First think I did was flash Crosspoint on it, because it's lightweight and preserves the battery much like original OS. Battery feels great, I love that it's not touchscreen. Buttons take getting used to, but overall I'm impressed!
[1] I read more with a 7" than a 6" and even more with an 8".
I'm wondering what other uses this could have other than reading books.
As an example, it would be great if I'm reading an article that I could just send a screen reader version of the article to this. Not sure how easy it is.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49598789
1. Yes, the size. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about "do I really want to bother with this in my pocket, I'm just going to the store."
2. The ecosystem. There's a lot of different firmware forks, people tinker and optimize. Which is important, because that helps with..
3. The UI. There's only a few buttons, no touch screen, so the power on experience sends you straight into the last page you were reading, and there's not a lot of farkles trying to drive engagement.
4. No touch screen. The buttons aren't very soft, and there's no touch screen, so you can just toss it back in your pocket, without turning it off, and pick it back up.
5. It's cheap, and it is not linked to my accounts. I'm not terribly worried about theft or someone accidentally knocking it out of my hand.
All that comes down to just.. no ceremony. No unlock the screen, push past the notifications, find the app, wait for Kindle to pass some advertising back and forth with Amazon. Nothing. Pick up the book, read the next page while you are waiting for coffee to steep.
That said, there's some suck to be had:
6. No frontlight. You can't read in the dark without a separate light.
7. No, the font rendering is not perfect, the DPI is pretty low. This is not the most beautiful screen. But it's pretty readable. I got over it.
8. It's a pretty small screen. If you have awful eyesight, you're going to go through a lot of page turns. But if you are prone to skipping ahead and scanning, you might actually read more of the book this way.
9. It is not fast. The firmwares I have used all do some indexing at the start of each chapter, and it can take a few seconds.
10. The vendor either doesn't quite understand its customers (it seems like xteink got lucky sometimes) or is scrabbling through parts bins and unable to communicate with its customers. The X4 Pro really confused its fans.
I think it really just comes down to "this thing is too simple to become more fucking adtech pretending to be useful."
I wanted it mostly due to this: https://github.com/crosspoint-reader/crosspoint-reader
Has anyone tried it out?
Interesting, as a new owner (CrossPoint user though) who loves my X4 Pro so far, what makes the X3 better for you?
I guess it does feel like more of a real book in that regard, though.