pocket ereaders a sick as hell (a quick review of the X4 Classic)
I've been a fan of eink for a long time. I've always found having an ereader around makes me read more than I would have otherwise. So my YouTube algorithm was primed to push the tiny ereader renaissance down my throat. I resisted for a while. I didn't want to buy another device only to use it for a few days and toss it in a drawer. But of course I talked myself into the Xteink X4 Classic when I saw how cheap it was... and damn am I glad I did.
There's a lot to love about this tiny and affordable little single purpose device. The biggest for me though is that it actually makes me read more... like a lot more. I've never been able to master tricking my brain into reading on my phone. I have a Kobo Libra (which is a great device in its own right), but there's something about the form factor of an iPod-sized library in your pocket that hacks my device-addled millennial brain. Having a book ready to go easily and distraction free whenever you have downtime really does change the game. I'll pull it out and squeeze in a few pages when I'm waiting in line, when I get to daycare pick up a few minutes too early, when I'm feeding the baby a bottle. It hacks the times when you have that impulse to pull your phone out and check something to kill a few minutes. I've already finished a couple books on it just reading in 10-15 minute spurts at the longest.
Since these devices have surged in popularity it looks like more and more of the bigger brands are stepping into the arena. Boox has a pocket reader, the Picco, that released recently. I'm sure at some point we'll even see Amazon step into the ring. The edge that the Xteink device has going for it right now though, besides affordability, is customization. The company (although not always) has leaned into the fact that most users are going to eventually flash custom firmware onto their device. The firmware community for these little readers is vibrant and opens up a whole world of customization to help you make the device work best for you. Want better font support? No problem. Want reading stats and streaks? Here you go. Being able to dial the device in might be a barrier for some, but once you take the plunge it's well worth the extra effort. Currently I'm running CrossInk (a fork of the most popular firmware at the moment, CrossPoint) which adds some nice font support, bionic reading, and reading stats. At first I thought I'd turn the stats off to keep them from stressing me out, but I've actually found trying to keep a streak up has kept me pulling the X4 out of my pocket more.
There are some more barriers to entry with custom firmware like CrossPoint. You'll have to learn/figure out how to get your books into DRM free epubs if you haven't already. I highly recommend Calibre for this. I've used it for years and it's relatively dummy-proof. Also syncing your files to the device can be a bit cumbersome. If you like to avoid having to tinker with setups I'd definitely look into the new Boox Picco or something similar as more of this style of reader becomes available in the near future.
In the few weeks I've had my X4 I've been blown away by how much I love the pocket reader format. It's become an essential part of my daily carry. I'm excited to see the format continue to iterate and I hope we can see more companies step into the space of making tech that builds a more attentive and useful future.
If you're looking to get a pocket reader (especially the X4 or another XTeink Device) I compiled links to resources I found useful while getting set up.
Resources: Xteink X4 Classic ยท CrossPoint ยท CrossInk ยท PocketInk ยท readme.club ยท Calibre ยท Boox Picco