cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/49429587
URL for the crowdfunding: https://www.crowdsupply.com/oddly-specific-objects/open-book-touch
Specs:
- Display: 4.26" e-paper touchscreen, 480 × 800 px, warm + cool frontlight
- Processor: ESP32-S3 dual-core, Wi-Fi + Bluetooth LE
- Memory: 16 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM
- Formats: EPUB and plain text, no DRM
- Storage: microSD card slot
- Interface: USB-C with integrated LiPo charging
- Dimension: 78 × 120 × 10 mm, about 85 g
- Open source: MIT-licensed firmware, open hardware (to be released at shipping)
It also has a replaceable 800 mAh battery, I found it cool :)
Why buttonless? I like buttons.
Heck, a scroll wheel would be a killer feature so I don’t smudge the screen with my disgusting oils
My Kobo only has a power button and it’s perfect for my needs.
so… a used kobo??
Lots of people complaining about buttons, but most people are fine without them.
This thing will fail because of the tiny screen, not because of the lack of buttons.
Sad choice.
Hi, if you don’t mind sharing; What do you feel is the conversion feature from kindle? I am developing on a platform with novels and want to develop user centric features; I have feature where you get assisted highlighting of words with auto scroll so you can “follow the word” and read.
I have the architectural design in place to incorporate tts for example but would love feedback from the reading communities
Conversion feature being?
Anything that converts a guest to a user due to the offering / features
What’s wrong with Kobo?
One never knows. Better to have alternatives today than to hope nothing goes downhill in the future.
If you’re honestly asking, one thing I just read is that you need an account to use it. Not sure if that is a downside for many.
I wish people like you would have actual understanding of the things you talk about so confidently online. You’re just posting disinformation and you’re absolutely wrong.
Kobo does not need any account to use. Out of the popular mainstream eReaders, it is one of the most open. You can add non-drm ebooks to it without any issues unlike the Kindle.
I’ve been using send.djazz.se to wirelessly transfer books to my Kobo, as well as the open source Calibre program on my laptop.
No accounts required.
Woah hold on. You can wirelessly transfer books to your Kobo?
This man’s ignorance may have lead to my enlightenment.
Damn I need to look into this now. That’s like the worst part. I already stream everything else from my NaS
Yep go to that url on your Kobo’s browser and then on your computer or phone and upload a file and click “kepubify” so that it converts to an epub and then send.
You’re welcome. Cunningham’s Law is proven to work flawlessly again.
“I just read this” in a review of someone very upset about requiring an account, while the signup server was offline over Christmas. I’m very sorry I came off so “confidently”, I thought writing “I read this” is a reasonable indication that this is second hand knowledge not first hand. Hearsay in a court of public opinion you could say. I guess this confidence is just my natural charisma which is my undoing again lol
It might also be that this is only true for the regional distributor in my country. I suspect my country is the original inventor of enshittification.
No you don’t. I’ve used mine without for the better part of a year.
You do?
I reset one recently, I would have thought that the account would have been reset like the rest. Anyway it works fine with my calibre archive.
Okay, but… Isn’t pocketbook good enough?
Pocketbook is great, and runs Linux out of the box. But it’s not available globally
Aditional, Pocketbook can handle your public libary app, to read downloaded books from your public libary.
Can I use a pocketbook with my self hosted OPDS server? My wife uses the Onleihe function it offers out of the box, but I would want to connect it to my book server.
You can install KOReader on Pocketbook ereaders (no jailbreak required), which supports OPDS
I haven’t used anything like that, but a quick search brought up this:
I flashed my Kobo and have a pretty similar experience now. Except with a decent size screen.
Why did I read that as 150 buttholes?
If they are targeting the tiny ebook reader niche, they’re going to have to do better on features and pricing than the upcoming refresh of the XTEINK devices.
But XTEINK is actively working to combat the flashing of open source software. It seems they had a spike in sales and interest due to their affordable hardware, but if they continue to lock aftermaket software out tech savvy people will be looking for different options.
Update: I just saw that CrossPoint has has an affiliate link, and that if you buy the reader direct from the manufacture you can still get unlocked USB devices. It’s only on the international stores like AliExpress that you may get a crippled version. https://github.com/crosspoint-reader/crosspoint-reader
Do you have a link to an article or something about that?
I was interested in them but all the listings on AliExpress expressly said they didn’t support custom firmware. I started looking into it and it seems to be something theu did after they got popular.
Here’s some info, but a lot of it is scattered around online communities: https://pocketink.io/blog/xteink-locked-or-unlocked-buying-guide/
Thanks! I bought one months ago and flashed crosspoint at the time.
But nice that you can still flash them via SD card even if they are USB locked. I guess it would be difficult to fully lock them given they just run an ESP32
Update: I just saw that CrossPoint has has an affiliate link, and that if you buy the reader direct from the manufacture you can still get unlocked USB devices. It’s only on the international stores like AliExpress that you may get a crippled version. https://github.com/crosspoint-reader/crosspoint-reader
Not a huge fan of the size of the screen, but it seems nice otherwise. I actually appreciate it being a little thicker because I have big hands and gripping thin things hurts after awhile.
But can you get books to read on it? I suspect that these gadgets will get locked out of the market by the thugs.
No buttons, no DRM, no notifications, no algorithm deciding what I should read next. Somehow an ESP32 powered e reader feels more rebellious in 2026 than most flagship gadgets. I just hope the touchscreen is good enough that turning a page does not become a mindfulness exercise.
