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My Favorite Pocket-Sized E-Readers Are Under $60 Today Only

✇ L H
5 August 2026 at 16:13
By: Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The tech world is usually all about selling you the bigger, better, newer model every year, so I still find it funny that the most talked-about e-reader of 2026 isn't a flashy new Kindle or a pricey Boox tablet, but a tiny, cheap e-ink device from an upstart Chinese tech company. Xteink makes e-readers small enough to fit in your pocket—any pocket—an irresistible form factor that has garnered them a devoted online following despite their slightly janky software.

The Xteink X4 was my own personal tech upgrade of the year for 2025, and this year's smaller X3 and more fully-featured X4 Pro are even better. Every time I'm using one of them in public, I get asked what it is and where I got it, and I can't stop recommending them to people looking to find more ways to reduce their doomscrolling and read more books. If that's you, it's the time to buy, because today only Xteink is offering 15% off on both the X4 and the X3—and the latter was already marked down 13%, so the additional discount takes it to its lowest price ever.

Given the discount takes both devices down to the same sub-$60 price, if you're not sure which one to buy, there's really only one factor to consider: The Xteink X4 is pretty small—with a 4.3-inch screen, it's roughly the size of a small wallet—while the 3.7-inch X3 is even smaller, roughly the size of a credit card. Otherwise, the devices are fairly similar, the biggest differences being slightly better resolution on the X3 (thanks solely to the smaller screen increasing the number of pixels per inch) and different charging cables (in order to maximize space, the X3 charges with an included pogo pin adapter, while the X4 uses USB-C).

Personally, I like the X3 better, as the smaller screen is still comfortable to read on, and it's so small I often forget I'm carrying it—until I need to pull it out to read while I wait for the subway, so I can avoid looking at my phone.

The Top 10 TV Series Right Now, According to Streaming Data

✇ L H
5 August 2026 at 16:00
By: Stephen Johnson ·  Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

As much as Hollywood has been wringing its hands over franchise fatigue, consider this: In July, a Spider-Man movie made $168 million at the box office in one day, and the top streaming series was a Game of Thrones spinoff.

Fortunately, if you are hungering for something original, you can still catch innovative comedy series like The Bear and Widow's Bay, or tense thrillers like FROM and Cape Fear (well, OK, that last one is a remake of a 1990 Martin Scorsese movie that was a remake of a 1962 Gregory Peck movie that was an adaptation of a book, but the point stands). Here are all of July's most-watched series, according to data from streaming information repository JustWatch.

House of the Dragon

Seems we still aren't sick of dragons and incomprehensible political intrigue: The third season of House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel based on a fake history tome by George R.R. Martin, came roaring back to the top of the streaming charts. With the season finale landing this weekend, fantasy fans will have to wait until the arrival of season two of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for their next Westeros fix. You can stream House of the Dragon on HBO Max.

Silo

Another book adaptation returning for a third season, Apple TV's Silo continues to track the downward spiral of the dregs of humanity, living together underground in a cavernous edifice that goes all the way down. If you've been wondering how things got so bad, this season goes back in time to reveal the source of humanity's downfall. (Unsurprisingly, humans are to blame.) You can stream Silo on Apple TV.

The Bear

Across four seasons, we've watched neurotic chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) flame out as an elite chef, return to his humble beginnings in his family's Chicago sandwich shop, try to turn said sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment, experience ups and downs in his business and personal life, and finally, at the end of season four, quit the food industry altogether. Taking place mostly over the course of a single day, the fifth and final season explores the immediate aftermath of that monumental decision—on Carmy, and the rest of the restaurant's partners and kitchen staff. It's a fitting goodbye for one of the most lauded TV series ever. You can stream the final season of The Bear on Hulu.

Widow's Bay

This series from Apple TV has won nearly unanimous praise from both critics and audiences. It's a rare horror-comedy that manages to be genuinely scary and really funny. In the island town of Widow's Bay, literally everything is haunted, cursed, and otherwise beset with unspeakable evil, but Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) still really wants to bring tourism to the island. Mayor Tom is so married to his vision of Widow's Bay as the next Martha's Vineyard, he ignores the sea hags, fog monsters, and serial-killer ghosts surrounding him. The great Stephen Root plays Wyck, an old-timer who's always there to remind everyone that time is short and everyone is doomed. You can stream Widow's Bay on Apple TV+.

Lucky

Based on the bestselling novel by Marissa Stapley, Apple TV's latest hit stars Anya Taylor-Joy as the titular con artist. Her name proves to be a tad ironic after her latest job goes wrong and she finds herself the prime target of both the cops and the dangerous crime boss—who also happens to be her mother-in-law. Annette Bening is clearly having a grand time playing the ruthless Priscilla Masterson, who blames Lucky for the loss of $10 million she and Priscilla's son Cary (Drew Masterson) stole—never mind that Cary eventually ran away with it. With a supporting cast that includes Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Timothy Olyphant, it's a fast-moving thriller with a sense of humor and an irresistible lead character. You can stream Lucky on Apple TV.

Ride or Die

This London-set series stars the ultimate odd couple. Octavia Spencer plays Debbie, the American wife of a British politician, and Hannah Waddingham plays her good friend Judith, who happens to be a master assassin. After a hit gone wrong, Judith must go on the run to stay ahead of another assassin working against her, and to avoid running afoul of the ruthless agency (literally called The Agency) that employs her. Obviously, Debbie gets pulled along for the ride. It's a fast, tense, and funny thriller series. You can stream Ride or Die on Prime Video.

I Will Find You

Like Max Cady in Cape Fear, the main character in I Will Find You has been imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. But unlike Max Cady, David Burroughs (Sam Worthington) doesn't set out to murder his lawyer. He was accused of killing his own son, and when he sees evidence that the boy is alive, he escapes prison to find his child. It's a modern take on The Fugitive: with the authorities on his trail, David must unravel a twisting conspiracy to clear his name and bring his child home. I Will Find You is a perfect summertime thriller. You can stream I Will Find You on Netflix.

FROM

The residents of the unnamed town at the center of FROM cannot catch a break. If it's not worms crawling around under their skin, it's the mysterious Man in Yellow stealing people's souls. Season four of this mystery-heavy show from the executive producers of Lost sees the survivors pushed to their limits as the veil between the strange town and the real world gets thinner. You can stream FROM on MGM+.

Cape Fear

Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, Cape Fear is a 10-episode reimagining of a classic novel that has previously been adapted into two celebrated films. In this extended version, Amy Adams plays Anna Bowden, a defense attorney who unsuccessfully defended murder suspect Max Cady 17 years previously. Turns out he wasn't guilty, and Cady has had nearly two decades to plan his revenge against the woman he blames for putting him behind bars. Javier Bardem brings unsettling energy to the role of Cady, previously played by Robert Mitchum, Robert De Niro, and Sideshow Bob. If you like slow-burn suspense that gradually ratchets up tension, you'll like Cape Fear. You can stream Cape Fear on Apple TV+.

The Agency

The spy thriller returns for its second season. Michael Fassbender plays Brandon Colby (code name Martian), a former CIA field agent who now runs operations for London Station, the agency's home office in the U.K. This season, the spy action grows more intricate, as Martian works to clear the name of his lover (Jodie Turner-Smith) while also going head-to-head with a possible double agent within the Agency's own ranks. You can stream The Agency on Paramount+ With Showtime.

The Top 10 Movies Right Now, According to Streaming Data

✇ L H
4 August 2026 at 18:30
By: Stephen Johnson ·  Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

After years of post-COVID uncertainty, are the movies finally back? Judging by July's box office returns, that certainly seems to be the case: Debuting in theaters within weeks of one another, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day both have experienced record-breaking runs (the latter even claimed the largest opening weekend of all time, banking $360 million in the U.S. alone).

But if you ask me, the biggest box office success story of the year was much more unpredictable than seeing a movie from the world's most beloved director (or starring the most popular superhero) make bank: Obsession, a gnarly, R-rated horror flick produced on a budget of less than $1 million, went on to make more than $262 million in ticket sales—a true word-of-mouth phenomenon. On the other hand, with numbers like that, it's no surprise to see Obsession topping the streaming charts now that it is available to watch at home. Here are the other streaming movies that drew eyeballs last month, according to data from JustWatch.

Obsession (2026)

Arriving out of nowhere from first-time director Curry Barker, who got his start making sketch comedy videos on YouTube, Obsession debuted to higher-than-expected box office returns its opening weekend, and then just never stopped making money. It seems horror fans couldn't get enough of the story of a hapless teenager (Michael Johnston) who gets more than he bargains for when he picks up a "One Wish Willow" gag toy and expresses his heart's desire: that his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) would fall in love with him. His wish comes true, and then some—with blood-splattering results. Stream Obsession on Peacock.

Project Hail Mary (2026)

In this crowd-pleasing sci-fi, Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who is blasted into the firmament in a last-ditch effort to save the world. Grace is the only person on Earth who might know how to protect the sun from a cosmic infection that threatens all life, but he's definitely not an astronaut and doesn't see himself as a hero either. Will he rise to the occasion and learn something about his inner strength and resilience while saving us all from death? My money is on, "yeah, probably." Project Hail Mary is streaming on Prime Video and MGM+.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026)

Legendary director Gore Verbinski (The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean) is back with a satirical, gleefully maximalist science fiction comedy that takes on AI, social media addiction, VR, and the modern world itself. Sam Rockwell plays a man from the future who shows up in an LA diner demanding that customers help him save the future from an artificial intelligence that is about to be born. Being a time traveler, Rockwell has tried this many times before and has always failed, but this time, it's going to be different—or everyone is going to die again. Part Terminator, part Black Mirror, Don't Die is a throw-everything-at-the-wall movie that goes so far over the top, you'll be forced to submit to its weird logic and style out of sheer exhaustion. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die is streaming on Hulu, or you can rent it from Prime Video.

The Sheep Detectives (2026)

A family movie with enough darkness to balance out all the cute sheep, The Sheep Detectives tells the tale of an English farmer played by Hugh Jackman who reads mysteries to his flock of sheep every night. When he's found dead, the authorities attribute it to natural causes, but his sheep know better, and they set out to find the culprit using what they've learned from all those whodunnits. If you like the Babe movies, you'll like The Sheep Detectives, and if you think you're too cynical to get into a movie like this, you're probably wrong: It is charming and fun. The Sheep Detectives is streaming on Prime Video.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)

A sleeper hit from 2019, Ready or Not followed a woman (Samara Weaving) who went to meet her fiancé's parents and wound up being hunted by them—their next target in a game of demonic ritual sacrifice dating back generations. The unlikely sequel picks up mere minutes after the first movie ended, with the other ultra-rich, ultra-powerful families in thrall to the same evil turning up to kick off round two. With a killer cast (including Sarah Michelle-Gellar, Elijah Wood, and director David Cronenberg) and a darkly hilarious skewer-the-rich vibe, it's bloody good fun. You can stream Ready or Not 2 on Hulu.

Troy (2004)

Why is a 22-year-old, vaguely remembered Brad Pitt historical action flick suddenly appearing on the streaming charts? It makes sense when you consider that Troy essentially serves as a prequel to 2026's The Odyssey. This flashy but shallow epic from director Wolfgang Petersen stars Pitt as the legendary warrior Achilles, who sets sail in the service of his king, Agamemnon (Brian Cox), to lay siege against the title city to recover Helen (Diane Kruger), wife of the Spartan King Menaelus (Agamemnon's brother), from her "captors," Hector and Paris, young princes of Troy. If you've studied your myths (or if you've seen Christopher Nolan's new film), you know how it all turns out (it involves a horse). You can stream Troy on Peacock.

Masters of the Universe (2026)

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with He-Man—me and all of the other boys born between 1975 and 1982. I dreamed of seeing the musclebound hero on the big screen, but I was merely nonplussed by the 1987 Dolph Lundgren-starring adaptation, which looked nothing like the toys and cartoons. Turns out I just needed to wait 40 years, because the 2026 version, from Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee director Travis Knight, is, if anything, too faithful to the campier aspects of the franchise, with a tone that walks the line between serious action epic and Barbie-style sendup. As a result (or perhaps just because 40 years is a really long time to expect people to care about a Hercules knock-off), the movie bombed at the box office—but perhaps it will find its audience of now-middle-aged men on streaming. You can watch Masters of the Universe on Prime Video.

The Long Walk (2025)

This chilling adaptation of one of Stephen King's earliest novels feels ripped from the capitalist hellscape of 2026: In an alternate 1970s U.S., a fascist government has taken over and, as a means of control, stages an annual "contest" known as The Walk, wherein a group of 50 boys is forced to compete in a non-stop, cross-country walking contest. The winner gets one wish granted, while the losers all get a bullet in the head. Two contestants (played by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson) are competing for their lives, closely watched by the ruthless Major (played by Mark Hamill in full villain mode). Stream The Long Walk on HBO Max.

Pressure (2026)

If you haven't heard of Pressure, ask your dad: This WWII flick, starring a post-Oscar Brendan Fraser as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, is prime Dad Movie material. It focuses on the lead-up to the Normandy invasion and is all about Eisenhower working closely with meteorologist (no, really) James Stagg (Andrew Scott) to determine if the conditions will be right to launch their planned invasion. Though it got good reviews, this one underperformed in theaters, but its modest charms seem right at home on streaming. You can stream Pressure on Peacock.

Independence Day (1996)

It's no mystery why this oversized alien invasion blockbuster hit the streaming charts in July. Even 30 years later, everyone likes to spend their July 4th watching Will Smith throw around one-liners as stuff blows up real good all around him (all capped off with a rousing speech from President Bill Pullman). You can stream Independence Day on Hulu.

Five Hacks Every Boox Palma User Should Know

✇ L H
30 July 2026 at 12:00
By: Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

While the Kindle is the most popular e-reader in the world, it's not the best option for people who want more control over their digital libraries. If you're a true e-book nerd, you've probably heard of the Boox Palma, the e-ink device with a phone-like form factor that has attracted a huge cult following on social media.

The thing about the Palma, though, is that it's way more than an e-reader—it costs about the same as an Android tablet because it basically is one. You can sideload your e-books to read on the native reading app (called NeoReader), or you can install most any app from the Google Play Store. In short, it can do way more than a Kindle, but that also means it can be way more complicated to get it working how you want to. To that end, here are five ways to get more out of your Boox e-reader (whether that's the original Palma, the Palma 2, or the Palma 2 Pro).

Adjust your Palma's settings so you can turn pages with the volume buttons

Unlike all modern Kindles, the Boox Palma still has physical buttons, which is a big plus for anyone who prefers not to turn pages with a touchscreen. Unfortunately, not all apps are configured to recognize a press of the volume up or down button as a request to turn the page. Fortunately, this is typically an easy fix, though you'll have to check your settings in a few different spots to get it working.

Turn pages with volume buttons in the Kindle app

To use the volume buttons to turn pages in the Kindle app: Because Kindle is the most popular reading app, bespoke instructions are in order—especially because they are hardly intuitive.

  • Open the Kindle app and navigate to any book.

  • Tap the center of the screen to bring up the reading overlay menu, then tap the "Aa" icon to open display settings.

  • Tap the "Layout" tab and make sure the slider next to "Continuous Scrolling" is turned off.

  • Now tap the "More" tab and scroll down until you see "Turn Pages with Volume Controls" and set that slider to on.

Turn pages with volume buttons in a different reading app

While specific instructions might be different depending on your reading app of choice, there's also a system-level settings option you can try to enable page turns with the volume buttons:

  • Long-press the app icon on the home screen to open quick settings and tap "Optimize."

  • Tap the "Others" tab.

  • Next to the "Customize Buttons" menu option you'll see three icons; tap the one on the far left that looks like in a circle to set the Volume button setting to "Page-turning." (Incidentally, if you prefer to use the volume buttons to trigger the continuous scroll option, that's what the up/down arrow icon on the right is for).

Disable your Palma's touchscreen with a shake to stop accidental page turns

If you're a "turn pages with the buttons" kind of person, you might also want to turn off the touchscreen so you don't accidentally turn the page if you touch the screen accidentally or put your Palma in your pocket without putting it to sleep first. Unfortunately, there's no system- or app-level setting for this, but you can accomplish it with a third-party app.

There are a ton of options for these kinds of apps on the Google Play Store, but some of them will go too far by disabling physical buttons as well, while others will fill your screen with ads. A better alternative is an app called Touch Protector, but it's not on Google Play—so you'll have to install the Aptoide app store first. Aptoide is a decentralized, open-source alternative to Google Play.

Note: Using a decentralized app store means you're opening yourself up to a bit more risk, so look for apps with the green "Trusted" icon, indicating that they have been scanned for malware and compared against apps in other app stores to ensure they aren't copycats. You'll also need to be comfortable with overriding some system-level security recommendations; I wouldn't do this on a device I use for financial transactions or reading e-mails, but all I do with my Palma is read. In short, go with your gut on this one.

With those disclaimers out of the way, here are the steps involved:

  • Navigate to the Aptoide app store from your Palma's web browser, then tap the "More" option on the lower right; on the next screen, tap "Get Aptoide." (You'll have to click through some permissions screens indicating you understand there's risk in downloading an app APK file from an "unknown" source.)

  • Once you've downloaded the Aptoide APK file, open it from your downloads folder and install it (this will require another security acknowledgement).

  • Once installed, open Aptoide and search for "Touch Protector" (or use this link). The first time you use Aptoide, you'll be prompted to give it system-level permission to install apps; it will open the relevant settings menu automatically. (If you have a Boox Palma 2 Pro running Android 15, you may also receive a message indicating that Touch Protector was designed for an earlier version of Android, but you can choose to install it anyway.)

  • Open the Touch Protector app. The first time you do, you'll be prompted to give it "Display over other apps" permissions. The settings menu for this option will likewise open automatically; scroll down to Touch Protector, tap it, and turn the slider to "On." (If Android prevents you from doing this here, you'll need to do it manually: Open Settings > Apps & Notifications > Applications. Find "Touch Protector" in the apps list and tap the slider next to "Display on top of other apps.")

  • Now you'll need to configure your Touch Protector settings to choose how you'll lock and unlock the touchscreen. I suggest tapping "Shake," which allows you to toggle the option on or off by gently shaking your device. (Yes, you can adjust how hard you need to shake it so you won't do so accidentally.)

All of that accomplished, you can now temporarily disable the touchscreen in whatever reading app you're using by shaking your Palma. Shake it again when you want touch controls back.

Set a one-touch refresh to instantly get rid of "ghosting" on the Palma

Like any e-ink tablet, Boox devices suffer from occasional "ghosting," or visible afterimages once you've turned a page. While the device will automatically refresh itself after a certain number of screen touches and you can adjust your settings so it refreshes more often, I like to set a one-touch refresh that I can trigger whenever I want. This is convenient, because some types of content, including anything with images, will require more frequent refreshes than others. There are two ways to set a one-touch manual refresh: a button or a gesture.

  • Use a button to perform a one-touch refresh: Though you could map this function to any button, it makes most sense to use the Palma's Smart Button for this—that's the button on the top left-hand side of the device, and it can do different things based on whether you press it once, twice, or hold it down. On my own Palma, I've mapped a manual refresh to a single Smart Button press, as it's the thing I find myself doing most often (a long-press takes me back to the home screen). To remap your Smart Button, open the Settings app and tap "Smart Button." Tap your preferred option ("Short-press Function," "Double-click Function," or "Long-press Function") and select "Full-refresh."

  • Use a gesture to perform a one-touch refresh: Open Settings and scroll down to "System Navigation." Under "Bottom Navigation," tap "More Settings." Choose the area of the screen you'd like to map the refresh to by swiping between the left, center, or right side options. Tap "Custom" and then choose "Full-refresh" from your list of options.

Manage your sleep settings so you can listen to audiobooks or podcasts with the Palma's screen off

Listening to audiobooks or podcasts on the Palma can be a frustrating experience, especially if you have a case with a magnetic cover that puts the device to sleep when you close it, as doing so will also pause any audio you're listening to. However, you can fix this with a few settings changes.

  • The first thing you'll need to do is adjust your settings to allow apps that play audio to continue running in the background. In the interest of preserving battery life, the Palma OS turns this setting off for every app you download from the Google Play Store, but you can change that. First, you can long-press the icon of any app on the home screen. This will bring up a menu with a few different options. Tap "Optimize." From the next pop-up menu, select the "Others" tab, then make sure the slider next to "Stay active in the background" is turned to On.

  • Next, you need to "unfreeze" background apps so they don't try to update when not in use. You can make this change globally, or on a per-app basis. Freezing apps improves battery life, so keep that in mind as you make your decision. To unfreeze a single app, open Settings and scroll down to "Apps and Notifications." Tap "Freeze Settings," find your audio-playing apps in the list of installed programs, and turn the slider to off. To unfreeze all your apps, from this same menu, turn the "Do not freeze apps running in the background (audio, input methods, etc.)" slider to On.

  • The last thing you'll need to do is keep the Palma from turning off Bluetooth and disconnecting your headphones after the device goes to sleep. To do that, open Settings and scroll to Power. On the next screen, tap "Bluetooth Status After Sleep" and select "Stay Connected" from the pop-up menu. (I'd also suggest turning on "Always turn Bluetooth on when the device starts up" from this menu, so you won't have to manually turn Bluetooth on every time you want to connect your headphones—though this too will affect your overall battery life).

Adjust your Palma's Location Information settings so your device is findable if you lose it

You might assume that because your Palma is signed in to Google Play and active in your account, locating it (or triggering lost mode) will work—but you also need to have location services turned on at the system level, or you'll be out of luck. To do this, go to Settings and scroll down to "Location Information." Turn on the slider next to "Access my location information." You can then tap "Location permission of apps" to adjust the settings for any apps you don't want tracking you, while still keeping your pricey e-reader perfectly findable.

Note that in order to be findable, your device must be turned on and connected to the internet. For the Palma 2, that means whoever finds it will need to turn it on and connect it to wifi; for the Palma 2 Pro with an active SIM card, it will likewise need to be powered on and not in sleep mode.

Now Boox Is Making a Tiny E-Reader Too

✇ L H
24 July 2026 at 20:30
By: Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

A year ago, I was obsessed with my Boox Palma. I carried the phone-shaped e-ink device everywhere, and credited it with helping me read more and use my phone less. But after I discovered the quirky, wallet-sized Xteink X4 last December, my Boox e-reader has literally been collecting dust.

As I've pointed out in various reviews and articles, Xteink devices are a bit clunky (the company is a Chinese startup, and its products display all the growing pains you'd expect from new tech). They're also probably not for everyone—but they're definitely for a lot of people: Xteink's devices (which now include the X4, the smaller X3, and the just-released X4 Pro) have gone viral on social media and built a fervent fanbase on Reddit for three reasons: They are really basic, really cheap (starting at $69), and really small.

Boox, which previously gathered its own cult following with the Palma, now wants in on the wee e-reader action. This week, the company leaked the first details about a forthcoming device it's calling the Boox Picco, and it looks an awful lot like something Xteink would make.

What is the Boox Picco?

I first saw unsourced news of Boox's plans for a small-screen e-reader on Reddit yesterday, so I reached out to my contact at the company for more information. She told me that Boox is launching a new product line called Boox Tile that "focuses on creating more lightweight and flexible ePaper experiences for everyday use cases," and the first device out of the gate will be a truly palm-sized e-reader. (I bet they are wishing they'd called the Palma something else right now.)

Here's what we know about the Picco:

  • It is a "compact ePaper device for more convenient reading scenarios, such as commuting and on-the-go reading," according to the company.

  • It will have a 3.97-inch black-and-white e-ink display (larger than the Xteink X3, but smaller than the Xteink X4).

  • It will have a front light (a feature Xteink just introduced on the new X4 Pro).

  • It will support microSD cards.

And that's all that has been officially announced. Boox hasn't yet revealed what kind of processor it will have (Xteink devices use very simple ESP32 chips), whether it will have physical buttons, or if it will run on Android (like the Palma and the rumored Xteink S4). And then there are other important facts like when it will be released (in China or the U.S.), and, critically, what it will cost.

Why tiny e-readers?

At a time when many of us are romanticizing retro tech from the good old days of a decade or two ago, Xteink's stripped-down e-readers are beloved despite themselves (the first piece of advice you're likely to hear when you buy one is to overwrite the native operating system), explicitly because they are so bare-bones.

To judge by the Redditors in r/xteinkereader, the carry-anywhere size, tactile controls (the original devices lacked a touchscreen, a controversial addition to the X4 Pro), and single-purpose design feel like a balm in a time when other tech is doing everything it can to overwhelm us with features it insists we want (including needless AI integrations), even as social media apps have a stranglehold on our increasingly frayed attention spans.

In an era defined by attention overload, a super basic e-reader that literally can't do much more than show you a book feels as welcome as a hug—and that it's so small you can stick it in any pocket and forget you're carrying it, all the better.

Will the Boox Picco be worth waiting for?

Given the enthusiasm in the market for Xteink's devices, it's no wonder that Boox is trying to get in on the game, and I'm cautiously excited: I've reviewed a bunch of Boox tablets and e-readers, and the company knows how to make a good device. I'm just not sure it knows how to make the right device.

As I said, I've loved the Palmas I reviewed, but not without reservations. For one, they're expensive: The only model still readily available in the U.S., the Palma 2 Pro, retails for $400. For another, they do way too much: I primarily used mine as an e-reader, but it can also run apps, take pictures, play videos, and even make calls on wifi—basically everything a smartphone can do (hence the smartphone-like price). It is also too big; though its 6.13-inch screen and phone-like shape give it a smaller footprint than almost any other e-reader on the market, the Palma always felt very much like something else to carry, even if it did technically fit in my pocket (just not the same pocket as my phone).

In short, the Palma was guilty of doing too much. The e-ink screen made it appealing to e-reader fans, but the excess of features made it feel more like yet another phone, and pushed the price too high for most people to justify buying one over a Kindle.

If Boox understands the real factors behind Xteink's sudden success, the Picco will be a simple reading device with the polish you'd expect from a larger, more seasoned company. It'll also cost $100 or less. But if the Palma is any indication, the Picco might be just as overclocked, laden with features no one wants, and a price to match. We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I've got plenty of books to read on my X4 Pro.

Five Hacks Every Xteink User Should Know

✇ L H
22 July 2026 at 20:30
By: Joel Cunningham

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Most people who read e-books do so on a phone or a Kindle, and that's fine. But for the more exacting (if not adventurous) digital reading enthusiasts out there, I recommend exploring life outside of Amazon's ecosystem—and I particularly recommend doing so with one of the tiny e-readers made by Xteink, a Chinese tech company with an unfortunate name but some great devices.

Out of the box, an Xteink X3, X4, or X4 Pro can seem a little finicky, or even intimidating. But if you've mastered the basics of navigating their clunky operating systems and loading up a few books, you'll quickly find they are both magically portable and a joy for distraction-free reading. And once you're a convert, you can use these tips and hacks to get even more out of your impossibly wee e-reader.

Convert your EPUBs to XTC to preserve their formatting

While getting e-book formatting to match what you'd find in a printed book has always been a challenge, the native software that ships with all Xteink devices handles it particularly poorly. While you certainly can read EPUB files loaded onto them, they may show up with awkward formatting, such as unnecessary spacing between paragraphs or missing indents. Heck, these devices still can't display text in bold or italics right out of the box, never mind if you're reading something with embedded charts or images.

You can solve for this by converting your books to a proprietary format called XTC before loading them onto your e-reader. Rather than a free-flowing text document, an XTC file is essentially a series of bitmap images of the original e-book. All images, stylized headers, and text formatting will thus be preserved, with a few downsides: The image can look slightly less crisp, and the file will be a lot larger—50MB or more, depending on the book, versus 2MB or so for most EPUBs.

There are a few ways to transform your EPUBs into XTC files, but the easiest is this web converter, which allows you to customize the font choice, page orientation, text alignment, and other factors, then download the finished result to sideload onto your device.

Flash a custom operating system to get extra features

If converting to XTC is too cumbersome or limiting for you, you have another option: Replace the Xteink software entirely. Xteink devices run on dead-simple ESP32 processors, and they are mostly open and easily hackable—meaning you can overwrite the stock firmware without the need to jailbreak them first.

If you think that sounds onerous, it isn't: In less than a year since the Xteink X4 launched, the device has built up a huge online following of tech-heads and tinkerers, and they've not only created a custom firmware for Xteink devices—called CrossPoint Reader—they've built a website with a tool that allows you to flash your device with the new software with a single click. (Note: As of this writing, CrossPoint is not yet available for the new X4 Pro, though it is in development.)

After upgrading it to CrossPoint, you'll suddenly find your Xteink e-reader a lot more pleasant to use, with more straightforward menus and options and a host of improvements to the e-reading experience, including a wider selection of fonts and more support for customizing your margins, line spacing, and more.

But you need not stop there. There are dozens of "forks" of CrossPoint built on the same basic platform but offering different tools and custom options. Flashing with these takes one extra step—you'll need to download the .bin files from GitHub first, then choose "Custom .bin" from the CrossPoint Flash Firmware page—but it's still a fairly foolproof process. Here are a few fun ones to consider, or you can browse the entire list:

  • CrossInk: This popular CrossPoint variant emphasizes improved fonts and adds basic reading stats.

  • CrossWordle: This option adds a Wordle-esque game to the CrossPoint firmware.

  • CPR-vCodex: This CrossPoint fork is all about the stats, offering in-depth, granular tools for tracking and gamifying your reading.

  • CrossPet: This one adds a Tamagotchi-like virtual chicken to your e-reader for some reason.

  • Biscuit: Aiming to turn your Xteink device into more than an e-reader, Biscuit uses tile-based navigation and adds features like a Bluetooth scanner, a simple chat app, a password manager, calculator and flashcard apps, and some games (including a passable Tetris clone).

Use this Calibre plugin to optimize your books for CrossPoint

Even with custom firmware, it can be tough to get your e-book files looking how you want them to on Xteink devices, but another one-click tool can help with that. Calibre is a popular free program for managing your e-book library on your computer, so you can customize your files before transferring them to your device, and a group of developers have built a plugin for the Calibre app that will automatically optimize your EPUB files for use in CrossPoint.

To get started, download the .zip file on this page. Open Calibre, then in the Preferences menu, choose Advanced > Plugins > Load plugin from file and select the .zip file to install it. Restart Calibre. Add the tool to the toolbar by going to Preferences > Interface > Toolbars & menus. To use it to optimize your EPUBs, select one or more of them in Calibre, then click "EPUB Workflow" in the toolbar. Check the options you want to tweak, from shrinking images to removing extraneous code to repairing any errors in the file, then click OK.

From there, you can use another Calibre plugin to send books directly to the device. To use it, head to this link and download the .zip file and repeat the process above to install it. On your Xteink device running CrossPoint, connect to the same wifi as your computer, then go to File transfer > Connect to Calibre library. Your device will now appear in Calibre, and you can use the "Send to device" button there to load files onto it directly.

Create a KOreader account to sync your reading progress across multiple devices

Xteink devices are great for reading on the go, but maybe you prefer to use something with a larger screen when you're not out and about. Well, there's an easy way to sync your reading progress between devices, provided you've got another e-reader that can run KOReader, a free, open-source app specifically designed for e-ink displays. KOReader syncs automatically with Kobo devices, but you can also sideload it onto an Android device, whether that's your phone or an e-ink Android tablet like the Boox Palma. On iPhone, you can install the Readest app from the App Store; it has a KOReader sync plugin. (There's no easy sync-to-Kindle option, unless you want to jailbreak that device.)

Syncing your progress is pretty simple—you just have to have the same EPUB file loaded on both devices, and you need to be signed in to the same KOsync account (and server) on both of them. The CrossPoint Reader site has a page where you can create a KOsync login: Choose a username and password, and leave the server as the default. Next, log into KOReader Sync on your Android device (the process will vary by the device or app you're using), and use those same credentials on your Xteink device by heading to Settings > System > KOReader Sync. Once you've logged in properly, syncing your progress is as simple as heading back to that KOReader Sync menu on your Xteink device and choosing "Authenticate."

Try these sources for better-looking public domain e-books

Xteink devices are great because they use an open platform that doesn't tie you down to any one retailer (like Kindle yolks you to Amazon). The downside is that it can be a lot harder to find books to read on it, since retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble usually laden their e-book files with Digital Rights Management (DRM) software that will prevent you from loading them on just any device.

I discuss the "DRM problem" more in my review of the Xteink X4 Pro, and suggest a few places where you can buy DRM-free books, but the easiest method is to look for titles freely available in the public domain. Unfortunately, not all DRM-free public domain EPUB files are created equal—the ones you'll find on Project Gutenberg, for example, might have shoddy formatting that makes them look like a website from 1991.

Fortunately, there are a few places you can source public domain e-books that don't look like they're worth what you paid for them (i.e., nothing). Here are a few I suggest the next time you're in the mood to read one of the classics:

  • Global Grey E-Books: This site is a labor of love for the woman who runs it; she personally formats all the EPUBs to ensure they are easily readable. I don't love the AI-generated covers she favors, but it's a minor gripe given she does it all for free. (Well, and your generous donations.)

  • Standard Ebooks: According to this donation-supported e-book repository's "About" page, Standard Ebooks is "a volunteer-driven effort to produce a collection of high-quality, carefully formatted, accessible, open source, and free public domain ebooks that meet or exceed the quality of commercially produced ebooks." I'd say they've succeeded on that score: Every book I've sampled from their collection looks indistinguishable from a commercially produced e-book. The covers are even pretty nice, created using classical works of art also in the public domain.

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