This Tiny, Magnetic E-reader Could Stop You From Doomscrolling

It was emotion astatine first sight. It felt for illustration scouring nan mall, dipping successful and retired of sprawling section stores successful hunt of a specific, elusive item, only to yet find what you’re looking for. Only, I didn’t moreover cognize I was searching for thing for illustration nan Xteink X3, because I ne'er dared dream of thing truthful delightful: a tiny, MagSafe-compatible e-ink scholar that could connect to my iPhone for illustration a Pop Socket.

This was it. My life would alteration forever. I would get my hands connected nan Xteink X3, and I would extremity doomscrolling forever. I would publication much books than ever before… which is saying something, since – brag – I publication astatine slightest 50 books a year. But – not a brag – I astir apt walk moreover much clip connected societal media than I do reading. I cognize that I consciousness mostly little anxious erstwhile I limit my societal media time, but alas, nan siren opus of TikTok beckons me. What if alternatively of opening societal media, I could conscionable flip my telephone complete and publication connected a tiny, Kindle-like e-ink screen? Could this $80 gadget hole me?

I’ve tried reference books (… aliases downloads from AO3) connected my phone, immersing myself successful a fictional world, alternatively than posts from nan president successful which he threatens to obliterate an full country. But thing astir looking astatine my phone, wherever I’m perpetually tempted to unfastened Instagram to spot immoderate Reel personification sent me, doesn’t rather soothe maine nan measurement that a book aliases an e-ink instrumentality for illustration a Kindle does.

I was truthful excited for my X3 to get that I perpetually refreshed nan search nexus until finally, it was delivered. Even though I had meticulously compared nan dimensions of nan X3 to my iPhone 16, aliases my Pop Socket wallet, I still worried it mightiness not fresh – nan erstwhile model, nan Xteink X4 (basically nan aforesaid instrumentality but a small bigger) only fresh connected larger phones for illustration nan iPhone Pro Max line. But judge enough, nan X3 magnetically attached to nan backmost of my telephone for illustration it was custom-made to fit.

My X3 came successful nan message astir 2 hours earlier I had to time off to spell to a Phillies game, truthful I rushed to load books onto it, because I thought it would beryllium really funny to return photos successful which I publication “The Power Broker” successful a crowded shot stadium. Behold, my handiwork:

The XTeink X3 watches arsenic nan Phillies footwear disconnected a ten-game losing streakImage Credits:TechCrunch

For nan first respective days that I had nan X3, I carried it pinch maine connected nan backmost of my phone. This made maine a spot nervous, though, since I’m utilized to having a Pop Socket wallet, which intends I’ve gotten successful nan wont of leaving location without my existent wallet. But I recovered that I utilized nan X3 conscionable arsenic overmuch erstwhile I carried it successful my purse aliases pocket, alternatively than attaching it to my phone. I’m still not judge if I’ll support this setup, aliases if I’ll commencement really utilizing a existent wallet truthful that I tin connect nan ereader, but for now, that’s what has felt astir natural. Plus, my X3 shipped pinch a very compact, cute, magnetic case, which perfectly protects nan instrumentality and its surface and makes it a small easier to hold. At conscionable $9 for nan case, I’d urge getting one. The lawsuit tin besides magnetize to your phone, though it feels a spot little unafraid than attaching your X3 alone.

Over my 2 weeks of testing, I did find that nan X3 helped maine publication more. If you’re successful statement astatine a java shop, aliases waiting for nan bus, you tin conscionable propulsion retired nan ereader alternatively of opening Instagram. I didn’t find nan mini surface difficult to publication on, either. But conscionable buying nan instrumentality won’t alteration your habits – you person to retrieve that you person a 3.7 inch surface successful your pouch that tin fresh hundreds of books.

A Pop Socket wallet and nan Xteink X3, broadside by sideImage Credits:TechCrunch

The Xteink X3 is beautiful adjacent to being nan instrumentality of my dreams, but it’s not rather location yet. The firmware that nan instrumentality comes pinch is beautiful clunky – not unusable, but not precisely intuitive. I expected this, since nan Xteink Reddit organization was buzzing astir CrossPoint, a community-made, free, unfastened root firmware. The process of downloading CrossPoint was a spot intimidating arsenic personification who writes words, alternatively than codification – but pinch nan instructions connected CrossPoint’s website (and a fewer videos), it was easy enough. I encountered immoderate difficulties astatine first, but past I realized it was because I was trying to download nan X4 firmware onto my X3, so… my bad. You astir apt won’t moreover request nan YouTube videos!

When you commencement loading books and unfastened root firmware onto your X3, you’ll announcement different divisive facet of nan device: it doesn’t person a USB-C port, dissimilar nan X4. Instead, it uses a magnetic charger. Yes, it’s annoying to person yet different charging cablegram specifically for this 1 device, but I don’t attraction that much. After 2 weeks of accordant use, my X3 has dropped from a 100% complaint to a 96% charge, truthful I can’t ideate I’ll beryllium utilizing that magnetic charger excessively often. You don’t moreover request nan cord to adhd caller books to your ereader – you tin transportation files complete Wi-Fi from your telephone aliases machine (I wouldn’t telephone nan process user-friendly, but I was capable to fig it retired without Googling anything).

Speaking of loading books, that’s different drawback. The mostly of what I publication connected my Kindle comes from Libby, which is my favourite app (#notsponsored). The Libby app allows you to easy get ebooks aliases audiobooks from your room and nonstop them to your Kindle. But you can’t get those ebooks (legally) onto an Xteink ereader, since libraries usage protected versions of .epub files that deter users from copying them (you besides can’t publication books you bargain from Amazon’s ebook shop connected non-Amazon devices, because capitalism). This deficiency of compatibility is simply a drawback, but it besides makes nan instrumentality consciousness unsocial – it’s a “dumb” instrumentality that has nary apps and nary touch screen, which feels startlingly refreshing successful an era of AI-enabled refrigerators.

You tin adhd your ain surface savers, which I person intelligibly had excessively overmuch nosy withImage Credits:TechCrunch

It’s not difficult to find absorbing .epub files to load onto nan X3, moreover if you can’t entree your Kindle room aliases Libby. A batch of awesome books are successful nan nationalist domain, which intends that they’re nary longer taxable to copyright and tin beryllium downloaded for free (I’ve weirdly ne'er publication “Pride and Prejudice,” truthful nan clip is now). A fewer months ago, I bought nan full .epub catalogs of sci-fi writers Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz arsenic portion of a kindness fundraiser, which should support maine engaged for rather a bit. If you wanted to, you could moreover move online articles aliases blogs into .epubs utilizing a free programme for illustration Calibre.

So, did nan Xteink X3 hole me? Am I now a recently reformed female who has a patient narration pinch societal media and has publication a bunch of classical novels that I ne'er publication arsenic an English major, since I mostly took classes pinch ridiculous titles for illustration “Aestheticus Extremus: The Politics of Precarious Invention successful North American Poetry and Poetics”? It’s not that simple. But if you meet nan X3 halfway and make a concerted effort to usage it, past possibly you’ll spare yourself from a spot much brainrot.