Boox challenges Remarkable with its own compact e-reader
▼ Summary
– Boox is developing a new Tile lineup of small e-readers, starting with the Picco, which will feature a 3.97-inch front-lit e-paper display and expandable storage via an SD card.
– The Picco is confirmed to have an “accessible price point,” but Boox has not yet disclosed specific specs, pricing, or a release date.
– It remains unclear if the Picco will include MagSafe compatibility to stick to a phone, a key feature of competing Xteink e-readers.
– The device appears to have physical buttons in promotional images, but it is unknown if it will also include a touchscreen.
– The Picco will likely have a minimal, tiled user interface limited to basic apps like Neoreader, a music player, and a podcast player, distinguishing it from the Android-powered Boox Palma.
Boox is entering the compact e-reader space with a new Tile lineup designed to challenge Xteink’s popular, pocket-sized devices. First spotted by Good E-Reader, the initial model is the Picco, featuring a 3.97-inch front-lit black-and-white e-paper display and expandable storage via an SD card slot. Boox confirmed to The Verge that the Picco is indeed in development, describing it as part of the Tile series with an “accessible price point.” However, the company has not yet disclosed specific specs, the exact price, or a release date.
The inclusion of a front-lit display could help the Picco compete directly with Xteink’s new $99 X4 Pro, which The Verge’s Andrew Liszewski calls “the best tiny e-reader you can buy.” A major selling point of Xteink’s small e-readers is their ability to magnetically attach to the back of an iPhone using MagSafe, but it remains unclear whether the Boox Picco will offer a similar feature.
A promotional image suggests the Picco includes physical buttons, but it is not yet known whether the device will rely exclusively on buttons, like the original Xteink X4, or also incorporate a touchscreen. According to Good E-Reader, the Picco is expected to run a minimal, tiled user interface limited to basic apps such as Neoreader, a music player, and a podcast player. This would place it in a very different category from the more fully featured, Android-powered Boox Palma, signaling a focused, no-frills approach for the Tile lineup.
(Source: The Verge)
