I’ve used and reviewed dozens of e-readers through the years, however the 5-inch Kobo Mini stays my favourite for one easy cause: It was small. While it lacked helpful options like display lighting and web page flip buttons, its measurement made it an e-reader I truly needed to hold each day. The $69 Xteink X4 e-reader is even smaller than the Kobo Mini and E Ink smartphones like Boox Palma. It’s satisfyingly pocketable but in addition frustratingly unintuitive and functionally restricted out of the field. That could possibly be a deal-breaker have been it not for a rising group of customers working to enhance it.
Like the Kodak Charmera, I used to be pleasantly stunned at how small the X4 is in particular person. Its 4.3-inch E Ink display is solely a bit tinier than the Kobo Mini’s 5-inch panel, however the X4’s bezels are a lot slimmer, making the e-reader really feel considerably smaller. The pleasure of nerding out over the X4’s measurement was shortly lower quick after I examined one among its most compelling options.
The X4 is about half the scale of the Kobo Libra 2 (backside) and a lot smaller than the discontinued Kobo Mini (center).
When the X4 was introduced final December, Xteink shared photographs of the e-reader caught to the again of an iPhone utilizing its MagSafe function. It made the X4 look like a greater different to e-reader circumstances for these wanting a second display on their telephones, however the odd place of its magnets makes it inconceivable to stay the e-reader to the again of my iPhone 16 Pro in any usable approach.
This was the one approach I may stick the X4 to my iPhone 16 Pro’s MagSafe mount with out utilizing the included adhesive magnetic rings.
Even with the X4 correctly aligned on the again of my iPhone, the e-reader prolonged too far off the underside for me to make use of it this manner.
It’s a problem that many X4 customers have complained about, and in a press release emailed to The Verge, the corporate explains that “during our early development and testing phase, we worked with a limited range of iPhone models. As a result, on some newer models, the magnetic alignment may not appear perfectly centered.” As a work-around, Xteink features a pair of magnetic adhesive rings that may be caught to gadgets to permit for correct alignment.
However, the X4 additionally extends previous the underside of my iPhone, so as an alternative of attempting to awkwardly use the 2 collectively, I’ve been utilizing it as a standalone ultra-compact e-reader. At lower than 6mm thick, the X4 takes up little or no room within the sling bag I carry each day and is protected utilizing a primary magnetic folio-style case that’s included.
The Xteink X4 is one of many least expensive e-readers available on the market, however that value comes with some challenges and compromises, together with a 4.3-inch E Ink display with a 220ppi decision. That’s lower than the 300ppi e-paper screens on the newest Kindle and Kobo e-readers. You’ll see jagged edges on wonderful textual content in the event you look laborious sufficient, but it surely’s sufficient decision for a pleasing studying expertise.
There’s additionally no display lighting, so in the event you’re planning to learn earlier than mattress, you’ll want a lamp or a flashlight. The lack of a touchscreen is extra irritating. The X4 options a number of buttons on its proper edge and under its show. They’re not labeled, and their performance varies relying on the place you’re within the UI.
Instead of a touchscreen, the X4 depends on numerous buttons, a number of of that are two-sided. But they’re all unlabeled, usually leading to incorrect button presses.
The facet of the X4 features a energy/lock button and a reset button you gained’t want a paper clip to press.
Further complicating issues, three of the buttons are two-sided and do various things relying on which facet you press. It’s irritating to attempt and bear in mind which facet of which button it’s essential press to choose, bounce again to a earlier display, or just navigate a listing of choices. And it’s not helped by the X4’s restricted and complicated software program.
While Boox’s smartphone-size E Ink Palma gadgets run Android and allow you to do all the pieces from watching movies to enjoying video games, the X4 is solely targeted on studying, with assist restricted to TXT and EPUB recordsdata, plus photographs like JPGs and BMPs, which I had restricted success loading. There’s no built-in bookstore so that you’ll must supply your personal DRM-free EPUB recordsdata. That’s slightly simpler now, due to Amazon just lately increasing assist for EPUBs, however simply getting ebooks onto the X4 feels more durable than it could possibly be.
The solely storage on the X4 is an included microSD card that may be troublesome to take away because it sits deep contained in the e-reader when inserted.
You’re supposed to have the ability to add ebooks to the e-reader over Wi-Fi, however these options are both listed as “in development” or barely purposeful.
The e-reader doesn’t mount as a storage machine when linked to a pc, and whilst you’re supposed to have the ability to wirelessly add recordsdata from a browser over Wi-Fi or your cellphone, I didn’t have a lot success in getting that to work. The simplest way is to repeat recordsdata to a reminiscence card utilizing a USB reader, however that is needlessly difficult by the X4’s microSD card slot that makes inserting and ejecting a reminiscence card troublesome with out lengthy nails or a paper clip.
The X4’s software program and UI is primary at finest and irritating at worst. Navigating menus for altering button capabilities or different settings is complicated, and customizing the format of the book you’re studying is very restricted.
Reading ebooks is an okay expertise, and I’m all the time a fan of devoted web page flip buttons. But in the event you’re acquainted with a Kobo or Kindle, you’ll end up sorely lacking choices for adjusting textual content formatting. You solely get two font-size selections, three line spacing choices, and no option to enhance the margins round textual content. Images and illustrations in ebooks are merely not displayed, most textual content formatting is ignored, and whilst you’re supposed to have the ability to load and use your personal font recordsdata, it’s one other finicky function I had no success with.
You can bounce to completely different chapters, pages, and bookmarks, or activate options like auto web page turns at set intervals, however doing so requires opening and navigating a sequence of menus utilizing the X4’s buttons. It feels unnecessarily difficult. It’s an expertise you’ll ultimately get marginally comfy with, however not one you’ll ever take pleasure in.
There are already alternate firmware choices out there for the X4, together with CrossPoint Reader, which provides, amongst many different enhancements, onscreen labels for the e-reader’s buttons.
The CrossPoint Reader firmware additionally provides further fonts and extra management over how a guide’s textual content appears to be like.
Xteink has already launched a number of software program updates bettering the X4’s UI and usability. Progress has been gradual, however as a result of the corporate hasn’t locked down the e-reader, a rising group has taken it upon itself to enhance the X4. Installing CrossPoint Reader on the X4, an open-source different firmware, was a easy course of that instantly solved most of the ache factors of Xteink’s software program. CrossPoint simplifies the X4’s UI, expands the choices for the way ebooks look, and provides onscreen labels for what every button does. It’s additionally simple to uninstall, however I don’t assume I’m ever going to.
The X4 won’t ever substitute the Kobo Libra 2 I exploit for many of my studying. A touchscreen, lighting, entry to a strong book retailer, and a UI that doesn’t have me pulling my hair out are options I can’t do with out. But over the previous few weeks, I haven’t left the home with out the tiny X4. It’s a welcome different to my cellphone (that all the time appears filled with unhealthy information) if I’ve a couple of minutes to whereas away, regardless of its frustrations. I don’t like recommending gadgets that require third-party upgrades to be “fixed,” however the work being performed by the X4 group makes the e-reader price contemplating if pocketability — and slightly tinkering — is your precedence.
Photos by Andrew Liszewski / The Verge
Follow matters and authors from this story to see extra like this in your personalised homepage feed and to obtain electronic mail updates.
- Andrew Liszewski
Close Andrew Liszewski
Posts from this writer might be added to your every day electronic mail digest and your homepage feed.
Follow FollowSee All by Andrew Liszewski
- Gadgets
Close Gadgets
Posts from this subject might be added to your every day electronic mail digest and your homepage feed.
Follow FollowSee All Gadgets
- Hands-on
Close Hands-on
Posts from this subject might be added to your every day electronic mail digest and your homepage feed.
Follow FollowSee All Hands-on
- Reviews
Close Reviews
Posts from this subject might be added to your every day electronic mail digest and your homepage feed.
Follow FollowSee All Reviews
- Tech
Close Tech
Posts from this subject might be added to your every day electronic mail digest and your homepage feed.
Follow FollowSee All Tech
