This tiny, magnetic e-reader may just prevent you from doomscrolling

It was once love to start with sight. It felt like scouring the mall, dipping out and in of sprawling division retail outlets on the lookout for a selected, elusive merchandise, handiest to in spite of everything to find what you’re on the lookout for. Simplest, I didn’t even know I used to be in search of one thing just like the Xteink X3, as a result of I by no means dared dream of one thing so pleasant: a tiny, MagSafe-compatible e-ink reader that would connect to my iPhone like a Pop Socket.

This was once it. My existence would exchange perpetually. I might get my arms at the Xteink X3, and I might prevent doomscrolling perpetually. I might learn extra books than ever earlier than… which is announcing one thing, since – brag – I learn no less than 50 books a 12 months. However – now not a brag – I almost definitely spend much more time on social media than I do studying. I do know that I believe in most cases much less apprehensive after I prohibit my social media time, however alas, the siren track of TikTok beckons me. What if as a substitute of opening social media, I may just simply turn my telephone over and browse on a tiny, Kindle-like e-ink display? May just this $80 machine repair me?

I’ve attempted studying books (… or downloads from AO3) on my telephone, immersing myself in a fictional international, somewhat than posts from the president during which he threatens to obliterate a complete nation. However one thing about taking a look at my telephone, the place I’m repeatedly tempted to open Instagram to peer no matter Reel somebody despatched me, doesn’t reasonably soothe me the best way {that a} e-book or an e-ink instrument like a Kindle does.

I used to be so excited for my X3 to reach that I repeatedly refreshed the monitoring hyperlink till in spite of everything, it was once delivered. Despite the fact that I had meticulously when put next the scale of the X3 to my iPhone 16, or my Pop Socket pockets, I nonetheless fearful it will now not are compatible – the former type, the Xteink X4 (principally the similar instrument however a bit larger) handiest are compatible on greater telephones just like the iPhone Professional Max line. However positive sufficient, the X3 magnetically connected to the again of my telephone love it was once customized to suit.

My X3 got here within the mail about two hours earlier than I needed to depart to visit a Phillies recreation, so I rushed to load books onto it, as a result of I believed it might be actually humorous to take footage during which I learn “The Energy Dealer” in a crowded baseball stadium. Behold, my handiwork:

For the primary a number of days that I had the X3, I carried it with me at the again of my telephone. This made me just a little frightened, even though, since I’m used to having a Pop Socket pockets, which means that I’ve gotten within the dependancy of leaving house with out my precise pockets. However I discovered that I used the X3 simply as a lot after I carried it in my handbag or pocket, somewhat than attaching it to my telephone. I’m nonetheless now not positive if I’ll stay this setup, or if I’ll get started in reality the use of an actual pockets in order that I will be able to connect the ereader, however for now, that’s what has felt maximum herbal. Plus, my X3 shipped with an excessively compact, adorable, magnetic case, which completely protects the instrument and its display and makes it a bit more uncomplicated to carry. At simply $9 for the case, I’d suggest getting one. The case too can magnetize for your telephone, even though it feels just a little much less protected than attaching your X3 by myself.

Over my two weeks of trying out, I did to find that the X3 helped me learn extra. In the event you’re in line at a espresso store, or looking forward to the bus, you’ll be able to simply pull out the ereader as a substitute of opening Instagram. I didn’t to find the small display tough to learn on, both. However simply purchasing the instrument received’t exchange your conduct – you must take into account that you’ve a three.7 inch display to your pocket that may are compatible loads of books.

The Xteink X3 is beautiful with regards to being the instrument of my desires, however it’s now not reasonably there but. The firmware that the instrument comes with is beautiful clunky – now not unusable, however now not precisely intuitive. I anticipated this, because the Xteink Reddit network was once humming about CrossPoint, a community-made, loose, open supply firmware. The method of downloading CrossPoint was once just a little intimidating as somebody who writes phrases, somewhat than code – however with the directions on CrossPoint’s site (and a couple of movies), it was once simple sufficient. I encountered some difficulties to start with, however then I spotted it was once as a result of I used to be seeking to obtain the X4 firmware onto my X3, so… my dangerous. You almost certainly received’t even want the YouTube movies!

While you get started loading books and open supply firmware onto your X3, you’ll realize some other divisive side of the instrument: it doesn’t have a USB-C port, not like the X4. As a substitute, it makes use of a magnetic charger. Sure, it’s traumatic to have not begun some other charging cable in particular for this one instrument, however I don’t care that a lot. After two weeks of constant use, my X3 has dropped from a 100% price to a 96% price, so I will be able to’t believe I’ll be the use of that magnetic charger too frequently. You don’t even want the twine so as to add new books for your ereader – you’ll be able to switch information over Wi-Fi out of your telephone or laptop (I wouldn’t name the method user-friendly, however I used to be ready to determine it out with out Googling the rest).

Talking of loading books, that’s some other problem. Nearly all of what I learn on my Kindle comes from Libby, which is my favourite app (#notsponsored). The Libby app lets you simply borrow ebooks or audiobooks out of your library and ship them for your Kindle. However you’ll be able to’t get the ones ebooks (legally) onto an Xteink ereader, since libraries use safe variations of .epub information that deter customers from copying them (you can also’t learn books you purchase from Amazon’s e book retailer on non-Amazon gadgets, as a result of capitalism). This loss of compatibility is an obstacle, however it additionally makes the instrument really feel distinctive – it’s a “dumb” instrument that has no apps and no contact display, which feels startlingly refreshing in an generation of AI-enabled fridges.

It’s now not exhausting to search out attention-grabbing .epub information to load onto the X3, even supposing you’ll be able to’t get right of entry to your Kindle library or Libby. Numerous nice books are within the public area, which means that that they’re not matter to copyright and can also be downloaded totally free (I’ve weirdly by no means learn “Pleasure and Prejudice,” so the time is now). A couple of months in the past, I purchased all of the .epub catalogs of sci-fi writers Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz as a part of a charity fundraiser, which must stay me busy for reasonably just a little. In the event you sought after to, it is advisable even flip on-line articles or blogs into .epubs the use of a loose program like Calibre.

So, did the Xteink X3 repair me? Am I now a newly reformed lady who has a wholesome courting with social media and has learn a number of vintage novels that I by no means learn as an English main, since I most commonly took categories with ridiculous titles like “Aestheticus Extremus: The Politics of Precarious Invention in North American Poetry and Poetics”? It’s now not that easy. However when you meet the X3 midway and make a concerted effort to make use of it, then possibly you’ll spare your self from just a little extra brainrot.