This tiny, magnetic e-reader may cease you from doomscrolling

It was love at first sight. It felt like scouring the mall, dipping out and in of sprawling shops seeking a particular, elusive merchandise, solely to lastly discover what you’re searching for. Solely, I didn’t even know I used to be trying to find 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 might connect to my iPhone like a Pop Socket.

This was it. My life would change without end. I’d get my palms on the Xteink X3, and I’d cease doomscrolling without end. I’d learn extra books than ever earlier than… which is saying one thing, since – brag – I learn at the least 50 books a yr. However – not a brag – I in all probability spend much more time on social media than I do studying. I do know that I really feel usually much less anxious after I restrict my social media time, however alas, the siren music of TikTok beckons me. What if as an alternative of opening social media, I may simply flip my telephone over and browse on a tiny, Kindle-like e-ink display screen? Might this $80 gadget repair me?

I’ve tried studying books (… or downloads from AO3) on my telephone, immersing myself in a fictional world, reasonably than posts from the president through which he threatens to obliterate an entire country. However one thing about my telephone, the place I’m continuously tempted to open Instagram to see no matter Reel somebody despatched me, doesn’t fairly soothe me the way in which {that a} ebook or an e-ink gadget like a Kindle does.

I used to be so excited for my X3 to reach that I continuously refreshed the monitoring hyperlink till lastly, it was delivered. Although I had meticulously in contrast the size of the X3 to my iPhone 16, or my Pop Socket pockets, I nonetheless anxious it won’t match – the earlier mannequin, the Xteink X4 (principally the identical gadget however just a little greater) solely match on bigger telephones just like the iPhone Professional Max line. However positive sufficient, the X3 magnetically hooked up to the again of my telephone prefer it was custom-made to suit.

My X3 got here within the mail about two hours earlier than I needed to go away to go to a Phillies recreation, so I rushed to load books onto it, as a result of I believed it could be actually humorous to take photographs through 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 on the again of my telephone. This made me a bit nervous, although, since I’m used to having a Pop Socket pockets, which suggests I’ve gotten within the behavior of leaving dwelling with out my precise pockets. However I discovered that I used the X3 simply as a lot after I carried it in my purse or pocket, reasonably than attaching it to my telephone. I’m nonetheless unsure if I’ll hold this setup, or if I’ll begin really utilizing an actual pockets in order that I can connect the ereader, however for now, that’s what has felt most pure. Plus, my X3 shipped with a really compact, cute, magnetic case, which completely protects the gadget and its display screen and makes it just a little simpler to carry. At simply $9 for the case, I’d advocate getting one. The case can even magnetize to your telephone, although it feels a bit much less safe than attaching your X3 alone.

Over my two weeks of testing, I did discover that the X3 helped me learn extra. For those who’re in line at a espresso store, or ready for the bus, you’ll be able to simply pull out the ereader as an alternative of opening Instagram. I didn’t discover the small display screen tough to learn on, both. However simply shopping for the gadget received’t change your habits – you need to keep in mind that you’ve a 3.7 inch display screen in your pocket that may match tons of of books.

The Xteink X3 is fairly near being the gadget of my desires, but it surely’s not fairly there but. The firmware that the gadget comes with is fairly clunky – not unusable, however not precisely intuitive. I anticipated this, because the Xteink Reddit group was buzzing about CrossPoint, a community-made, free, open supply firmware. The method of downloading CrossPoint was a bit intimidating as somebody who writes phrases, reasonably than code – however with the directions on CrossPoint’s web site (and some movies), it was simple sufficient. I encountered some difficulties at first, however then I spotted it was as a result of I used to be attempting to obtain the X4 firmware onto my X3, so… my unhealthy. You in all probability received’t even want the YouTube movies!

While you begin loading books and open supply firmware onto your X3, you’ll discover one other divisive side of the gadget: it doesn’t have a USB-C port, not like the X4. As an alternative, it makes use of a magnetic charger. Sure, it’s annoying to have one more charging cable particularly for this one gadget, however I don’t care that a lot. After two weeks of constant use, my X3 has dropped from a 100% cost to a 96% cost, so I can’t think about I’ll be utilizing that magnetic charger too typically. You don’t even want the wire so as to add new books to your ereader – you’ll be able to switch recordsdata over Wi-Fi out of your telephone or laptop (I wouldn’t name the method user-friendly, however I used to be in a position to determine it out with out Googling something).

Talking of loading books, that’s one other disadvantage. Nearly all of what I learn on my Kindle comes from Libby, which is my favourite app (#notsponsored). The Libby app means that you can simply borrow ebooks or audiobooks out of your library and ship them to your Kindle. However you’ll be able to’t get these ebooks (legally) onto an Xteink ereader, since libraries use protected variations of .epub recordsdata that deter customers from copying them (you can also’t learn books you purchase from Amazon’s book retailer on non-Amazon units, as a result of capitalism). This lack of compatibility is a disadvantage, but it surely additionally makes the gadget really feel distinctive – it’s a “dumb” gadget that has no apps and no contact display screen, which feels startlingly refreshing in an period of AI-enabled fridges.

It’s not laborious to seek out fascinating .epub recordsdata to load onto the X3, even if you happen to can’t entry your Kindle library or Libby. Loads of nice books are within the public area, which implies that they’re not topic to copyright and will be downloaded free of charge (I’ve weirdly by no means learn “Satisfaction and Prejudice,” so the time is now). A couple of months in the past, I purchased your complete .epub catalogs of sci-fi writers Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz as a part of a charity fundraiser, which ought to hold me busy for fairly a bit. For those who needed to, you can even flip on-line articles or blogs into .epubs utilizing a free program like Calibre.

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