Boox’s tiny Picco e-reader expected to launch in November
Boox's Picco e-reader, with a 3.97-inch touchscreen, is expected to launch in November; pricing remains unknown.
The Picco has a 3.97-inch e-paper display that will be touch-sensitive, which The Verge’s Andrew Liszewski called a “welcome upgrade” compared with the X4 Pro. Unlike Xteink devices, it will not have magnets on the back for attaching to a phone. Physical page-turn buttons are included and can be customized with different actions for short and long presses.
There is apparently no onboard storage; the Picco relies entirely on a microSD card to hold books. In addition to adding files to the card, users can transfer reading material directly to the Picco over USB-C, which Xteink devices lack, or over WiFi from a companion app.
Unlike Boox’s other devices, the Picco will not run Android. It will instead run a stripped-down, Linux-based operating system and come with a few extra apps, including a timer, a to-do list, and a reading stats tracker. The Verge notes that Boox is unlikely to open its firmware the way Xteink has, so the device may be less hackable and customizable.
The price, battery life, Bluetooth support, and possible audiobook player remain unknown. The Verge says all should be revealed in November, when the Picco is expected to launch.