I got an Xteink X 4 a few weeks ago and it's a very cute device. While I'm a fan of the hardware what's been really fun is noodling around with building some custom firmware and sync architecture to optimize content for the device's extremely limited CPU and Memory. That's meant a custom format for images and metadata that match the device's hardware and interface needs and an automatic ingest pipeline for building these files from common book/comic formats. Maybe some day I'll even read a book on the thing!

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BeetleB 3 hours ago | parent [-]

It saddens me that most of the ebook world is leaning towards smaller screen sizes.

My reader is 8", and I think that's just the right size. I like a decent sized font, and I don't like continually scrolling.

Surprisingly, the original promise of "low battery use" isn't panning out. My ereader's battery doesn't last that long, although I can live with it. Once you switch to large size color eink screens, the battery life is poorer than tablets!

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Kehvarl 4 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

I have a few e-ink based readers, and I just picked up an x4. Honestly, it's kind of fun. It fits in my pocket with my phone, it has clear and readable text, it has fairly comfortable buttons. Will it ever be my sole e-reader? Nope. Do I see myself continuing to use it to grab a book from the Project Gutenberg OPDS feed, to read whenever I'm in decent light and not doing something? Sure.

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smith7018 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> most of the ebook world is leaning towards smaller screen sizes

These are seriously niche devices. They're currently trendy but the Kindles of the world probably have something like 98% of the market.

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BeetleB 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Yes, but except for the Scribe, even the Kindle readers are too small!

Kobo had an 8" ereader. People loved it (except for the battery life). But there's no sign they'll make more of them.

	▲	toomuchtodo 44 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Would love to see the Fulu Foundation start designing open hardware like this and producing it with CrowdSupply. Like if the Apache Foundation made hardware. https://www.fulu.org/ https://www.crowdsupply.com/

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embedding-shape 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> most of the ebook world is leaning towards smaller screen sizes

Meanwhile, the smartphone world suffer from a lack of smaller screen sizes. Maybe we should just mandate the executives to switch industries with each other for a decade or so?

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WillAdams 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I rather liked my Sony PRS-505 and 600 for their 6.1" screen and that it would fit in a (large) shirtpocket.

My Kindle Paperwhite and Scribe Coloursoft go weeks between charges.

	▲	BeetleB 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yes, I too had a Sony ereader for years, and it was nice fitting it in my jacket pocket. But the reality is that most book pages are larger than 6", and if I found myself preferring the book because of the size, what's the point of an ereader? I first switched to 7", which was better, but not good enough. 8" is great, though. > Scribe Coloursoft go weeks between charges How many hours will the battery last while on? And how does that compare to a similar sized tablet?

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smeej 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Which reader do you have? I've been looking everywhere I can think of for a good 8-inch device, but I need it to run Android. Heck, I even tried looking into tablets with traditional screens and am having trouble turning up anything serviceable.

I have a 6" screen and it's too small. I got a 10.3" one and it was too large. But I'm starting to suspect those of us who primarily want to read are the only ones who want 8 inches, and we're a rare bread.

	▲	BeetleB 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Kobo Forma. Probably not easy to run Android on it.

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IshKebab 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

The Remarkable tablets are pretty big and have a large community.

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BeetleB an hour ago | parent [-]

Fair point.

I was looking into them recently, and can't recall why I ruled them out.

I think it may have been because of the size of their color tablets - either too small or too large.

	▲	tecleandor 23 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I finally swapped mine for Super otw, being Android and also you don't need to pay a subscription to sync your computer and device through "the cloud".