- Xteink has just launched the X4 Pro
- This little e-reader can stick to the back of your phone and its main upgrades include a light and touch screen.
- A new open source e-reading software called FreeInk has also been announced.
While small smartphones have largely fallen out of fashion, there seems to be an appetite for absolutely tiny e-readers. The Xteink brand is one of the biggest small screen hits in this space, and its new model, the Xteink X4 Pro, will potentially be its best yet.
This ereader has only a 4.3-inch screen, with dimensions of 111 x 69 x 5.95 mm, making it even smaller than the iPhone 13 mini, making it small enough to fit even in a small pocket.
That makes it about the same size as the Xteink
But where the Xteink X4 Pro surpasses its predecessor is in replacing clunky buttons with a touchscreen and, perhaps even more importantly, adding a front light so you can read in the dark.
It also has a much larger capacity 1,100 mAh battery (up from 650 mAh) and yet somehow weighs slightly less at 72g.
A low price and lack of applications.
The Xteink X4 Pro is available now and you can order it direct from the
That makes it a little more expensive than its predecessor and replaces USB-C charging with a magnetic pogo charger, which won’t appeal to everyone. But arguably the main disadvantage of this device is that it is not compatible with Android. No current Xteink devices do this, although the upcoming Xteink S4 will. That means you can’t get the Kindle or Kobo apps on them, so you have to download the books.
It also means they run Xteink’s own software, which receives mixed reviews. However, as long as you get a developer edition of the Xteink X4 Pro, you can change the firmware and there are some third-party options that may work better, including the recently announced FreeInk.
This is open source software that is specifically listed as compatible with the X3 and X4, among other devices. So while this won’t give you access to the Kindle app, some users may find it preferable to Xteink’s own software.
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