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The Boox Picco Is a Contender for My New Favorite Tiny E-Reader
Lifehacker • • technology
Key Points:
- The Boox Picco is a new 3.97-inch e-reader from Boox, designed to compete with the popular Xteink X4 Pro by offering a similarly compact size and features like a front light and touchscreen.
- Both devices use the same E-Ink 480x800 resolution screen and similar ESP32 processors, with the Picco running a modified version of the popular CrossPoint firmware, making it more user-friendly out of the box compared to Xteink's native OS.
- The Picco features a refined design with an aluminum frame, weighs less than the X4 Pro, and includes a USB-C port for charging and file transfer, a feature many users prefer over Xteink's magnetic pogo pins.
- While the Picco lacks some customization options like Bluetooth peripheral support currently, it offers useful features such as dark mode, remappable buttons, and multiple file transfer methods, with performance comparable or superior to the X4 Pro.
- The Picco's firmware is expected to be flashable with custom software in the future, allowing users to tailor the device's functionality, continuing the trend of hackable, pocket-sized e-readers popularized by Xteink.
