ONYX has launched pre orders for the BOOX Picco, an ultra compact ereader designed to fit directly into a pocket or mount to the back of a phone. The miniature device sports a 3.97 inch ePaper touchscreen with front light temperature controls and several weeks of battery life. Pre orders are live on the official US store for $99.99 with initial shipments arriving in late October.
The small footprint relies on a 480x800 resolution ePaper panel that handles full touch input. Reading in dark rooms is easy thanks to an integrated front light that lets you tweak color temperature between warm and cool tones. ONYX also includes a magnetic case right in the retail box. This accessory allows you to snap the ereader directly onto the back of compatible smartphones. You essentially get a dual screen reading experience without carrying a bulky secondary tablet.
Software is where potential buyers need to pay close attention. ONYX built this reader with a closed custom operating system that includes basic reading tools out of the box. You cannot download third party apps or sideload external reader software. What comes installed on day 1 is all you get. Wireless connectivity covers both Wi Fi and Bluetooth for transferring reading material and pairing audio gear for spoken content.
Battery longevity remains a standout feature. Power comes from an internal 920 mAh battery cell. Because ePaper only sips energy when refreshing the screen, the manufacturer rates the battery to last several weeks between top ups. A USB C port sits on the bottom edge for charging and data syncing. Storage is also surprisingly generous. The retail package bundles a 16 GB microSD card, and the physical expansion slot accepts memory cards up to 2 TB for storing massive offline book libraries.
