— Dec 28, 2024 · 5 min read

Falling in love with Boox Palma 2

An e-reader with a smartphone form factor running Android never felt this awesome. Sorry Kindle, sorry Jeff Bezos, but I’m not going back.

Want to see my current comfy setup for Boox Palma 2 that I’m enjoying? Scroll to the “My Boox Palma 2 setup” section further below 👇

I’ve always wanted an e-ink device with the form factor of a smartphone—smaller in width and easy to hold and operate with one hand. That’s why, when the Boox Palma 2 went on sale, I took the plunge and ordered one for myself.

Coming from a Kindle user background and having gotten used to its fairly restricted OS, using an Android e-reader for the first time feels pretty liberating. Thanks to it essentially being an Android device and offering only a handful of settings, the learning curve didn’t feel any steeper than that of a conventional e-reader like Kindle. I can install all sorts of productivity apps to aid my reading sessions. Being able to browse the web with the smooth scrolling and page refresh technology built-in has been surprisingly handy—much more than I’d expected.

I have Chrome browser, File management, 1Password, Notion to take notes on the fly, and third-party reader apps. Basically, whatever I can get from the Play Store can be installed here.

The reading experience has become much more comfortable for me compared to when I was still using the Kindle Oasis. I don’t miss the physical page-turn buttons at all because I can turn pages using the volume buttons as well as the additional smart button on the Boox Palma 2. The best part is that they are located on both sides of the device, so no matter which hand is holding it—left or right—I can turn pages with ease.

I often lie in bed reading on one side, so this is pretty handy for me. Additionally, aside from tapping or swiping the left/right side to turn pages, I can also swipe vertically, which feels more natural when holding a phone-like device. With this feature alone, I don’t think I can go back to holding a Kindle Paperwhite or e-readers with a similar form factor anymore.

My Boox Palma 2 setup for a comfy experience

Browsing

I use Google Chrome because it's compatible with 1Password's password autofill and it syncs all entries I have in Chrome in other places as well. Setting Refresh mode to Ultrafast, I get a browsing experience almost as smooth as my iPhone. In fact, it has replaced my iPhone as my bedtime device now and even distracts me from its main purpose: reading books 😂

File transfer

All Boox devices come with Boox Drop as the default method to wirelessly transfer files between Boox devices and PCs/smartphones. All you need to do to start the transfer process is open Boox Drop to see the provided URL. You can access this URL on your PC/smartphone and then drag and drop files to send or download them. It couldn’t be easier.

First, open Boox Drop to get the access URL. You can log in to push.boox.com instead if you’re not on the same Wi-Fi network as your target Boox device.

Access the provided URL, and you can directly pull files from your Boox device to your PC/smartphone and send whatever you have (text/files/images/music/videos/executables…) back to your Boox device.

When I was using my Kindle, I paid for a service called https://ktool.io/ to send web articles and newsletters to my Kindle so I’d have a “read later” setup ready. This feature is built-in and free on every Boox device. I can push any website I want to read later using push.boox.com, and it’ll be ready when I open my device.

I really wish this would become a standard method to transfer files between devices. No cap 😇

“Read later” websites pushed from my PC/smartphone to my Boox device

Article parsed in a format that is e-ink friendly with some quality-of-life features to assist reading.

Dictionary

The default dictionary app that comes with Boox is usable enough, and with custom dictionaries installed, I don’t feel the need to get any other dictionary app from the Play Store. I recommend Wiktionary because it’s lightweight, fast, and to the point without unnecessary bloat. freemdict also has got quite a few good dictionaries as well so that you would have multiple cross references for even better understanding.

To install a new dictionary set, just download it in StarDict format (or other compatible formats), put it in /Android/dicts/<new folder for the dictionary>, and you’re good to go!

Multiple dictionaries for cross checking in action.

Reader apps

I’m using the default NeoReader, and by far, it’s the most convenient yet intuitive app I’ve tried. I also have AlReader X installed and have tried a few reading sessions with it. I feel it’s very comparable with NeoReader.

I also tried Moon+ Reader, as I heard it’s one of the best Android readers out there, but in my opinion, it is a little unoptimized for e-ink displays compared to the other two. Your mileage may vary, though.

I dabbled in KOReader a bit as well, but its complexity drove me away. When you have a kid and chores to finish, the last thing you want is to figure out how to properly configure a reader app, right? 😂

Verdict

I have been officially converted to the Boox cult, and now I understand the hype around it. This Palma encompasses all the good features into a form factor that fits in your palm. It’s like a phone but without modern distractions and blue light that can harm your eyes and sleep.

To my old Kindle and its ecosystem: So long, and thanks for all the fish—it’s time to let go 🫡