the boox palma
A tragedy in 21st century technological societies is the unrelenting strain of adversarial interoperability.
Apple’s walled garden keeps out side-loading apps and any API that could mess with the Job-Ives vision of perfection that is the iPhone. MMS & SMS create a hierarchy between users of different devices and hinder quick connections and experience over text. Amazon locks out file formats and third party sellers of books to keep Kindle customers docile on an untenable software experience.
For years, I have watched and analyzed innovations on the e-reader with fascination.
For the last year, I (like much of the world thanks to the Verge and other impassioned tech sources) have watched the Boox Palma rise to as much prominence as a cheaply, Chinese-made handheld e-ink device can rise.
The pitch for the Palma (and its quickly released, nearly identical successor, the Palma II) is total control in a perfect form factor— perfect, because they recognize our society’s preferred way of consuming any kind of content currently sits in the palm of your hand and stands no taller than six point seven inches.
The Palma is an e-ink iPod Touch with a heavy software focus on reading… And this is a pitch I’m in love with.
I grew up with the iPod Nano and iTouch as constant companions.
This formed my addictive tendencies toward tech. The pocket carry became a lifestyle and way of being in my teens through these product’s presence. I poured my heart and soul into the music, apps, and entertainment (not to be dramatic or anything) on these devices. The reason I write on tech is because of the magic of these few, final innovations from the Jobs era and their outsized impact on my life before a smartphone ripped the script.
When the Palma appeared (in full, abashed transparency) I fell hopelessly in love.
I wonder if this will only make sense to a small intersections of people (e-ink users, readers, tech enthusiasts, minimalists, and ex-productivity junkies), but having an e-reader fit in your pocket & not have cellular is the mashup I’ve wanted but never could articulate on my own.
The thing fits in my hand perfectly with great visibility.
The volume rockers on the side scroll pages effortlessly.
The lack of cellular & e-ink friction de-addict the device.
That alone would make it a great product/e-reader/iTouch-successor, but its interoperability unlocks new heights.
Running a cracked version of Android OS, this little power-house of a device (thank you, e-ink slow-drip battery drain) can be fully tailored to your needs. All the apps, all the button functionality, all the connections. It beats out the Kindle by miles, allowing any file type, software experience, and customization, and it makes more sense than a smartphone with its absence of blue light, anchor to wifi for browsing, and friction doing anything but flipping pages.
In a season of child-rearing where my reading intake suffers due to my baby-on-the-chest, nap-filled world, the simplicity, comfortability, and accessibility of the Palma has reinvigorate my practice and enjoyment of the e-reader space.
