// 9TO5GOOGLE — MOBILE & WEB
I’ve waited a long time for the Boox Picco, and I’m not disappointed
At around $100, the Boox Picco offers one of the most portable e-reader experiences you can get. You add MagSafe-like capability with a refreshingly simple UI, and you have a delightful way to read, literally wherever you are.
There is an argument to be made for every single shape and size e-readers come in, and they come in so many different sizes it’s hard to keep track. I love the idea of having a 10-inch display that I can skim, but even if it’s perfect for sitting at home and reading anything from novels to comics, I don’t think it provides a very good travel experience
But even smaller devices like the Boox Palma make you choose between bringing a second device or sticking with your phone. Most often, the phone wins out – especially when you have a flexible approach with a foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 I’ve been using daily.
Unlike the other phone-sized e-readers from Boox, the Picco stands at just 4.15 inches tall. The screen measures at just under that – 3.97 inches. It’s essentially the size of a MagSafe or Qi2 wallet – just small enough to fit on the back of your phone with the included magnetic case.
It’s thin, too. A 5.5mm side profile means it slips anywhere a minimal wallet would without issue. That goes for pockets just as well as crossbody bags; perfect for travel.
And that’s where I think I find so much more joy in using this over what would otherwise be considered a small e-reader, like the Palma. I don’t have a lot of excuses not to carry it around when I’m on the go. I’ll throw it in my Bellroy bag when I’m carrying what I’d considered my minimal EDC. It slides into any internal pocket, and it weighs next to nothing.
The back of the Boox Picco isn’t magnetic, but the included case is. If you want the thinnest possible footprint, forego the case. But adding it lets you do one of the coolest – and slightly copium-inducing – things with your phone: attach the e-ink device directly to your OLED-laden phone.
It does not work well with an unconventional device like my Galaxy Z Fold 8, but if you have nearly any other device like the Pixel 11, you should get a rather perfect fit. The Picco squares up to the back of any slab phone with Qi2 magnets, whether internal or via a case.
But, why? Why slap another device and add weight/thickness to your phone when it’s perfectly capable of displaying e-books?
Because it’s cool! That’s the driving reason. You can make the argument that it doubles your phone’s usability or that it gives you an easy place to store the tiny e-reader. The truth is that it does add extra thickness to your phone, and using your phone with the Picco piggybacking along can be uncomfortable, since your fingers now rest on another display and not a case or phone backing.