The Boox Palma 3 is the compact e-reader Android fans have been waiting for

We looked at the Boox Palma 2 last year and found it overly complicated. That's strange to say, considering it's just an e-reader that's been downsized into a more manageable shape that looks like a smartphone. And to be frank, the $400 price tag didn't really hit the mark either. Now, anything that's a moderate success deserves another shot, which is why we're glad to see the Palma 3 get an announcement.

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The Boox Picco is finally available for $99, and it's already selling out

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Posts By  Mark Jansen

This could finally hit the spot

The thing about e-readers is that they are pretty big. Most models come in with at least a 6-inch screen and just get larger. But, that's the point right, you're getting something that's the size of a book but can hold 3,000+ textbooks at one time. Plus, any smaller and it isn't as comfortable to read.

But, there are people that need something more compact, which is where a device like the Boox Picco comes in. We've seen other iterations of this type of device, but the one downside is that they don't run Android, making the process of getting your favorite books onto the device a clunky experience.

The compromise here is a device like the Boox Palma. Not only does it have the power of Android, but it's also pocketable as well, thanks to its smartphone-like shape. While the previous model wasn't perfect, we hoped that Boox would continue refining the line until it is. The Palma 3 is that attempt and it's looking quite good.

When it comes to the specifications, we're looking at a 6.13-inch screen with backlight, along with an octa-core chip and 6GB of RAM. The new model also supports a stylus, which is something that was missing from the non-Pro model. There's also 128GB of storage, along with a microSD card slot for further expansion.

The device also has a 13MP camera on the rear. This new model runs Android 16 and supports all kinds of formats. Most importantly, you can access all your favorite apps from the Google Play Store. You can get Kindle and Libby, along with YouTube and TikTok if you'd like. Granted, the latter apps won't look that great on the screen, but it is possible.

The most important part here is that the price comes in at $339.99. If you order when it's available, Boox is offering a small discount that drops it to $319.99. This isn't the Pro model with a color screen, but we have to expect that's also coming at some point.