Tappy is a 2-button Bluetooth remote for BOOX eReaders (and other devices)

The maker of the Onyx BOOX line of eReaders and E Ink tablets has a new product: a tiny remote control that lets you interact with your eReader without touching it.

The new BOOX Tappy is a tiny 2-button Bluetooth remote that lets you turn pages, scroll through websites, or control audio playback. It’s available now for $26.

Onyx BOOX isn’t the first company to release an eReader remote control. The $30 Kobo Remote hit the market last fall. And there are a number of third-party devices meant to help you turn pages on a Kindle or other eReaders.

Why? While eBook readers are clearly designed to be held in your hands like a book, you could also position one on a stand for reading in bed, while eating, or while running on a treadmill, among other things. And it can be awkward to reach up and tap the screen when you’re doing some of those things.

Also, some folks just like buttons. Many modern eReaders lack physical page turn buttons, instead requiring you to tape the screen to turn the page. So if you’re a die-hard button fan, it might be nice to have a way to flip pages without smudging the screen.

Onyx BOOX says the Tappy remote is compatible with recent BOOX devices including the Note Air5 C and Palma 2 Pro, as well as other models with Bluetooth support that running firmware versions 4.2 or later.

The device supports three different use modes. In Reading Mode, the buttons let you turn to the next or previous page. Browsing Mode is made for long-form articles, allowing you to scroll up or down through web pages or other vertical content. And Listening Mode lets you skip to the next track or go back to the previous track.

But sine this is basically a simple Bluetooth remote, you should be able to use it with other devices like phones, tablets, or PCs as a sort of 2-button remote for presentations or other functions.

It supports Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity with a range of nearly 33 feet, and it features a USB Type-C port for recharging the built-in 95 mAh lithium ion battery, which Onyx BOOX says provides “weeks of use on a single charge.”  There’s also an LED light that provides status indications for pairing, mode switching and low battery.

While the Kobo Remote is shaped sort of like a Wii-Mote, the BOOX Tappy remote looks more like a tiny 2-button typewriter… and interestingly, the keycaps are replaceable. The device comes with a set of X and O keys, but also two additional keycaps with pictures of a heart and coffee mug on them.

I’m… not really sure why BOOX went with those icons instead of something more descriptive (although BoingBoing’s Rob Beschizza has some ideas). But I do like the idea of replaceable keycaps that not only let you customize the gadget, but also open the possibility of making your own or buying spare parts of the labels start to fade over time.

The BOOX Tappy measures 43 x 37 x 25mm (1.7″ x 1.5″ x 1″) and weighs 29 grams (1 ounce). It’s available in green and orange colors. But at launch, the green version is available exclusively from the BOOX website, while customers who shop on Amazon will be able to pick up the orange version.