The Cellphone-Sized Boox Palma 2 E-Reader Helped Me Smash My 2025 Studying Purpose

I used to commonly learn greater than 125 books a yr, every meticulously logged on my Goodreads profile. I learn throughout my commute and to wind down at evening. I at all times had a paperback in my bag or an audiobook in my ears.

Then I bought a smartphone. Then I bought on Twitter. Then the 2016 presidential election occurred. Then there was a pandemic, and for some time I ended commuting altogether.

With yearly, it appeared like there have been extra issues to spiral about on-line, and fewer hours within the day to chill out with a novel or learn some stimulating non-fiction. Immediately I discovered it arduous to satisfy my rather more modest studying targets, which dropped to 75, then 50, then 30 books a yr. In 2023 and 2024, I set my sights on ending simply 20 books (together with graphic novels and stuff I learn aloud to my children). I nonetheless needed to cram on the finish of the yr to handle even that comparatively sluggish tempo.

However issues are completely different in 2025. It is Might, and I’ve already met my 20-book studying purpose (which I am going to quickly be rising), and I owe all of it to my Boox Palma 2, a phone-shaped e-reader I can simply carry with me wherever I’m going.

A tool so good it has a cult following

As I famous in my evaluation of the Boox Palma—the now discontinued, practically similar predecessor to the Palma 2—it is probably the most lovable digital gadgets I’ve ever owned. It is a close to good marriage of kind (the easy-on-the-eyes e-ink display popularized by Amazon’s Kindle, a compact dimension) and performance—with an open Android working system and entry to the Google Play retailer, you need to use it to run studying apps from a wide range of retailers, hearken to audiobooks with Bluetooth headphones, or get slightly work carried out on productiveness apps like Gmail and Google Docs.

At a time when rising numbers of individuals are opting to make the change to a “dumb cellphone” to flee the pull of their display addictions, the Palma occupies a reasonably distinctive spot out there: Whereas it might probably do a fantastic deal greater than your customary Kindle, it nonetheless feels clunky and gradual compared to your smartphone, however in one of the simplest ways. It would not have a mobile connection, so for those who aren’t on wifi, you will be unable to make use of the web or replace your social feeds. The black and white show means utilizing it’s soothing as a substitute of stimulating, whereas nonetheless scratching that “gotta pull out my gadget” itch. Its quirky qualities have garnered it a cult following of types (satirically, adherents collect to debate the gadget on Reddit and TikTok, two locations to keep away from if you wish to get any studying carried out).

The proper kind issue

Leaving apart all of the issues social media and app builders do to make their merchandise addictive, I battle with regulating my cellphone use for the only cause that my cellphone is at all times with me. It is how I be in contact with my partner and youngsters and it has successfully changed my pockets, due to this fact it have to be in my pocket always and hey, I’d as nicely pull it out at each idle second to test my notifications. Sure, I might carry a guide or a standard-sized e-reader to take a look at as a substitute, however that requires carrying a bag of some variety (or massive pockets), and it is arduous to beat the comfort of one thing you’ll be able to shove into any pair of denims.

Effectively, the Palma 2 could be shoved into any pair of denims. It has mainly the similar kind issue as most smartphones, and might even occupy the identical pocket as my iPhone 14. Which means after I’m standing in line on the put up workplace, or ready for the practice, or making an attempt to take care of my steadiness on the practice and with just one hand free, I can effortlessly pull out my e-reader as a substitute of my cellphone and take in a couple of pages reasonably than frantically making an attempt to refresh my Bluesky feed at subway stops.

Sluggish and kinda clunky (in a great way)

If the Palma 2 can entry the Google Play retailer, what’s to maintain you from loading it up with the entire apps that already make your smartphone so addictive? Nothing! Go for it—stick Bluesky on there. Add Fb and Instagram for those who’ve but to flee Meta’s ecosystem. You possibly can even load up video-based apps like YouTube and Netflix and time-wasting video games like Subway Surfers.

If you happen to do, although, you will rapidly discover that none of them are that fulfilling to make use of. Although Boox readers’ e-ink shows make use of variable refresh charge tech that makes them infinitely sooner than early era Kindles (the place you might pause for a heartbeat between urgent a key on the digital keyboard and really seeing the textual content seem on the display), even within the quickest modes they’re solely a fraction as responsive as a cellphone or pill’s LED display.

So whilst you definitely can use your Palma 2 to scroll social media or watch a couple of TikToks, you will not significantly need to, as a result of it is type of dangerous at them, however in a manner I really like: The gadget is optimized for studying textual content or comics (significantly black and white manga), and it presents that materials so nicely, and so conveniently, that I need to carry it round with me in every single place so I can learn on it on a regular basis.

Up to now, it is going nicely: As I mentioned, I’ve already hit my 20-book studying purpose for the yr. Within the meantime, for those who’re on the lookout for books you’ll be able to binge to get you out of a doomscrolling funk, I like to recommend the Dungeon Crawler Carl sequence by Matt Dinniman. After choosing up the primary one in February, I blew via the seven thus-released books (ranging in size from 400 to 800 pages) in about six weeks. And sure, I learn each phrase of them on my Palma 2.