this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2025
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iPhone case with e-ink display lets users read books and comics without screen glare (www.designboom.com)
submitted 1 day ago by faizalr@piefed.social to c/technology@lemmy.zip
31 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Reetle’s smartink I is an iPhone case with an e-ink display that lets users flip their device and read books without screen glare.

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[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 52 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So I looked into it and there’s a few indicators this will either be vaporware or garbage:

  • It’s a Kickstarter with an original funding price of $5000, which is nowhere near enough to fund something this complex
  • AI is being pushed as a major component
  • Video is very high production value in some ways, but very low in others, and before the product is funded
  • No technical explanation of how it’s going to do any of what it claims and no one from the development side is involved in the video. Just a pure commercial.
  • Dozens of news sites I’ve never heard of all repeating the same press release with no real info or interviews

Just to name a few… My guess is that the OS will suffer from being difficult to navigate and unresponsive from all the garbage they try to cram on it and none of it will be intuitive.

[–] Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There is a video review out https://youtu.be/htmETs9i4ak

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

My inner skeptic sees an app and just knows that they’re collecting everything that goes through it. Not to mention it will probably a brick in a few years. It’s a product that’s a neat engineering accomplishment but I doubt it would actually get much more than a few hours of use on its couple of years of existence before you get your next iPhone that this no longer fits.

Side thought: this could have been a MagSafe attachment which would have made it compatible with a much wider range of models.

[–] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 64 points 1 day ago

On the knife-edge of being really clever and deeply stupid.

the embedded gadget is powered by AI

Tipping away from clever.

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 22 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You can already get a better version of this that isn't tied to a specific model of phone and just attaches to the back with a magnet and is perfectly usable on its own if you want.

https://www.theverge.com/news/838885/xteink-x4-e-reader-magnetic-apple-iphone-google-pixel

And this product actually exists.

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

They're available on AliExpress to ship now. Also thanks, I already have a kobo, android eink reader, and now I think that I might need this 😅

[–] titanicx@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I mean, kinda exists. It's a preorder status set to ship Christmas eve. Have they shipped any? Is it actually existing?

[–] Anas@feddit.dk 3 points 1 day ago

The white version seems to be in stock, only the black one shows up as shipping later. There is a comment elsewhere in this post stating that they got one already

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago

It's currently sold out, but they have been shipping them for a year. They are currently available in allie as well.

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why do all the cool gadgets only come out for the phones of people who aren't interested in cool gadgets?

[–] BaroqueInMind@piefed.social -2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Isnt Apple design the epitome of "cool" by sacrificing practicality while also having flashy useless features that are only for aesthetics? What are you trying to say here? It sounds like nonsense.

[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

'Aesthetically cool' isn't same as 'cool functionality'.

[–] BaroqueInMind@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

What's an example of "cool functionality"?

[–] dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

IR blaster was cool, but that was android first and now nobody does it

[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

It's a matter of preference of what you think is cool.

I think this case is cool. You don't need to carry two separate screen devices. Just flip the phone over and you've got an e-ink display.

Another example would be MM720 mouse. Most people think Logitech or Razer mouse are cool but my vote goes to MM720 because it has better quality switches and ring finger rest. 🤷‍♂️

[–] vogi@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago

Perfect place to put the upcoming Open Book Touch by @joeycastillo@mastodon.social

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's brilliant! Now, when users replace their phone, they also have to replace a second device. Hooray for planned obsolescence!

[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

Lets be honest. When they upgrade their phone they're not gonna bother replacing the ereader thing.

This device is neat in concept, but probably going to be awful in practice.

[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Cool in theory but I can guarantee you will not enjoy reading books on that thing

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

This might finally be a use case for folding phones.

[–] Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

many people do, not specifically on this but on other compact handheld e-readers.

[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yeah I had a 5 inch one and it’s acceptable if you have nothing else but I just got a kobo and it’s simply night and day

Tho yes there are people who will prefer this but I’m confident the average consumer will not

Tho perhaps the low power notifications or calendaring is useful 🤷‍♀️

[–] Keeponstalin@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Kobo is fantastic

[–] Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

a lot of tech is designed not for the average consumer but for a specific subset of people who want specific functionality

[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I did not consider that here. You’re right

[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A Kobo is a hell of a lot bigger than that.

Phones are tall and narrow. For reading books you don't want to be reading 5 words then having to go down a line. Ebook readers are typically closer to 4:3

[–] Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I wasn't talking about a kobo. I was taking about something like this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010052351492.html

I've also just heard from many people who use devices like this for reading when on the go in the in between time between doing things. It's a neat little device to have.

Edit: Especially people like me with really clear vision

[–] Beacon@fedia.io 8 points 1 day ago

This makes no sense to me. If you don't like glare on your phone then just get a matte screen protector. If you specifically want e-ink then just get a small ebook device that's a similar size to this case.

I just don't see a use case

[–] Suburbanl3g3nd@lemmings.world 6 points 1 day ago

So a yota phone but with more steps?

[–] phanto@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago

I already have an e-ink second screen that sits on the back of an iPhone... 4? 5? It's collecting dust in a drawer, but I swear this is a recycle of an old project. It's already been done!

Also, I have an old Yotaphone.

[–] mesamunefire@piefed.social 5 points 1 day ago

Neat.