Always Reading on the Go? You Need to Know About the Pocket-Sized Boox Palma I've Been Using to Tackle My TBR List

What exactly makes this e-reader different? The Boox Palma is a mobile Android device that has an E-Ink display—which means you won't be getting any of that glare you see when trying to read on your phone. And unlike other e-readers, this one can download practically any app, so you can have access to Kindle, Libby, LibroFM, Fable, Audible, Goodreads and more all in the same place. It's also super customizable (more on that in a minute) and has 128GB of storage, so you don't have to stress over running out of space for your favorite reads.

When I first spotted the Palma, one thing I was most excited about was its incredibly compact size, and it did not disappoint. Not only is the Palma barely bigger than my iPhone (a 12Pro that, yes, desperately needs an upgrade), but it's also super lightweight and easy to fit into any handbag or travel bag. Additionally, I love just how customizable the device is. You can set both a custom screensaver and wallpaper and set the left side button to three different functions (a short press, double click and long press) to control things like sleeping the device, clearing your cache, refreshing, taking a screenshot and more. You can also set your device to be navigated either by buttons at the bottom or gestures like swiping up or down.

Another huge benefit of the Palma, as I mentioned above, is the ability to download tons of different apps. I've kept mine to my most-used reading apps to avoid any distractions or security concerns (more on that below), but you can also use the pre-installed Google Play store to download everything from Instagram to Amazon. It's worth noting that the E-Ink display is only in black and white, so keep that in mind when you're deciding which apps to download.

When it comes to reading, though, the display is perfect for avoiding strain on your eyes, and I've found the sound to be clear whether I'm using Libby, LibroFM or Audible for audiobooks.

The battery life is also pretty great. I do notice that it goes down a touch faster if I'm doing anything on the device other than reading, but after a full hour of reading-only time, my battery only went from 100 percent down to 97 percent (for comparison, though, after an hour on my Kindle Paperwhite, which I've been using since 2022, its battery went from 100 to 99 percent). Overall, there's a lot to appreciate about the Palma, but there are also some things to consider.

Before you splurge on the Palma, here are a couple of challenges to be aware of. First, when doing my own research on the device, I learned that it runs on Android 11 software which, due to this being an outdated version of the software, leaves it at risk for security threats and may not be supported for all apps in the future. This didn't concern me much for apps like Libby, but I definitely hesitate to sign into anything like my email or Amazon account.

Also, because you're using the Kindle app (rather than the store installed on Kindle devices), you aren't able to purchase new ebooks from the Palma unless you go on the web browser and log into Amazon. This is the same if you have the Kindle app downloaded on your phone, iPad or anywhere else, but is still something to keep in mind if you, like me, tend to binge-read series and want to instantly go from one book to the next.

The device can lag a bit, too, as some other reviewers have mentioned, but I found this to be kind of hit or miss—sometimes it works perfectly, and other times I'm left waiting for the screen to change or with a bit of the previous page shadowed (as pictured above), but it's usually not enough to bother me too much. I also had to do some Googling to figure out how to turn off the auto-adjust light setting, which I found to be super distracting, (swipe down from the right top corner and click off the brightness "A" button) but once I did, the display was much better.

As for listening to audiobooks, make sure to turn off the "sleep" function, or the audiobook will stop playing, which also means you can't leave it set just to your screensaver like you can on an iPhone. And finally, one thing I really was hoping for was compatibility with Hoopla, but this library app isn't supported with Boox so you aren't able to listen to audiobooks or read ebooks from there.

Like so many other readers, I love a good accessory when it comes to keeping my e-reader both protected and looking cute, so I was happy to find quite a few options out there in terms of Palma cases. The first one I got was the Boox Flip-Fold case (currently out of stock), which has a smooth faux leather outer material and microfiber lining. My device felt super secure in this case and I liked that it kept the front screen protected, too. But because of the folding design, which has a ridge down the middle of the back, you can't attach a Popsocket to it (a must-have if you ask any digital bookworm). Plus, I wanted to be able to customize the case a bit more, so I swapped that one out for the Bozhuorui clear case ($10) so I could set stickers underneath (pro tip: do it this way so you can rearrange them as often as you want!) and add on a Popsocket to make it easier to hold.

That was *a lot* of info, but the bottom line is that I think this device is worth checking out if you're someone who always likes to have a read on-hand without carrying around a larger Kindle or physical book. While the Boox Palma won't totally replace my beloved Kindle, it's definitely a nice-to-have, travel-friendly option for reading that allows you to customize it to your book-loving heart's content. And, with the holidays coming up, you can rest assured that any reader on your list will be thrilled to see this device under the tree.