Boox has announced the Picco, a new e-reader with a 3.97-inch monochrome screen, making it the company's smallest model to date. Preorders open today at $100, with shipping expected in November. The device is roughly the size of a playing card, placing it between the 3.7-inch Xteink X3 and the 4.3-inch Xteink X4 Pro, and well below the upcoming Boox Palma 3's 6.19-inch screen.
The Picco is the first device in Boox's Tiles lineup, which the company says will have a streamlined operating system focused on reading and digital utility tools. It includes a touchscreen, physical page-turn buttons, an adjustable front light, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a microSD slot that supports up to 2 TB of storage, with a 16 GB card included. Books can be transferred via web or USB-C.
Boox is also positioning the Picco as a productivity gadget, with Pomodoro, Todo, and Countdown apps preinstalled. A magnetic ring on the case lets users attach it to the back of a smartphone. WIRED notes that while the smaller size is appealing, navigation and book access have been challenges on similar devices from other makers; Boox's more accessible ebook ecosystem may help, though it still lacks the built-in stores of Kindle or Kobo.