Smartphones are nice. E-readers are nice. They’re each roughly rectangular and able to displaying textual content, so why not mix them into one? That appears to be the pondering behind the Astropad Bookcase. After which the pondering abruptly stopped.
Alright, I can see the attraction of constructing a much bigger, extra comfortable case for a cellphone when you use it for lengthy classes of studying. And that’s what this case does, with an fascinating implementation: a Magsafe mount for connection and just a little NFC tag to “activate” it. When the companion app is ready up, slapping your cellphone down on the case will activate Do Not Disturb mode, theoretically making it a perfect and extra snug studying machine.
I even just like the look of the factor. It’s coated in imitation leather-based and the title is on the “backbone,” supplying you with a giant chunk of a gadget to carry on to. The middle space is large sufficient to accommodate most traditional telephones, although clearly you’ll want a Magsafe adapter for many Android fashions and massive folding telephones gained’t be capable of, nicely, unfold.
Astropad
However right here’s the factor: This gizmo is roughly the scale of a typical e-reader. It doesn’t fold down or collapse in any approach. So that you’re not saving any dimension or weight versus simply sticking a Kindle in your bag or your pocket.
And it’s $50, which is frankly a little bit of a stretch for a hunk of plastic, some magnets, and an NFC tag. At that worth I’d not less than count on a battery in there, it’s received loads of room and a Magsafe connection already. The $10 pre-order low cost (transport in six weeks!) makes it solely barely extra tolerable.
If you wish to learn comfortably, way more comfortably than in your cellphone, simply get an e-reader. Proper now you’ll be able to seize a PocketBook Basix Lux 4 or a Kobo Clara HD for $100 on Amazon, or get any variety of older fashions of Kindle and different e-readers for even much less. Look, right here’s a refurbished Kindle Paperwhite for $50.
Head to your native pawn store or simply sniff round Craigslist or Fb classifieds. These e-readers are in every single place, simply obtainable, and so they’re designed to be snug to each maintain and browse.
I learn tons of textual content on my cellphone, and tons on an e-reader. If I do know I’ll have a while on my palms, I throw the latter in a pocket or bag. I can’t think about any state of affairs the place I’d desire a machine the bodily dimension of an e-reader, with a smaller display, and with out the e-ink show that makes your complete product class viable.
Am I going loopy? I simply can’t see how anyone would need this factor, a lot much less design and manufacture it.
