BOOX has announced the Picco, a 3.97-inch ePaper reader small enough to fit comfortably in a pocket and weighing just 58 grams. Priced from $99.99, it is the first device in the company’s new Tiles product family and is now available for pre-order through the BOOX online store.
The Picco is designed around short reading sessions, giving users a dedicated alternative to reaching for a phone during a commute, coffee run, or a few spare minutes in a waiting room. Its footprint is roughly comparable to a playing card, making this one of the more unusual approaches to portable e-reading.
A Tiny E-Reader Built for Short Reading Sessions
The Picco uses a 3.97-inch monochrome ePaper display with a density of 235 PPI. BOOX says anti-aliasing helps smooth smaller text, and built-in front lighting lets users adjust both brightness and color temperature for different environments.
Controls combine a touchscreen with physical page-turn buttons. A customizable Function Switch can control features such as the front light or dark reading mode, giving users another way to operate the device without relying entirely on the display.
The screen supports four-way rotation, so the Picco can adapt to different grips and orientations. Fonts, margins, and line spacing can be adjusted to suit individual reading preferences.
Plenty of Storage in a Very Small Package
BOOX includes a 16GB microSD card with the Picco, and the device supports cards with capacities up to 2TB. That leaves a rather comical amount of potential book storage inside something that weighs less than many smartphone cases.
Files can be transferred through the BOOX Tiles app, a web browser, or a direct USB-C connection. The device supports a range of document formats, though BOOX has not provided a complete compatibility list in the supplied announcement.
A dedicated magnetic case lets the Picco attach to the back of a smartphone, giving users the option of carrying both devices together instead of treating the reader as another loose item in a pocket or bag.
BOOX Gives Picco a Few Jobs Beyond Reading
The Picco runs a minimalist operating system focused on keeping the interface uncluttered. BOOX includes utility apps such as Pomodoro, Todo, and Countdown for people who want the device to double as a lightweight productivity tool.
Users can create custom screensavers with photos, artwork, or quotes. With the magnetic case attached, BOOX says the Picco can be placed on a refrigerator or other compatible surface, giving the little reader some decorative value when it is not being used.
The Picco marks the first entry in BOOX’s Tiles lineup, which the company describes as a new category of smaller lifestyle devices separate from its traditional ePaper tablets.
Pricing and Availability
The BOOX Picco is available to pre-order now starting at $99.99. For readers who like the idea of carrying an e-reader everywhere but find traditional models too large for quick reading sessions, the Picco takes that concept to its logical pocket-sized conclusion.
More details and pre-order information are available through the official BOOX Picco product page.
