Written by: Jin Fujisaki / Published: 2026-02-02
"I just meant to check the weather, but before I knew it I was endlessly scrolling through TikTok and Instagram." Every modern person has experienced this terrifying time thief. Winning against the temptation of a smartphone through willpower alone is no longer possible.
So why not physically carry a device that "can't tempt you"? Born from that reverse-thinking idea is the product we're introducing today: the "Boox Palma."
It looks exactly like a smartphone. The size and weight are nearly identical to an iPhone or Pixel. But the screen is monochrome "electronic paper (E-Ink)." It's far too choppy for watching YouTube, and your picture-perfect Instagram shots look bland in black and white. "Same shape as a smartphone, yet you can't get the same pleasure from it." This exquisite inconvenience is exactly what holds the key to reclaiming your focus.
- | Android-powered, but a relative of the Kindle at heart
- | Spare moments shift from "consumption" to "cultivation"
- | A minimalist spec that excels as a work tool too
- | For people who want a digital detox but still need to stay in touch
- | Conclusion: A lovable "inconvenient" choice
- | Related information
| Android-powered, but a relative of the Kindle at heart
image FOX STORE
The Boox Palma is a 6.13-inch electronic paper device developed by Onyx International. Because it uses the same E-Ink technology as Kindle devices, it has a paper-like texture that's easy on the eyes and remains crisp even in direct sunlight.
Its biggest feature is that it runs "Android 11" as its OS. In other words, you can use the Google Play Store. Kindle, Kobo, Rakuten Magazine, honto... you can consolidate every e-book app into this single device. You can even install LINE, browsers, and Gmail.
"Then why not just use a regular smartphone?" you might think. The answer: the slow screen refresh rate and monochrome display unique to E-Ink act as a stopper in the best possible way. Precisely because you can't enjoy videos or games, you naturally find yourself in an environment where you can immerse yourself in the act of "reading" alone.
| Spare moments shift from "consumption" to "cultivation"
image SKT
Once you actually start using it, your lifestyle changes dramatically.
Until now, I'd spend the few minutes waiting for a train scrolling through social media, getting a little worn out by other people's dazzling lives. But with a Boox Palma in your pocket, you can open a "book" with the same ease as pulling out your smartphone.
Since it's smartphone-sized, turning pages with one hand is comfortable. Assign the side physical buttons to the volume keys, and you can even flip pages with hardware buttons. It weighs about 170g, making it lightweight, and with its splash-resistant design, it's perfect for reading in the bath.
No notifications to interrupt you, no blue light to strain your eyes—just you, single-mindedly following the printed word. This device is a tool for carrying the "moments of silence" that modern people have lost, right there in your pocket.
| A minimalist spec that excels as a work tool too
image note
What's interesting is that it features a 16-megapixel camera on the back. Of course, it's not for taking Instagram photos. It's a camera for scanning documents and digitizing them.
Snap a quick shot of meeting materials or a whiteboard, then convert it into a PDF and view it on the spot. Or scan a QR code for an article that caught your eye and read it carefully on the E-Ink screen (Read Later feature). Its practicality as a business tool is firmly secured, and it shows performance well beyond that of a mere reading device.
| For people who want a digital detox but still need to stay in touch
image SKTNETSHOP
This gadget will resonate especially with people like the following:
- Those who want to break free from smartphone dependency, but find going back to a flip phone too inconvenient
- Those who stopped carrying their Kindle around because the screen was too big
- Those who want to build a pre-bedtime reading habit, but find their eyes get too alert with a smartphone
- Voracious readers who use multiple e-book stores in parallel
The price is in the high 40,000 yen range. That's the price of an entry-class smartphone, but if you think of it as "buying time," it's by no means expensive. As an investment in stepping away from the noise of social media and facing your own thoughts, it's arguably one of the best answers available.
| Conclusion: A lovable "inconvenient" choice
image hospitalitytalentsolutions
The Boox Palma is an antithesis to the do-everything smartphone.
"Videos are hard to watch." "You can't play games." "There's no color." All of these "things it can't do" conversely create the strongest possible benefit: "you can focus on reading."
To you, exhausted by smartphone notifications: Why not set off on a journey into a world of colorful imagination, through this black-and-white screen?
