Reading books on your phone can be difficult at times. After reading for a period of time, the work environment of holding your smartphone for long periods of time does not provide a worthy reading experience. Astropad employees are looking to solve this problem using the $50 Bookcase, a phone case that makes you feel like you’re holding a book.
The Bookcase gives you dimensions that resemble your Apple or Android phone by extending on both sides for a better grip. It features MagSafe installation between the left and right handles to hold your phone. The company claims that reading on your phone can be better for your body, preventing neck strain and hand cramps associated with reading a book. It aims to enhance this experience further by providing more real estate to work with while also helping to reduce unintended clicks or scrolls.
Users can also turn to the accompanying Bookcase app and set their preferences for reading apps and phone mode (do not disturb, reading mode, etc). This way, the next time they dock their phones inside the case, the user’s specified preferences will be automatically enabled.
Astropad says they have given the Bookcase a standard appearance with a paper cover and a vegan leather back with polycarbonate handles, claiming that with your phone inside, it will weigh the same as a book as well. However, I believe most e-reader consumers turn to it for its paper-like interface that is easy on the eyes. Therefore, I’m not sure about spending around $50 on setting up my reading experience to continue dealing with the blue light from the phone, regardless of the “book-like” material on the handles.
Bookcase pre-orders start at $40, with shipping beginning within six weeks. After the limited launch discount ends, the Bookcase will be sold at its regular price of $50. It is available in one stunning color, “Blue Twilight,” exclusively compatible with iOS and Android phones. It provides support for iPhone 12 or newer devices, and expands compatibility with older iPhone and Android phones using the included “MagSafe conversion kit” in the package.
The e-reader space has recently seen other exciting developments. Amazon released their first colored Kindle device, so book images and covers no longer look dull. They also launched the new Kindle Scribe, which combines a Kindle device with a notebook on the same device, equipped with a pen for note-taking. Boox updated their Palma lineup with the Palma 2, which promises an improved Android operating system, a faster octa-core CPU, and a fingerprint reader. Other specifications include a Carta 1200 E Ink screen with 300 PPI resolution, 6GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 16MP scanner camera. The Palma 2 is available for pre-order for $280.
