We’re big fans of the Boox Palma and its smartphone-sized form factor, which makes it even easier to bring a paper-like e-reader with you at all times. Problem is, do you really want to carry an e-reader in one pocket and a smartphone in another? That feels like one too many gadgets. The Mudita Kompakt takes the Boox Palma’s compact e-reader concept, then reinforces with some basic smartphone capabiities.
That’s right, this e-reader is designed to function as a minimalist Android phone, allowing you to stay plugged in to your family and friends with just your e-reader in tow. Need to make a call? This can do that. What about SMS messaging? It can do that, too. It can do a few other things, although they intentionally capped it to the bare minimum, making it a viable for option for people who are looking for a simpler, more barebones smartphone experience.
The Mudita Kompakt is a pocket-sized e-reader with a form factor reminiscent of older smartphones from a few years ago. It has a small 4.3-inch display, a size that’s practically non-existent in modern smartphones. Except, instead of using LCD or OLED panels, it uses a grayscale E-Ink touchscreen, giving it that paper-like appearance that makes it ideal for reading over long periods. It’s styled very much like older phones, too, with large bezels, capacitive controls below the screen, and physical buttons on the sides, which should make it pretty attractive to anyone who’s not a fan of the larger screen sizes in modern smartphones.
It runs a modified version of Android called MuditaOS K, which has been optimized for use with an E-Ink display and a more minimalist smartphone experience. How minimalist? For one, you won’t get full access to the Play Store on this thing, so you can’t just download any app you want. Heck, they don’t even put any Google services onboard, instead opting to give users access to a few custom apps that can be deemed as essential.
The Mudita Kompakt comes with an e-reader app, of course, allowing you to read books, magazines, and other digital printed matter. However, it also gets phone and SMS messaging features, allowing you to make and receive calls, as well as send and receive messages like you would on a normal phone. There’s also an offline maps feature for navigation, a camera app, a calendar app, a weather app, a notes app, and a voice notes app, which should cover some of the most commonly used features in many smartphones. We do wish they added an email app, though, since that feels like a big omission. It also gets an offline music player, a calculator, a meditation timer, and a chess game app.
Hardware details include an 8MP rear camera, microSD card slot, dual SIM card support, a fingerprint reader, dual LED flashlight, an IP54-rated build, and the usual wireless connectivity options (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC). It runs on a 3300mAh battery rated for up to six days in standby, with wireless charging support and a USB-C slot for plugging into a power port. The device is available in three colorways, namely charcoal black, pebble gray, and natural white.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Mudita Kompakt. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $326.
