Free2 Page Turner

April 15, 2026 | Comment

When looking at the third-party options that are available for the Xteink X4 eReader one that frequently came up that peope wanted were page turners and, in particular, the Free2.

What’s a Page Turner?

Page turners are a two-key physical keyboard that is linked to your device via Bluetooth and maps onto the previous and next page buttons on your eReader. If you have your device in a stand or anywhere that’s not in your hand, you can use these keys to turn the pages. Actually, you can use them when the device is in your hand too, but that … Read the rest

Xteink Tong Card in Use

April 9, 2026 | Comment

Following on from my previous post taking a look at the Xteink Tong Card, in this post I am looking at how you can flash the card without using the official Xteink app.

What’s the Issue?

In order to put an image on the card you need an app to select the image and then flash it onto the card using NFC. This you can do with the official Xteink app, but only if you are using the Mainland China version, which requires a Chinese phone number to register. As I don’t have one of these, I went … Read the rest

Xteink Tong Card

April 8, 2026 | 2 comments

Xteink has a new device and it’s not an eBook reader! This is the Tong Card, which is still an e-ink display, but is a battery-less NFC device.

What’s a Tong Card?

I have to admit I had no idea why it was called a “Tong Card” and wasn’t 100% sure that it was so I turned to AI to explain it to me. I uploaded the image above and this is what it had to say:

Based on the image and the Chinese text, this is actually a Tóng Card (瞳卡). The confusion likely comes from the

… Read the rest

Xteink X4 – 3rd Party Support

March 18, 2026 | 1 comment

The Xteink X4 was launched only a few months ago in December 2025 but already there is a rich third-party ecosystem building up around it. In this post I take a look at all the things that are cropping up from cases to companion apps. Read on to learn more…

Table of Contents
  1. Getting Started
  2. Alternative Firmware
  3. Companion Apps
    1. Crosspoint (Web Browser)
    2. CrossX (iOS)
    3. CrossPoint Sync (iOS/Android)
    4. Send to X4 (iOS/Android)
    5. XTEINK (iOS/Android)
  4. External Light
  5. Cases
  6. Utilities
    1. CrossPoint Calibre Plugin
    2. Baseline JPEG Converter
    3. XTC creator
    4. Font creator
  7. Page Turners
  8. Conclusions

Getting Started

The first thing that you will want to … Read the rest

Apple MacBook Neo

March 12, 2026 | Comment

I’ve been looking for the perfect device to take away with me when I’m travelling for as long as I can remember. My latest attempt was an iPad with a folding keyboard but this seemed to be compromised by iPadOS. So when the MacBook Neo was launched I thought that it sounded like it might be the answer.

Unboxing

It won’t surprise you to hear that the unboxing experience for the Neo is no different to any other Apple product. It comes in the usual stiff box, carefully packed with the Neo, and below that just a USB-C cable.

In

… Read the rest

Foldable Wireless Keyboard for iPad

March 11, 2026 | Comment

I’m always looking for ways to reduce the amount of technology I take away with me and have long wondered whether I could manage with just my iPad rather than taking along a laptop. When I saw this foldable keyboard on AliExpress I thought that it would be great to give it a go.

Unboxing

Looking at it you might be forgiven for thinking that this is an Apple product, cut from a block of aluminium, but sadly not. It’s cut from plastic and I t’s lightweight, although the latter does make it easier to carry.

The device consists is … Read the rest

Find My Phone

March 4, 2026 | Comment

I don’t know who thought of this but I will forever be grateful.

If you have an Apple Watch and iPhone for as long as I can remember you have been able to press a button on the watch and have the phone “beep” to help you find it – providing it is within range of course.

Now, however, not only do you get audible feedback but the watch shows you how far away you are from the phone. As you get closer the distance updates and the colour changes. It’s like playing with the children’s “you’re getting hotter” game!… Read the rest

How to fit the Perfect Screen Protector

February 21, 2026 | Comment

I hate applying screen protectors, but I know that they are vital to protecting the somewhat fragile screens of modern devices. Maybe you have a device that has screen protectors that come in a box – just pop the device inside and pull. Hey presto! The perfectly applied screen protector. But what happens if you don’t have a compatible device?

Applying a Screen Protector

These steps work every time for me:

  1. The Steam Room: Go into your bathroom and run the hot tap for a few minutes until it’s slightly steamy or do it after taking a shower. This “grounds”
… Read the rest

Why do e-reader Screens “Flash”?

February 6, 2026 | 2 comments

I’ve been having a bit of an e-reader renaissance recently with the purchase of an Xteink X4 reader, the tiny pocket reader. This is my first e-reader in about 16 years since my Sony Reader all those years ago. Something that hasn’t changed in all those years is the page flashing when the display needs refreshing.

If you don’t know what I am referring to, take a look at this video below, which shows page refresh in action on the Xteink X4.

Here is why that refresh (often called a “full page turn”) is necessary:

The Physics of “Digital Ink”

… Read the rest

Xteink X4 eBook Reader

January 25, 2026 | Comment

The Xteink X4 is a brand new eReader with a difference – it is tiny, about the size of an iPhone. Designed for reading on the go, this nifty little device is small enough to shove in a pocket and take with you everywhere. In this short video I unbox the device and take a look as to what’s included.

Having only received the device yesterday I haven’t spent much time with it but I can really see the X4 becoming part of my EDC. I will report back in a few weeks when I have spent more time … Read the rest