Okay, so I’ve been testing out this new e-reader, the Viwoods Aipaper Reader. It’s a pretty interesting device. It’s tiny, pocket-sized, kind of like a small phone, but it uses an E Ink screen. Honestly, the coolest thing about it is that it runs Android 16 with the newest E Ink tech.
I’ve been using it for a few days, and here’s what I found.
So Light and Thin
First, the build quality. This thing looks really sleek. It doesn’t feel cheap at all. It has a high-quality plastic body, and it feels tough, like it could handle being tossed in a bag every day. The back panel has this soft, matte finish that looks nice and, thank God, it doesn’t pick up fingerprints.
They used high-quality plastic, but there’s metal around the edges. The whole thing feels super solid. No weird creaks or loose bits.
The design is simple and modern. The borders around the screen are thin, so you focus on the reading area. It’s smooth all over.
Look, this thing is ridiculously thin, just 6.7 mm, and it’s really light, about 138 g. That makes it extremely portable. You can read with just one hand for hours, and you won’t get tired. It’s made for reading when you’re out and about. It just slides right into a pocket or bag.
It’s Got Buttons
Unlike some other E Ink readers, this one has actual physical buttons, which I love. There’s a power button that’s distinctly red, so you can’t miss it. Then there are volume buttons. Here’s the thing, it doesn’t actually have speakers, so those volume buttons are mostly for turning pages or controlling Bluetooth audio, which is a bit weird.
It also has a dedicated AI button, which makes using the AI stuff easy. You just push it and go. But here’s the problem with the buttons: they’re clicky. They sound like a mouse button, and that could definitely bother some people.
Down at the bottom, there’s the USB-C port for charging and moving files. On the left side, you’ve got a 4G SIM card slot. This device can do a lot of smartphone things, but without a speaker, it’s kinda hard to use as an actual phone.
Screen Quality
The screen uses a Carta 1300 E Ink display. That’s a big deal because it’s the newest tech out there. The contrast is fantastic. The blacks are way darker, and the background is much whiter than older readers. It really does look a lot more like paper. I’d say it’s a solid 20-25 percent jump in contrast over the last generations.
And it’s not just looks. Carta 1300 is faster, and you get less of that annoying screen ghosting, so page turns are quicker and cleaner. Overall, it’s a great reading panel.
But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have a warm light. You only get a cool front light. You can make it brighter or dimmer, but you can’t change the color temperature. For anyone who reads in bed, this is a major problem. I don’t get why they cut the warm light. I know cost cutting happens, but that’s an essential feature. I’d rather have the warm light than all the AI stuff, honestly.
Android 16, But a Big Caveat
Software-wise, it runs Android 16, which is one of the best parts. I think this might be the only e-reader running it. So, you can install pretty much any app: Kindle, Libby, Chrome, whatever you need.
But here’s the big problem with how they put Android 16 on it. It fails the basic integrity test. This basically means Google doesn’t trust the version of Android it’s running. So, any apps that need strong security checks won’t work. Mobile banking apps, investment platforms, and some payment systems will often just refuse to start or let you log in. Some work apps won’t run either.
So, if you plan to use this for secure things or work, you need to check if your apps will actually run on it before you buy.
Reading
In my experience, reading on this thing is great. No complaints. It handles all file types—PDF, Epub, Mobi, everything. You can zoom in on PDFs and do all the regular e-reader stuff like highlight and underline. The Carta 1300 really makes reading a pleasure.
Just remember, it’s an e-reader, so it has no stylus and won’t support handwriting or drawing.
It has a few refresh modes. I use “Ultra fast” for browsing, but for normal reading, I switch between “Fast mode” and “Best display.” My default is usually “Fast mode.” Which one you use just depends on how much ghosting you can tolerate.
Now, about the AI. I must confess, I don’t use AI much, so while it’s cool to have, I won’t use it constantly. You can use it to get summaries of passages or even whole books. The AI button gives you access to popular chatbots, and it supports voice commands. You can switch between OpenAI, Google, and DeepSeek models. But here’s the thing: the AI needs the internet to work; it can’t run locally. It’s powerful enough for looking up terms, translating, and summarizing things. It also has a knowledge base where you can save text excerpts and the AI’s response.
Performance
Hardware-wise, it uses a MediaTek Helio G99 at 2.20 GHz with 8 cores. It’s fast, though maybe a little slower than the Palma 2. It has 4GB of RAM. Again, that’s a bit less than the Palma 2, but it feels well-optimized. Honestly, I was a little let down by the 4GB RAM since 6GB feels like the new normal, but maybe I’m being too picky.
For connectivity, you get Wi-Fi (2.4G and 5G) and that 4G LTE cellular connectivity. You can use Google Drive and other cloud services since it’s Android 16. It has 128GB of storage, and that’s plenty for me, but remember, no MicroSD card slot if you need more space.
The monochrome version is priced at $279 USD. They are bringing out a color version later. This is cheaper than the Boox Palma, and it’s lighter and has the newer E Ink Carta 1300 technology, but the Palma does have better hardware.
So, is it worth $279? I think so. For an e-reader, it’s a great device.
Final Thoughts
This is a really good smart e-reader. If you’re okay with the limitations—the no warm light, the integrity test failure, the no speaker, and the lack of a MicroSD slot—it’s a very good device. So, yeah, I would recommend it.
You can buy this here: https://amzn.to/4oYMLyn
