I got the Viwoods AiPaper Reader this morning. So I wanted to share my first thoughts right away.
This is the new E-ink reader that runs a full version of Android 16 and has some AI stuff built in. I picked it up on Amazon for about $279. I was seriously excited to get my hands on it.
The Unboxing
The box looks pretty professional, nothing fancy. And here’s the thing: it doesn’t feel heavy at all. That makes sense, though, because the device itself is only about 138 grams.
Inside the box, you get a few things:
- The cover for the AiPaper Reader.
- A tool to open the SIM card slot.
- A USB-C charging cable.
- A quick guide to get you started.
Just note that there is no pen or stylus. This is only an e-reader, so it doesn’t need one.
How it Feels
The build quality is great. It looks and feels good. And it’s super lightweight, like I said—138g. It’s also really thin, just 6.7mm.
But even though it’s light, it feels solid in your hand. Not flimsy at all. It has a metal body, which is comfortable to hold. It definitely doesn’t feel cheap or plastic. It feels premium. And I like the look of it; it’s very sleek.
The Screen
The display is one of the best parts. It uses a 6.13-inch Carta 1300 E Ink screen. That’s a big deal. The resolution is really sharp at 300 PPI.
I like that it isn’t overly white. Sometimes E-ink screens look too bleached out. This one has a nice temperature—it’s sort of a grayish background. But the text is super crisp.
It has a front light, too, and you can adjust it. It’s actually pretty strong. I doubt I’ll ever need to put it on the highest setting because it gets really bright.
But here’s the problem: it doesn’t have a warm light option. I love reading at night, and I really rely on that warm glow. So, this might be an issue for me. I need to test it out to see if it bothers my eyes.
Buttons and Ports
Physically, it has a few things going on:
- The power button is also a fingerprint sensor, which is neat.
- You get volume buttons that also work as page-turn buttons.
- There’s a dedicated AI Button. You press it, and the AI is ready to go.
The buttons are a bit “clicky,” like pressing a computer mouse. I don’t mind it, but just know it makes a little sound when you hit it.
On the bottom, you have the USB-C charging port. And on the left side, there’s a slot for a 4G SIM card.
The Software
The big selling point here is that it uses Android 16. This means you can install all sorts of Android apps on it. You can put Kindle, Kobo, whatever you use, right on this device.
The home screen is clean and simple. I like the look.
Reading on it is super clear, just like you’d expect from the Carta 1300 screen. As for performance, it runs well. It’s not the fastest gadget ever, but it’s totally fine for most users. It gets the job done nicely.
I’ll be doing a full review after I’ve used it for a while. So, if you want to know how the battery lasts and how bad that missing warm light really is, you should stick around for that.
You can purchase this here: https://amzn.to/4oYMLyn
