I've always felt like the Kindle could do with a better way to flip ebook pages. DuRoBo might have solved exactly that problem, with a little dial on the side of its compact E Ink device.
The Krono features a paper-like 6.13-inch display, and looks like a lot of other Android-based ebook readers out there. But its knurled Smart Dial acts as a scroll wheel for books, web pages, and other content – offering a much more intuitive way to read with one hand.
This is the first product from the Netherlands-based firm, and it was successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter last year. It's billed as more than an e-reader, with full-fat Android 15 on board, as well as a bit of AI functionality sprinkled on top, and the ability to capture ideas instantly.
That last bit really got me going, and I'll get to that soon. But first, let's look at this functional little knob. It's handily located where your right index finger can easily reach it. This allows for precise scrolling through pages of text, and it works in a bunch of apps, including the Kindle app, Kobo Books, Google Play Books, and browsers; it also delivers haptic feedback. That's a much more reassuring interaction than trying to aim and tap at the edge of a Kindle's screen to flip a page while the screen delays just a bit before it refreshes.
Beyond scrolling, you can also refresh the E Ink screen to clear ghosting, and adjust brightness by pressing the knob like a button. Double pressing it brings up DuRobo AI, which is basically a chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude; you can type in queries about anything that's on your mind and get text responses with this.
Now, if you press and hold, the Krono will begin recording a voice note – which you can then play back, and have transcribed and summarized. I frequently record notes on my phone and smartwatch – ideas for articles and fiction, reminders for things I need to get done, and loud thinking that helps me clarify concepts I've been struggling to understand. Being able to do this while reading thought-provoking books and papers sounds like a great way to track what I've learned or been inspired by.
Although it's not a phone (it doesn't have a SIM card slot), the Krono can run just about any Android app from the Play Store. Of course, given that it's an E Ink display, I wouldn't expect a great experience playing videos on it. There's a high refresh rate mode that you can enable, but that only really improves the way system animations and screen refreshes appear.
On the inside, it's powered by an octa-core processor paired with 6GB RAM, and there's 128GB of storage onboard. That should be more than enough for a vast library of ebooks, podcasts, audiobooks, and recordings. DuRoBo says the 3,950-mAh battery should last you several days on a full charge.
At US$279, the Krono costs just a bit more than the popular Boox Palma 2, which has nearly identical specs. As someone who loves physical controls on gadgets, I'd happily fork over the extra $20 for the Smart Dial. DuRoBo has also been continually updating the device with improvements to the reading experience post-launch, so hopefully this handy little e-reader will continue to get better as you use it.
Find the Krono on the company's site and on Amazon US, where it's available in black and white colorways.
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