Boox Unveils $100 Picco Micro E-Reader with 3.97-Inch Screen

E-reader maker Boox has announced the Picco, its smallest digital reader to date, as reported by Wired (https://www.wired.com/story/boox-picco-announcement-2026/). Preorders opened today for the device, which is priced at $100 and scheduled to begin shipping in November.

The pocket-sized device features a 3.97-inch monochrome electronic paper display with a resolution of 235 pixels per inch. Roughly the size of a standard playing card, the hardware sits below the 4.3-inch screen of the Xteink X4 Pro and significantly under Boox's upcoming 6.19-inch Palma 3. It includes an adjustable front light capable of toggling between cool and warm color temperatures, as well as physical side-mounted page-turn buttons alongside its touchscreen interface.

For storage and connectivity, the Picco includes a microSD card slot supporting capacities up to 2 TB, shipping with a 16 GB card in the box. Wireless options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with support for USB-C and web-based file transfers. The device's case incorporates an integrated magnetic ring designed to affix the unit directly to the back of a smartphone.

Boox is positioning the Picco around a streamlined operating system rather than a standard tablet interface. It marks the debut of the company's "Tiles" lineup, which serves as the primary navigation system for loading and organizing ebooks. Lacking direct built-in storefronts like those on Amazon Kindle or Kobo devices, users manage content via side-loading and network transfers. Boox has also bundled productivity utilities including Pomodoro, Todo, and Countdown applications to support auxiliary on-phone use.