This $50 case turns your phone into an e-reader, but without the benefits of one.
Kindle cosplay for your phone.
The new Bookcase from Astropad is a smartphone accessory that aims to transform the reading experience on a phone, making it more similar to that of an e-reader. However, it does not offer features like eye-friendly screens or longer battery life, which are elements that have made devices like the Kindle popular. Priced at $50, the Bookcase focuses on making it easier to hold the smartphone as if it were a book, in addition to enhancing access to the preferred reading app.
This device consists of a magnetic accessory that adds plastic grips on each side of the phone, giving it a size and appearance similar to that of a paperback novel or an e-book reader. According to Astropad, "any smartphone that can connect to a magnetic wireless charger is compatible with the Bookcase," even if it is in a protective case. Additionally, the company provides a MagSafe conversion kit for Android devices and older iPhone models.
Grip comfort is not the only factor that has maintained the popularity of e-readers over the years; the distraction-free reading experience is also valued. Astropad tries to replicate this using an NFC chip along with a new mobile app. This app allows the phone to be set up to automatically open the preferred reading app when connected to the Bookcase, and it can even temporarily disable notifications and other distractions. However, it is not clarified whether the app can limit access to other apps like TikTok during reading.
The Bookcase is only available in a dark blue tone to help reduce distractions. Astropad is a small company that has gained recognition for developing apps and accessories that turn iPads into drawing tablets similar to Wacom and wireless displays, until Apple released a similar product. The Bookcase represents another effort by the company to make a device more functional. The idea of enhancing the reading tool on the smartphone to leave the e-reader at home is appealing, but users will still have to carry an accessory that takes up considerable space. A future version with a foldable design could make the Bookcase more practical.