Dyptyx
There’s a wave of e-reader innovation on the rise, but one specific direction baffles me: dual-screened e-readers that fold like a paperback. While the prospect of having an e-reader that emulates the original two-fold book design seems fun, I absolutely loathe the idea of having two halves by choice, necessitating that I either use two hands or flex my fingers across the hinged gutter.
Would you want a book-style form factor for your e-reader? 12 votes Yes! 33 % Absolutely not. 67 %
The book-shaped comeback no one asked for
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Recently, a few indie engineers and hobbyists have started building foldable e-readers like the Diptyx, a DIY dual-screen project that literally hinges in the middle so you can see two “pages” at once. It’s a flex of creativity, sure, but it’s also the kind of innovation that begs the question: to what end? My go-to reading position is under the blankets, lying on one side. The worst part of reading a physical book is having to adjust depending on which page I’m on. When I imagine reading on a build like the Diptyx, I just know that I’d end up slapped in the face with half an e-reader.
The worst part of reading a physical book is how it limits my reading positions.
The appeal is obvious, though: nostalgia. Dual-screen and book-fold designs attempt to recapture the feel of a real book, with two pages visible at once and a crack down the middle. The problem is that the good old days required that format. We built e-readers to escape bulk, glue, spines, and the delicate art of holding a book open with one knee while eating chips.
Dyptyx
Early experiments like the e-paper/LDC split enTourage eDGe (launched back in 2010) already proved the point: dual-screen devices look charming in renders but clunky in real hands. They add weight, fragility, and a hinge that will likely eventually give out. They also split your attention between two panels when digital reading has always been about streamlining the reading experience. When e-readers first took off, they succeeded precisely because they escaped books’ physical constraints. The Kindle worked because it didn’t need to look like a book. It was light, portable, and only required one hand out of the blanket.
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