3 ms·

I'm desperately searching for an e-book reader and i wonder if someone here has a good answer. I'd like a something I can root and or at least run arbitrary use

I'm desperately searching for an e-book reader and i wonder if someone here has a good answer. I'd like a something I can root and or at least run arbitrary userland code on. I want a size that's good for edc in a small backpack or handbag, maybe 7 - 11", pen support would also be really nice, does any such thing exist?

komali2 10mo ago
The Kobo Libra Color is within your size range and has pen support. You can run Koreader on it and some other things, it's not like, a linux device though. I do think you can run arbitrary scripts through the program that manages alternative readers like Koreader or Plato.
eldridgea 10mo ago
I got a Boox Go Color 7 as a less locked in alternative to my Kindle a while back, and overall I've really enjoyed it. It's apparently rootable, although I haven't done that personally. It's Google Play certified so anything from the Play store works, and side loading Android apps works too. I use it with the open source KOReader app and in tandem with Calibre Web Automated. I did a writeup[0] with some details if you're interested. [0] https://blog.eldrid.ge/2025/03/12/self-hosted-ebook-management/ https://blog.eldrid.ge/2025/03/12/self-hosted-ebook-manageme...
- icedrift 10mo ago
  Onyx violate GPL with their linux-based OS. I'd go Kobo or remarkable over them for that alone
- chrneu 10mo ago
  You have a cool blog.
  - eldridgea 10mo ago
    Thank you!
- j4nkest 10mo ago
  I second this, been using an Onyx Boox tablet for a year and a half for uni. It's great for reading and taking notes and it fits nicely in my laptop bag on top of my laptop.
- nunez 10mo ago
  It's an easy process; I wrote up how to do it: https://gist.github.com/carlosonunez/a0ec3f02576867329bc313bae889563d https://gist.github.com/carlosonunez/a0ec3f02576867329bc313b...
ThrowawayR2 10mo ago
If you don't require an e-ink display, the least effort route might be the MS Surface Go 3 tablet running Windows or Linux (https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installation-and-Setup https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installa...). The Remarkable 2 has an e-ink display but is rather underpowered as an e-reader. It does have an SDK for building apps: https://developer.remarkable.com/documentation/sdk https://developer.remarkable.com/documentation/sdk
- marcus_holmes 10mo ago
  Love my Remarkable 2, but my main use case for an e-reader is reading in bed at night, and it just doesn't work for that (form factor and lack of backlight, though the newer ones do have a backlight). However, for reading technical docs or workshop docs in daylight, it's great.
j45 10mo ago
You must check out the Supernote line https://supernote.com/ https://supernote.com/
- codethief 10mo ago
  The important thing to know here is that Supernote nowadays allows sideloading apps, like any other Android device.
lknuth 10mo ago
I habe a "Pocketbook Verse Pro" that runs Linux. No need to root, you can copy ARM executables to the SD card and run them (that's how I use Syncthing on it). KOReader also works on it.
- vlowrian 10mo ago
  +1 for the PocketBook. I have an Era and use it with KOReader and Calibre. Installation was as easy as copying a folder onto the device. I also wrote a short write-up about my experience with PocketBook devices and KOReader, for anyone who's interested: https://tc3.eu/posts/pocketbook-era-with-koreader/ https://tc3.eu/posts/pocketbook-era-with-koreader/
arboles 10mo ago
Here's people installing Tailscale binaries and gracefully working around a missing kernel module and the missing iptables binary on the Kobo Sage / Kobo Libra 2: https://blog.videah.net/my-e-reader-setup/#tailscale-vpn https://blog.videah.net/my-e-reader-setup/#tailscale-vpn https://dstaley.com/posts/tailscale-on-kobo-sage/ https://dstaley.com/posts/tailscale-on-kobo-sage/

komali2 10mo ago

The Kobo Libra Color is within your size range and has pen support. You can run Koreader on it and some other things, it's not like, a linux device though. I do think you can run arbitrary scripts through the program that manages alternative readers like Koreader or Plato.

eldridgea 10mo ago

I got a Boox Go Color 7 as a less locked in alternative to my Kindle a while back, and overall I've really enjoyed it. It's apparently rootable, although I haven't done that personally. It's Google Play certified so anything from the Play store works, and side loading Android apps works too. I use it with the open source KOReader app and in tandem with Calibre Web Automated. I did a writeup[0] with some details if you're interested. [0] https://blog.eldrid.ge/2025/03/12/self-hosted-ebook-management/ https://blog.eldrid.ge/2025/03/12/self-hosted-ebook-manageme...

icedrift 10mo ago
Onyx violate GPL with their linux-based OS. I'd go Kobo or remarkable over them for that alone
chrneu 10mo ago
You have a cool blog.
- eldridgea 10mo ago
  Thank you!
j4nkest 10mo ago
I second this, been using an Onyx Boox tablet for a year and a half for uni. It's great for reading and taking notes and it fits nicely in my laptop bag on top of my laptop.
nunez 10mo ago
It's an easy process; I wrote up how to do it: https://gist.github.com/carlosonunez/a0ec3f02576867329bc313bae889563d https://gist.github.com/carlosonunez/a0ec3f02576867329bc313b...

ThrowawayR2 10mo ago

If you don't require an e-ink display, the least effort route might be the MS Surface Go 3 tablet running Windows or Linux (https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installation-and-Setup https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installa...). The Remarkable 2 has an e-ink display but is rather underpowered as an e-reader. It does have an SDK for building apps: https://developer.remarkable.com/documentation/sdk https://developer.remarkable.com/documentation/sdk

marcus_holmes 10mo ago
Love my Remarkable 2, but my main use case for an e-reader is reading in bed at night, and it just doesn't work for that (form factor and lack of backlight, though the newer ones do have a backlight). However, for reading technical docs or workshop docs in daylight, it's great.

j45 10mo ago

You must check out the Supernote line https://supernote.com/ https://supernote.com/

codethief 10mo ago
The important thing to know here is that Supernote nowadays allows sideloading apps, like any other Android device.

lknuth 10mo ago

I habe a "Pocketbook Verse Pro" that runs Linux. No need to root, you can copy ARM executables to the SD card and run them (that's how I use Syncthing on it). KOReader also works on it.

vlowrian 10mo ago
+1 for the PocketBook. I have an Era and use it with KOReader and Calibre. Installation was as easy as copying a folder onto the device. I also wrote a short write-up about my experience with PocketBook devices and KOReader, for anyone who's interested: https://tc3.eu/posts/pocketbook-era-with-koreader/ https://tc3.eu/posts/pocketbook-era-with-koreader/

arboles 10mo ago

Here's people installing Tailscale binaries and gracefully working around a missing kernel module and the missing iptables binary on the Kobo Sage / Kobo Libra 2: https://blog.videah.net/my-e-reader-setup/#tailscale-vpn https://blog.videah.net/my-e-reader-setup/#tailscale-vpn https://dstaley.com/posts/tailscale-on-kobo-sage/ https://dstaley.com/posts/tailscale-on-kobo-sage/