The Viwoods AiPaper Reader — the sole ebook device boasting Android 16 — is now available at a 15% discount for Prime members and can be purchased for $237 instead of the official price of $279.
For a niche device that combines open Android flexibility with E Ink frugality, $42 off makes this already unusual reader even more enticing.
Why Android 16 Is So Important On An E-Reader
Today, the majority of mainline e-readers are either entrenched in a closed ecosystem or an archaic version of Android. Kindles and Kobos are notoriously locked down, and many Android-based readers from specialist brands continue to be shipped with versions such as Android 11 or 12. In contrast, the AiPaper Reader’s Android 16 base means it has access to more modern apps, newer APIs and a longer runway for security updates.
Most importantly, it supports full app installs. That in turn allows you to load up your reading and productivity tools next to each other — think Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Pocket, as well as RSS readers, language tools and audiobook apps — without needing two devices. It’s the main attraction for power readers who float between libraries and services.
Key hardware in a truly pocketable chassis design
The AiPaper Reader boasts a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display at 300 ppi, the current sweet spot for crisp typography. E Ink has promised quicker page turns and better responsiveness with Carta 1300 compared to previous generations, and in practice that translates to snappier navigation and less ghosting when whipping through articles and PDFs.
At about 138g and just 6.7mm thick, it’s properly pocketable — more like a big phone than a tablet. Inside, 4GB of RAM ensures multitasking with light apps is as smooth as could be expected, and the 128GB size leaves plenty of room for all those EPUBs and PDFs. One feature that stands out given the category is an LTE SIM slot for data-only to sync articles, pull library loans or fetch dictionary lookups away from Wi-Fi.
AI shortcut and app flexibility for faster lookups
A dedicated side button opens AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini or DeepSeek to make rapid searches a single-tap experience. For readers, that might involve requesting a summary of the current chapter, Googling a historical reference without leaving a page, translating a paragraph or even turning plain text into personalized vocabulary drills — all without leaving your E Ink device.
When paired with Android’s more open app ecosystem, the button seems less a gimmick and more like a way to navigate back and forth between prioritized reading and on-the-fly access. (It’s the sort of feature that doesn’t make sense on E Ink, where it’s resistant to distraction but context is sometimes important.)
Trade-offs to consider before choosing this reader
It’s not a stylus-first slate, and there isn’t a layer for handwriting one-handed margin notes. If you live in the world of annotation or sketching, there are larger pen-enabled devices available from specialist brands that you might feel more at home with. The front light is simpler than what’s on premium readers, which have more nuance and a higher brightness ceiling when it comes to warmth control.
But those compromises do help keep size, weight and price in check — crucial to why the AiPaper Reader feels more like a souped-up pocket reader than a full-blooded e-note tablet.
How the current Prime deal compares to rivals
Priced at $237 for Prime members, the AiPaper Reader is cheaper than a ton of its Android-based E Ink rivals without having a newer OS and built-in LTE to speak of — which are two features that don’t come together very often. Entry-level mainstream readers can be cheaper, but they are tied to one store and often forgo cellular altogether. At the other end, pro-tier E Ink tablets with stylus support can quickly jump north of $300 and are less pocketable than the Elipsa.
But if you live for open software, app selection and mobility, this discount makes a difference. The 15% discount is largely a wash with the premium you’d normally pay for top-tier software in a narrow category.
Bottom line: a pocketable Android e-reader at 15% off
The AiPaper Reader doesn’t have any simple, swappable interchangeable back covers like the reMarkable, but it’s the only Android 16:10-shaped e-reader you can actually buy today, combining a sharp 300 ppi E Ink panel with modern Android flexibility, an AI shortcut we wish Amazon would steal for its Kindles, and rare LTE connectivity in a pocketable body.
This is a particularly and possibly unusually timely pick over the $279 usual asking price for readers who want the freedom of full app installs without leaving their comfort zone in E Ink, especially at a price like $237 (15% off for Prime members).