BOOX’s palm-size e-paper handheld is about to make a bigger leap than anyone expected: a color screen and built-in cellular. In early previews, the upcoming Palma Color reads like an e-reader, but behaves more and more like a smartphone—minus the eye strain and battery anxiety.
The new model keeps the compact, rugged build fans loved in the Palma 2, along with Android and access to Google Play. What changes is the experience: color e-paper for richer content, and 5G connectivity so your books, notes, and apps aren’t tethered to Wi‑Fi.
Color e‑paper finally fits your pocket
BOOX has shipped color panels on larger devices like the Note Air 4C; bringing that tech down to a pocketable slab is the headline move. Expect a color E Ink system such as Kaleido 3—E Ink Holdings touts improved saturation and clarity versus earlier generations—delivering color for comics, charts, maps, and color‑coded notes while retaining the crisp black-and-white resolution e-paper is known for.
Pre-release units do show occasional ghosting, not unusual for color e-paper at phone-like sizes. BOOX is addressing this with quick-access refresh controls and tuned display modes, a familiar approach for veteran e‑ink users who toggle between speed and clarity depending on the task.
The form factor remains a huge part of the appeal. The textured back feels secure in the hand, and the device slips into jeans or a small sling where a 7-inch tablet won’t. This is an e-reader that lives where your phone lives, and that convenience matters.
Built like a phone, powered by Android
Running Android with Google Play access turns the Palma Color into more than a bookshelf. You can load Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Pocket, RSS readers, note apps, and language tools. Unlike most e-readers, it behaves like a general-purpose handheld, just with an e-ink twist that favors focus and endurance over flashy animations.
E‑ink’s strengths shine in reading-first workflows. Static pages draw negligible power, and the front light with warm and cool tuning (a BOOX staple) supports long sessions. Even with color, this remains a machine designed to minimize fatigue and distractions.
5G on e‑paper: why it matters
Previous Palma models were Wi‑Fi-only. Adding 5G closes the gap between “reader” and “phone.” Sync a library on the train, pull a new title on a whim, or grab course PDFs and annotations without hunting for hotspots. For cloud-heavy users, it’s a practical upgrade.
Don’t expect video streaming to be the point—e‑ink isn’t built for that—but faster networks make app installs, dictionary downloads, and news syncs snappy. It’s not the first time cellular has met e-paper (Hisense shipped 5G e‑ink phones in China), yet it’s rare in a device engineered primarily for reading. With GSMA forecasting billions of 5G connections globally, coverage is increasingly a given, not a luxury.
Battery life and trade‑offs
BOOX indicates multi‑day endurance despite the move to color and cellular. That checks out: e‑ink consumes power mainly during refreshes, and most reading is static. The cellular radio can be disabled or set to background sync, preserving the “charge it every few days” rhythm that makes these devices so liberating versus OLED phones.
Early units show sensible software controls: display refresh toggles, performance modes for scrolling-heavy apps, and the kind of fine-grained front-light adjustments BOOX fans expect. And yes, microSD support remains a standout—room for a true pocket library at a time when many phones dropped expandable storage.
Specs and price: what to watch
Final specs aren’t public, but the big questions are clear: which color E Ink generation, how bright and uniform the front light is, what chip and RAM combo drive Android smoothly, and whether we get eSIM or physical SIM. BOOX’s recent color devices suggest a calibrated front light and refined refresh algorithms are likely.
Pricing will be closely watched. Prior Palma models arrived under the $300 mark; the addition of color and 5G could nudge this one higher. If BOOX keeps it near that neighborhood, it becomes a compelling alternative to compact tablets and minimalist phones for reading-focused users.
Who is it for?
Readers who want a distraction-light device with just enough phone DNA will find a sweet spot here. Commuters, students, and multilingual readers benefit most: color for learning materials, instant downloads on the go, and an app ecosystem that adapts to niche workflows. Purists who prefer Wi‑Fi-only to enforce boundaries can stick with earlier models; everyone else just gained flexibility without sacrificing the calm of e‑ink.
If the execution matches the promise, the Palma Color won’t replace your smartphone—but it might be the first e-reader that tempts you to leave it in your pocket a whole lot more.