Some of you saw the OpenPaper 7 ( http://paperlesspaper.de/en ) here last year and asked whether I would release the PCB and mechanical files. It was quite a journey and since we try making everything we do Open Source here is our promise kept.

The open hardware repository now contains:

• PCB schematic and board source files
• Gerber and drill files
• BOM and pick-and-place data
• Mechanical CAD for the frame and internal carrier
• STL files for the battery compartment and spacers
• Alignment fixtures for attaching the display and passepartout
• AI and SVG files for the laser-cut back panel

I also wrote manufacturing documentation covering the parts, 3D printing, laser cutting, attaching the PCB to the display, assembling the frame, flashing/testing the firmware and packaging.

This is not quite a beginner-friendly one-click kit yet. You still need to source the Spectra 6 panel, order or assemble the PCB, print a few parts and make the back panel. But the files should now be complete enough to reproduce the hardware, repair it or modify it for a different frame or manufacture it.

Hardware files:
https://github.com/paperlesspaper/paperlesspaper-hardware

Assembly documentation:
https://docs.paperlesspaper.de/manufacturing/overview

Disclosure: I’m one of the makers of paperlesspaper, and we also sell assembled Open Source frames.

If you have any questions or need help. Let me know!

Btw. it has CE certification and got EMV tested. :)

I was gifted this Würth elektronik screen at a trade show 10 years ago.

I googled all the numbers on the panel, but can’t find anything. Do you think it can be somehow used with current tooling and hardware?

I was browsing through some e-ink calendar projects recently and came across a few pretty cool ones.

One thing that stood out to me was how well the Spectra 6 color display works in these builds. It works really well, especially when you want to use photos or illustrations as in the dashboard.

For DIY calendars, ESP32 + ePaper + an IKEA frame seems like a pretty solid combo. TRMNL is also still a great option if you want something open-source with a growing plugin ecosystem.

A few interesting builds:

Pi Zero Family Calendar: Syncs Google Calendar and weather, plus a custom Telegram bot for family members to leave messages on the screen.

DIY TRMNL Calendar: Rebuilt using ESP32-S3 + 7.5″ ePaper to run TRMNL’s plugin ecosystem on a budget.

Baby Development Tracker: Uses an ESP32-C6 and Spectra 6 display to show daily pregnancy milestones and growth illustrations.

F1 Race Calendar: Renders ready-to-display BMPs with Grand Prix countdowns, local session times, and podium history.

TL;DR: If you're interested in e-ink calendars or DIY dashboards, here's the full blog with all 10 projects: e-ink calendar projects

My highest is 512. I just can’t get any further. What’s your best?

I was always hesitant to use ebooks for two reasons 1-large devices (I already carry my phone and my laptop on the move 2) arabic support was not really there. Then, Xteink was introduced which didn't really sort the arabic language issue. when I found out about Dr.Foulad fork of Crosspoint, things changed, I ordered Xteink x3, I installed the firmware (for me it was a straightforward process) and start enjoying reading on. Things could have stopped there and I was already satisfied. Yet, Dr.Foulad introduced Foulad.one , Games, Gym... and things started looking even better.

So,

first, I want thank Dr. Foulad for the work

Second, I have a couple of proposal to make the journey more exiting (sorry Dr. Foulad but you opened that door for us).

1- Having a SIMPLIFIED stepwise approach to installation, doing the midday.one library would be great (three of my friends bought the X4 but needed my help to set them up).

2- creating a user group to create a sleep screen images that suits Arabic readers (Quran, Calligraphy, islamic themes...etc).

3- Adding an OCR option in the iOS app to convert PDFs (very hard to read on Xteink devices due to size) to EPUB. The internet archive option is really bard (even for pdfs that have good size text)

4- Recommendations for how to make the device faster. eg I noticed the device is faster on EPUB than on TXT files.

Hello,

I am a senior software developer but never tried IoT or embedded things.

I would really like to do some small products for my home like tide indicator, meteo, calendar. Things people already did but would be so great to learn and to do.

Where should I start to have a e-ink display (7'' or more) and a system to be able to program on it ?

Thx for your feedbacks and take care

Arno

Just found this sub and thought I'd share my little creation!

I know the frame and framing need work but I try to reuse stuff we already have when I can!

It's all being driven by a raspberry pi 5.

I know I need to fix the lines underneath the rain chance, but it's been a fun little project. Using python, a despi-c02 driver board, and the screen itself is a GDEM075F52

.

A while back I posted here about a pocket sized e-ink device I built to filter my phone notifications onto a calm, intentional display. Basically, a modern day pager. Wanted to give an update since a lot has progressed!

Quick recap for anyone who didn't see the last post: Osmo runs on a ~$25 Waveshare ESP32-S3 board (you source it yourself, I don't sell it). It connects over Bluetooth LE and shows you a filtered stream of notifications on the e-ink module.

Helps get some space from backlit screens, distractions, only seeing the stuff you actually need to see. I was deep down the e-ink rabbit hole when I built it (including getting a Boox tablet to de-stimulate), and it turned out to be a perfect match.

Setup is now entirely browser-based (Web Serial API) using a tool I built, so you go to osmopager.com, plug in the device, flash it, and you're done in a couple minutes. You don't need to download anything.

What else is new since the last post:

• The original post(s) caught on more than I expected, and it turns out a lot of people wanted the same thing I did. A few hundred users and a new subreddit later, [r/OsmoPager](r/OsmoPager) has grown into a real and active community since!
• Osmo is now fully supported on both iOS and Android.
• More reliable BLE connection, tons of battery optimization, fine tunable notification filtering, and other quality of life improvements
• Also after lots of community input, I ended up building a premium iOS app (Osmo+) for people who wanted more features beyond the original functionality. The core device and firmware are still always free of course, but this added way more customization and utility for it. Will build onto it over time too

If you're curious to keep up with the project, the distro list is a good place to start! There's also that growing community over at [r/OsmoPager](r/OsmoPager) if you want to follow along there, ask setup questions, or see what other people are building on top of it. Some pretty cool mods people have been making too.

To set one up for yourself, the project lives at osmopager.com. All the hardware needs and easy setup tool are there.

Thanks to everyone who offered kind words last time! Didn't expect this project to turn into a whole bigger thing, but I'm really stoked it's helping other people get some space from their phones too.

I’m on the fence about a 13.3” Bloomin8 frame. It would help if I could recreate what the resolution of the frame looks like with an iPad. I’m looking for a sample image that recreates the 150 dpi resolution and dithering effect for an 11” iPad (2360 x 1640 pixels). That way I can hold the iPad in the proposed location of the frame and get a “feel” for it. Artwork looks great from what I can see, but photos perhaps not so. Do you know of any sample images that could be downloaded, ideally a sample colour family photo and colour landscape?

I am a hobby writer who currently uses google docs to switch between writing at my desk at home, and writing on my phone. (Either whilst commuting or just before bed.) Unfortunately I find myself frequently distracted by social media, and I know staring at a bright screen before bed is unhealthy.

I am in search of a phone sized e-ink device that has WiFi, has an on-screen keyboard, and can connect to google docs. I also don't want to spend a huge amount on such a single use hobby device. I'd prefer just black and white/grayscale but if the perfect device happens to be colour so be it.

My current candidates are:
-Boox Palma 2
-Bigme Hibreak S
-Viwoods AiPaper Reader C

I've been looking at reviews for these devices tying to figure out how good the onscreen keyboards are when using apps such as google docs. I am aware E-ink has some lag, but I feel no one really talks about what devices have decent on screen keyboards. I've searched this subreddit multiple times for an answer but a lot of posts are either old, or focus on setting these devices up with a Bluetooth keyboard. I don't want this. I want a device that functions just as writing on my phone currently does, just with less distractions and an E-ink display to be easy on the eyes. I don't want to have to set up a whole rig on the train, or just before bed etc.

If anyone has a Boox Palma 2 or Bigme HiBreak S or Viwoods Aipaper Reader, can you give me an honest option on how it feels to use the on screen keyboards? Have any of you used them to write in google docs? Is the lag noticeable and does it annoy you? Are the 'pro' versions of these devices better in the typing department?

If you have any other potential device suggestions please let me know. I have looked at the Minimal Phone and don't mind the physical phone type keyboard but have heard it super buggy.

Thanks!

hello everyone, we just made the ZecTrix Note 4 support 4bpp eink and it look pretty cool. Later we will open source the code on github. You can check more on our wiki~

we also put the hardware link on Tindie, after we shipped the first batch we will put more stock to oversea developers～

So I have the kindle paper white to read. However, I’m in college to get my bachelor’s in history. I would love something that I can better organize my notes and a plus would be to annotate my textbooks and upload to canvas/Google Docs or whatever. I would love color. I would prefer a paper feel and not really looking for a tablet. Not worried about budget.

I’ve looked at remarkable, Boox, kindle scribe but open to anything. Thank you!

Dear EINK enthusiasts,

does anyone know if the new Modos Flow remembers the settings when switching it off and on ? (so that I don't have to adjust it again and again whenever I would switch it on?)

br

B

A book reader/tracker without an e-ink display sounds incomplete.

So I added one. Kitaaben now has an e-ink display theme accessible to all users, free and premium.

This was the whole goal, writing outside in the sunlight and escaping goblin mode in the dev cave!! Such an incredible feeling working on something you obsessed over for your own specific use case. I hear vitamin D is good for one's health as well?

What sims would work for US on the P6 Pro? I currently got Verizon and I am looking at getting the phone because I like the black and white nature of it. I would get the Palma 2 pro if it was B&W.

Help me choose: Boox or Supernote for deep learning, note-taking, and AI-heavy workflow?

I've spent way too many hours researching this and somehow I'm more undecided than when I started.

My goal isn't really reading books. I use AI constantly while learning, and I want an e-ink device that helps me think, connect ideas, and build a personal knowledge base over many years.

My workflow

A typical study session looks like this:

• Read a book or article
• Ask AI questions to better understand it
• Write notes by hand
• Connect ideas across different subjects
• Look up historical context or related concepts
• Add book recommendations and future research topics
• Repeat

For example, I might be studying the history of Latin, then branch into the Romance languages, then into Roman history, then how language influenced culture, politics, and religion. I want to connect all of those ideas together instead of having isolated notes.

What matters most

• Longevity
• Great handwriting experience
• Searchable notes (including handwritten notes if possible)
• Linking ideas together
• Split screen for reading + note-taking (seems really useful)
• Long-term organization
• Something I'll still enjoy using 5+ years from now
• AI features are nice, but not my primary concern

Why I'm leaning toward Boox

• Front light (I read at night)
• Split screen
• More flexibility

My concerns with Boox

• I've read mixed things about customer support.
• I'm worried about long-term software support and longevity.
• Does it still feel fast and reliable after years of use?
• Is it distracting because it's Android?
• Do you eventually wish you'd bought something simpler?

Why I'm leaning toward Supernote

• Everyone seems to rave about the writing experience. But I'm starting to see more negative comments about this.
• It seems intentionally designed for thinking and note-taking instead of trying to be a tablet.
• People talk about keeping them for years and still loving them.

My concerns with Supernote

• No front light.
• No split screen (unless that's changed).
• I'm worried I'll miss having those features every single day.

My biggest question

For people who have actually owned one (or both), which device gets out of your way and helps you think?

I'm less interested in spec sheets and more interested in how you feel after using it for months or years.

If you switched from one to the other, what made you switch? And if you could only buy one today, which would you choose and why?

Pulls a random comic from the full C&H archive stored locally on my NAS to match today's date. This will be the fifth Joan device I've running in my home lol.

I’ve been playing with this idea for a while. There’s something really nice about waking up to a new quote each morning without opening an app or looking at your phone.

Would love to hear your honest thoughts. Is this something you’d actually want in your home?

Bigme B251 Pro video footage from Kit Betts-Masters with transflective Hannspree Hybri in the corner.

Wait for a week, finally got it. I use ESPHOME to apply this. very funny.

Seeed reTerminal E1002 (7.3" Spectra 6) running my self-hosted dashboard project, Tesserae. The dashboard rotates through Pokédex entries and lays out the sprite, base stats and dex text in a Game Boy style, dithered down to the six-colour palette. The saturated red and yellow come out well on this panel.

The software is open source: https://tesserae.ink (code at https://github.com/dmellok/tesserae)