The smartphone-sized Boox Palma e-reader’s on sale exclusively for Verge readers

Kindles are great and all, but if you want a pocketable e-reader that doesn’t require you to lock yourself into Amazon’s ecosystem, the Boox Palma might be worth a look. The 6.1-inch ebook reader normally runs for $279.99, but now through October 9th, readers of The Verge can score a rare $30 discount and a free cover case (valued at $16) when they buy it from Wellbots using code BOOXVERGE30.

My colleague David Pierce waxed poetic about the Palma after spending time with it. I’ve only started testing the e-reader, but so far, I can understand the appeal. It’s slick and stylish in a way the Kindle isn’t, but more notably, it’s smartphone-sized, so you really can slip it into your pocket and comfortably hold it in one hand.

Aside from its size, it also offers a level of flexibility lacking in other e-readers. The Boox Palma runs on Android and comes equipped with the Google Play Store. That’s helpful, as typically, you’d have to sideload Kindle books onto non-Amazon e-readers, which can be a complicated and time-consuming process. But with the Boox Palma, you can just download Amazon’s Kindle apps along with others, ranging from Readwise Reader to The New York Times app.

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of the fact you can also download potentially distracting social media apps like TikTok. Yet David says the e-reader’s too slow to feel tempted by social media apps, and honestly so far, for the most part, I agree.