For your next foreign trip, consider these eBook readers… here’s why

They may not necessarily be available in India, but they can be imported or bought abroad.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

I had been waiting for Amazon to release a colour Kindle — and it’s finally on the market. Sure, colour is cool but not essential for long-form reading, yet the Colorsoft (yes, that’s what Amazon calls the first colour Kindle) is a big deal. After all, colourful book covers matter to people, especially those who read graphic novels and comic books, bringing more life to the experience than a monochrome screen ever could.

The Colorsoft reflects Amazon’s ambition to take the e-reader in a fresh direction while also expanding the Kindle ecosystem. The Colorsoft is faster than the previous generation, fully waterproof, and has wireless charging. It retails for $280 (Rs 23,630, excluding taxes) in the US, which is $80 more than the new Paperwhite Signature Edition, priced at $200. If you are pretty locked into the Kindle ecosystem and ready to pay a premium for a colour Kindle, Colorsoft is for you.

The Palma 2 features an upgraded octa-core processor which helps remove the annoying latency from the previous generation. (Image credit: Boox)

Boox Palma 2

At first glance, I thought the Palma 2 would be a Kindle-like e-reader, and it was — but it’s fundamentally built like a smartphone, minus the cellular connectivity. The Palma 2 is smaller than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with a 6.13-inch e-Ink screen, and has the form factor of a smartphone, featuring a USB-C charging port, and a camera on the back. What makes the Palma so interesting is that the device runs Android, which means you can download any modern e-reader app, like Kindle, from the Google Play Store and run it.

As it has an e-Ink screen, the battery lasts longer. I’m still not fully convinced by the software, but it’s a fun device to read eBooks on the go, thanks to the right combination of form factor, screen, and app support. Sure, it may not replace your smartphone, but it’s a great replacement for a Kindle or Kobo that also fits in the palm. The Palma costs $280 (excluding shipping), or roughly Rs 23,630

The Kindle Scribe 2 brings the best of both worlds—an eReader and a notebook—into a single device. (Image credit: Amazon)

Kindle Scribe 2

I had no idea when I tried the Scribe for the first time earlier this year. I thought it was limited to being just an eBook reader, but I was wrong. This device can do a lot, from taking notes and annotating PDFs for a story to so much more. However, there is a new second-generation Kindle Scribe on the market (I would recommend this one over the previous-generation model for obvious reasons). The e-ink display is designed to have a more paper-like feel, and the glare-free display makes it easy on the eyes. Combined with a new pen, which enhances the experience, it truly feels like writing on paper.

One of the standout features of the Kindle Scribe is its ability to convert handwritten notes to text. Another cool feature is the suite of organisational tools, which allow you to create to-do lists using different templates, including lists and calendars, to keep track of daily tasks. The second-generation model also introduces new AI features, such as summarising your notes and making them shareable.

At $400 (or Rs 33,762 excluding taxes), the Kindle Scribe may not come cheap, but the device leans heavily on the creative side — it functions both as an eBook reader and a notebook.

The Bookcase is a fun accessory that turns your smartphone into a Kindle-like device (Image credit: Astropad)

A case that turns your phone into an ereader

Astropad Bookcase

I recently heard about a Bookcase accessory for the iPhone 16 Pro made by Astropad and wanted to import it from the US. It’s essentially a smartphone accessory designed to make reading on a smartphone feel more like reading on an e-reader. Though it doesn’t turn the smartphone screen into an e-ink display, I liked the concept of an accessory designed to make a phone easier to hold like a book, while also making the reading app of choice more accessible.

The Bookcase is a magnetic attachment with chunky plastic handles on either side of your phone, making it the size and shape of a paperback novel or an e-reader like the Kindle. The company also offers a mobile app (compatible with both Android and iOS). Once you attach your phone to the Bookcase and open your favourite reading app, it temporarily turns off notifications and other distractions, offering a focused reading experience. The Bookcase is available at an affordable price of $39 (approximately Rs 3,291).