Read Twice as Fast with This Dual-Screen E-Reader

Books made of dead tree skin are great and all, but eBooks are just so much more convenient. You can fill up an e-reader with hundreds of them and carry an entire library around with you everywhere you go. But all of the e-readers on the market have a big flaw: one screen. That’s why Martijn’s Diptyx dual-screen e-reader has a big advantage, because it lets you read twice as fast.

Diptyx is an open source e-reader device that unfolds like a book to reveal two 5.83” 648×480-pixel e-ink displays. It runs custom firmware on an ESP32 microcontroller and has dual 1500mAh lithium batteries. Even with all of that hardware, it weighs just 300g (about 10.5 ounces). Diptyx works with standard EPUB files, so compatibility shouldn’t be an issue.

Reading speed jokes aside, this unique dual-screen design has two advantages. First, folding the device closed provides protection for the displays, without the need for a case. Second, the additional screen real estate reduces page changes, which can result in more comfortable reading for some folks. It may also be easier to hold, as the book-like form factor gives you something to grip on to.

Diptyx will launch on Crowd Supply soon, so be sure to subscribe for updates there. And because it is open source, the files should be available for anyone who wants to build their own.