An Android smartphone and e-reader are two gadgets that many people carry with them. At IFA, TCL is merging the two into one device.
Every day we stare at our smartphone screen for hours. We are bored or want to check the latest news. It’s not really good for your eyes. In fact, it can make you quite tired and if you do it late at night, you may even have trouble falling asleep. TCL offers a solution with a smartphone that is both an e-reader and an Android phone.
But how exactly does it work? WANT had a little hands-on during IFA.
TCL merges an Android smartphone and e-reader
Let’s face it, TCL is not one of the big players when it comes to Android smartphones. Still, it’s interesting to take a look at it. And what turns out? They brought a special device.
TCL has released some Nxtpaper smartphones before, but now there is a new version: the 50 Pro Nxtpaper 5G. This midranger costs 299 euros and has a unique feature. With a slider on the side, you turn the color screen into an e-reader. Ideal for people who love reading and don’t want to buy a separate e-reader.
(Image: WANT/Jeroen Kraak)
If you move the slider, the color screen changes to black and white and vice versa, and it has a real paper feel. This is also because the screen of this Android device has a matte finish. The e-reader screen also reveals other apps that are made primarily for that screen. Think of a book and note-taking app from TCL.
We ourselves were able to test out the e-reader function and it works very well. In a few seconds you go from one mode to another on the Android smartphone. It reads pretty nicely, only in the sun can the screen be just not bright enough. Still, it does remain fairly easy to read.
Even more under the hood
This is a nice feature, but there is more. The 6.8-inch screen has a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Under the hood is the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor and an Arm G57MC2 GPU. The 5010 mAh battery should make the device last a long time. According to TCL, the battery can last as long as 7 days in power saving mode.
The smartphone/e-reader runs on Android 14, but will later get updates to Android 15 and 16. In terms of security, there is also a fingerprint scanner on the side.
As mentioned, this Android device/e-reader costs 299 euros and is already available in several European countries, according to TCL. When and if it will come to the Netherlands remains to be seen. For people who love reading and don’t want to spend too much money on a smartphone, this is certainly an interesting option.
