HACKER Q&A
📣 nitin-pai

Why isn't there a foldable e-ink book reader?


It has been 15 years since Amazon introduced the Kindle and we're still stuck with a single page tablet. Why isn't there a folding or hinged screen ebook reader, so that we can read books the way we've read them for ages?


  👤 suvan Accepted Answer ✓
Portability is probably a big thing, the fact that Kindles are advertised as being significantly thinner than a paper book. There is also just a large lack of innovation in that area, due to the fact that Kindles sell no matter what. Very few improvements are made but new Kindles always perform well.

👤 GianFabien
Perhaps it could be a KickStarter project? As long as it allows you to read all current eBook formats. I wouldn't mind if it could also be used as a tablet.

👤 beardyw
There are hinged paper versions which still work well.


👤 schwartzworld
What would be the point? Books have the shape they do because paper is two-sided, and they are optimized for information density. There's no inherent value to seeing one page next to another, and even less in having a fold.