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ZDNET Highlights
- The Durobo Chrono is a smartphone-sized ePaper tablet focused on productivity.
- The Android-based Chrono is supposed to be a distraction-free tool for reading, note taking, and productivity.
- Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Chrono is now available for preorder, with shipping scheduled for late January.
As an avid book lover, I’m a fan of a great e-reader. Yet many of these tools are too limited to truly be a companion tool. That’s why I liked the TCL Nextpaper tablet so much; However, the new Durobo Chrono is here to address that tablet’s only downfall: It’s a pocket e-reader and productivity tool that’s finally available for preorder.
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Admittedly, I am biased. I’ve been using a prototype of the Durobo Chrono for a few months, and it has done what no e-reader has done before: It’s the only one that has replaced my Kindle while traveling. As an adult, I’ve never traveled without my Kindle because I love reading on planes and before bed.
Yet the Durobo Chrono is small and light enough to make an attractive Kindle replacement, and its additional features put it over the top.
Describing the Durobo Chrono as a simple e-reader would be a huge injustice. It’s an e-paper Android tablet that serves as a smartphone-sized productivity tool. Its long battery life and Android-based OS make it more reliable than your average e-reader, even one not as cumbersome or heavy as the Kindle.
“Chrono was built for thinkers and creators who seek mental clarity,” said a Durobo spokesperson. “By combining thoughtful design, open software and intelligent assistance, we are giving people a new kind of digital space – one that helps them focus, reflect and create without distraction.”
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Chrono has a built-in AI assistant that enables easy note recording by simply pressing a button, which then transcribes and summarizes the notes for you – which has proven quite convenient for me as a writer.
The 6.1-inch Carta 1200 HD display supports 300 ppi and color temperature adjustment, and has a rotating dial on the left and a wake button on the right. You can rotate the Smart Dial to adjust the brightness of the display or long press it to instantly record a voice note.
The Durobo Chrono has 128GB of storage, allowing it to handle a wide range of documents, apps, voice recordings, and books. It is commercially available now with a preorder price of $280, and orders will be shipping in late January.
