Few devices have struck me so positively as the Viwoods Carta which is likely a device you have not heard of until now.

I have been searching for a decent e-ink phone for some time and so far have returned the Boox Palma and TCL 60 Ultra in my quest for a device that can do specific things without the need to cause tiredness through the screen. The Carta will not be returned and I knew that in the first five minutes of ownership.

In terms of hardware, it is beautifully made and feels like one single brick of metal with a non-obtrusive screen dominating the front. It is roughly the same size as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but is only 6.7mm tall and 138 grams in weight. This makes for an easy to hold and feather-like experience that somehow still feels solid throughout. This also applies to the keys which offer a clicking sensation way ahead of ‘any’ phone I have tried to date.

At the core of the device is Android 16 which requires a couple of tweaks to get everything, such as the Play Store, working properly, but the advantage is that you end up with a highly flexible solution that is also an excellent reader. Too many of these devices try to do everything as smoothly as a phone and they then become self-defeating because you end up with a poor phone experience thanks to the e-ink, but here we have a device that truly feels like a reader. It just happens to be able to do other things.

If you want a reader that does not cause eye strain and which is super pocketable look no further. With Kindle, Kobo and any other reader software you like available, you can carry your whole library with you. Throw in read it later apps such as Instapaper and the options become endless. It is hard to put my finger on why, but even at such a small size I get the same immersive feeling when reading as I do on my Kobo Libra Colour. It’s really weird, but it is perfectly readable and I have been keeping up my reading volume. The Kobo is in trouble.

For me, I need only a few things from a second phone (the iPhone is staying of course) and that is reading, email, phone, email, Reddit and WhatsApp. I don’t want anything else- I need to get away from my phone as much as possible while retaining the basics just in case.

As you can see there is not too much of the Kobo screen that is available above the Carta. The difference in size between the devices is substantial and while the Kobo is light and has a much better battery life it is hard to justify the lack of portability compared to the Carta. It even competes on the button front because the Carta volume keys can be used to page turn. The Kobo really is in trouble.

There is a strange oddity with the buttons. They are built so well and have one of the nicest clicking sounds I have ever heard, but that sound is quite audible so you will likely swipe the screen if you are reading in bed next to your better half. The fact that the screen is so slim does ensure that swiping feels natural though which helps.

In the box you get a USB charging cable which is braided, a quick start guide, a SIM tool and a very thin plastic back case. The case is perfectly suited to the Carta and adds virtually no weight or extra dimensions which is a bonus, but it would be useful to have a more in-depth manual available digitally because some knowledge is needed to get the most out of it.

You will not be using the Carta for comics or graphic novels unless you are under 30 and have the eyes for it, and PDFs etc could be problematic, but for normal reading, email etc it works very well indeed. AI is heavily touted here and there is even a dedicated button for it plus an annoying unremovable Knowledge Base widget on the Home Screen that takes up roughly 40% of the screen space. Using an alternative launcher solves the problem though and I believe that it is possible to hack this button for another use. I have used it sparingly so far, but support is built in for a lot of AI engines.

I also haven’t made a phone call with the Carta yet or even tried a SIM card, but I will at some point. There is no speaker so paired Bluetooth headphones will be needed and the lack of a camera is also an interesting omission. This makes sense to me because it helps to keep the device extremely slim and most devices of this type ship with substandard cameras anyway.

So, the Carta has proved to be an extremely positive product in my eyes because it feels charming and a highly personal device to use. It is hard for tech to be charming, but Viwoods has achieved it with ease. This will change how I read books and has the added bonus of easing anyone off of the constant phone scrolling that is all too common. This is BRILLIANT, it really is.

Categories: Books, Product Reviews