Amazon’s Kindle is a fantastic device, no matter which of them you select, but unless you have sizable pockets, they’re not super-portable. The Mudita Kompakt, an eReader making the rounds on the crowdfunding circuit, hopes to be the reader you slip into your hip pocket.
The Kompakt is more than ‘just’ an eReader. It performs a dual role by also functioning as a phone, albeit one with an e-Ink display. Those exist, of course, but they tend to be rather pricey. And unavailable in South Africa.
Backing the Mudita Kompakt
The smartphone/eReader will feature a 4.3in 800 x 480 e-ink display that puts it into a similar class as the Kindle. It’s also running MuditaOS K, a pared-back Android operation system that lets the device act as a basic phone. How basic? Well, all of the Google features are stripped out.
The reason for this is that “your data is never shared or monetized by third parties”, according to the project’s creators. There are some basic apps planned — a calculator, camera support for an 8MP lens, an offline maps suite, and meditation and recording apps. The Mudita will charge via USB-C and, as with most e-ink display devices, the 3,300mAh battery should feature a six-day lifespan.
There are other features too. NFC, an IP54 rating, a fingerprint reader, and wireless charging are all coming to the Mudita Kompakt. So is a limited-connectivity mode called Offline+ Mode that physically halts all GSM and microphone access. That’s not a bad feature if you’re an international man of mystery with a taste for reading mysteries all day.
The Mudita Kompakt’s Kickstarter still has a full month to run but it has already scooped up more than $100,000 than it was hoping to raise. It’ll be funded, at any rate, but there’s always the uncertainty about whether it’ll actually make it to market. It probably will.
The only really tricky bit might be the price. Even then, getting in at the crowdfunding stage is the cheaper option. You can back the Mudita Kompakt for R5,750 (300 Euros) and still lay your hands on one or you can wait for everyone else to take the risk and pay the full retail price for one later. Full-price is expected to be about R8,500. At that point, buy a Kindle. Or two.