Amazon’s Kindle Gets a Rival—Sort Of! Meet the Bookcase
Last week Amazon quietly launched its first-ever color Kindle, sending shock waves through the e-reader market. Standing on the shoulders of Kindle’s near 80% dominance of the U.S. e-reader market, few competitors have bucked that trend. But a quirkly new tech product, Bookcase, just may find its niche in readers who want Kindle-like experiences without committing to a dedicated e-reader device. This awesome case lets you transform an iPhone-and even some Androids-into an e-reader, giving it the look and feel of a real paper book.
What is Bookcase and How Do You Use It?
Bookcase is a smartphone case designed by Astropad, but it’s not an e-reader. In fact, it’s an amazing solution which lets you hold your phone like a book to have the ultimate Kindle experience. Bookcase is a compact, Kindle-sized design that’s one part plastic magic filling a gap few people knew they had. The idea sounds weird at first, but it very quickly starts making sense: Bookcase combines the comforting simplicity of holding a paperback with the technological convenience of digital reading.
At just $50 ($40 at launch), you can have Bookcase in your hands, a price that might appear a bit steep but includes some features intended to make it pay for itself. Included in the list is a MagSafe mount, which works very well with all iPhones and a good many Android devices. In this way, you can attach your phone firmly to the case, so it looks and functions much like a Kindle.
Beyond the Basics: Bookcase’s Convenient Features
One of the coolest features about Bookcase is the fact that it includes an NFC chip. This takes it out of the realm of being “just a plastic case.” With an NFC chip, this bookshelf can initiate a “companion app” on your phone, and act like a digital bookshelf. No need to browse through applications to find what you are just reading. The NFC technology included in the Bookcase helps you locate books by their app quickly and effortlessly. You can even use the Bookcase to turn on your “Do Not Disturb” feature on your phone, making it perfect for without interruption reading.
Features of Bookcase at a Glance:
- MagSafe Mount: Works with iPhone and most Android devices to easily attach to your phone.
- NFC Chip: Triggers a companion app that enables you to easily access your digital bookshelf.
- Do Not Disturb Integration: Turn off notifications while reading to completely avoid interruptions.
- Discover more Apple devices by learning through the exploration of MagSafe and NFC technology: NFC in handsets.
History of Inventing of Astropad. Moving from Drawing Tablets towards E-Readers:
Astropad is no stranger to reviving stale tech. Since its founding in 2017, Astropad has released software that turns Apple hardware into more functional products, beginning with a product that converted an iPad into a drawing tablet for Mac users. Their most popular product, Luna Display, enabled an iPad to be used as a secondary Mac display – a product so popular that Apple even incorporated something similar to the feature into its ecosystem.
Other Astropad products that have been helping artists and creatives find new uses for their devices include an iPad drawing stand and add-ons that capture the feel of drawing on paper. Bookcase fits well in this list of innovations, appealing to the tech-savvy crowd who’s going to appreciate the value of one product at many times.
Why You Might Actually Want One: The Future of Bookcase
For enthusiastic readers who would like the feel of a book but have no intention to take the plunge of purchasing a Kindle, a bookcase might sound an overstatement. In addition to making reading on the phone far more comfortable than doing it directly on the screen, it also brings some of the specific advantages of having a dedicated e-reader like hands-free reading and apps’ organization. The bookcase sells at a launch price of $40, and this gadget is surprisingly practical for many readers, thanks to coming in at an affordable and versatile gadget.
But if you aren’t ready to finally commit to a Kindle or other stand-alone e-reader, Bookcase is a smart middle ground that lets you have the benefits of an e-reader without adding another device to the clutter you might already be accumulating. Shipping is set for later this year, so just consider it the perfect holiday gift for the book lover in your life.
With Bookcase, Astropad proves creativity can bridge the gap between old-school reading habits and modern technology. Be an on-the-go reader or an e-reader enthusiast, and Bookcase is one of those products that might really surprise you in the best possible way.
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