Summary
- Open Book Touch prioritizes reading: no accounts, no tracking, no DRM — drop EPUBs on microSD and read.
- Hardware and software are open: user‑replaceable battery, 3D‑printable case, and open-source Focus UI.
- Crowdfunds at $149–$249; community forums, docs, and repos invite tinkering and long-term ownership.
Amazon keeps locking down the Kindle, making it harder to sideload books or use your device your way. If you’re tired of feeling like a guest in your own library, the Open Book Touch is here to set you free.
Open Book Touch helps you reclaim your library
It’s a device designed for the user, here’s why
The Open Book Touch, currently funding on Crowd Supply, is a pocketable, 4.26-inch e-reader designed with a singular philosophy: it is for reading, not for data collection. Unlike a Kindle, there is no mandatory account registration, no tracking, and absolutely no DRM. You are the sole administrator of your library. Simply drop your EPUB or plain text files onto a microSD card, and they appear on your shelf, ready to read. Because the device doesn’t “phone home,” nobody can reach in and delete a book you own or alter your reading history.
It’s currently raised $42,119 toward its $45,000 goal, with 35 days to go. It ends on Aug 20, 2026 at 04:59 PM PDT, and prices range from $149–$249. I love the fact that it’s focused on perfecting the reading experience — no browser, no notifications, no doomscrolling. The front light is adjustable and easy on the eyes, so you can read anywhere, anytime. Perhaps without the distractions, I’ll finally stick to my New Year’s goal of reading more this year.
The hardware is just as open as the software. You can swap the battery yourself, and the case is 3D-printable. The files are all there for you. It uses a bespoke C++ application framework called Focus, which is also open-sourced, inviting the community to hack, fork, and iterate on the interface. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual reader, this is a really accessible device to tinker with. It’s really refreshing to see this, after so many years of locked-down, proprietary ecosystems.
Another benefit to using this device is the Open Book Touch community. There are active forums, detailed documentation, and public code repositories where anyone can contribute, collaborate, or seek help in tinkering with your device.
While mainstream e-readers have become increasingly locked-down, the Open Book Touch lets you own your books in perpetuity, rather than a rental system. As the industry continues to move toward more closed, subscription-based models, this project stands as a necessary reminder that your tech should serve you, not the corporation that sold it to you.
