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Open-source Crosspoint firmware upgrades $70 Xteink X3 e-reader with Libby access and reading stats
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A $69 credit-card-sized e-reader from an unknown Chinese brand has drawn a community building open-source firmware that adds library access and reading features to otherwise basic hardware.
The Xteink X3 shows that hardware hackers will rally around cheap, simple devices when the form factor solves a real problem. Crosspoint firmware compensates for poor vendor software, turning a finicky gadget into a usable reader with library integration. For engineers, it is a case study in how community firmware can rescue underwhelming hardware.
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The Xteink X3 is a 3.7-inch magnetic e-reader that attaches to the back of a phone and sells for $69 on Amazon, where it tops the hot new releases list for e-readers.
Community-built open-source firmware called Crosspoint adds reading stats, font options, screenshots, and Libby library access to the device's otherwise limited stock software.
The device ships without a touchscreen, backlight, or color display, and its preloaded software cannot display book covers or properly format some text.
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