So Much Better than a DUMB Phone - Bigme HiBreak

This is an e-ink smartphone. It's a device I have been waiting for as a great opportunity to make me less reliant on the attention hog which is my foldable OLED monster, the Z Fold.

And here is the inknote X as mentioned in the video:

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[KitBetts-Masters]

I'd love to hear what you all think of the phone and the concept in general:

And here is the inknote X as mentioned in the video:

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[svartling]

Just use a phone in a sling bag or pocket and then use the onyx Boox Palma click connect on Bluetooth settings when you need internet. So easy and works great. No compromises.

[NeilLavitt]

I'm thinking twice about these kinds of devices. The issue for me is notification management and usage availability. A phone becomes a nuisance when it is too available. While at school, I leave my phone in my office and use my watch, which has cellular. It is only set to notify me about essential calls from the school office and my Director. Everything else goes to voicemail which I address when I return to the office.. I try to do that at home to model that to my teenage son, but sometimes it breaks down. We now have a new right to not being disturbed policy with school, so I'm looking at devices locked away for the evening approach. It is horrible how addicted we have become to these devices and the internet.

I use an e-ink device—an old Kindle Oasis—just to read. If I had this on the phone, I would be too easily distracted again if I pulled it out to read. I think I'm more into purpose-use devices, though ReMarkable hasn't got me yet. ;) I'm thinking carefully about a Boox device to replace the Kindle.

[vishalkumar]

Ya got this phone a few weeks back, and I was surprised to see how far eink devices have come. I went for the color version because for navigation, color screens, I found it much better than grayscale. My only complaint with the device is the low dpi for the color version.

[kanelupis]

Regarding your fold. It's just the screen protector. I had the same problem. Just Peel it off gently and you'll be good to go.

[RobZakaria]

I have the B&W version. I think its better resolution and the matte screen gives an overall better experience

[paulhorn]

There are a lot of Banking Apps, that do not require Biometric identification, but use a Password or Passphrase.

[kainech]

I never set up a fingerprint reader on a device, but the lack of a headphone jack is usually a killer on almost anything, especially a phone.

[amandawilson]

This honestly seems like a good first phone for an adolescent that allows a parent to stay in contact but is distraction free and easier on the eyes

[macjim]

I’m currently awaiting delivery of the Light Phone 3 that I have on pre-order and should get it in January next year. It comes with an NFC chip for payments, a 50mp camera, a personal hotspot and a monochrome display that is not e-ink… the plan is to keep my iPhone for now to use as a camera, and an MP3 player, and for payments until I get the bank set up on the LP3.
I’m really looking forward to getting it as I don’t like the way mobile phones are going with the AI stuff etc. but I also want it for distraction free use too… if I can find a pocketable camera and a separate MP3 player, then I might even sell off the iPhone too 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[rjsheffer]

Got it. Set it up as a field noter and built it a case.
So I guess I'm keeping it

[Change-]

Thanks for this. I have really been considering one of these doe the road, but think B&W and maybe something like the Minimal Phone would be even better.

[rjsheffer]

Thanks for the tip about open camera it does work much better on these devices than the native camera app.

[porvoonosho]

Thank you!

I think I'll go with the Android 14 version... Let's hope it has a fingerprint reader.

[nightshade]

I put a matte screen protectors on inside and outside screens of my fold 6 and it has transformed the device, it's soooo much more usable now, especially paired with its high nit screen when outside, it's amazing, kindle is awesome in this setup, without sacfricing things like youtube and gaming

[annvoy]

I wouldn't do any security-relevant tasks like banking on a device that doesn't have the latest Android version on it any way, so a Bigme phone wouldn't need any biometrics for me either. However, being an international traveller I'd need my phone to be my personal organizer, which is why an e-ink phone would probably never be able to replace my LED Android phone. I'd rather carry my 7.8" Boox Nova Air with me for reading and importantly note-taking than a Palma or Bigme phone.

Kit, have you had screen issues previously on Fold devices? Do they really just last about a couple of years? I'd love a Fold but apart from the price, battery life and lesser camera specs the screen issues have been an additional worry for me, too.

[r]

It is late 2024 and they come out with a phone running android 11 and without biometrics...

[BrianHartman]

It looks like it might be a good e-reader, or maybe as a music player. I don't think it makes sense to use as a phone, though. It's missing too much. The lack of biometrics and NFC is a pretty big deal. If the battery could last for weeks like a Kindle, I think I could overlook the shortcomings -- particularly because it's so much cheaper than your average smartphone. I could even forgive the lack of NFC, since I have a watch I can make payments with at registers and such. But without the outrageous battery life of a dedicated e-reader, the only advantage I see here is the screen being easier on the eyes. And I just don't think that's worth it for all you give up.

And I think this leads to my problem with "minimalist" e-ink smartphones like this in general: They either strip back the features so you *can't* use them for smartphone things, or they make it cumbersome to do smartphone things so that you don't *want* to use them as much.

I understand the desire to not be distracted by one's phone. But you can solve that by turning off notifications and silencing your phone. The idea that you'd need a whole different device just to do that is strange to me.

[dr.riquelme]

Hi, thanks for the initial review, do you think it's worth waiting for the Palm from BOOX with sim card? I have a BOOX 10.3 and it would be great to have some functional ecosystem

[rjsheffer]

It has GPS
it has a camera
If you can pair it with a touch screen pressure sensitive pen... What would be not to like..would be
the perfect pocket device for field data collection.
It would replace the S6c because of the GPS.