[hamdingers]

> There are no physical buttons on the front

That's too bad. For whatever reason I find swipe gestures on e-ink annoying. I currently use a Kobo Clara BW and miss dedicated page-turning buttons.

I see they're offering the print files for the case, maybe there will be some pins on the ESP32 exposed somewhere for adding buttons

[tiagod]

I don't like swiping, but kobo supports just a single touch on the right and left edges of the screen for switching pages, and I don't mind that.

[pjerem]

What I love with my pocketbook is that i can hold the thing by placing my right thumb on the "next page" button and my left thumb on the "previous page" button.

To me it's the most amazing feature of an e-reader against the real book : you can read comfortably with 0 movement. You just mindlessly press the buttons that are already under your thumbs to navigate the book.

And the bonus is that it's clicky and instant, which, as strange as it sounds, makes it the only device that I own that make me feel it's magic. Which is a shame because in another timeline, all our tech should be well designed and magical-like.

[Semaphor]

Same for the kindles, but the buttons used to be much better. I'll probably buy a used (they are discontinued) oasis some day just to get buttons.

[wolvoleo]

I don't like that either. Physical buttons with real feedback are so much better.

[Ciantic]

I also have Kobo Clara BW, and don't like swipe gestures, or any gestures whatsoever.

I (now) know why I don't like that, because regular book and magazines, you don't have to think about how you hold it. Your thumb isn't going to magically flick a page by accident if you take a firm grip on it. With gestures only e-ink books, I have to take extra caution how I hold it so that it doesn't trigger something.

[InsideOutSanta]

I guess you can install your own buttons. But yeah, for an e-book reader, this is an unfortunate default.

[kjs3]

Yeah...I stick with my Kindle Oasis for the buttons. I'll wait until/if this gets them; otherwise would have been a no brainer purchase.

[pjerem]

The Xteink 4 has button. Else PocketBook are the kings of buttons (and well placed at that).

[kjs3]

I haven't pulled the trigger on the Xteink because of the back/front light missing, but probably will when they're back in stock. I'll check out the pocketbook as well...thanks for the tip.

[neoden]

They even kind of admit that themselves and offer a remote page turning accessory with buttons for Kobo readers)