TL;DR
- DuRoBo has unveiled its Krono E-Ink tablet at IFA Berlin, calling it an “AI-powered ePaper Focus Hub.”
- The device combines a 6.13-inch E-Ink Carta 1200 display (300ppi) with AI note capture, audio playback, and open Android.
- It is available for Kickstarter pre-sale now for €279.99, with shipping expected in November 2025.
Most e-readers stick to the basics: an E-Ink screen, a bookstore tie-in, and enough battery to survive a long vacation. At IFA 2025, DuRoBo debuted a more ambitious device, the Krono, pitched as an “AI-powered ePaper Focus Hub.” This is either a mouthful of marketing or a peek at where these types of devices are indeed headed.
On paper (pun intended), the specs look solid. The Krono features a 6.13-inch Carta 1200 HD display at 300ppi with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it runs on an octa-core processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, a big jump from the 1GB RAM and 16GB storage you’ll find on most e-readers like a Kindle or Kobo. Powering those beefier internals is a 3,950mAh battery, though DuRoBo hasn’t shared an actual usage estimate.
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You’ll also find Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C charging, stereo speakers, and dual microphones, the latter powering something a little more unique. On the side of the device, a rotating wheel doubles as a tactile control and a shortcut for “Spark,” the device’s AI-powered note capture tool. Hold it down, and you can dictate voice memos that the Krono will transcribe and summarize. Meanwhile, the built-in speakers (or any connected Bluetooth buds) let the Krono pull double duty as an audio player for podcasts, audiobooks, or music. Together with normal reading and note-taking features, these tools place it somewhere between a Kindle and a pocket-sized media hub.
Like other e-readers, it offers adjustable front lighting for reading in any environment. However, unlike many popular picks, it runs Android 13, meaning users can load up third-party apps and their preferred e-book platforms rather than being shackled to a single store. DuRoBo also layers in a minimalist UI that aims to create a calm, distraction-free experience, though whether that’s accurate or just another app launcher is unclear.
The Krono is available for pre-sale on Kickstarter starting today. Units are expected to ship in November 2025. DuRoBo says commercial availability will follow later this year, priced at about €279.99 (~$327)
If nothing else, it’s refreshing to see a new face in the e-reader crowd. Whether the Krono ends up a productivity powerhouse or just another smart device asking for your voice notes is something we’ll have to see when it ships.
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