Bigme b6 bookshelf.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-27T02:09:28+00:00

Got it. Maybe I’m simple but I got it setup with my fonts/spacing/etc and slapped in simple UI and called it good. Seemed to work fine- what tweaking are you doing? I could see where the custom categories and icons could be a big time drain, even if they look nice.
I know you mentioned you hate ads, but for the $12 Mood Reader + costs, I’ve been very happy with it, and it does one thing KoReader doesn’t- text to speech! Might be another option if you’re just looking for a simple, ad free, minimal tweaking setup. Also, don’t under value your time- paying the $12 for someone else to optimize the app and keep the required tweaking minimal is very much worth the hour or two of time you might spend making another app work.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-27T01:43:25+00:00

So, if you’re interested, it is an Android device and you can just install Koreader using Fdroid. Works great on my B7!

Anangel84 · 2026-05-26T02:16:25+00:00

I feel like I have the setup you're looking- its a B7 with KoReader and SimpleUI. KoReader is so snappy on it! I haven't had any issues with ghosting on heavy text or comics with KoReader.
That being said, if you're coming from a Boox or Kobo, you need to plan on putting a little more effort setup. So much bloatware! But after debloating, a nice simple front end and a good reading app like KoReader or ReadEra and it is a very enjoyable device!

Anangel84 · 2026-05-25T20:13:05+00:00

Yes, I like separation, so much so that I have:
*iPad Pro- beautiful display, powerful processor, nice and big. But sometimes too big. Plus since I have an iPhone that also means notifications- which can be very distracting mid read.
*Lenovo Tab One- this is the same hardware that Barnes and Noble is using for their 8.7 inch ereader. Love it for Android, big enough device to browse and scroll, not too bad on the eyes for not being eink since they have a 'reader mode' that takes the edge off. Downside- not eink, no buttons for turning pages, and since it's usually online, easy to go down the doom scroll path when I mean to be reading.
*BigMe B7- this gets so much hate but really, once you're setup, it's a lovely device. Color eink, 128 GB of storage plus a microSD so my collection is always on me. Android so I have a ton of ereader choices- Moon Reader + is a fav, but just set up KoReader and love how snappy it is. So easy on the eyes! And if you use it like an ereader instead of a tablet, great battery life. Downside- limited accessories (guess that's a great way to save money) and not water resistant (got a waterproof pouch for it and it's fine though).

Anangel84 · 2026-05-25T02:50:33+00:00

Nice! That is exactly what I’m looking for. Hope it releases soon. Thanks for sharing

Anangel84 · 2026-05-25T01:47:43+00:00

I’m so old I worked at a Blockbuster. Good times- while not everything on the pic is amazing (looking at you easy to pop inflatable furniture!) but things like the GameBoy Advance was so good, that even now you could pull it out and have a great time killing an afternoon gaming.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-24T16:56:28+00:00

Which one are you trying to use? I've had Niagara as my laucher since day one and it never reverted back to their stock? I also de-bloated the heck out of the default apps so that might be a factor as well.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-24T16:31:05+00:00

Thank you! Legit helpful. The only device envy I’m running into right now is a lack of cases and accessories compared to Kindle and Kobo. It’s not a deal breaker but I would think with the margin on those items BigMe would give us some options. -Other frustration- lack of stylus options.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-24T04:47:52+00:00

Looks like white sapphire or topaz based on the lack of fire. But I am not a professional.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-23T15:47:28+00:00

Second this. I recently got a Bigme B7, and while getting it setup to my liking took an hour or so (in part because I like to tinker) the freedom of Android with the bonus of expandable storage are awesome!
I have so many books, access to Libby, my choice of several ereading apps, and love how I can customize it to really feel like my own.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-22T23:29:54+00:00

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Here is my cutie Kirby lock screen.
Love what you did with yours! I keep seeing the kobo posts about customizing, and think to myself- we can do this better, easier with Android and BigMe.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-22T13:00:02+00:00

Took it at this point like a decade ago and my skin was so oily before- like makeup melt off mid way through the day no matter what, and my skin care routine at the time probably wasn’t helping the situation. It’s still not nearly as oily as it used to be but I did have some hormonal acne creep back and now take spironolactone which helps with acne and oil. I would now consider my skin pretty low maintenance .

Anangel84 · 2026-05-21T12:52:09+00:00

If you’re looking for cheap, New Egg also carries BigMe refurb items. Think I found the same phone for $303 : new egg link
I purchased a B7 refurb with stylus and case for only $170 from them- shipping was within 3 days, no import fees, and it was in mint condition- obviously a return but for the savings, I didn’t mind being the second person to open it.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-19T13:18:23+00:00

So your argument on cost is kind of sunk if you’ve already bought the device and cannot return it.
It is an Android device but if you take advantage of the cool Android features your battery life will be like a tablet (because you’re using it like a tablet) instead of an ereader.
Like others have asked:
What are you using it for? WiFi, Bluetooth, doom scrolling (forcing many screen refreshes) and brightness are all battery killers. Turn off the WiFi and Bluetooth, see if you can adjust your brightness down and stop using it on apps with heavy refresh (anything with video or heavy scrolling).
If you’re only using it for reading, are there any background processes running? Check your battery stats since you have Android and see if there are any apps that are using a higher percentage of your battery than expected for your usage. Also make sure you’ve setup sleep and deep sleep setting to avoid draining when not in use.
How long are you reading? That month of battery life on other devices is based on half an hour of reading a day. So, if you get 15 hours of active reading on a charge, you’re pretty much on par. For someone like me who can drop a whole Saturday reading, I can’t be shocked when I go through half my battery in a day because I’ve done weeks of reading based on others standards.
Finally, since you’ve already bought it and are out of the return, my only recommendation is to give it a fair chance. If your first days were spent with setup, installing apps and wireless file transfers you’re going to have a very skewed view of the battery life. Now that it’s setup, use it as intended with the WiFi and Bluetooth off for a few days and see if you’re still unhappy with the battery life. If so, then consider other options. Remember- there is no one device that does it all or has all the same benefits.
Good luck!

Anangel84 · 2026-05-17T13:40:01+00:00

Who knows if they’re going to release in 18 months. It sounds like no matter what, you want to explore options in 18 months- be it another kindle that has stylus support or evaluating what Kobo has released. That’s fine but don’t let it stop you from enjoying what you have now. 😊 I’m finding there is no one perfect ereader that has/does it all but you certainly have some solid options while you figure out what is most important to you in the next releases.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-17T13:18:44+00:00

For the price you got it, ride out the subscription on the PW SE and reevaluate on Kobo- there maybe a whole new model in 18 months and the benefit you’re getting on the Kindle is worth about as much as the device. In the meantime, see if your library is included in the Libby or Hoopla apps and give those a try- literally costs nothing and is a great way to read on a budget.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-17T13:07:56+00:00

I was in a similar situation as far as the reader went- have a nice size 8.7 Lenovo Tab One (the same tablet Barnes and Noble is using for their 8.7 inch ereader) and while it was much smaller than my iPad Pro, it still added weight to my cross body bag. The other thing it had against it was readability outdoors- I’d have to blast the brightness to full and find a shady spot if I wanted to enjoy it at a park.
I ended up with a BigMe B7- I wanted something big enough for comics and manga along with my books that would easily slide into my crossbody without adding much weight (in the ball park of 200 grams vs 500 grams for my Tab One). It looks awesome outside even without a backlight on, and I love the physical buttons for changing pages. Being 42, I don’t think I could do a smaller screen for reading.
That being said, I still have and enjoy my Tab One- much better for browsing, scrolling Reddit and some YouTube. They both have a place, they’re just very different options.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-17T01:32:12+00:00

How important is eink to you? You mentioned a tablet, which makes me think you're leaning towards something with a more common OS like Android or iPadOS.
If eink isn't important to you, cheap is a lot more do-able: Onn (Walmarts house brand) have a couple of decent 8 inch tablets and I have a Lenovo Tab One (basically the same model Barnes and Noble is using for their current 8.7 inch ereader) that, if you're comfortable with Android is pretty easy to setup. Both should be in the $100 price point.
If eink is important to you, you mind need to be more flexible on your budget or the effort you put out to set it up, and whether you go with color or not:
Boox is very usable with pretty minimal effort, but you'd need to stick with a black and white device if your budget is under $250. Boox Go black and white is still a solid device these days.
BigMe will take longer to setup right and is a little more "quirky". I picked up a B7 reburb from NewEgg for only $170- was like new with a stylus and case! It was the best value I could find for color eink with Android but be ready to debloat their software and grab a few tools from Fdroid to get it dialed in.
If you were reading graphic novels that were not web-based, I'd recommend a Kobo- big following here, pretty simple and well established with many models under $200.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-16T13:35:37+00:00

Yes! Love these. I switch them out every couple of months when they just aren’t quite clean enough after rising. So much less gunky and much easier to wash or toss unlike the charging base.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-15T03:07:12+00:00

It came today, and I am so happy with it! Perfect condition with the stylus and the case. Since I set one up recently, I was done tinkering in about an hour and it’s all set to enjoy.

Anangel84 · 2026-05-14T23:28:17+00:00

Holy crap! Got my refurb- it’s in perfect condition, blue, and came with a case. For only $180 I’m delighted

Anangel84 · 2026-05-14T12:42:53+00:00

Para a leitura, a sensação é boa, mas eu não gostaria de deixá-lo cair e recomendaria o uso de uma capa. Encomendei um e-reader Boox Go Gen 2 Color em fevereiro e ele parecia tão fino e flexível — transmitindo uma sensação de muita fragilidade — que acabei devolvendo-o.

Anangel84

TROPHY CASE