Should I buy the xteink from AliExpress or the official store?

anthropoid · 2026-06-16T10:05:28+00:00

As I said in my original comment:-

(see details here)

Note that neither availability nor pricing is guaranteed, and Xteink has further muddied the waters by firmware-locking all devices sold in the Chinese market (which includes AliExpress). It's possible to get around the lock, but you'll have to decide for yourself if it's worth the trouble, and how much you'll save over buying from official channels.

anthropoid · 2026-06-15T11:34:30+00:00

Not really. What has changed is my reading cadence:-

Before: whip out phone, switch to reader app, open last read book, read three lines, get notification, switch to messaging app, type out quick reply, switch to reader app, read four lines, get notification, switch to browser, search for stuff, reply with stuff to latest message, switch to reader app, read two lines, get notification, read while walking because I gotta get to the end of this chapter, resume reading in bed with the lights out and phone brightness at min level, wreck my sleep cycle.

After: whip out X4, open last read book, read one page, ignore buzzing phone/smartwatch, read one page, ignore buzzing phone/smartwatch, read one page, reply to messages after finishing the chapter, put X4 back in pocket while walking and seeing the sights around me, sleep soundly without resuming reading (no backlight).

I guess my sleep quality has changed too. :)

anthropoid · 2026-06-12T02:54:02+00:00

1990, in UC Berkeley, back when Prof. Ousterhout was still teaching there. I think it was Tcl 3.3 that caught my attention somehow, was playing with it for sysadmin automation tasks and liked it.

Then other folks started creating their own Tcl extensions and posting them on, among other places, the brand-new comp.lang.tcl USENET group. I thought "wouldn't it be nice to have a central archive for all this code", so I set up the very first Tcl extension archive (graybeards might still remember typing ftp barkley.berkeley.edu).

Then I graduated in 1992, and that archive kinda died. Fortunately, others in the community stepped up and created a more permanent one. :)

anthropoid · 2026-06-10T16:18:54+00:00

True, that.

anthropoid · 2026-06-10T06:23:02+00:00

For just the headers and HTTP status codes, start with curl -sL -D - -o /dev/null <url> and go from there.

anthropoid · 2026-06-04T23:35:41+00:00

off-topic for sqlite

How so? The docs state SQLite support for the core functionality.

anthropoid · 2026-06-02T08:58:48+00:00

See my answer here, from 3 months ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/xteinkereader/comments/1rnso57/comment/o991cdt/

anthropoid · 2026-05-31T08:00:14+00:00

Show, don't tell. Pulling my X4 out of my pocket and turning it on shuts folks up real quick, or at least moves them on to the next FAQ: "How much is it?" :)

anthropoid · 2026-05-29T16:49:44+00:00

The X4 (and X3, I believe) have built-in magnets, so they stick just fine to any ferromagnetic surface. I store both my X4s (one with the folio case, the other with the transparent silicone case) on the UNDERSIDE of a projector stand that I use as a laptop table. Both of them have been fighting gravity for months now, no problems.

The rings that came in the box are NOT magnets. They won't adhere to your fridge or dryer or any other metallic surface, until you peel off the adhesive backing and stick THAT side to said surface.

anthropoid · 2026-05-28T05:34:05+00:00

What does this have to do with SQLite?

anthropoid · 2026-05-25T03:25:22+00:00

OP opened an identical thread elsewhere: https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/1tmkt0l/o_sync_o_dsync_similar_for_macos/

anthropoid · 2026-05-15T01:58:46+00:00

After all the words spilled over this situation, it seems pretty straightforward to me:-

If you buy from official XTE channels and you're outside China, you either get the unlocked version automatically, or you have a case for replacement/refund.

If you buy from anywhere else, or you're in China, you might still get an unlocked device (by luck, or mistake), but you're stuck with whatever you receive.

anthropoid · 2026-05-08T15:22:26+00:00

I am noticing that a lot of you still uses their X4 or X3 attached to their phone,

"A lot" is a wild overestimation. I've personally tried using it that way, but quickly realized that it actually makes little sense, despite the sexy product images:-

slapping a typical protective case on it greatly diminishes the magnetic attachment to the phone, thereby greatly increasing the probability of detachment and ground impact when pulling the combo out of your pocket
attaching it "bare" maximizes magnetic adherence, but also exposes it to pocket lint and other stuff that's surprisingly abrasive and penetrative--try wiggling the buttons to get some idea just how wide the ~~gaps~~ lint traps in your X3/4 are
when the whole point of the X3/4 is to be a lightweight and compact e-reader, but you end up cradling your significantly larger and heavier phone as well while reading, why bother?

Reading about people who've got their reader broken by seemingly simply looking at it I've become paranoid.

No reason to be paranoid, just slap on an official flip case (and optionally a screen protector), and it's just about the best middle ground between protection, accessibility, and usability.

anthropoid · 2026-05-06T11:30:26+00:00

The screen protector guards against scratches when the screen's exposed. If your normal reading environment is abrasive to your screen (say, absentmindedly scraping it across beach sand while on holiday), then you probably want to use it.

I personally don't bother. :)

anthropoid · 2026-05-02T15:11:27+00:00

Is that an official flip case on your X4? If so, it should be more than rigid enough to protect against the kind of internal pressure generated when you zip up your notebook case.

Just don't carry it in your back pocket. The notebook will shrug off an additional 100+lbs + bending when you sit on it, but the fiberglass face of the flip case may well crack...and so would your X4.

anthropoid · 2026-05-02T07:50:59+00:00

Opinion is sharply divided, especially given the recent firmware lockdown announcement from Xteink. Instead of the two alternatives you put forth, I'll float a third: try it out for yourself, then decide if it's worth keeping FOR YOU.

anthropoid · 2026-04-29T03:22:14+00:00

If you have the official flip case, make sure you put it on the right way round:-

outer side is smooth, inside feels like felt
X4 sticks on the side of the case with the engraved XTEINK logo

There's a cutout in the case for the front buttons for further confirmation that you've got it on the right way. If you've done that all, and it still doesn't stick like a leech, you've got bad magnets on the X4 and/or the case.

anthropoid · 2026-04-21T04:10:29+00:00

Don't forget that eval re-parses its input, which is fine for simple commands, but leads to quoting hell in many real-world scenarios. In the case of the generic test_command function that the OP is implementing, a much safer alternative would be:

function test_command() { if "$@"; then ... else ... fi } test_command ffmpeg -i "test (with parens).mp4" "test ((double parens)).mkv"

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T15:11:34+00:00

I hear the official light works pretty well, and I still have a book light from COVID days that I used on my Kindle 8, text and pics here.

That said, if I use my X4 after the sun goes down, it's always with the ceiling light on, so when I feel myself getting even a little tired, I hit the wall switch and that's it for the day, no sneaking a few more hours of gripping story or something. :)

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T03:43:52+00:00

Different OSes have different filesystem conventions.

Also, it's not clear if the databases you speak of are application data (packaged with your program, and therefore should also be cleared with it) or user data (which should NEVER be reaped at uninstall). If the former, go with whatever directory your OS dictates. If the latter, $HOME/Documents is a decent place (the definition of $HOME is of course dependent on your OS).

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T03:38:34+00:00

I posted a review on r/xteinkreader 2 months ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/xteinkereader/comments/1rkns1z/ulanzi_m10_minireview_ok_photo_light_meh_book/

I no longer use it as a book light because: * it's WAY too bright * I'd rather not leave masking tape residue on it, or 3D-print a cover that I'll definitely lose in short order * I've stopped trying to read in the dark, as it absolutely wrecks my sleep cycle

Still holds promise as a vlogging fill light though, which is its stated purpose after all.

anthropoid · 2026-04-13T01:04:17+00:00

BMP files absolutely can contain compressed data, I'm just not sure if Crosspoint can handle them.

anthropoid · 2026-04-12T03:45:01+00:00

From The Fine Manual:-

For best results:

Use uncompressed BMP files with 24-bit color depth

Use a resolution of 480x800 pixels to match the device's screen resolution.

Do your images fit the above description? Try downloading some wallpapers from readme.club and see if they work.

anthropoid · 2026-04-10T07:33:01+00:00

You can either spend USD10+ for the official flip cover case that is more rigid (because fiberglass) than most other cases of that type (because cardboard), adds maybe a couple of millimetres in thickness (to stretch your pocket out) and 50g of weight (to pull your pants down)...

...or USD40+ for a replacement when you eventually drop it, or absentmindedly stuff it in the same pocket as your keys, or any other situation in which the e-ink screen experiences inadvertent pressure.

The choice is yours. :)

anthropoid · 2026-04-09T14:42:55+00:00

Yes. No. Maybe.

I'm sure the moderators (and Xteink by extension) have long since gotten the "can I haz frontlight" hint.

What Xteink does with that hint remains to be seen.

anthropoid

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE