I recently bought a KOBO. The Clara 6 Color model. I was considering jailbreaking a Kindle but after doing some reading this model does a lot of the same things you would jailbreak a Kindle for. I can side load various formats from the collection of ebooks I've collected over the years. And I can make a screensaver. This may not be big deal to some, but the screensaver is usually the current book you are reading, and I may not want my coworkers to see me reading a Military field medicine book or cryptid  smut. 

What are some of your guys solutions?

I prefer older large used cellphones. For a few reasons. Models with larger screens (Samsung Note or Ultra are good choices), removable batteries, SD card slot, and a battery charger. Although you can obviously recharge in the phone itself. 

I think optional use cases for bugging out or in a disaster. They are small, you can have several backup precharged batteries, and be able to leave extra batteries charging in your charger with a small solar panel (forgot to mention that - I would invest in a small packable solir panel no matter what you use), the SD card slots allow you to take any amount of docs, files with you, I have something like 11gb of prepper data, books etc. 

This all fits within a relatively small form factor for a device that can draw low power, easily be recharged, immediate backup power in extra batteries, the amount of software you can run is huge - gps still works, mapping apps with downloaded maps, the list is endless. The screen is plenty bug for emergency purposes or just casual reading, watching videos, listening to music, I mean phones have largely replaced computers. You can add an external keyboard and I think bt mouse but have not done that. You can get 15" external monitors for $40. Should you require a larger screen. Although those require alot more power. But doable if you have a battery bank and solar panel. Which can be upscaled or downscaled depending in your needs. 

And all of this is ultimately cheap. You could probably find a new lesser known rugged phone for these purposes as well. Or even ine a generation old for probably just as cheap. 

My current Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 6.8" screen is currently $150 on Amazon. 

But this is more for bugging out in mind. Sounds like you might just be looking for something to use at work. 

Quote from: Moab on November 01, 2025, 12:13:21 AMI prefer older large used cellphones. For a few reasons. Models with larger screens (Samsung Note or Ultra are good choices), removable batteries, SD card slot, and a battery charger. Although you can obviously recharge in the phone itself.

I think optional use cases for bugging out or in a disaster. They are small, you can have several backup precharged batteries, and be able to leave extra batteries charging in your charger with a small solar panel (forgot to mention that - I would invest in a small packable solir panel no matter what you use), the SD card slots allow you to take any amount of docs, files with you, I have something like 11gb of prepper data, books etc.

This all fits within a relatively small form factor for a device that can draw low power, easily be recharged, immediate backup power in extra batteries, the amount of software you can run is huge - gps still works, mapping apps with downloaded maps, the list is endless. The screen is plenty bug for emergency purposes or just casual reading, watching videos, listening to music, I mean phones have largely replaced computers. You can add an external keyboard and I think bt mouse but have not done that. You can get 15" external monitors for $40. Should you require a larger screen. Although those require alot more power. But doable if you have a battery bank and solar panel. Which can be upscaled or downscaled depending in your needs.

And all of this is ultimately cheap. You could probably find a new lesser known rugged phone for these purposes as well. Or even ine a generation old for probably just as cheap.

My current Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 6.8" screen is currently $150 on Amazon.

But this is more for bugging out in mind. Sounds like you might just be looking for something to use at work.

A lot of good points here for sure. And you're right, my ebook reader is more for the day to day. It's in my off body edc. I also leave an old phone loaded with various goodies in my SHTF chest rig. It's a solid plan and I'm glad you mentioned it. I too have a few ebooks on that phone but mostly I have back up identification and music as well as some moral boosting photos. Thanks for contributing. 

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 01, 2025, 10:16:02 AM

Quote from: Moab on November 01, 2025, 12:13:21 AMI prefer older large used cellphones. For a few reasons. Models with larger screens (Samsung Note or Ultra are good choices), removable batteries, SD card slot, and a battery charger. Although you can obviously recharge in the phone itself.

I think optional use cases for bugging out or in a disaster. They are small, you can have several backup precharged batteries, and be able to leave extra batteries charging in your charger with a small solar panel (forgot to mention that - I would invest in a small packable solir panel no matter what you use), the SD card slots allow you to take any amount of docs, files with you, I have something like 11gb of prepper data, books etc.

This all fits within a relatively small form factor for a device that can draw low power, easily be recharged, immediate backup power in extra batteries, the amount of software you can run is huge - gps still works, mapping apps with downloaded maps, the list is endless. The screen is plenty bug for emergency purposes or just casual reading, watching videos, listening to music, I mean phones have largely replaced computers. You can add an external keyboard and I think bt mouse but have not done that. You can get 15" external monitors for $40. Should you require a larger screen. Although those require alot more power. But doable if you have a battery bank and solar panel. Which can be upscaled or downscaled depending in your needs.

And all of this is ultimately cheap. You could probably find a new lesser known rugged phone for these purposes as well. Or even ine a generation old for probably just as cheap.

My current Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 6.8" screen is currently $150 on Amazon.

But this is more for bugging out in mind. Sounds like you might just be looking for something to use at work.

A lot of good points here for sure. And you're right, my ebook reader is more for the day to day. It's in my off body edc. I also leave an old phone loaded with various goodies in my SHTF chest rig. It's a solid plan and I'm glad you mentioned it. I too have a few ebooks on that phone but mostly I have back up identification and music as well as some moral boosting photos. Thanks for contributing.

"moral boosting photos"? Or "morale boosting photos"? Lmao! 

Those are two very different genres. 😉

Size and price are exactly why I like the old phone idea for bug out electronics. They do just as much as a tablet. But are a 5th or 6th the size. Probably longer battery life. Cheaper. And if you can get back to the generations (but a few newer grey market ones do) where they took an external SD card or removable batteries. That gives you alot of functionality. But a battery bank is probably more economical these days. Battery banks have come way down. But the SD card thing gives you an unlimited supply of storage. Hard to beat that one aspect. Especially considering the one thing long term that provides the most value isn't really the apps as much as it is access to information. 

I wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream. 

I'm going to post this as a new thread. 

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 02:12:20 PMI wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream.

I'm going to post this as a new thread.

This guy is bugging out with an actual Cotana

Oh, and morale boosting pics. But Im sure you knew that haha

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 02, 2025, 02:17:26 PM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 02:12:20 PMI wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream.

I'm going to post this as a new thread.

This guy is bugging out with an actual Cotana

Oh, and morale boosting pics. But Im sure you knew that haha

Cotana?

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 11:21:20 PM

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 02, 2025, 02:17:26 PM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 02:12:20 PMI wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream.

I'm going to post this as a new thread.

This guy is bugging out with an actual Cotana

Oh, and morale boosting pics. But Im sure you knew that haha

Cotana?

I think he means Cortana, which always has me thinking of the character from the Halo videogames.

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on November 03, 2025, 12:20:40 AM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 11:21:20 PM

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 02, 2025, 02:17:26 PM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 02:12:20 PMI wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream.

I'm going to post this as a new thread.

This guy is bugging out with an actual Cotana

Oh, and morale boosting pics. But Im sure you knew that haha

Cotana?

I think he means Cortana, which always has me thinking of the character from the Halo videogames.

Yes. That. It's hard to type before bed lol

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 03, 2025, 02:48:28 AM

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on November 03, 2025, 12:20:40 AM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 11:21:20 PM

Quote from: DadbodimusPrime on November 02, 2025, 02:17:26 PM

Quote from: Moab on November 02, 2025, 02:12:20 PMI wonder if we are at the point where you can load an AI client in an old phone? That would be pretty powerful couples with 11gbs of source data to search and use within seconds.

That's always been the one limiting factor about all those prepper files. Finding what you need and using it. AI could turbo charge that into a oreooers dream.

I'm going to post this as a new thread.

This guy is bugging out with an actual Cotana

Oh, and morale boosting pics. But Im sure you knew that haha

Cotana?

I think he means Cortana, which always has me thinking of the character from the Halo videogames.

Yes. That. It's hard to type before bed lol

I had completely forgotten about that. Lol

I'm talking running an ai agent and using prepper books, military manuals, etc - the stuff that makes up our GB's of data we save as source material. If you haven't used AI yet. It could make those GB's of data actually a million times more usable.

For one it can search it in seconds, it can analyze and use it as a basis for other solutions, it could basically make itself an expert in everything prepper related you've ever saved. And then you can ask it any questions you want.

Someone must have done this already. It would be a prepping superpower.

You should check out the xteink readers. No apps, have to load your epubs/txt files via sd card but it uses hardly any battery because of that, is true e-ink, and way cheaper than any mainstream device. A fair bit of flexibility if you boot a non-stock OS like Crosspoint.

I like the Boox line of digital notebooks as ereaders.  They are essentially an Android tablet with an e-ink screen.  Any reader app you can download to an Android phone can be downloaded to a Boox, plus you can also use it as a notebook to write.  

I have both Kindle and Kobo on my Boox device.  I can read epub, pdf, txt, etcetera without modifying the firmware or software at all beyond downloading an app from the app store.  Boox is generally going to be more expensive than your typical reader, though, since it's not just a reader.  

I got Boox for a few reasons.  I have both Kindle and Kobo books, but couldn't read them on a single reader without jailbreaking.  My vision isn't the greatest and most readers are designed to be portable.  I wanted mine big, so I got one of the larger models.  Finally, I can do a lot of the things I would do on a tablet, particularly when it comes to research.  I already had two tablets, but sometimes I run a game on one and a course on the other and prefer another device to look things up on or take notes on.  I had been using my phone, but these sorry eyes have a real hard time with such a small screen.  The Boox acts as another device I can take a course on, look stuff up on, or even take notes on since it is essentially another tablet.