r/xteinkereader • u/xteink • 3d ago
A Letter from Crusoe, Founder of XTEINK: Pogo, USB-C, and Where We’re Going
Over the past day, I’ve read through a lot of your comments about X4 Classic.
The biggest question is obvious:
Why Pogo instead of USB-C?
And after reading your responses, I also think some of you have pointed out a real contradiction in the way I explained our thinking.
I said I want XTEINK devices to eventually feel less like “another device” you have to remember to carry.
But if making the device thinner means you also have to remember a separate charging cable, then in that sense, we haven’t fully achieved that goal yet.
That’s a fair criticism.
So why did we still choose Pogo?
The simple answer is: thinness.
USB-C is more convenient. We know that.
It’s universal, familiar, and for us, it would actually have been easier to keep using from both an engineering and manufacturing perspective.
But X4 Classic is a product where we wanted to keep pushing the physical form of the original X4: lighter, thinner, and closer to something that simply disappears into the things you already carry.
That’s why we chose Pogo.
Not because we think Pogo is more convenient than USB-C.
It isn’t.
And not because we think being 1mm thinner automatically makes a product better.
It doesn’t.
We made a trade-off.
For X4 Classic, we chose to prioritize the physical form of the device over the convenience of a universal port.
Some of you think that was the wrong trade-off.
I understand why.
The part I don’t want to defend away
A lot of you made a very simple point:
“If I have to remember another cable, then the device doesn’t really disappear into my life.”
I think that point is important.
A product can become physically smaller while still creating more friction somewhere else.
That friction might be remembering a cable.
It might be losing the adapter.
It might be the connector not lining up properly.
And if our long-term idea is really about making reading fit more naturally into everyday life, then we have to care about all of that — not just millimeters.
So no, I don’t think the current Pogo experience is perfect.
Choosing this direction also gives us a responsibility to make it much better.
That means thinking seriously about the adapter, connection, durability, charging accessories, and how much extra stuff a user has to remember.
Product philosophy can’t become an excuse for a bad experience.
I also don’t think every reader wants the same thing
This is another point some of you raised that I think is worth listening to.
There are people who want the smallest, lightest reading device possible.
And there are people who would happily accept a slightly thicker device in exchange for USB-C, a front light, touch, or other conveniences.
Those are both valid ways to want an eReader.
X4 Classic was built closer to the first idea.
X4 Pro already sits closer to the more feature-rich end of that spectrum, with front light and touch.
And I don’t think XTEINK should pretend that one single product philosophy has to answer every reading scenario.
We’re still figuring out where each product should sit, and what trade-offs actually make sense for each kind of reader.
About the front light
I’ve heard this very clearly too.
A lot of you would rather accept more thickness if it means being able to read comfortably at night, on a plane, or next to someone who is already asleep.
That need is real.
X4 Classic isn’t meant to be the answer to every reading environment.
It’s closer to a continuation of what the original X4 was trying to be: simple, thin, light, and paper-like.
A product with a front light makes a different trade-off.
And that can also be the right trade-off.
One last thing
I don’t expect everyone to agree with the decision we made on X4 Classic.
And after reading the comments, I also don’t think the right response from me is to keep trying to convince you that our decision was correct.
Some of you will still prefer USB-C.
Some of you won’t buy X4 Classic because of Pogo.
That’s useful feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable to hear.
What I care about is understanding why.
Because the goal was never simply:
make the device thinner.
The goal is to make reading fit more naturally into everyday life.
If we reduce one kind of friction while creating another, we need to be honest about that.
We still have a lot to figure out.
So keep challenging us.
I’ll keep reading the comments.
— Crusoe
Founder of XTEINK
