The Krono launched in Q1 2026 and expanded to Amazon UK earlier this year. The hardware centers on a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200 panel at 300 ppi with a dual-tone front light, an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 690, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. It runs Android 15 with a custom launcher and full Google Play Store access, as Notebookcheck details.

At 173g and 9mm thick, the Krono sits closer in feel to a smartphone than a Kindle Paperwhite. It ships in black and white colorways, with no charger in the box, Neowin noted.

The side-mounted Smart Dial is what separates the Krono from every other pocketable Android e-reader. It handles page turns, brightness adjustment, and instant voice memo recording without requiring a tap on the display, according to Trusted Reviews. That might sound like a minor convenience until you've spent an evening reading one-handed.

The Krono's closest same-price rival is the Boox Palma 2. Both use the E Ink Carta 1200 panel and carry a $279 price tag; the practical difference is interface philosophy, not display quality, Trusted Reviews and eReadersForum found. The Palma 2 doesn't have a dial. The Krono is built around one.

DuRoBo took the dial seriously enough to add a scrolling inversion option in version 1.2.1 directly in response to user complaints, Notebookcheck reported earlier this year. That kind of targeted fix signals a control is load-bearing, not decorative. One caveat worth noting: Neowin found the dial sits noticeably high on the device, which can feel awkward during extended reading sessions. That's a real ergonomic issue for a control billed as the product's core advantage.

Used with reading apps like Kindle, BorrowBox, or Google Play Books, the Krono performs as intended, Trusted Reviews found. The software is lean by design: all pre-installed apps fit a 3×3 grid, which keeps distractions low but means anything beyond reading, web browsing, or voice notes requires a Play Store download likely not optimized for a black-and-white e-ink display. Version 1.2.1 addressed one of the sharper edges there by adding a native browser, removing the friction of routing basic web access through the Play Store, per Notebookcheck.

The hardware omissions are worth naming plainly: no headphone jack, no microSD slot, no stylus support, Bluetooth-only audio. Battery life runs roughly 7 to 14 days, with one tester recording around 10% drain per day, Trusted Reviews reported. Those gaps make the Krono a poor substitute for note-focused e-ink tablets, where stylus support and expandable storage are standard.

The Moodi is where expectations need the most calibration. DuRoBo positions it as a Krono companion that also works with other smartphones and tablets. Technically accurate, but the practical scope is narrower than that framing suggests.

The remote weighs 18g, connects via Bluetooth 5.4, and operates across three modes: reading (page turns), multimedia (track skip and play/pause), and browsing (scroll), Android Authority reported. In hands-on Android testing, all three worked as advertised: pages turned in Google Play Books, track navigation functioned correctly, and browsing mode scrolled Chrome, Gear Diary confirmed last month. The Krono recognizes the Moodi natively on first pairing and displays an on-screen setup guide along with the remote's battery level, a level of integration no third-party device can replicate, Neowin noted.

Outside Android, the results deteriorate fast. A Kobo Libra Colour paired with the Moodi successfully and then did nothing useful with it. iPhone support is only partial. Gear Diary's conclusion was unambiguous: this is not a universal Bluetooth reading remote, the review found.

The bigger usability problem is mode awareness. Switching between reading, multimedia, and browsing requires holding both buttons for roughly five seconds until an indicator flashes, with no on-device display confirming which mode is active, Gear Diary identified. It's easy to lose track mid-session. A solvable problem that hasn't been solved yet.

Moodi pricing has varied across sellers. Android Authority lists it at $30.99 from Amazon and DuRoBo directly; Neowin listed it at $35.99 on Amazon. Checking current retailer pricing before buying is the safe move.

Two software drops arrived within weeks of the Krono's launch, both substantive. Version 1.1 added wireless file sharing, improved reading controls, and a cleaner bookshelf interface. Version 1.2.1 brought the native browser and the dial inversion fix, Notebookcheck reported. DuRoBo says incremental updates will continue as the platform evolves.

Visible gaps remain. There's no notes app, the home screen features a calendar widget linked to no calendar app, and the software layer feels sparse outside its core reading functions, Trusted Reviews observed. Whether the update cadence can close those gaps is the open question for a device that now has a broader pool of buyers who might push it further.