There is no shortage of gadgets for e-readers these days, but most of them are painfully boring. That is why the new Moodi remote from DuRoBo is at least somewhat refreshing. Instead of looking like another generic plastic clicker, this tiny wireless page turner leans heavily into personality, complete with swappable emoji button caps that can make the accessory look sleepy, goofy, hyped, or just plain weird.
The company says Moodi was designed to reduce the physical strain that can come from constantly touching a screen during long reading sessions. The device pairs over Bluetooth 5.4 with compatible e-readers and other gadgets, moving page controls into the user’s hand. Measuring 5.7 x 3.5 x 1.3cm and weighing roughly 18g, Moodi is small enough to disappear into a pocket or rest comfortably in the palm during long reading sessions.
Rather than using stiff buttons, Moodi features what the company calls “paw-pad” tactile feedback. In other words, the buttons are designed to feel soft and bouncy when pressed. It is a quirky idea, but some folks may appreciate having a little tactile satisfaction while endlessly doomscrolling articles or flipping through ebooks.
Moodi supports three operating modes. Reading Mode allows one-handed page turns with tactile feedback on every click. Multimedia Mode handles playback controls like play, pause, and track skipping for audiobooks or music. Browsing Mode supports scrolling through articles and long-form content, which could actually make it useful beyond ebooks alone.
The swappable emoji caps are probably the biggest attention-grabber here. Four extra button caps are included in the box, allowing users to quickly customize the remote’s appearance without tools or complicated setup. While the idea is sort of cool, it also feels a bit gimmicky. Tiny interchangeable button caps seem like the kind of thing that could easily get lost between couch cushions or disappear into a junk drawer forever. For a product that is otherwise practical, the emoji gimmick feels somewhat unnecessary.
One genuinely welcome touch is USB-C charging. Thankfully, DuRoBo did not saddle Moodi with outdated micro USB nonsense. The company pitches the feature as both convenient and eco-friendly since users can rely on cables they likely already own. The remote packs a 90mAh battery that DuRoBo says can last for weeks on a charge, which sounds ideal for folks who disappear into ebooks for hours at a time.
DuRoBo is also touting quick Bluetooth pairing and easy device switching. According to the company, the connection experience is designed to feel instant and seamless, though real-world performance will obviously depend on the device being paired.
When paired with the company’s Krono ePaper Focus Hub device, Moodi is supposed to create a more seamless reading setup for long sessions. Even without Krono, however, the remote could appeal to ebook readers, tablet users, or even folks who just want a tiny Bluetooth controller for casual media use.
The device also includes a built-in lanyard hole for portability, making it easy to clip onto a bag or keychain. Moodi will be available here soon for $30.99.
