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g8425 11 hours ago [-]
I wouldn't anticipate too much from m5stack. They have a habit of developing products that are well designed from a physical standpoint... but when you try to develop with them one finds that the software and support needed to achieve your goals are half-baked and downright annoying. UIFlow1/2, I'm looking at you...
For reference, see the M5dinmeter
Saris 9 hours ago [-]
These are an ESP32-S3 so you can use standard tools instead of whatever their offering is. Like EEZ Studio for GUI creation on LVGL.
Most of their products are ESP32 based I think.
shakna 8 hours ago [-]
All of my devices from them are running micropython and my own code. Because they're all ESP32s and how everything works is documented.
The software to achieve my goals basically "just works".
shermozle 1 hours ago [-]
That's when their documentation site is even up!
itsthisjustin 10 hours ago [-]
You can just use freeink.org to develop for it fwiw
jareklupinski 7 hours ago [-]
as long as they include a schematic for their products, i'm set
i've always viewed m5stack / seeed / tindie as 'dev board marketplaces'; once i proof the rest of the design using their board, i take the known-working schematic and simply cut out the parts i dont want to spin rev 2, then once that is working i optimize the remaining parts for rev3, and project done :)
throwup238 6 hours ago [-]
The better phrase is probably “reference design” marketplace. When I worked as an EE pretty much all but the hardest boards (which needed to be simulated) were glorified stripped down reference designs.
qiqitori 4 hours ago [-]
Especially seeing how M5Stack is majority-owned by Espressif.
hackcasual 8 hours ago [-]
I have a tiny devboard collection habit, and gotta say coding agents work great with these. I've got a stick and a few dials running various hyper specific UIs for home assistant.
burnte 7 hours ago [-]
That's been my experience too. That has lead to a small community and little real excitement around them.
ricardobeat 8 hours ago [-]
I use plain arduino-cli to develop for them. UIFlow looks like an awful experience.
NDlurker 11 hours ago [-]
This is competition for the new XTEINK X4 Pro. Cost about half the price and is compatible with Crosspoint too.
numpad0 8 hours ago [-]
M5Stack and LilyGo products aren't necessarily end user ready. They are awkward middle grounds between shoebox sized literal circuit level prototype of smartphones and on-stage-CEO-showing-off prototypes. A bit like bake at home dough. Not competitors to real products.
3D30497420 10 hours ago [-]
I really don't understand why the XTEINK X4 Pro doesn't have a built-in USB-C port. A good part of the appeal of a device like that is less lock-in, but then you're stuck with a proprietary connector.
I guess this makes it a bit thinner and maybe a larger battery? I'd much rather have a slightly larger/thicker device and built-in USB-C.
hadlock 10 hours ago [-]
The "original" XTEINK X4 (not pro) has a USB-C port - that's explicitly why I bought it. It looks like it is out of production now. The good news is they are a proven, very popular device (it's just an e-ink display glued to an ESP32 with good third party support) so this class of device should be available on AliExpress soon if not already.
yoavm 8 hours ago [-]
I got the Xteink X4 Pro a few days ago. I was so convinced everything these days has a USB-C port, I didn't even check. Honestly it's the only downside of the device, I love everything else about it. Sure, it's small, but it's almost entirely an advantage for me. I don't even think about "should I take it with me?" - I just do, which means I read much more. The light is great for reading in bed. And CrossPoint is super solid (flashing took a minute).
NDlurker 10 hours ago [-]
I was disappointed by that too. I didn't think it would be hard to keep track of the pogo adapter for my x3, but I did end up losing it pretty quickly.
I really didn't want to buy the x4 pro, but I'm working on custom firmware for the x4 and I want to make sure it's compatible with the new device. Also, the lack of light was kind of annoying when I took the x4 on a camping trip. Not $100 worth annoying, but mildly annoying.
burnte 6 hours ago [-]
I just for the one that's a hair smaller than the 4, flashed it with Crosspoint, and man, I'm pretty happy with it.
fmajid 8 hours ago [-]
and has a touchscreen
burner420042 5 hours ago [-]
And a RTC!
akshay_akula 6 hours ago [-]
Sounds like the usual m5stack story, beautiful hardware, software as an afterthought. Out of stock everywhere already too.
3D30497420 10 hours ago [-]
This announcement is from a few days ago. And it seems everywhere is out-of-stock. Any news about potential availability? (In the US ideally.)
big_toast 9 hours ago [-]
M5Stack's twitter says 2 to 3 months [0] to restock because they're out of eink driver ic.
When I submitted the story maybe 8 hours[1] after the announcement, it was already out of stock. This person says it sold out in 1 second - https://x.com/henry19840301/status/2090652363434647738 - if that's possible.
Maybe "one second" was a poorly phrased colloquialism meaning "right away".
One can sign up for new product releases and if I paid attention to my marketing emails I could have clicked through. I'm guessing there are enough people who do combined with limited initial stock. We don't know.
Thanks for passing through the info for those of us not on Twitter!
notatoad 9 hours ago [-]
i can't remember where i read it, but a few days ago i saw they didn't expect a restock until next year
rsync 6 hours ago [-]
So many of these M5Stack products are not actually stackable and have no physical relation to their "stack" system.
clumsysmurf 3 hours ago [-]
Ya, I noticed that with the CoreS3-SE being incompatible with the "Extension Port Module for Core2" (M123). I don't see a version compatible with the CoreS3.
fmajid 8 hours ago [-]
I have the older Paper-S3, which has better specs (larger screen and battery, 16-level grayscale) and also has a Crosspoint Reader port. Nice device, clearer screen than my Pocketbook Verse.
a2dam 8 hours ago [-]
I think you can get 60 fps out of the old Paper S3. There was a gameboy emulator I saw recently that did it with some trickery I haven't reproduced on mine, but super impressive piece of hardware.
__mharrison__ 2 hours ago [-]
Yes, I was wondering if this was the Gameboy (capable) hardware.
anonymous344 10 hours ago [-]
nice, out of stock
would need a cheaper one
esp32, display the same size, battery and few buttons, no need for lights or even chassis, can 3d print it.
but only found screens too small or costs more than this device!
btw where does these ship from?
hackcasual 8 hours ago [-]
When I order from m5, box is postmarked from California
cromka 8 hours ago [-]
This would be perfect for boats if only they ever decided to make a waterproof version. Of any of their displays, actually
banku_brougham 7 hours ago [-]
nice flex
cromka 6 hours ago [-]
I don't own a boat, but look to buy one and one of the odd things about this industry is very obsolete technology repackaged and sold at exorbitant proces. At least for electronics and monitoring a lot can be done cheaply by those who are skilled.
margalabargala 7 hours ago [-]
Used boats are shockingly inexpensive in the US.
bigfatkitten 4 hours ago [-]
The old saying that “there is nothing more expensive than a cheap aircraft” also applies to boats.
kstrauser 2 hours ago [-]
Also:
The two best days in a boat owner’s life are the day they buy it and the day they sell it.
efskap 3 hours ago [-]
There's a reason it stands for Bring Over Another Thousand
gigel82 6 hours ago [-]
For the same ~ $55 as their lite model you get some other options:
For reference, see the M5dinmeter
Most of their products are ESP32 based I think.
The software to achieve my goals basically "just works".
i've always viewed m5stack / seeed / tindie as 'dev board marketplaces'; once i proof the rest of the design using their board, i take the known-working schematic and simply cut out the parts i dont want to spin rev 2, then once that is working i optimize the remaining parts for rev3, and project done :)
I guess this makes it a bit thinner and maybe a larger battery? I'd much rather have a slightly larger/thicker device and built-in USB-C.
I really didn't want to buy the x4 pro, but I'm working on custom firmware for the x4 and I want to make sure it's compatible with the new device. Also, the lack of light was kind of annoying when I took the x4 on a camping trip. Not $100 worth annoying, but mildly annoying.
When I submitted the story maybe 8 hours[1] after the announcement, it was already out of stock. This person says it sold out in 1 second - https://x.com/henry19840301/status/2090652363434647738 - if that's possible.
[0]:https://x.com/M5Stack/status/2091116748686922069
[1]:https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49390702
One can sign up for new product releases and if I paid attention to my marketing emails I could have clicked through. I'm guessing there are enough people who do combined with limited initial stock. We don't know.
Thanks for passing through the info for those of us not on Twitter!
would need a cheaper one esp32, display the same size, battery and few buttons, no need for lights or even chassis, can 3d print it. but only found screens too small or costs more than this device!
btw where does these ship from?
The two best days in a boat owner’s life are the day they buy it and the day they sell it.
slightly larger screen, plus a microphone and speaker: https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/08/05/zectrix-note-4-a-4-2...
same screen size with microphone and speaker, plus a magnetic fridge mount: https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/07/31/reterminal-sticky-3-...
I'd actually love something like the reTerminal sticky, but larger, for a fridge mounted home automation dashboard / calendar.