The Phone-Shaped Viwoods AiPaper Reader Hasn't Been Out a Month, and It's Already $42 Off for Black Friday
Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over.
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Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.
Black Friday is a great time for tech deals, but the items discounted are often last year's models; it's rare to see a good discount on the newest and best gear and devices. And yet, if you're in the market for one of those phone-shaped e-readers all the cool kids are TikTok-ing about, you can actually save quite a bit right now on a device that hasn't even been out for a month: The Viwoods AiPaper Reader, which was just released on Nov. 10, is currently $238, or $42 off the usual price.
The AiPaper Reader is a strong competitor to the more established Boox Palma family (which also has a new addition—the Boox Palma 2 Pro—which is not on sale for the shopping holiday). It's got the same 6.13-inch screen, mimicking most smartphones, but with a black-and-white e-ink display that's far easier on the eyes than your iPhone or Android's bright OLED. Though it's currently far cheaper than the Palma 2 Pro, the AiPaper Reader has many of the same features, including 128GB of storage, Google Play compatibility, and mobile data when you insert a SIM card (though the Viwoods device does Boox one better: It's also a secret phone.) It also has a lot of smart AI integrations, if you like that sort of thing (if you only want to use it to read books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and any other source you like, you can also just ignore it.)
This is currently your most affordable option for an e-reader with the form factor of a phone—it's even cheaper than the year-old Palma 2 ($270 at Amazon), which does not have mobile data but does have the temperature-adjustable front light the AiPaper Reader lacks. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to stop spending so much time crashing out on your phone, a super portable e-reader you can stuff into any pocket is a great tool to help you do it.
How long do Black Friday deals really last?
Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025.
Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?
Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.
Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?
Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.