Krono: Redefining the Focus and Reading Experience in a Digital Environment

The Focus Dilemma in the Age of Phones

Attempting to read or think deeply on a phone often ends in failure. Notifications break the flow of thoughts, content feeds are always just a swipe away, and even long-form articles turn into neglected tabs. As a result, focus becomes a temporary state rather than a stable environment.

Why Haven’t E-Readers Fully Solved the Problem?

E-readers have tried to address this distraction, but they mostly concentrated on books alone. Relying on closed ecosystems, their usage remained confined to reading, without addressing needs like thinking, note-taking, or organizing ideas outside the context of digital books.

A Different Vision for a Device Dedicated to Focus

In this context, the Dutch company DuRoBo introduced the Krono device at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, offering a different approach. Instead of focusing solely on reading, the device treats focus, reflection, and idea-capturing as interconnected activities, rather than secondary functions. This vision aligns with design approaches that integrate user interaction and workflow efficiency.

Design and Interface as a Means, Not an End

The Krono relies on a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200 display with a resolution of 300 PPI, providing comfortable reading without eye strain. It comes in a simple, mechanically inspired body, measuring 154 × 80 × 9 mm and weighing around 173 grams, staying close to the concept of a personal device rather than a smartphone. This minimalist approach resonates with principles in interior design and spatial ergonomics.

What Sets It Apart from Similar Devices

The device’s role goes beyond displaying content; it focuses on capturing and shaping ideas. It relies on AI that operates locally without constant cloud connectivity, alongside tangible controls like the Smart Dial, offering an interactive experience that depends less on direct touchscreen interaction and more on physical sensation. Such integration reflects ongoing research in human-computer interaction within architecture and design contexts.

A Reading Experience Designed to Last

The paper-like display, combined with anti-glare processing, creates a reading experience that can be sustained for long periods without causing eye strain. The dual-tone front light also allows adaptation to various lighting conditions, making reading possible during the day or at night without relying on disruptive backlighting.

Diverse Content Without Distraction

The screen’s use is not limited to books; it extends to saved articles and PDF files, within an environment that maintains simplicity and minimizes sources of distraction. This diversity allows users to switch between different types of content without feeling interrupted or losing focus, similar to navigating cities in planning and design projects.

A Device Treated as a Personal Companion

The compact form factor gives the device a feel closer to a large phone than a tablet, a distinction that significantly affects daily usage. Its portability encourages constant companionship, not as a multitasking gadget, but as a dedicated space for calm reading and slow, thoughtful interaction with content, echoing concepts from projects focused on personal productivity.

Interaction as Part of the Focus Experience

Krono’s interaction design relies on two core elements: the Smart Dial and the Axis Strip. These components are not decorative; they serve a functional purpose aimed at reducing reliance on direct touchscreen input, thereby limiting the fast-paced behaviors associated with smartphones, an approach sometimes seen in architecture competitions that prioritize user-centric design.

Tangible Control Instead of Quick Gestures

The Smart Dial allows essential tasks such as page navigation, brightness adjustment, and volume control through rotation, while a long press opens the Spark space dedicated to gathering thoughts and notes. This approach brings back the concept of physical control, making deliberate movement part of the reading or thinking process rather than an immediate response to gestures.

Visual Cues That Enhance Calm

Meanwhile, the Axis Strip located on the upper back acts as a subtle visual element, with eight breathing lights that glow during reading or work. These cues are not meant to draw attention but to create a sense of continuity and isolation from the fast pace of other devices, akin to curated visual experiences in design.

Closer to Analog Devices

By combining the physical dial with gentle lighting, the device moves away from the logic of flat glass screens and aligns more closely with the philosophy of analog devices. Here, navigation and focus become intentional acts performed by hand, rather than fleeting touches on a screen, reflecting principles in buildings and material interaction in architecture.

Integrating AI into the Idea-Capturing Process

Spark represents the entry point of artificial intelligence within the Krono experience. By long-pressing the dial, users can record a fleeting idea, a meeting note, or a quick thought. The device converts voice into text using speech recognition technology, then generates an intelligent summary to organize the note clearly and neatly. This approach aligns with ongoing research in productivity tools and digital workflows.

Direct Editing on the Screen

Text Mode allows notes to be edited directly on the e-paper display, enabling the refinement of ideas without the need for additional devices or switching between apps. All processes occur locally on the device, preserving data privacy and minimizing sources of distraction. This is similar to streamlined projects in design that emphasize focused user interaction.

The Smart Assistant Libby AI

Additionally, Libby AI functions as a built-in smart assistant, answering queries and assisting in creating charts and illustrations without the need to open an external browser. This enhances focus and reduces the distraction caused by multiple windows and applications, much like curated visual resources that guide attention in architectural contexts.

Technical Specifications to Support Performance

Krono runs on Android 15 with full access to the Google Play Store, powered by an octa-core processor, 6 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. These specifications allow running a variety of apps such as Kindle and Notion, while the DuRoBo interface maintains a simple and methodical user experience focused on productivity and visual calm. The design principles reflect approaches seen in architecture and interior design that prioritize usability and clarity.

Sound as a Tool for Focus

The built-in speaker and Bluetooth audio support are key elements in Krono’s focus-oriented philosophy. Users can listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while reading or writing, transforming the device into a self-contained environment for concentration—whether during daily commutes or late-night work and reading sessions. This mirrors the integration of multi-sensory elements in building materials and buildings design.

Long-Lasting Autonomy

A 3,950 mAh battery, combined with optimized refresh algorithms, supports extended usage without constantly switching between apps. This design aligns with the device’s primary goal: providing a quiet space away from the fast pace of traditional screens, making focus more sustainable and intentional, similar to concepts in cities and workspace planning.

The Design Philosophy Behind Krono

Krono’s debut at CES 2026 represents more than just the launch of a new e-reader. It is a project centered on designing a compact, portable device aimed at thinkers and readers, where focus, reflection, and idea-capturing are core elements of the experience, not mere secondary functions. This perspective connects with discussions on architectural discussion and planning for functional spaces.

Between Phone and Book

While technical specifications are important, the real value lies in its nature as a small, quiet device that sits between a book and a smartphone, leveraging the strengths of both without adopting their flaws. In this way, Krono presents a model for a device dedicated to intellectual productivity, free from the usual distractions. Its approach can inspire architecture competitions and competition results that aim to optimize user experience in focused environments.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

Krono presents an intriguing idea about the possibility of integrating portable technology with focus and reading environments. The paper-like display and adjustable lighting provide visual comfort, and the integration of AI into note-taking represents a notable step toward organizing ideas independently of traditional devices.

However, questions remain about the device’s actual impact on daily user behavior. Its small size and limited functionality, compared to smartphones or tablets, restrict its seamless integration into multi-source work or architectural study environments. Additionally, reliance on the Android system and Google Play Store can be seen as a potential weakness, as it may encourage the use of multiple apps outside the intended scope of reading and note-taking, diverging from the device’s focus-oriented philosophy.

From a broader perspective, Krono offers a prototype that could inspire the design of workspaces or architectural offices aiming to reduce distractions, or in the development of educational tools for architecture students and practitioners. At the same time, it illustrates that combining technology with focus-dedicated environments still faces limitations regarding human interaction and attention management. Therefore, its practical value lies more in exploring concepts and developing future experiences than in serving as a fully realized device ready for comprehensive application in architecture or design.

Reviewer

★ ArchUp Technical Analysis

ArchUp: Technical Analysis of the Krono Deep Focus Device
This article provides a technical analysis of the Krono device, serving as a case study in the design of specialized portable technology for enhancing cognitive focus and reducing digital distraction. To enhance archival value, we present the following key technical and design data:

The device utilizes a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200 display with a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (PPI), featuring an anti-glare layer that reduces light reflection to under 6%. The device measures 154 × 80 × 9 mm and weighs 173 grams, with a chassis made of fiber-reinforced polymer for high durability and lightweight construction. It is equipped with a dual-tone front light system with 32 brightness levels and adjustable color temperature from 2700K to 6500K, ensuring optimal adaptation to various lighting conditions.

The interactive system features a smart control dial based on a magnetic encoder with a precision of 24 steps per rotation, enabling interface navigation and settings adjustments without touching the screen. An upper Axis Bar incorporates 8 breathing LEDs that provide non-intrusive light signals during focus sessions. The device is powered by a custom octa-core SoC and 6 GB of RAM, running a modified Android 15 operating system with a minimalist UI that reduces visual elements by 70% compared to traditional interfaces.

In terms of cognitive performance and privacy, the device operates with on-device AI powered by an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for offline audio and text analysis, ensuring 100% data privacy. Its 3,950 mAh battery supports up to 3 weeks of typical use with one daily screen refresh. The integrated Spark voice-notation system offers speech-to-text conversion with 98% accuracy and automatic intelligent summarization. The device supports specialized productivity applications such as Notion and Obsidian with enhanced integration for a focused workflow.

Related link: Please review this article to understand the impact of device design on human behavior and cognitive productivity:
The Architecture of Devices: How Industrial Design Shapes Our Cognitive Environments?