TRANSPARENCY NOTICE:
The DuRoBo Moodi page turner featured in this article was sent to me free-of-charge by DuRoBo for review purposes.
Like all brands that send me review units, this was on the understanding that I would maintain full editorial control, and that they would have zero influence over the content I write.
I have not been paid any money to write about this product, however, I may earn a small commission when somebody clicks on a link to the manufacturer and goes on to make a purchase. This does not incur any additional cost the buyer, but goes a long way to helping support this website and my work (for manufacturers that do not agree to my terms of non-interference, I have to buy their products myself at full cost).
In short, this is my true and honest opinion of the tablet. I will objectively highlight both good and bad points, as well as provide my own subjective perspective.
I don’t usually review Bluetooth page-turning devices because I do not genuinely use them myself, however sometimes manufacturers send out such gadgets along with their e-ink devices. This was the case with the DuRoBo Moodi featured in this article – I will hopefully be publishing my review of the DuRoBo Krono (their ePaper device) sometime this week.
Design and build
The DuRoBo Moodi is actually a rather nicely designed little accessory. The main body is a compact grey ellipse which, at first glance, looks as though it might have a slightly rubberised finish. In reality, it is made from hard plastic and has a smooth surface that feels pleasant enough in the hand.
On one side is a metal loop for attaching a lanyard, while the opposite side houses a USB-C port for charging. Flip the Moodi over and there is a small power switch alongside an LED that is primarily used during pairing and when changing modes.
The most distinctive aspect of the design is undoubtedly the pair of interchangeable dome-shaped buttons. These attach magnetically to the microswitches beneath them, and the magnets are surprisingly strong. I gave the Moodi a fairly vigorous shake and couldn’t dislodge them, so I don’t have any concerns about the buttons accidentally dropping off during normal use. Nevertheless they are relatively easy to deliberately dislodge if that is the intent, so they have the perfect balance of strength.
DuRoBo supplies six different buttons, each with its own colour and expression. There is a black button with a meh face, navy with a cheeky face, pink with a drowsy face, lilac with a hyper face, violet with a vibin‘ face and sky blue with a goofy face. It is a playful idea that gives the Moodi considerably more personality than the average Bluetooth remote.
Both the Moodi itself and its interchangeable buttons feel robust and well made.
However, I do have one concern about the buttons, particularly in households with very young children. Their small, brightly coloured, glossy and rounded appearance makes them look remarkably like sweets. Smarties immediately sprang to mind when I first saw them. That resemblance may sound like a trivial observation, but I think it is worth mentioning because the buttons are small enough that an infant could conceivably put one in their mouth and potentially swallow it. If I had very young children in the house, I would personally make sure that both the Moodi and its spare buttons were stored somewhere well out of their reach.
Pairing and setup
Connecting the DuRoBo Moodi is straightforward. Slide the switch on the underside to turn it on, then hold both buttons until the LED on the rear begins flashing blue. The Moodi will then appear amongst the available Bluetooth devices on your tablet, phone or e-reader. Select it, and once the connection has been established, the LED illuminates blue briefly before switching off.
I experienced no connectivity problems during my testing. Pairing was quick, the connection remained stable and the controls responded as expected.
Importantly, the Moodi isn’t restricted to the DuRoBo Krono either. I was able to pair it with another device without difficulty, so it can be used as a general Bluetooth controller with compatible hardware rather than merely being an accessory for DuRoBo’s own e-reader.
Controls and modes
The Moodi has three operating modes, and you can cycle between them by holding both buttons until the green LED flashes.
The first is the mode that most people will presumably use. The two buttons act as previous and next page controls, although depending upon the application they may instead be interpreted as volume down and volume up commands. In the Kindle app (and some other reading apps), there is a setting to convert volume up and down inputs into page turns, but it has to be manually set.
The second mode is intended for audio playback and allows you to move between the previous and next track when using an MP3 player or another compatible audio application.
Finally, there is a scrolling mode in which the buttons scroll upwards and downwards. This can be useful when browsing webpages or reading longer articles where the content extends beyond a single screen.
All three modes worked perfectly well during my testing. The Moodi responded promptly and I encountered no reliability or connectivity issues.
But when would I actually use it?
This is where I encounter essentially the same problem that I had when reviewing the Boox Tappy Page Turner: I struggle to envisage many situations in my own life where I would actually want to use a Bluetooth page turner.
That is particularly true when the Moodi is paired with something as small as the DuRoBo Krono. The Krono is a highly portable device that can comfortably be held in one hand, with physical page-turn buttons readily accessible on its side. In most circumstances, it seems easier to simply hold the Krono and press those buttons than to position it somewhere else and carry a separate remote control.
Even one of DuRoBo’s own promotional images (see below) illustrates my difficulty with the concept. It shows the Krono positioned on a stand seemingly several feet away from the person using the Moodi. I’m not being funny, but I would struggle to comfortably read text on a 6.13-inch display from that sort of distance without considerable eye strain. Moving the Krono closer and holding it would seem considerably more practical.
There are, of course, circumstances in which a remote page turner could be genuinely useful. Someone with a disability or restricted mobility may find operating the Moodi significantly easier than repeatedly reaching for or manipulating the device itself. I can also imagine situations where an e-reader is mounted in a particularly convenient position and a small handheld controller makes sense.
Musicians are another potential audience. If you are reading sheet music from an e-paper display, being able to change pages without touching the screen could be useful. However, if both hands are occupied playing an instrument, a foot-operated page-turning pedal would probably be a more practical solution.
One application I could potentially see myself using the Moodi for is controlling PowerPoint presentations. Unfortunately, there isn’t a dedicated presentation mode, and I couldn’t get any of the three existing modes to advance and reverse PowerPoint slides. That’s a shame because adding this functionality would make the Moodi a bit more useful to me.
Final thoughts
Perhaps I’m simply not the ideal audience for Bluetooth page turners. I had much the same difficulty finding a compelling personal use for the Boox Tappy, and I don’t think that reflects particularly badly on the DuRoBo Moodi itself. My reservations concern the usefulness of this category of accessory rather than the execution of this particular product.
In fact, if I compare the two directly, I prefer the Moodi to the Tappy. It is smaller, neater and considerably more pocketable, whereas the Tappy feels comparatively bulky and blocky. The interchangeable magnetic buttons are also a nice piece of design, even if their resemblance to confectionery means I would exercise some caution around small children.
As a piece of hardware, there is very little for me to criticise. The Moodi feels robust, pairing is painless, the Bluetooth connection was reliable throughout my testing and all three operating modes worked exactly as expected. It is also reassuring that it isn’t restricted to the Krono and can be paired with other Bluetooth devices.
The much bigger question is whether you actually need one.
If you already know precisely why you want a Bluetooth page turner, perhaps because of accessibility requirements or a particular reading setup, the DuRoBo Moodi is a compact and well-designed implementation that does its job very well. If, on the other hand, you are looking at it and wondering what you would actually use it for, I’m not convinced that owning one will provide the answer.
Buying options
The Moodi can be purchased:
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