Foulad eInk
Arabic-first firmware for the Xteink X4 and X3 e-paper readers, built as a fork of CrossPoint Reader and unaffiliated with Xteink.
Developed using PlatformIO for the ESP32-C3 microcontroller, Foulad eInk is designed to make Arabic reading feel native on compact, resource-constrained e-paper devices.
Most e-readers treat Arabic as an additional language rather than a complete reading experience. Interfaces may lack proper right-to-left layouts, Arabic text may be shaped incorrectly, and suitable reading fonts are often missing.
Foulad eInk was created to change that.
It builds upon the open-source CrossPoint Reader firmware while introducing a complete Arabic reading experience: a fully translated interface, true RTL layouts, correct Arabic text shaping, a bundled Naskh reading font, Arabic-aware controls, and direct integration with the Foulad eBooks OPDS library.
Foulad eInk aims to:
- Provide a fully open-source, Arabic-first firmware for the Xteink X4 and X3.
- Deliver correct Arabic shaping, bidirectional text handling, and RTL layouts throughout the interface and reader.
- Offer a comfortable EPUB reading experience using a bundled Naskh Arabic font.
- Support Arabic and English as first-class interface languages.
- Provide detailed reading statistics, daily goals, and per-book progress tracking.
- Integrate directly with Foulad eBooks for browsing and downloading books through OPDS.
- Support custom fonts, reading layouts, display controls, wireless transfers, synchronisation, and OTA updates.
- Remain lightweight and practical within the limited flash storage and RAM of the ESP32-C3.
- Introduce a modular Apps system for installing optional features without increasing the size of the core firmware.
Apps
The planned Apps system would allow users to download and install only the optional features they need.
Potential apps could include:
- The Holy Qur’an
- Games
- KOReader Sync
- Additional reading tools and services
Users would be able to download, install, enable, disable, or remove these apps according to their needs and available storage.
Each app would display its download and installation size. The Apps screen would also show the device’s available storage and prevent downloads when there is insufficient space.
Where technically possible, larger app resources could be stored on the SD card, helping preserve the device’s limited internal flash storage.
Foulad eInk is both a personal project and an effort to build a more open, accessible, and Arabic-friendly e-reading ecosystem—unlocking more of what these small e-paper devices can offer.
This is a community-driven fork of CrossPoint Reader and is not affiliated with Xteink or any device manufacturer.
