$99 Wikipedia reader

[cosmic duck]

[img]http://thewikireader.com/media/pictures/image_thumb1.png[/img]

The $99 WikiReader is a small mobile device for browsing Wikipedia. Rather than use a wireless network to pull data off of the web, it has local copy of the database on a microSD card.

[img]http://thewikireader.com/images/slideshow/slide2.jpg[/img]

The device uses a capacitive touch screen E-Ink display like the one used in the Amazon Kindle E-Book readers, this means it uses no power at all displaying text or images on the screen, which means the average battery life from 2 AAA batteries (included) is about [B]ONE YEAR![/B]

[img]http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/wr_hand1_small.jpg?w=470&h=465[/img]

You have the option to receive bi-anual database updates by post at $29/year, I assume they send you a new MicroSD card each time, or you can just download the +4GB file and dump it on the card provided for free.

The WikiReader is also [B]open source[/B] so that should mean this little box will be very hackable!

It's for sale right now on their website where more info can also be found:
[url]www.thewikireader.com[/url]

More pics:
[media]http://thewikireader.com/media/pictures/wr5_small.jpg[/media]
[media]http://thewikireader.com/media/pictures/wr1_small.jpg[/media]
[media]http://thewikireader.com/media/pictures/wr_hand2_small.jpg[/media]
[media]http://thewikireader.com/media/pictures/wr2_small.jpg[/media]

[BananasGoMoo]

neato

[Subby]

how do i write stuff to wiki?
probably touchscreen which cosmic doesn't mention

EDIT

"Touch Screen for Simple Navigation.

The high-quality touchscreen puts everything from typing to scrolling under the control of your fingertips."

[FHamster]

:/
Entire Wikipedia in a micro SD?

lol what if someone messed up a page just as they were updating the wikireader.

[Ad4m]

What a load of bollocks, just view wikipedia on your phone if you need to.

[Tickle]

[QUOTE=cosmic duck;17824231]The $99 WikiReader is a small mobile device for browsing Wikipedia. Rather than use a wireless network to pull data off of the web, it has local copy of the database on a microSD card.[/QUOTE]

So it had a locally stored version? That eliminates Wikipedia's number one strength and makes it a number one weakness...

Think how many pages could be incorrect or needing references; who went through every page on the local version and made sure it's up to the standards of a real encyclopaedia?

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=Takoto;17824279]What a load of bollocks, just view wikipedia on your phone if you need to.[/QUOTE]

Not everyone has internet access on their phone, and how many hours can you browse the internet on your phone for?

[ashxu]

I Remember there was a homebrew application for the Nintendo DS, and you can run a downloaded Wiki, they said if you put the whole English wikipedia into a folder, i'd be over 40gb with pictures, 8gb without.

So while you guys waste $99, i'll be using my homebrew app.

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=Tickle;17824291]So it had a locally stored version? That eliminates Wikipedia's number one strength and makes it a number one weakness...

Think how many pages could be incorrect or needing references; who went through every page on the local version and made sure it's up to the standards of a real encyclopaedia?[/QUOTE]

Nobody said it was "up to the standards of a real encyclopaedia" It's wikipedia, there will always be some incorrect information.

[editline]08:30AM[/editline]

[QUOTE=ashxu;17824336]they said if you put the whole English wikipedia into a folder, i'd be over 40gb.[/QUOTE]

It's nowhere near 40Gb, Maybe if you stored all the separate php files of the site you might get close.

[editline]08:32AM[/editline]

Remember it's not all about the wikipedia function, coupled with mammoth battery life and a great touch screen, we could be seeing some great applications for this open source little device.

[lolwutdude]

what if I edited Obama's wikipedia page to

I'M A FAGGOT

during it's bi-annual update?

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=lolwutdude;17824373]what if I edited Obama's wikipedia page to

I'M A FAGGOT

during it's bi-annual update?[/QUOTE]

for the 5 seconds that that's up i find it incredibly unlikely that it would get included.

[FHamster]

[QUOTE=cosmic duck;17824391]for the 5 seconds that that's up i find it incredibly unlikely that it would get included.[/QUOTE]

But if it did, Obama would be a faggot for half a year

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=FHamster;17824407]But if it did, Obama would be a faggot for half a year[/QUOTE]

If you saw it you would update it for free.

[Dr Egg]

Should make an iPhone version if it is only 4GB

[Van-man]

[QUOTE=Dr Egg;17824501]Should make an iPhone version if it is only 4GB[/QUOTE]

Hell no,
Base it on java for phones.

[r4nk_]

Open source? Awesome!

Someone hack it into a cheap kindle

[BCell]

Looks like this is the beginning of the end for the encyclopedia book

[DrLuke]

Awesome thing, very useful. But 99$? That's a little much if you ask me. But paying those 29$/year or half year seems ok for me, at all it takes some effort to keep it up to date. But still 99$ are a fair price, but just too much for only wikipedia.

[evilking1]

Need it bigger, and in a casing that is more rugged than Encyclopedia Galactica.

[editline]11:17AM[/editline]

[QUOTE=DrLuke;17825491]Awesome thing, very useful. But 99$? That's a little much if you ask me. But paying those 29$/year or half year seems ok for me, at all it takes some effort to keep it up to date. But still 99$ are a fair price, but just too much for only wikipedia.[/QUOTE]

3x29$ is around 99$...

[Flaming Neko]

i want it.

[MadsAG]

Why does it have the iPod Touch/iPhone keyboard layout?

And no thanks, i'll stick to my iPhone.

[garry]

[QUOTE=Dr Egg;17824501]Should make an iPhone version if it is only 4GB[/QUOTE]

There are loads of wikipedia browsing apps like this on the appstore

[fantastic]

This is pretty cool.
Also, I can do it on my DS if I feel like freeing up a whole 4GB.

[Tickle]

[QUOTE=cosmic duck;17824340]Nobody said it was "up to the standards of a real encyclopaedia" It's wikipedia, there will always be some incorrect information.

[editline]08:30AM[/editline]

It's nowhere near 40Gb, Maybe if you stored all the separate php files of the site you might get close.

[editline]08:32AM[/editline]

Remember it's not all about the wikipedia function, coupled with mammoth battery life and a great touch screen, we could be seeing some great applications for this open source little device.[/QUOTE]

You're backing this pretty hard, did you invent it or something?

[KrAzY_nikomo]

HSPDA (3.5G) + E51 = Wikipedia browser.
Look, you can make calls too.

[Ajacks]

That's awesome! That would be a useful product, hell that makes me want a WIKI DB App for my iphone or ipod touch, that'd be just as great!

Hah! It already exists!
[url]http://collison.ie/wikipedia-iphone/index-new[/url]

[Lamp]

this looks like an old lcd screen like my calculator has

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=Tickle;17826180]You're backing this pretty hard, did you invent it or something?[/QUOTE]

I just believe in fairness.

[editline]03:56PM[/editline]

[QUOTE=KrAzY_nikomo;17826538]HSPDA (3.5G) + E51 = Wikipedia browser.
Look, you can make calls too.[/QUOTE]

Yeah and how much is that, plus monthly fee?

[Hillo]

Hitchhikers guidebook

[cosmic duck]

[QUOTE=Lamp;17827116]this looks like an old lcd screen like my calculator has[/QUOTE]

This is E-Ink it uses tiny balls, half white and half black as pixels, they use no power to stay in position, but only use a tiny amount to rotate between black and white. This means you can display text or an image on the screen for ever with no power being used. A huge leap forward from LCD calculators.