Buy WikiReader [was: WikiReader]
Xavier Cremaschi
omega.xavier at gmail.com
Thu Oct 15 10:29:11 CEST 2009
In our geeky daily life we are able to access to Wikipedia anywhere
(home, work, transport), on high-res full color devices (computer,
phones...).
Because hi-tech and Internet/Phone are everywhere.
This device gives you :
- offline access to Wikipedia
- on a cheap device (it could be cheaper if the company were bigger I
presume)
- which uses AAA batteries, available anywhere in the world.
We (US/EU/Jap) almost don't care about these 3 points, so I can
understand the "omg fuck**g useless I've already got a wikipedia apps on
my iPhone, with images, colors and ponnies!".
But (IMHO) this device represents a new way to distribute Wikipedia.
Let's see the existing ones :
- a computer + internet : you need electricity, phone, Internet, a
computer (+ knowledge to use it)
- a computer + dvd : the same but you have removed the phone/Internet
dependency
- a smartphone (with or without provider) + an ebook reader software :
usually naked phone are a bit costly, but it could be cheaper than a
computer. You will need specific batteries when yours will die.
- a true ebook reader : ~= smartphone+software but easier to use I
presume (I don't know if there is an existing ebook reader able to read
Wikipedia but it seems a good solution)
- a real book (still a good way, maybe a bit heavy because of Wikipedia
size)
The wikireader :
- AAA batteries
- 3 buttons, and supposedly easy to use
- open soft and hard (I presume), sturdy
Ok this is the english version of wikipedia and it is sold in US/EU/Jap
(not the best market for it), but it's not *that* bad for a start :
geeks make you earn a bit of cash, and could start tweaking the
device... (ebook reader feature someone ?)
Xavier Cremaschi.
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