Openmoko WikiReader

Overview

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 6 expert reviews

Excellent:

2
Good:

1
Average:

1
Bad:

2

Pros:

Contains wealth of Wikipedia content, plus quote database, a dictionary, and e-book library; fast to boot; MicroSD card slot
Simple to use. The entire Wikipedia in the palm of your hand. You can read books like The Count of Monte Cristo on it for free.
Take Wikipedia with you anywhere; fast; easytouse touch screen; long battery life.

Cons:

Pricey; no Net access; some articles truncated; touch display hard to read, navigate; no tools for bookmarking; content updates kludgy
Too many torrent files to download for updates. Screen is also hard to read in low light situations. Pointless if you have a smartphone.

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Last revision on August 12, 2011

Reviewers Liked

Contains wealth of Wikipedia content, plus quote database, a dictionary, and e-book library; fast to boot; MicroSD card slot
Simple to use. The entire Wikipedia in the palm of your hand. You can read books like The Count of Monte Cristo on it for free
Take Wikipedia with you anywhere; fast; easytouse touch screen; long battery life
Massive, crowdsourced encyclopedia in a portable package. Simple search interface. Requires no internet connection. No monthly fees. Runs for months on two AAA batteries
Wikipedia in your pocket, Touchscreen, Random topic, Free updates via download

Reviewers Didn't Like

Pricey; no Net access; some articles truncated; touch display hard to read, navigate; no tools for bookmarking; content updates kludgy
Too many torrent files to download for updates. Screen is also hard to read in low light situations. Pointless if you have a smartphone
No illustrations; no backlight; highly reflective glass screen
Dim, lowcontrast screen. No graphics in encyclopedia entries. No easy way to jump from heading to heading within articles. Updating requires a subscription, or a microSD card reader
No way to bookmark topics, All text, no images, No backlight, Only available in an English language version

Expert reviews and ratings

The WikiReader might appeal to a limited demographic—such as users in developing areas without consistent Net access—but it’s too pricey for what it is, and marred by readability and usability issues....

By Computer Shopper on February 01, 2011

I love the WikiReader, and it is what I want in my rucksack if I’m ever stuck in the Kenyan rain forest with a primate identification problem....

By Good Gear Guide on June 21, 2010

Manufacturer's SiteThe WikiReader is based on a neat concept: the ability to take Wikipedia with you on the go without the need to connect to the Internet. But how does it fare in terms of execution? Here's a look at the device's bright...

By About.com on March 15, 2010

The WikiReader is a great way for students or anyone else to take the full knowledge offered on the Wikipedia with them wherever they go without needing an internet connection. ...

By I4U on February 15, 2010

You can take it with you How often do you access Wikipedia? How often have you wished you could access that information goldmine but couldn’t because you were away from your computer and Internet connection? If the answer to both questions is...

By Maximum PC on January 28, 2010

When the zombie apocalypse hits, you'll want to have a copy of Wikipedia with you. And you'll want to make sure it works even if the power is out, cellphone and internet connections are nonexistent, and you're hunkered down in a remote cave....

By Wired on December 03, 2009

A while back the OpenMoko project created the goal of bringing out a Linux based smartphone called the Freerunner. Then Google brought out what became the most successful Linux based operating system of all time, Android. Well, needless to say,...

By Gear Diary on January 10, 2011

Overall, the WikiReader is a nice device, it does as advertised and is very quick. This could easily be a great present for you kid, or for someone that doesn’t want to pay for a data plan. If you are interested in the WikiReader you can pick it...

By TechwareLabs on March 04, 2010

Back before the Internets were invented by Al Gore, we couldn’t just look up information on a computer when we had questions about people, places and things. In those days our ‘google’ was a set of Encyclopedia Britannica books. Today,...

By The Gadgeteer on November 12, 2009

When I was a kid, my dad bought a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It had 32 volumes and took up 4 feet in the book case. I loved to sit on the couch and flip through it, reading articles at random. Now, I'm returning the favor, giving my father...

By Stuff NZ on October 29, 2009

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