Pandigital Handheld Electronic Encyclopedia (WikiReader)

by PanDigital

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.7 x 1.2 x 4.9 inches ; 12.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0039NLVB2
• Item model number: PANREADER01
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #63 in Electronics > Office Electronics > Electronic Dictionaries, Thesauri & Translators
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 23, 2010

Product Description

Get in the know with the Pandigital WikiReader. This palm-sized electronic encyclopedia contains the entire English Wikipedia covering 3 million topics -- equivalent to more than 1,000 volumes. No internet connection is required, it comes preloaded with the entire Wikipedia and is ready to use right out of the box. Easy touchscreen controls and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard allow you instant access to a world of knowledge. Never be out of date, either, as the content can be updated quarterly via online download or via MicroSD card. Runs on 2 AAA batteries which will last approximately 1 year.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful tool for the curious traveler, August 29, 2010

By 

Timothy B. Riley (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pandigital Handheld Electronic Encyclopedia (WikiReader) (Office Product)

I have always liked stand-alone data devices like this. I've owned many including several Franklin handhelds with many of their plug-in modules. They were great for spelling, Bibles, dictionaries, encyclopedia entries, etc. However, they were always limited in their versatility. The only ones that I have ever traveled with have been handheld translators. This one is different.

I travel often for both business and pleasure. I always try to incorporate some personal interests into every trip. Whether it's a museum, a historical site, a local festival or a building of special architectural interest I always try to add to my understanding of our planet. This makes frequent travel not only bearable but really enjoyable.

I love to come across things that I have never heard of before. A new (to me) species of bird or mammal, a significant landmark, a reference to an obscure historical event or person, etc. The only problem is that I have to wait until I get home to find out more information about what I saw. Imagine standing at a historical marker and being able to get read the entire Wikipedia entry for that subject WITHOUT a computer or internet connection. I live blocks away from a museum and when I am looking at a piece of art from someone I am not familiar with I can look them up quickly while still looking at the art. This is sooo wonderful!

Although I have a smart phone, a Kindle (which has 3G access to Wikipedia), a net-book with 3G and I plan to get a 3G iPad, they all need to download the needed information from the internet. However the Wiki Reader has it all built in so it reads much, much quicker than those devices that are dependent on an internet connection.

Now for the device itself; there is certainly some good and some not-so-good. Here are my impressions:

GOOD -

* The small size is very convenient. It could be thinner but I am happy with it as it is.

* Speed - Once I initiate a search it finds what I am looking for in just seconds which is much faster that most 3G connected devices.

* Data base - Wikipedia is just incredible! I am always amazed at what is included on it. I know that some people question it's reliability but I have never been disappointed with Wikipedia.

* Ability to upgrade - You have a couple of choices here. You can download other Wikis from the internet for free (including updates) or you can pay to have a data card sent to you twice a year.

* Runs on AAA batteries which are cheap and easy to find.

NOT SO GOOD -

* I find the QWERTY touchscreen to be difficult to use. I don't have small fingers and my fingernails are cut short. Although I have gotten better at inputting data it is still very frustrating. I wish it was a little larger and had a real keyboard.

* When I try to click on links that are close to others I sometimes hit the wrong one.

* Often when scrolling I will hit a link inadvertently which is frustrating.

* There is no back-light so you can't see it in the dark.

* The unit displays no photos or illustrations of any kind. I'm not looking for color, just black and white line art.

I tend to be an early adopter and I will use this until a better one is available. Although I love my Wiki Reader, it could be better so I give it four stars. I think that this would be great for those older people who don't carry a computer with them on trips and for younger folk, especially when doing research for homework.

NOTE: Although I didn't purchase this item myself it was bought for me, from Amazon, by two of my sons as a birthday gift. Thanks guys!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm Speechless!, June 9, 2010

By 

Rick Moore (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pandigital Handheld Electronic Encyclopedia (WikiReader) (Office Product)

This is it! A whole universe of information literally right in the palm of your hand! This thing is a jaw-dropper! I LOVE it!!!!! The design is sweet! I love the simplicity of the design. The on-screen keyboard and touch-sensitive screen work very well. I love the sliding finger scrolling. The display is very clear but adequate lighting is a must; the LCD display is a generous size and easy to read. The real shocker to me about this thing is the incredible thoroughness and length of the articles. I'm amazed at the depth of information you get with each search. With portable database products it's easy to be let down and run into an annoying "not found" message. But this thing has me saying "WOW" everytime I look up something. A friend of mine and I had a dispute as to when Mama Cass died. The Wikireader settled it in seconds. Within seconds after seeing my Wikireader that same friend asked me to order him one and forked over the $100 right then and there! It's that exciting! I tried to trip the Wikireader up by seaching info on Mike Oldfield's sister, Sally who is not so well-known.(Mike composed and recorded the Exorcist Theme "Tubular Bells"). BAM! It had so much info on Sally I just laughed! This thing is DA BOMB! (...and I hate that expression...but I have to use it here!) I wanted to do a quick check on the time intervals between the assasinations of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King...BAM! I had it seconds! Any trivia buff would LOVE THIS!!!! I remember when an encyclopedia set took up a whole shelf-length of a book case. This Wikireader seems to be more thorough than any encyclopedia I've ever seen and it sits right in the palm of my hand! WOW!!!!!! There's never been anything like this before! It's pure genius! You'll love it! What a great gift for a student this would make! Gee...can you tell I'm excited about this? LOL! It's entirely self-contained and needs no 'hot-spot" or 'wi-fi' to operate. It's just a beautiful product. I keep mine with me all the time.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars handy, May 3, 2010

By 

August W. Duez (MORTON,IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pandigital Handheld Electronic Encyclopedia (WikiReader) (Office Product)

great handheld - users manual doesnt tell how to clear the "history" mode - just go to history - then hold down the history button and a popup will ask to clear or retain the history of use - other slight problem is the key pad is very small - i use fingernail to key in the word or phrase - over all i love the machine