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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Needs better quality control, October 21, 2009
This review is from: WikiReader Pocket Wikipedia
Got mine 5 days ago [...] and have had some fun with it. However the fun was dampened by a defective touch screen. The bottom 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the screen doesn't respond to touch, meaning I can't access the bottom row of letters or the space bar. I contacted customer support and the were prompt in replying. They had me load a different kernel file, hoping that would fix it, but it didn't. they said they will be shipping out a replacement soon, so hopefully this one will work as designed.
Aside from the touch screen, the co-workers I showed it to thought it was pretty slick.
My co-workers all carry Blackberrys, but due to corporate policy can't install wikipedia software. I don't have a smart phone, due to no Verizon service where I live, so this works great for me. I like the fact that it uses standard AAA batteries and will run for 90 hours of powered on time.
It also has a couple of hidden features when you hold down a button while powering up. Search throws you a list of forth programs that are mostly diagnostics. There is a little line drawing program that is fun to scribble with, and also a calculator. The calculator can also be accessed by holding down the history button while powering up. Finally, the random button on power up is some sort of serial communication screen. One other thing, one of the diagnostics displays a reading from a thermistor, so I suppose someone could create a tiny app using that as well.
In the short time that I have had it, I noticed a couple of small issues with the data on it. It looks like it is missing some numeric info. The example I noticed was the wikipedia article on prairie dogs as to their size and quantities. Also some special characters, like foreign letters, are not displayed correctly. I am pretty sure they will correct that down the road though, as it should not be too tough to do.
An 8gb microSD card holds the data and system. It looks like buying the updates might not be a bad idea as 8gb SD cards go for around $20 each anyway, and the $[...] update charge will get you two of those. Not bad to have a spare and you can always clear an extra and use it in another device.
Update. Got the replacement Wikireader, and it works as it is supposed to now. It can't help but make me better informed.
I would love to see them add some e-reader functionality. There would be plenty of room to add a pile of Project Gutenberg reading material.
I may end up getting a couple more of the for Christmas presents.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WikiWonderful!, October 19, 2009
This review is from: WikiReader Pocket Wikipedia
I suffer from sensory overload: too many things impinging on my consciousness too much of the time. When I look something up on Wikipedia, I don't like to be distracted with things like email notifications, cell phone rings, etc. and then lose my focus. Along comes the WikiReader, enabling me to do just that, and access Wikipedia whenever I want to. It's reasonably priced and best of all, there's no monthly fee, no Internet connection needed. I am so sick of gadgets that I really don't need. This is something I do need, and enjoy using, too. It's easy for me to rationalize spending $99 for it.
Yes, Wikipedia is available on the iPhone and the iPod Touch, but my phone rings, I get distracted, and the somewhat stressful pace continues. With the WikiReader I can tune out the distractions and relax while indulging my curiosity, satisfying my appetite for knowledge and wikifacts. For me it's a form of focused attention, meditation. And it's a fun learning experience, too. It's portable, unlike my desktop computer. Unlike a laptop, it fits in my purse or pocket, I can take it where ever I go. I can even sit and soak in knowledge as I soak in the bathtub. It's great on an airplane when I'm sitting next to someone I'd rather not converse with.
It's straightforward enough that I can use it right away, and it bridges the tech gap between my kids and me. What a gift!
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome device, October 15, 2009
This review is from: WikiReader Pocket Wikipedia
It's so simple to use and I like the retro design. The perfect device for Wikipedia reading, it's a comfortable read unlike trying to read it on my iPhone. I think it's a great gift for kids too. Forget Encyclopedia Britanica, we're in a Wikipedia/Wikireader generation.
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