Posted 10/13/09 at 04:10:56 PM by Bart Salisbury

While not a banana, a good chuck of knowledge in your pocket might be the next best thing. Openmoko today announced the availability of the WikiReader, a palm-sized device that contains more than three million English language articles from Wikipedia, accessible at any time you please--no internet access required.

The WikiReader was crafted by former Apple Computer and surfboard designer Thomas Meyerhoffer. It has a large monochrome touch interface screen. Articles are scrolled, iPod Touch-like, with the swipe of a finger, and hyperlinks selected with a mere tap. Buttons are available for searching, reviewing your history, and pulling up a random entry. The WikiReader, it is claimed, will operate for “months” on a pair of AAA batteries.

Updates for the WikiReader will be available quarterly, and available for free download at the WikiReader website. Openmoko will also offer a yearly subscription plan that includes an updated microSD card.

The WikiReader is available at WikiReader.com and Amazon. The cost is $99. Annual updates via microSD card will cost $29.

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