8-bit Tech Powered Wikipedia Reader Only $20

An old piece of technology is making a comeback as an affordable book reader aimed for the developing world. The Humane Reader is a device designed by computer consultant Braddock Gaskill as a “classic style console” that connects to a TV for display. “Hundreds of millions of households have TVs but no access to the internet,” according to Gaskill. “I wanted to create a device that uses the display on the TV.”

The Humane Reader contains two 8-bit microcontrollers, has an optional keyboard, a micro-SD Card reader and a composite video output for display. It uses a standard micro-USB cellphone charger for power. The device can hold 5,000 books, including an offline version of Wikipedia. At a volume of 10,000 units produced, the Humane Reader will only cost $20; otherwise it’s $35 a pop.

“It’s meant to be an absolute basic system that can deliver Wikipedia and e-books for educational and non-profit use,” says Gaskill. Given the fact that 8-bit processors are cheap and people in developing countries have greater access to TVs than to the internet or even computers, this seems to be a good approach to the problem of delivering educational materials to those who need them.

Gaskill also hopes to sell a beefed-up version of the Humane Reader for profit. Targeted to the enthusiast market, the Humane PC has almost the same specs as the Reader but offers bells and whistles such as a micro-USB port and IR port for an additional few dollars.

Via Wired