Openmoko will introduce their English-Spanish WikiReader as the first of a number of editions planned for the popular palm-sized electronic encyclopedia device at the Lunch at Piero’s press and innovator event during CES 2010 in Las Vegas this week. Openmoko will provide their upcoming English-Spanish language edition of the WikiReader as an upgrade to the more than three million English language articles of Wikipedia that can be accessed immediately anytime, anywhere without requiring an Internet connection.
Current WikiReader owners may download the new English-Spanish edition for free as early as February, 2010. A pre-loaded microSD with the upgrade included will also be available for $29. The WikiReader costs $99 and is available now at TheWikiReader.com and Amazon.com.
“Wikipedia is a truly international resource and we developed the WikiReader to enable people of all ages to access information around the world,” said Openmoko CEO, Sean Moss-Pultz. “We intend to continue to develop the WikiReader to make looking for information fun, whether for learning, for use as a travel guide, or simply to settle a bar bet.”
Recently Openmoko made a donation of WikiReaders to Rural Education and Development (READ) Global – a non-profit organization for each and every one of READ’s library and resource centers in India, Nepal and Bhutan as its long battery life and ability to store massive data is ideally suited for places where Internet connectivity and electricity may be inconsistent.
Rechargeable batteries are great but up till now, they have never been powerful enough to match the high performance expectations of consumers. PowerGenix is looking to change that with their cost effective, safe battery solution perfect for high power motor and portable electronics. PowerGenix’s Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) battery chemistry is the first chemistry to come to market in more than twenty years. Compared to traditional AA batteries, NiZn batteries have a number of advantages:
* SuperiorPerformance: More power than standard AA rechargeables (1.6V NiZn vs. 1.2V NiMH), NiZn provides the same power as AA alkaline batteries for longer runtime and quicker electronic recovery time with improved performance in high drain devices like digital cameras and flashlights,
* Environmentally friendly: NiZn is expanding the market for rechargeables and helping reduce harmful ewaste, * Safe: NiZn contains no lead, cadmium, mercury or other toxic heavy metals and is 100% nontoxic and non-combustible.
At the Embedded Systems Conference this week VIA will show a new in-vehicle platform, the new VIA IVP-7500 board, for next-generation car PCs. VIA is listening to the demands of car owners for sophisticated audio and video entertainment along with GPS and other cool options like consumer and commercial uses of in-car mounted cameras.
Watch for our updates from the Embedded Systems Conference later this week.
VIA also announced the first expansion HD module for the EPIA -P710, VIA P710-HD, which features the powerful 4300E embedded graphics processor from S3 Graphics. This first Pico-I/O module for stackable Pico-ITXe boards provides Hi-Def video playback and advanced graphics in an extremely low power compact form factor.
And for POS, kiosk, and ATM-type equipment that is always on, VIA is showing the power efficient EITX-3000 Em-ITX board at the Embedded Systems Conference. This board runs multiple diplays and can stand temperatures from -10 to 70 degrees Celsius.
