Acer and Webaroo to deliver the Web on a laptop... sort of

Today a startup called Webaroo is expected to announce a deal with Acer to sell laptops preloaded with a 40GB snapshot of the "essential web." In addition to storing relatively permanent information for offline search, the system will also refresh itself automatically when connected to the internet, allowing for updated "Web Packs" featuring content related to headline news and sports among other specialized subjects. While we agree that much of the web is "redundant" and "junk," we're still not too keen on the idea of turning over more than half our laptop's disk storage to someone else's idea of "essential," especially in an age when always-on connectivity via EV-DO, WiFi, etc. means we're almost never offline.  (Where was this service in 1998? Wait -- where was our 40GB hard drive in 1998?) But we'll wait to see if Engadget makes the cut before passing final judgement, eh?

 

[dudeInAmerica @ Apr 10th 2006 9:13AM]

Who the hell's bright idea was that?

Cache the web?!? No thanks, can I have my 40gb back please?

[3rdsun @ Apr 10th 2006 9:40AM]

what a waste of time and disk space. if only they loaded some killer games and apps i would buy

[Tonio @ Apr 10th 2006 10:04AM]

That sounds like buying a library from Reader's Digest... unless "the essential" means 40GB of midget porn.

[Eric Warnke @ Apr 10th 2006 10:29AM]

How in the hell would that get around copyright? I know there are many exceptions for search engines, but this is wholesale copying and *distribution* of content to users for profit.

[Fortyseven @ Apr 10th 2006 10:45AM]

It's about time SOMEONE made a backup of the internet!

(Insert floppy 3,520,039 of NaN and press any key to continue...)

[LD @ Apr 10th 2006 10:48AM]

Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Those technical enough to care about Internet access will get it through a hotspot or some other means. Those technical enough to care don't want cached info, but live data.

[Dean J @ Apr 10th 2006 11:06AM]

I don't think the web was 40 gigs in 1998. That's just at the cusp of internet video, right around when mp3's were just gaining popularity, and prior to the majority of current users being on the internet in any way...

Or, right in the middle of the end of dialup access.

[keith coutinho @ Apr 10th 2006 11:13AM]

all you need is an ipod with wikipedia on,

see
http://encyclopodia.sourceforge.net/en/index.html

[Faraz @ Apr 10th 2006 11:49AM]

Having Wikipedia available locally would be amazing. The iPod Wikipedia project seems like a great idea. However, I think the most "essential" internet applications are ones where interacting with remote servers is required - for example, webmail, support forums, banking, etc..

If they can get zombo off-line, though, I'm sold. You can do anything at zombo com.

[Dennis Pallett @ Apr 10th 2006 12:11PM]

Okay, it's official: we're in a dot-com bubble again, since the ridiculous ideas are starting to appear.

[Peter @ Apr 10th 2006 1:21PM]

Wikipedia? When I do search for "Wikipedia" on my Webaroo enabled laptop I don't get any hits...

Wikipedia, must be a fad...

[Amy @ Apr 10th 2006 3:18PM]

I bet the real money to be made for Webaroo is in charging companies to be included in the "essential internet". They could use that revenue to subsidize the cost of the laptop and software so they'll be super-cheap, assuring them *some* sales...

Otherwise, I can't figure out their market. I know of no one with shoddy Internet access who wants to tote around 40gb of obsolete information.

[dcw @ Apr 10th 2006 3:45PM]

I doubt the Acers will be able to handle Zombo.com...especially considering the 40 gig HD.

[Blade @ Apr 10th 2006 4:55PM]

I had a similiar idea, to help dialup users out. Of course it shouldn't be ingrained in the HD, it should be available as a CD. It could help out people in rural areas that still cant access broadband. Although, what is deemed "essential" is a matter of opinion and considering this seems to be yet another greedy company, I doubt it would be of much use for consumers (likely is full of ads). If one would like to create this for free simply download HtTrack and download all your essentials on a friends broadband connection, save to a CD, and you have just saved yourself a lot of money.

[evo @ Apr 10th 2006 7:38PM]

There are plenty of reasons why a snapshot of the Web would be useful:

- Offline use. Ever been on a 12-hour flight and needed to look up some technical information? Or been staying in a hotel without Internet access?

- Research: Freeze a copy of the Web at periodic intervals.

- Distribution to localities without Internet access, intermittent access, low-speed access, or metered access

- Employees and consultants behind firewalls that don't allow Internet access (there are many, especially in the government and financial services industry)

- School research for students (presumably it could be filtered...)

- Faster search hits (instant cached results with the option to see updated content if connected)

[Luis Perez @ Apr 11th 2006 12:19AM]

#15... finally some objective opinion on this product...

"There are plenty of reasons why a snapshot of the Web would be useful:

- Offline use. Ever been on a 12-hour flight and needed to look up some technical information? Or been staying in a hotel without Internet access?

- Research: Freeze a copy of the Web at periodic intervals.

- Distribution to localities without Internet access, intermittent access, low-speed access, or metered access

- Employees and consultants behind firewalls that don't allow Internet access (there are many, especially in the government and financial services industry)

- School research for students (presumably it could be filtered...)

- Faster search hits (instant cached results with the option to see updated content if connected)"

Well said...

Most engadget users seem to forget not everyone is glued 24/0 to the net, but people (here in the US, not to mention other countries) ACTUALLY SPENDS TIME OFFLINE. There's people on the road, waiting rooms, in a cab, rural areas etc etc etc etc etc, that could use ANY version of the net.

And it's not someone else's version of an essential web, it's your own custom version.

I think there's a HUGE market for the product, obviously excluding engadget users...

[Viswanath Ramachandran @ Mar 7th 2008 12:18AM]

Hi, Webaroo has released a new version of our product - Webaroo 2. This version lets you download YouTube videos, Flickr photos and more... Check it out at http://my.webaroo.com

Vishy - VP, Engg - Webaroo