Humane Reader is a $20 8-bit PC for TVs

We can't decide if this is a Smart idea or a Stupid idea in the grand scheme of things, but we love it just the same. Humane PC and its Humane Reader child are open source hardware projects with some seriously low-cost internal components. At volume the PC could retail for as low as $20, and that's with 2GB of microSD storage, USB / PS/2 plugs, and video out. The PC is primarily designed to output low-res, black and white text to a TV, making it a low cost reader for developing countries, and the Humane Reader project pre-loads the device with thousands of Wikipedia articles (much in the vein of the OpenMoko WikiReader). Of course, the Humane PC itself is imminently hackable, and we probably haven't seen the full extent of this sucker's functionality just yet. The project is currently seeking a partner to deploy some prototypes.

[pcorlatan Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:46AM]

At that price I want one!

[uckApple Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:58AM]

@pcorlatan

I dont know about that guys, I think it looks like an iPad to me.

[uckApple Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:59AM]

@pcorlatan

If all the 8-bit loving nerds (like me xD) buy this, it might just kill the iPad..

8-BIT STYLE.

[seventythree Posted Jul 20th 2010 6:15AM]

@uckApple

You know the PC is the green box off to the side, right?

[hmmwv Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:05AM]

@pcorlatan That Prism LCD TV was on sale at Walgreen for $35 last week, so this is potentially a $50 computer.

[Firewave Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:48AM]

I wish Kindles were at that price!

[vdubdan45 Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:52AM]

IPAD KILLERRRRRRRR

[Special Agent Steve Posted Jul 20th 2010 3:00AM]

@vdubdan45
Definitely. Especially at 1/25 the price.

[vdubdan45 Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:54AM]

KINDLE KILLERRRRRRR!!111!1!!1!1!1

[Madmax333 Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:57AM]

Damn third world countries have all the fun

[Heywatchitbuddy Posted Jul 20th 2010 3:41AM]

@Madmax333
>implying you can't buy one unless you live in a third world country

[Dante of the Inferno Posted Jul 20th 2010 3:03AM]

I'm all for helping those less fortunate with their technical needs, but for the trouble, get these partners into the OLPC category. The newest model is supposed to be a foldable tablet anyway, so why not just use that as the e-reader?

Also, with the Humane Reader, apparently you need to be too poor for OLPC, but fortunate enough to have a TV in the third world.

[Patricio Arnechino Posted Jul 20th 2010 3:07AM]

A very (potentially) nice reader for books on any big screen as you go... doesn't sound that bad for a couple of bucks...

[lnm4444 Posted Jul 20th 2010 7:56AM]

All I need now is my old Members Only jacket.

[CRA1G Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:20AM]

Will it play Doom?

Scratch that.

Will it play Zork?

[Larz Posted Jul 20th 2010 6:58PM]

@CRA1G

Text-adventures it can do.
You have been eaten by a Grue!

[KupoCheer Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:52AM]

Why are we looking for low-cost readers for developing countries when books work just as well (and probably a whole lot better, in this scenario)?

[Jive Turkey Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:39AM]

@KupoCheer Thousands of articles in one book for $20? I don't think so. Not to mention that you can't update the content in a book, or automatically search it.

[dorkypants Posted Jul 20th 2010 11:41AM]

I think you mean "eminently hackable". "imminently" means "about to happen right now"; "eminently" means "highly, very, to a great degree".

[num0 Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:48PM]

My H8 MCU board w/USB costed nearly $40...