People

Maureen

Maureen wants to grow environmentally sustainable produce. She gardens with a WikiReader close at hand. A retired professor with a PhD in Jungian psychology, she’s used to pondering the human psyche. But when she’s in her garden and has questions about planting methods, watering schedules, or anything else her mind turns to in the shade of her fruit trees, she wants the answers right away.

Bill

As a longtime med-school professor and former head of the genetics department at UCSD, Bill has spent plenty of time indoors. Now he prefers to be outside, to go for long camping trips and live by his wits—catching fish, building fires, exploring the backroads. When his adventures exceed his knowledge, his WikiReader helps with the important questions, like “how can I eat this?”

Salicia

Salicia likes to travel. A lot. She also likes to learn about the places she goes—the languages, customs, and histories. She travels with a WikiReader because it gives her all the answers without roaming charges or a backpack full of books. This summer, she’ll be exploring the Greek islands, learning about them on the ferry rides in between—and ready to change course at a moment’s notice.

Dylan

Dylan’s homework topics range from string theory to endangered frogs. (Being nine isn’t exactly what it used to be.) The range of his dad’s wifi router doesn’t always reach the quiet places where Dylan likes to study. His WikiReader gives him the answers—and only the answers—he needs to complete his assignments, even when he wants to work on them under the oak tree (sometimes being nine is exactly what it used to be.)

Agnes

A graduate student at the Gemological Institute of America, Agnes is less interested in individual jewelry designs than in how those designs came to be. That’s why she’s studying. And that’s why she always has a WikiReader nearby—so she can investigate the scientific, historical, and artistic properties of certain materials and thus develop an understanding that goes well beyond mere aesthetics.

Marge

Marge is an environmentalist. She’s interested in energy policy, renewable resources, and conservation. She’s interested in a lot of things, actually. One thing she’s not interested in, however, is wasting electricity. She feeds her curiosity with a WikiReader because it can give her the answers for a full year on just two AAA batteries. That’s a wise use of resources.