Reader without connectivity

capidamonte · 06-26-2010, 10:03 PM

Hi,

Got a buddy with a unique problem. He works in a high-security place, and needs a reader without connectivity: no USB, no WiFi, no Bluetooth or the like.

He can probably do with a slot for a storage medium: SD, mini-SD, etc.

Any suggestions?

eInk, LCD, all ok.

Dulin's Books · 06-26-2010, 11:57 PM

pocketbook 301+

Dulin's Books · 06-26-2010, 11:58 PM

oh- no usb. then no. they all have usb at least for file transfer and charging.

capidamonte · 06-27-2010, 01:23 AM

Yeah, it's USB that's the main sticking point...

nashira · 06-27-2010, 01:32 AM

..if he doesn't take the USB cord to work, would it really matter? I can't think of one off the top of my head that doesn't have to charge via USB or doesn't use it in some way (i.e. file transfer)

Dulin's Books · 06-27-2010, 01:44 AM

yeah my father in law worked at Lockheed before retiring and before that in the Air force. all his projects were classified and he spent allot of time at the pentagon or over at Langley. The internal systems at Lockheed were not connected to the internet. they had separate "public" systems that were. but people would stick their usb drive into the public system and then into the internal system- bingo a virus would jump to the internal system. the sd cards would come with the same risk potential as usb connectivity.

your buddy is better off with a paperback.

HarryT · 06-27-2010, 02:06 AM

A reader with no connectivity at all would, by definition, have no means of getting content on to it.

capidamonte · 06-27-2010, 02:56 AM

@HarryT: Which, of course, is not what I'm asking after. As I wrote, some sort of memory feature is doable, such as MicroSD, etc.

@Dulin's Books: It's quite unlikely he's planning to use the device in one of their machines. It's simply a matter of finding something that, while technically not entirely within spec, will not be seen as crossing the line.

He's mentioned Nintendo DS, which seems like sacrilege... I was hoping that there was a reader that depended primarily on storage cards for books. I was thinking something like an old Palm. Maybe a LifeDrive?

HarryT · 06-27-2010, 03:05 AM

Even PDAs have USB connectivity. You're really going to struggle to find something without USB; it's such a universal standard.

Zetmolm · 06-27-2010, 05:15 AM

Would the USB still cross the line if you make it unusable, e.g. fill the USB port with glue?

goinveg · 06-27-2010, 08:07 AM

The early Palm Pilots were serial port connections with a proprietary connector at the PDA end. It uses the .pdb format for ebooks and the desktop software includes a conversion app.

You can get a serial-USB converter to use it on "modern" computers.

EDIT: Without the connector wire, it cannot be plugged into newer computers.

nashira · 06-27-2010, 09:20 AM

Before you damage any micro usb/usb ports, you better check you can charge it some other way like an AC adapter or separate battery charger (if the battery is user replacable) else you'll have a pretty big problem.

I'm presuming the USB is a problem because he could put something volatile into the system potentially or take off sensitive documents or something?

fjtorres · 06-27-2010, 10:10 AM

Do they allow cellphones?
If so, then there's lots of cellphones that rely on proprietary cables.

Failing that, an older PDA like the Jornada 6xx that relied on a cradle for USB connectivity would do the trick.
The Dell Axims in particular; those have vga screens and a recent enough version of WinMo to run an ePub reader alongside MSReader, eReader, and Mobipocket. I'd say look on ebay for an HP Jornada or a low-end Dell Axim.

capidamonte · 06-27-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashira

I'm presuming the USB is a problem because he could put something volatile into the system potentially or take off sensitive documents or something?

Yeah, I think that's the deal. He's "subject to search", and you know what that means -- it's gotta pass the ignorance test.

capidamonte · 06-27-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Do they allow cellphones?
If so, then there's lots of cellphones that rely on proprietary cables.

Failing that, an older PDA like the Jornada 6xx that relied on a cradle for USB connectivity would do the trick.
The Dell Axims in particular; those have vga screens and a recent enough version of WinMo to run an ePub reader alongside MSReader, eReader, and Mobipocket. I'd say look on ebay for an HP Jornada or a low-end Dell Axim.

Absolute "no" to cellphones. It's wireless radio connectivity after all...

Maybe an old WinMo PDA... I'll run it by him.

06-26-2010, 10:03 PM	#1
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	Reader without connectivity Hi, Got a buddy with a unique problem. He works in a high-security place, and needs a reader without connectivity: no USB, no WiFi, no Bluetooth or the like. He can probably do with a slot for a storage medium: SD, mini-SD, etc. Any suggestions? eInk, LCD, all ok.

06-27-2010, 08:07 AM	#11
goinveg Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Meriden, CT, USA Device: Kobo, Entourage eDGe DualBook	The early Palm Pilots were serial port connections with a proprietary connector at the PDA end. It uses the .pdb format for ebooks and the desktop software includes a conversion app. You can get a serial-USB converter to use it on "modern" computers. EDIT: Without the connector wire, it cannot be plugged into newer computers. Last edited by goinveg; 06-27-2010 at 08:13 AM.

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06-26-2010, 11:57 PM	#2
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	pocketbook 301+

06-26-2010, 11:58 PM	#3
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	oh- no usb. then no. they all have usb at least for file transfer and charging.

06-27-2010, 01:23 AM	#4
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	Yeah, it's USB that's the main sticking point...

06-27-2010, 01:32 AM	#5
nashira Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 73734 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Paperwhite	..if he doesn't take the USB cord to work, would it really matter? I can't think of one off the top of my head that doesn't have to charge via USB or doesn't use it in some way (i.e. file transfer)

06-27-2010, 01:44 AM	#6
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	yeah my father in law worked at Lockheed before retiring and before that in the Air force. all his projects were classified and he spent allot of time at the pentagon or over at Langley. The internal systems at Lockheed were not connected to the internet. they had separate "public" systems that were. but people would stick their usb drive into the public system and then into the internal system- bingo a virus would jump to the internal system. the sd cards would come with the same risk potential as usb connectivity. your buddy is better off with a paperback.

06-27-2010, 02:06 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A reader with no connectivity at all would, by definition, have no means of getting content on to it.

06-27-2010, 02:56 AM	#8
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	@HarryT: Which, of course, is not what I'm asking after. As I wrote, some sort of memory feature is doable, such as MicroSD, etc. @Dulin's Books: It's quite unlikely he's planning to use the device in one of their machines. It's simply a matter of finding something that, while technically not entirely within spec, will not be seen as crossing the line. He's mentioned Nintendo DS, which seems like sacrilege... I was hoping that there was a reader that depended primarily on storage cards for books. I was thinking something like an old Palm. Maybe a LifeDrive?

06-27-2010, 03:05 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Even PDAs have USB connectivity. You're really going to struggle to find something without USB; it's such a universal standard.

06-27-2010, 05:15 AM	#10
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 2031728 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Touch (622), PocketBook Touch Lux 2, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	Would the USB still cross the line if you make it unusable, e.g. fill the USB port with glue?

06-27-2010, 09:20 AM	#12
nashira Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 73734 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Before you damage any micro usb/usb ports, you better check you can charge it some other way like an AC adapter or separate battery charger (if the battery is user replacable) else you'll have a pretty big problem. I'm presuming the USB is a problem because he could put something volatile into the system potentially or take off sensitive documents or something?

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06-27-2010, 10:10 AM	#13
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Do they allow cellphones? If so, then there's lots of cellphones that rely on proprietary cables. Failing that, an older PDA like the Jornada 6xx that relied on a cradle for USB connectivity would do the trick. The Dell Axims in particular; those have vga screens and a recent enough version of WinMo to run an ePub reader alongside MSReader, eReader, and Mobipocket. I'd say look on ebay for an HP Jornada or a low-end Dell Axim.