The band reached the peak of popularity in the 90s. Their roots however go back to 1987, when the first two band members, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt were still in their teens and playing for a band called Sweet Children. Sean Hughes and Al Sobrante later became part of the group. When the band signed up with Lookout! Records in 1989, they dropped their old name and changed it to their current one. It has been suggested that the group’s current moniker is a reference to the band members’ soft spot for marijuana.

With Lookout! the group was able to release a couple of EPs. It was really 1994 however that proved to be their year. They signed up with a new label, Reprise Records and released their album, Dookie. For a first release, this one was considered extremely successful. It reached diamond status and was named as the Best Alternative Album of 1995 in the Grammy Awards.

On the same year they got a nod from the Grammys, Insomniac was released. Of all the Green Day albums this is perhaps the heaviest. This is probably why it did not reach the same status as the first release. Nonetheless, this second release earned from the group a slew of nominations and hundreds of thousands in Green Day merch and album sales.

In 1997, the band followed up with Nimrod, an album that marked a slight shift in the band’s signature sound. The band incorporated a mix of pop and ska among other influences. Despite the risk of venturing into new territory though, the album still peaked at number 10 in the charts.

Following Nimrod in 2000 was Warning. This is possibly the group’s least successful work. Unlike its predecessors, it was only certified gold. The following year, the work was named Outstanding Album in the California Music Awards. The dip in sales however, was interpreted by many as the start of the band’s gradual fall from stardom.

It took four more years for the group to prove all the naysayers wrong. American Idiot was so well accepted that it became the band’s first chart topper and Best Rock Album in the Grammys. It was so popular that it even inspired a musical.

Their next album, 21st Century Breakdown saw the light of day in 2009. This once more took platinum status. From all obvious appearances, Green Day was back on track and better than ever.

The band might not be the fathers of punk rock. They have however, definitely jump started in electrifying fashion the popular interest in punk. At some point, the band was accused of selling out and was criticized by more established acts for what seemed to be their fake image of punks in rock tees. Barring these negative comments though, the group has been every bit successful at bringing their genre to the forefront. You can’t argue against the millions of albums they’ve sold in and outside the US.

While they seem to have a soft spot for drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers, Berlin, Germany-based Soft Machines creates and sells these highly detailed plush versions of old-school electronics. Having absolutely no musical capabilities I’m partial to the plush Nintendo Game Boy myself, but unfortunately since they’re not mass produced in a factory (which isn’t a bad thing) they’re actually rather expensive. At the cheapest end of the scale is the plush Game Boy which sells for about $132 (€99) while the plush Leipzig is the most expensive at about $265 (€199).

[ Soft Machines ] VIA [ Holycool.net ]

When it was first announced last Fall, there wasn’t exactly a lot of enthusiasm for Openmoko’s WikiReader in the gadget blog community. I mean who needs to access an offline copy of Wikipedia on a bare-bones device with a monochrome display, when everything from smartphones to even Amazon’s Kindle can access the online version whenever you need to win a bet or a debate? And the whole purpose of Wikipedia itself is to serve as an always-up-to-date, comprehensive encyclopedia that’s perpetually being expanded. With the WikiReader you only get bi-annual updates to keep its database of over 3 million+ topics current.

But at CES earlier this year, when I actually had a chance to use the WikiReader in person, I have to admit I developed a soft spot for the device. The simplicity of its design and ease of use almost rivals Apple’s obsession with minimalism, and as someone who grew up relying on a shelf full of printed encyclopedias to get through grade school reports, holding the equivalent in the palm of your hand provides one of those ‘look how far we’ve come’ moments. But philosophical musings aside, while I can’t say the WikiReader is a must-have device for everyone, I do think it will appeal to some people. And if you think you might be one of them, please step inside for my full review.

I was pleasantly surprised at how small and basic the packaging for the WikiReader was when it arrived. It definitely mirrors Openmoko’s aim for simplicity. All you really get is the device itself and a brief instruction manual/getting started guide, which isn’t really necessary since the device is so easy to use.

The WikiReader sits easily in one hand, and I’d compare its size to a deck of playing cards, if they were wider and square in dimension. Every corner and angle is rounded so it’s very comfortable to hold, and I’d almost refer to its design as being ‘non-threatening.’

The housing is entirely made from plastic, including the display cover*, but it doesn’t feel cheap. Instead, it makes the WikiReader feel relatively light and simple. The only downside is that the plastic display cover is a lot easier to scratch than one made of glass, which can be problematic when you’re supposed to use it as a touchscreen. Fortunately I haven’t had any major nicks just yet, but I imagine if you were to toss it in a bag with other items it wouldn’t take long for it to get marred.

*Update: It turns out the screen cover is actually made from glass, which is probably why I haven’t suffered any scratches yet. So it should be considerably more durable than I originally thought.

Looking at it from the side, the WikiReader is a little thicker near the top, and this is pretty much due to the set of AAA batteries inside which should keep it running for at least a year. But the added thickness also has the added benefit of providing a slightly more usable reading angle when the WikiReader is sitting on a flat surface.

On the back of the WikiReader you’ll find a battery door where the aforementioned AAA’s are stashed, but nothing else. No warning labels, no technical info, not even a logo. Nice and clean.

Removing the battery door, and the batteries, also reveals where the WikiReader stashes all of those Wikipedia articles. A tiny 8GB microSD card holds the device’s 3 million+ topics, though at the moment it seems like the database only takes up about half of the card’s capacity.

As I mentioned earlier, since Wikipedia itself is constantly being updated, Openmoko is aiming to release updates to the WikiReader’s database twice a year. And so far they’re on track having just released a Spring 2010 update. It’s available for download from the company’s website for free, but since it weighs in at 4.7GB, it’s a hefty download. A torrent link is provided which make things a little easier, but for $29 there’s also the option of having the updates mailed to you on a new 8GB microSD card twice a year. (They don’t ask for the old ones back.)

I’ll be honest, it would be great if the WikiReader was updated on a monthly basis, or even on a more frequent schedule, but the lack of any kind of wireless or hardware connectivity on the device, and the size of the database itself, makes that understandably prohibitive. And the fact that they provide any updates at all still puts it well ahead of other handheld encyclopedias that were once on the market.

In keeping with the WikiReader’s simple design, the device only has 4 hardware buttons. On the top you’ll find the power button which works with a simple ‘push once to turn on’ or a ‘hold for 2 seconds to turn off’ methodology. And it’s got a semi-flush design so it can’t easily be accidentally turned on if the device is bumped.

And just below the display you’ll find the other 3 buttons which are round, rubberized and labeled with ’search, history & random.’

Hitting ’search’ brings up an on-screen keyboard and a list of possible entries you’re looking for that’s auto-filled as you type away. Now the limitations of the hardware, like the low refresh-rate of the display, and the fact that it probably isn’t using the latest multi-core processors from Intel, means that the WikiReader isn’t the most blazing piece of electronics I’ve ever used. But it’s still totally usable, and the occasional pause here and there when jumping to or between articles is never an inconvenience. In fact while the monochrome display might look a little dated, it’s still responsive to even the lightest touch, which makes the on-screen keyboard very usable. In fact, the recent Spring 2010 update to the Wikipedia database also came with a handful of improvements to the WikiReader’s UI, including the little pop-up letter you see every time you hit a key, just like on the iPhone.

And like I already mentioned, in the same way that Google creates and narrows down a list of suggestions as you type out your search query, the WikiReader will continually update a list of possible topics underneath your entry to save time if what you’re looking for happens to appear. And when you do find what you’re looking for, you simply have to tap that word to be taken to the specific article.

The articles themselves show up as simple text, with no anti-aliasing due to the WikiReader display’s limited resolution and grayscale capabilities. But while fans of Cleartype will complain that the display is hurting their eyes, no one else should find much to winge about. However, if you’re the type who can’t read a book or an article without pictures, the WikiReader probably won’t appeal to you since none of the images on Wikipedia are included. There is limited image support for displaying mathematical equations as of the Spring 2010 update, but that’s it.

Scrolling a long article is accomplished just as you’d expect it to be on a touchscreen device. You simply touch the display and then drag your finger up or down. Now due to the display’s limited refresh-rate it’s pretty much impossible to read anything while you’re scrolling, but it’s plenty responsive and a lot easier than having to use a set of on-screen scroll buttons.

While browsing an article you’ll also notice there are many words or phrases that are underlined. At one point in time you would have assumed these were phrases being emphasized, but these days an underlined word immediately makes you assume it’s a hyperlink of some sort, and your assumption would be right. And to visit a linked article all you have to do is click on the word to be taken there.

All those underlined words also means you can get lost pretty easily following a link trail on the WikiReader, so hitting the ‘history’ button brings up a complete list of every article you’ve visited, in chronological order. On one hand, quickly jumping back to the previous article isn’t as easy as just hitting a back button, but on the other hand it makes jumping to a specific article you’ve visited, not necessarily the most recent, quite a bit easier. And clearing the history is as easy as holding down the ‘history’ button until a ‘Clear History’ prompt appears, allowing you to choose ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

Finally, there’s also a ‘random’ button which is probably the single reason I warmed up to the WikiReader in the first place. Hitting it simply brings up one of the 3 million+ articles at random, allowing you to easily fulfill the old ‘you learn something new every day’ adage. I can’t say it’s the single reason why everyone should run out and buy a WikiReader, but it does turn it into a pretty effective and readily available time killer if one was sitting on your desk.

Conclusions:

Now here’s where things get tricky. Overall I think Openmoko has done a really great job at creating a simple piece of hardware with the single intent of providing an easy way to browse Wikipedia’s vast database of articles. Even the most technophobic person should have no trouble figuring out how to use the device without even cracking the included manual, thanks to its simple set of hardware buttons and intuitive touchscreen interface. However, the basic design and minimal functionality that makes the WikiReader easy to use, also serve as its biggest downside. It makes it hard to justify the price.

In a world of highly capable smartphones, with their bright, colorful touchscreen displays, I still think there’s a place for a simple device like the WikiReader, even with its lack of hardware and wireless connectivity, and low-res monochrome display. But the $99 price tag makes it a very tough sell. Now if it was a device from a company like Encyclopedia Britannica which provided access to their private database of articles, I could maybe understand the price since they still charge for their content. But the fact of the matter is that Wikipedia is a ‘free’ resource to anyone with access to a device that can go online, so it’s not like you’re getting anything unique with the WikiReader in terms of content.

If it was priced around $50 (on the high-end) I would definitely be inclined to recommend the WikiReader to anyone who enjoys browsing Wikipedia. But at $99 I think its market is limited to people who’d consider it a last resort for accessing Wikipedia’s vast knowledge base because of a lack of a reliable internet connection.

Pros:
+ Rounded design, minimal buttons and easy-to-use touchscreen UI makes it ideal for technophobes.
+ Bi-annual database updates can also include software updates improving the UI.
+ Updates are provided free if you have the bandwidth to download them.
+ Will probably be the only way to access Wikipedia after the apocalypse.

Cons:
- It’s strictly a consumption-only device. No copying of text or sending article links to a friend.
- Monochrome display with its slow refresh-rate seems a bit dated, though it’s easily readable in daylight.
- Updates to the Wikipedia database are only available twice a year.
- Plastic screen cover will scratch easily.
- $99 is a bit expensive for accessing content you can already get for free online.

Links:
Openmoko WikiReader – $99

If you have any questions about the WikiReader you’d like answered, please feel free to leave them in the comments, and I’ll try to respond to them as best I can.

Most Meme

“Taken with a tripod mounted Canon XSi with a Canon 50mm f1.8 and an extension tube. Exposure was f/2 @ 1/50s, ISO 320.”
[Ed note: Close call, given the Portal shot in the galleries.]
-Adam Carlson

Most Clever

“This was “shot” using my Canon 7D with the 50mm f1.8 prime. Tripod, ISO 800, 1/6 shutter, f2.8. The only light in the image is from a taper candle inserted into a disassembled MAG-Lite. To keep the flame from melting the reflective lens of the flashlight, the setup was aimed up and the final image rotated.”
-Christian Shaffer

Most Fiery

“The shot was taken with my Canon S90 @ F8, ISO 400 and with a 15sec exposure on a tripod. To achieve the blur, I adjusted the head of the tripod downward and back to it’s starting position quickly at the start of the exposure.”
-Jesse Oliveri

Favorite on Film

Camera: Mamiya RZ67
Lens: Mamiya-Sekor 110mm
Film: Kodak 160VC
Shot at: f2.8 at 1 sec
Reflective metered with a Sekonik L-508
Scanned at a low resolution
-Gabriel Padilla

Winner

Canon 5dMark II
Sigma 70-200mm EX
ISO 100
F 2.8
Shutter speed 2.5
“I hung the statue upside down to make it appear that the light was coming from up above. Using long term exposure I quickly moved the candle to light the side of his face.”
[Ed note: This image subverted my expectations completely, re-imagining soft candle light as a crisp backlight. Also, I have a soft spot for The Incredibles, silhouettes and the color red.]
-Felix Mendoza

Note: there are two galleries this week for the sake of our back end:

If participants proved one thing this week, it’s that a single candle is more than apt for photography by modern dSLRS. Well, that, and they’re all gluttons for punishment. Nice job, everyone.

Now cheer* on your favorites in the comments!

(*Just be sure to do so without, you know, being a dick to other participants. Also, for anyone wondering why the lead shot didn’t win, it was taken last summer making it ineligible for competition.)

The three cameras share the same sensor and image processor, but the DP1 has a much faster and wider lens — it’d be my choice in a heartbeat. But the SD15 might be interesting once they’ve brought it up to speed.

It’s got 14 megapixels on the famous Foveon stacked silicon sensor, a 3-inch LCD, and an extremely durable shutter — 100,000 exposures anybody? I think my Canon is rated at 10,000. Its ISO ranges from 100-1600, and can be extended to 50 or 3200, but I’m guessing that has an adverse effect on image quality. It’s got a real pentaprism viewfinder, too, which makes what you see much closer to what you get.

Unfortunately, not all its specs are impressive. 3FPS in RAW is nothing to crow about, though a big buffer means you can keep that up for 21 shots. And it’s only got 5-point autofocus, which is weak as hell. I mean, personally I only use the center AF point, but for any kind of active photography where you can’t be bothered to compose your shots carefully, a robust AF system is highly useful.

Who knows, maybe its image quality, given some good glass, might make up for its lack of features. We’ll soon see, but in the meantime I still have a soft spot for the DP1x.

[SD15 microsite, via DPReview]

Oh Fred! Besides brightening my occasional trips to hipster-mecca Urban Outfitters and providing perfect gift ideas for people I don’t really care about, you also occasionally come up with something that even I wouldn’t mind using. «REW not only cleans up those dangling headphone cables by spooling them inside a snap-shut case, but it’s got a retro cassette-tape design that lets everyone know you’ll always have a soft spot for your first Walkman, even if you’ve long since sold your soul to Apple.

[ Fred - «REW ]

As any long time MobileCrunch reader (hey, they exist!) ought to know, we’ve got a bit of a soft spot for pink phones. I’m not really too interested in carrying one (nothing against’em, it would just clash with my depressingly grey-hued wardrobe), but I like to keep a careful eye on them as they surge in popularity right around February 14th of each year. This time around, it looks like Palm might be hopping on the brightly-colored bandwagon.

As what one might call mainstream consumers of interactive entertainment, we’re quick to snicker at anything too concerned with elves and dragons, or any kind of stat-juggling role-playing game. That said, we’ve always had a soft spot for epic, story-driven games such as Oblivion and Fallout 3, which …

Then you went and made the BL40, a phone which has a soft-spot in our hearts for being absurdly long. (Really. If you get shipwrecked in the middle of the ocean, you could use one BL40 as a raft and another as a paddle.)

Then you went and started that insanely clever serial number campaign.

And now… now you’ve done this:

Next to all the 09/09/09 product announcement hoopla this week, this little USB device probably won’t even rate a blip on the tech radar. But we’ve always had a soft spot for USB accessories, particularly of the wacky encounter. And anything out of Thanko’…