The Navy eReader Device looks like Kindle but that’s where the similarities end. (via US Navy)
Mobile devices and e-readers are extremely popular with military personnel all over the world. Devices such as Apple’s iPod allow soldiers to ‘escape’ the monotony of long flights while listening to their favorite tunes or ‘get pumped up’ while working out. Laptops, tablets and e-readers are popular as well and offer-up all kinds of different entertainment from watching movies to reading the latest spy novels.
As far as e-readers are concerned, the most popular device military personnel use is Amazon’s Kindle, which not only allows users to download books but other media content as well. Not to be outdone by civilian companies, the US Navy is set to issue sailors their own e-readers through their ‘Morale, Welfare and Recreation’ program, which according to CNIC (Commander, Navy Installations Command) ‘will enrich their lives’. (source: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=80920 second paragraph)
The device, Known as NeRD (Navy eReader Device), comes preloaded with 300 popular books, including Game of Thrones and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo along with a slew of spine-tingling titles from the Chief of Naval Operations Professional Reading Program (think naval history). Unfortunately for the users of these new e-readers, it can’t download anything as it isn’t equipped with Wi-Fi, doesn’t have removable storage and there is no way to add or delete content preloaded on the device. Sounds like a undesirable device, however there’s a reason for this as Wi-Fi signals can potentially give away a vessel’s location (not good in a time of war) and secrets can’t be downloaded to it and put into enemy hands or sent to WikiLeaks.
Still, it is better than nothing and considering storage space for sailors stationed on ships is incredibly small, it gives them more room for other things besides books. The Navy is issuing 385 of the NeRDs at first with five going to each submarine in the US fleet (that’s 77 subs folks), with more to follow after that (if they aren’t ejected out of the torpedo tubes first).
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