The Christian Version of a Kindle June 23, 2012

The Christian Version of a Kindle

By Hemant Mehta
June 23, 2012

It exists and it’s called Edifi:

My favorite part about it is when they try to compare it to a Kindle and Nook… they *know* the quality in the other products is better, but look at what the Edifi has! (Click to enlarge)

HA! We have 27 pre-installed Bibles and they have none! Of course, you can always buy one for free from Amazon… but still. PRE-INSTALLED!

I feel bad for the poor kid who’s going to get this for Christmas…

Christianity: We can’t be as cool as the secular world so we’ll create our own D-rated versions of everything.

(via Matthew Paul Turner and Christian Nightmares)


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What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

  • Wow, 27 bibles preinstalled! I’m sold.

  • Sounds like a general 7″ Android tablet for less money than an e-reader. Bibles aside that doens’t look too shabby.

  • The line about a “safe browser” also seems to fit into the same category. Automatic censorship built right in.

    Although it is interesting to see that some of the features aren’t awful. The Edifi does have a clearly crappier screen, and the fact that the operating system is the default Android suggests that they haven’t thought that hard about optimizing the product as an ereaders. I strongly suspect that the easy book selection is a lot smaller than that for the other ereaders. 

  • Ufipod

    i had that app on my android, it’s free in the marketplace, it actually is a good bible app (for bookmarking those passages you may need to whip out)

  • Kaydenpat

    And Christian radio streaming!

  • JamesB

    What, no built-in internet filter? And who knows…maybe it will make Christian fiction more readable. Hmmm. Probably not.

  • tomwoolf

    “D-rated” = Douchebag rated?

  •  Hm, the one and only inerrant word of God. In 27 versions.

  • Julie Watson

    bwahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!!  
     

  • Well, you know the Kindle Fire represents Hell, and Nook is similar to nookie, which is naughty…

  • JamesB

    My bad. Skipped right over the “safe browser” bit.

  • Greg

    Let’s see: Android 2.3 on a tablet, no 802.11n, a resistive screen with only 80 percent the resolution of its competitors, a restricted browser, and some apps that are free anyway if I even wanted them. I think I’ll pass.

  • fett101

    Resistive touchscreen? Dedicated charger? 480×800 135 dpi? What a piece of crap.

  • allein

    Well now you’ve got me thinking of the “Find your nook” commercials in a new light… 😉

  • tomwoolf

     xtian fiction more readable?  What does it to – white print on white background?

  • revaaron

    Except you can get a similar low end Android tablet from AliExpress for $64-100…

  • Gunstargreen

    At least with this I won’t be tempted to buy atheist books from Amazon.

  • MegaZeusThor

    Christian leaders are bold, since actually reading the bible has been known to diminish belief.

    http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/the-bible-is-boring-and-insipid/ 

  • observer

    F88k the poor, it has 27 Bible versions installed!

  • Istj04

    I certainly agree that atheists would need a “pre-installed Bible” to factually QUOTE FROM, since Christians sure as hell don’t know what that pathetic excuse of a book says! 

  • Blanc_Slate

    Technology and Christianity together? Nah…I don’t buy it. 

  • Imeubu

    My first look at this site.  “Friendly???” yet the first thing I see is what looks like ridicule….”I pity the kid that gets this for Christmas” “Christians aren’t cool… D rated”… hmmm?

  • TiltedHorizon

    I’ll wait for the next model, I hear it is runs on faith based battery which is charged by faith.

  • Imeubu

    It’s easy to ridicule anyone who has taken the risk of going “on record” about anything… but what about helping that person… regardless of whether they have said something you believe… even know is wrong… without mocking them… how about actually trying to help them… or are they just too far gone?  You can always tell a believer… you just can’t tell them much… seems a tad closed minded.

  • Imeubu

    So I believe the probability of a higher intelligence greatly exceeds the probability that there is no such thing.  I also believe there is someone out there who could advocate with elegance against that belief.  Any takers? Or shall we just go directly to non secquitur. 

  • ObviousTroll

     1. Buy one for teh lulz
    2. Install Ubuntu Satanic edition on it
    3. ???
    4. No prophet

  • It’s sad when people have to go out of their way to shelter themselves from reality 

  • Hence the resistive screen – you’ll spend money on the thing, but will get too tired of the ‘press’ (didn’t work) press (still didn’t work) press HARD (ok, it worked) cycle to actually read anything.

  • JohnnieCanuck

    Your belief carries no more weight than mine, which is pretty much exactly the opposite.

    What matters is evidence. Since it is you that postulates the existence of this creature, it is up to you to provide the supporting evidence.

    Also we need to get more details about this possible god of yours. What can you assert about it? Omniscient? Omnipotent? Omnibenevolent? Created everything and hasn’t interacted with the universe since?

    While some deist gods cannot easily be disproven, a lot of the claims about, for example, the Abrahamic gods can be.

    Perhaps, to tune up your arguments for the invisible higher intelligence you want to talk about, you should spend some time at talkorigins.org first. You wouldn’t want to make a claim that has already been thoroughly debunked, would you?

  • ragarth

    We’re atheists, we go where the evidence leads. The evidence says this *is* an inferior product, ergo we ridicule said product. You also can’t deny that Christian products have had a history of… shall we say being quite inferior.

    Nothing in this article makes fun of your face, but rather of the facts of the matter: This is a poor product, a poor purchase, and just another in a long string of poor products marketed to Christians.

  • Baby_Raptor

    So…It’s not friendly of him to cal the product crap when it is? He pities the kid that gets it because there are several superior products. How is that rude?

    As to the “Christians aren’t cool” comment…I can only assume that you call out Christians when they say horrible things about people. Otherwise, you’re just being a hypocrite. 

    And frankly, with how often you guys insult us, lie about us and come out and talk about murdering us…”Christians aren’t cool” is downright NICE. Most people would be a lot more vulgar. 

  • Imeubu

    Thanks.  it’s been a while since I was there.  I’ll see what’s up. 

    I don’t think I was postulating anything… certainly not a “god of yours”.  I’m asserting (with others) that the probability cooeficient for superior intelligence is 1.

    We are fast approaching a reality where absolute certainty will be known through simulation long before it will be or could be directly experienced.

    Even now we have sufficient “data” (not physical or prima facie evidence) to make some of those calls.  I suppose my question is more…  “what is the mathematical support for an atheistic view”.

    Also… maybe it’s just me but I still detect a general note of derision… even here in your writing… why?   BTW… to your point about easily disproving deist/Abrahamic gods… it’s not only not easy to prove/disprove something doesn’t exist… it is in fact… impossible.

  • Imeubu

    Good point… I just think we could be less elite and more empathetic…. if believers are deluded… why beat them up?  Let them do the mudslinging.

  • Imeubu

    You make my point.  Let’s not be like most people… in fact let’s stop compariing ourselves to them…. let’s instead lead by example.  Stop being argumentative and stick to plain logic/common sense/socratic teaching methodology.  Let the misinformed declare themselves and then question them so they paint themselves into the non-sensical corner you assert they belong.

  • Au_catboy

     Yeah, yeah, we get it, anything but absolute mindless worship of whatever bullshit christians say is insufficiently “friendly” for you.  You see criticizing dishonest marketing of a crappy product as the most horribly rude thing EVAR!!!  Meanwhile, you can’t bring yourself to see any problem with christians defrauding the gullible or salivating at the thought of watching atheists tortured forever. 

    You’re full of shit, Imeubu, and everyone knows it, including you. 

  • Au_catboy

     Really, Imeubu, do you think you’re clever?  That bullshit whine of yours pops up all the time.  I’m not aware of any instance where the idiot making that whine even pretended to have any idea what the word “friendly” even means.  The only reason people whine about this site not being friendly is that their faith is too weak to survive the slightest dissent.  And if your faith is that worthless, why should it deserve any response other than ridicule, derision, and pity?

  • Imeubu

    Wow!  Sorry… didn’t mean to whine.

  • Imeubu

    Got it… thanks

  • Au_catboy

    I’ve tried helping people who believe idiotic nonsense.  They don’t listen.  Ever.  Often they make death threats and cheer for their sick fantasies about their imaginary friend torturing me forever.  If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people. 

  • Imeubu

    Believe me I get that.  My “mission” though is to get us to simply “question” not “teach” or “debate”. 

    So you tell me that an angel told you to run naked through the streets yelling “sale at Macey’s”.  “How exactly did that happen?”

    I’ve found… it’s less maddening, less stressful and it separates the crazy and irrationally devoted from the rational and intellectually able very quickly.  You continue to question the idiots using four or five worded questions while engaging the more rationale and entertaining ones with respectful and serious enquiry.

  • P. J. Reed

    At first I was thinking that the specs on this actually aren’t bad for the price… but then I saw the resistive screen and dedicated charger.  That’s crap.

  • P. J. Reed


    BTW… to your point about easily disproving deist/Abrahamic gods… it’s not only not easy to prove/disprove something doesn’t exist… it is in fact… impossible.

    Not at all.  For example, let me make the claim that I have four arms.  This is obviously absurd and it would be easy to prove that I only have two arms by looking at me in person.  Those extra arms do not exist and their nonexistence is very provable.

    Similarly, Christian mythology is filled with inconsistencies and claims that seem absurd and conflict with observed reality, and the only way Christians are able to reconcile that with the real world is by asserting that the parts of the bible that are impossible are simply metaphorical.

  • Imeubu

    Sorry but to persuade me you would have to prove that what I’m seeing and feeling is all there is.  We know that is a specious argument… at least to a scientist.

  •  You really seem to missing the essential point. JohnnieCanuck put it like this: “Since it is you that postulates the existence of this creature, it is up to you to provide the supporting evidence.”

    Basically, we don’t have to nor should we have to prove that crazy claims are false, instead, those who make those claims should prove them right. Therefore:

    “what is the mathematical support for an atheistic view?”

    and

    “to persuade me you would have to prove that what I’m seeing and feeling is all there is”

    Are not worth pursuing. Atheists don’t claim their views are right. We simply state that there is no evidence that the theistic views are right. And until the theists come up with some evidence, we’ll keep stating that.

    If somebody thinks there’s something more than what you’re feeling and seeing, then they need to find a way to prove it. As I pointed out initially, the burden of proof lies with the one who makes the claims, not with the disbelievers.

  • Maleekwa

    If you look at the specs from the original ad on Christian Nightmares, it says the tablet has “one-touch wifi access to 27 bible translations.”

    Sounds like its possible the Bible isn’t even pre-installed. These people could at least get their advertising claims right.

  • alt+3

    With faith the size of a mustard seed you can get four hours talk time.

  • $149.99? That’s waaay too much I got a 7″ Chinese tablet with Android 4.0.3 for about $90 and it had a 5 point capacitive  touch screen.

  • P. J. Reed

    That’s not how science works.  We do not operate based on what we feel might be probable.  Here’s how the process goes:
    1)  Start from nothing.
    2)  Make a hypothesis about something.
    3)  Develop a way to test that hypothesis.
    4)  Run the test.
    5)  Change your hypothesis based on the observed results.

    If you are going to assert than there is something more than what we can “see and feel”, then it’s up to you to postulate a way to test that and prove it. Of course, we already know there are lots of things we can’t directly see or feel, like bacteria, radiation, and atoms, so you’re going to have to be more specific than that.

  • Bryan

    Not necessarily true; I was once a religious person (for 21+ years) and now am quite staunchly atheist, in part due to constant debates and discussions with an atheist friend/roommate.

    But your original point (about people whining about “friendly” not being so friendly in their eyes) still totally stands.

  • Imeubu

    We spend a lot of time/resources pursuing things for which we do not have evidence… but do have rational reason to believe… Higgs, Dark Matter etc…

    As for it being a burden best borne by those who question… well that just leaves me a little sad.

    I think quality is best obtained through clarity.  When I ask a question I’m trying to clarify… not necessarily persuade.  Most of us will resist someone who seeks to convert rather than simply answer our questions.  When I reach out to proactively seek answers… it’s another story.  Some answers can be very persuasive.

    I need (I think) mathematical rationale for any serious thought experiment… including “is that real?”  I’ve not heard one for athiesm whereas I have for all other major observations and/or lack of.

  • I wonder if the included calculator app has pi = 3 to match Genesis!

  • Au_catboy

     Just remember, it’s not really lying as long as you’re Lying For Jesus™!

  • Yoav

     It does come with 27 preinstalled version of  christian fiction.

  • Yoav

     It probably has a self destruct mechanism that make it explode if you type the activation code H I T C H E N S.

  • Yoav

     

    We spend a lot of time/resources pursuing things for which we do not
    have evidence… but do have rational reason to believe… Higgs, Dark
    Matter etc…

    The difference is that these things explain observable phenomena (the universe is accelerating, matter has mass) and you may notice that we are not satisfied with them fulfilling the mathematical explanation but actually  try to prove whether they exist or not. Religion on the other hand just make the assertion that god exist and pretand that that’s the same thing as proving that god exist. As for your claim that god can be shown to be the most probable mathematically, if you can set the parameters without having to justify how they fit with observable  reality you can get whatever solution you like.

  • Stuh42l

    Yep, but yours is made by heathen communists…. Not Christians paying heathen communists to work in sweat shops.

  • Thomas Farrell

     And this POS looks like it’s running Android 2.

  • Thomas Farrell

     > “I pity the kid that gets this for Christmas”

    I would too. In my professional opinion as a senior technologist with 24 years experience, its specs are deficient and resistive touch screens are lousy. The poor kid who gets this for christmas has a crappy tablet with an irritating screen, probably running an out of date version of Android, and not supported by the Google Market. They have my pity too. For less money their parents could have bought them something better.

    A kid whose parents are more interested in getting them something “christian” than something quality has parents who aren’t very bright, and I pity them for that too.

    > “Christians aren’t cool…”

    They aren’t. Go find the “christian” version of any secular thing, like any style of music for example, and you’ll find the “chrsitian” version is invariably an apparently cheap knockoff and never achieves the sort of popularity (coolness) the secular original does.  It’s objectively measurable that christian products are not cool. Whether you think that fact is good or bad is your own decision.

  • Imeubu

    The same “trying to explain observable phenomena” rationale must be allowed to explain the expense, interest and theory constructs of both the scientist and the philosopher.  I did’t say god can be most probably explained… I said higher intelligence.

  • Imeubu

    First point is exactly correct as I see it.  It’s not about the child being Christian it’s about the product being crap.  I’m not sure that view is what was intended by the author or what was perceived by most readers.

    Second point – again semantics with “cool”… I agree from a secular perspective… they are not… but I sense the observation was intended to be hurtful rather than demographic.

  • Imeubu

    Can we agree that what we “know” versus what “we think we know” is a valid delineation? Episteomologically speaking both have provenance.  Just because one theory has empirical support and derivation while another may be more rational and thought based doesn’t disqualify it as a legitimate growth process. It is incorrect to say that “science” is hard and empirical.   Certainly that is the segment most respected and funded… but it is actually one of the smallest parts of a very large and meritorious discipline.

  • Sinfanti

    What a strange chart that it has 4 categories that don’t show any differences between the four (front & rear cameras, 3G, bluetooth).  What pointless filler.  Where is “Waterproof to 50 meters: No, No, No, No”?

    On the other hand  “Integrated Stand” totally makes up for all the other shortcomings.  Checkmate successful e-readers!

  •  I was thinking “Dumbass-rated”, but that works, too.

  • *snortle-choke-cough*

  • Oh, they happily spew forth the nasty bits about how “homosexuals are an abomination” and whatnot.

    They seem to have missed all those bits where Jesus said, “Dude, be nice to your fellow travelers,” though.

  •  Your concern has been noted.

  • I can feel my tail and ears. My brain says they should be there.

    However, one can easily see that they do not, in fact, exist, despite the fact that my brain perceives them as actual parts of my body.

    My tail, like Imeubu’s hypothetical “higher intelligence”, is merely a product of the mind; there is no objective evidence of their existence, therefore the rational (and far simpler) conclusion is that they do not exist.

  • tomwoolf

    OK – if you are going to waste $$$ on something that might not be “all that and a bag of chips”, save $80 and try http://www.mcbub.com/item/7-Inch-AllWinner-A13-1-5GHz-Android-4-0-Tablet-PC-512MB-RAM-4GB-McPad-F1-Capacitance-screen-WIFI-Camera-Black–CP147739–147995/

    I have no idea if this thing is a piece of crap, but just by virtue of not being weighed down with 24 versions of the bible, it has to be better….

  •  

    We spend a lot of time/resources pursuing things for which we do not have evidence… but do have rational reason to believe…

    Note how you yourself said rational reason to believe. That is really key here. It’s not worth the time or the effort to pursue things for which we don’t have a rational reason to believe. Like most religious claims.

    I need (I think) mathematical rationale for any serious thought
    experiment… including “is that real?”  I’ve not heard one for athiesm
    whereas I have for all other major observations and/or lack of.

    Define what a “serious” thought experiment is, would you? Because if we were to spend time on every crazy idea somebody could come up with, we’d never get anywhere. Hence, again, why we only pursue what we have a rational reason to believe.

    Atheism isn’t an idea in itself, it’s the rejection of an idea. I’m also an non-astrologer and a non-alchemist, but because no rational person would take those seriously to being with, we don’t need to label ourselves as such.

  •  Okay, now you’ve made a claim. Why should we think that higher intelligence can most probably be explained?

    Considering we have no recorded scientifically valid evidence (as far as I know, correct me if I’m wrong) of such a thing, the most logical null hypothesis to me seems to be that there isn’t a higher intelligence.

    Always remember, exceptional claims require exceptional evidence.

  • The low-fat, low-calorie advice is a scary example of what happens when advice is given and/or action is taken before all the evidence is in. There’s a reason why scientists don’t rush to conclusions.

  • That’s just the point is it? A non-Christian parent would never buy this lousy excuse for a tablet for their child. Hence it only affects children of Christians. Get it? It’s definitely an issue of demographics.

  • amycas

     You don’t have ears? Or did I completely misunderstand what you were saying?

  •  I’m a furry. Yes, I have human ears, in the usual location. My brain, however, is expecting something quite… different.

  • The Other Weirdo

    I thought specs weren’t that bad, until I saw Resistive and that tiny resolution. Funny thing is that biblical software is available for free on the Google Market, with many free bibles for the download And boobz. It also has boobz. Which is probably what they’re terrified of.

  • Emil Vikström

    I love how the linked bible on Amazon contains Cross-References. Wouldn’t really be complete without them!

  • noyourgod

     Better yet…
    http://sellout.woot.com/
    Archos 501590 10.1” 8GB Tablet, Android 2.2

  • Bbrackett

    I’ll weigh in as both a Christian and Capitalist.  It seems to me that the Edifi makes some sacrifices in it’s inner workings in favor of lower price and having some pre-installed apps and books. 

    For purchases like this, there is no one-size fits all.  That’s why all burgers are not Big-Macs, or why all big-box stores aren’t Wal-Marts.  This just adds to the choices available to us consumers and that’s good.  Let the collective wisdom of the marketplace decide whether it’s a good product or not.

    A couple casual observations.  I’d personally prefer to pay a little more for higher resolution and a capacitive touch screen.  I’d also prefer to start with more of a blank slate like the Kindle or Nook.  Not terribly impressed with 27 Bible translations.  I’d rather 27 people have one Bible than one person have 27.  Don’t need the internet radio.  Although I sometimes listen to Air-1 in the car, I find the best Christian music doesn’t make it to the radio.

  • DukeTaber

    Went to leave the your blog to check out more info on what you called a d-rated version of a Kindle, and found out that this is a d-rated version of a blog. A commercial pop up appeared. How 1990’s.

  • Imeubu

    I’m not sure that is correct… maybe so…  but if the 21 software programs were games then I’m not so sure.

  • Imeubu

    Agreed.  That argument is substantial… just not universally accepted… and by some pretty educated folks… recall the early roll out of AIDS treatment… too much foot dragging cost a lot of lives.

  • Imeubu

    I refering to other “thinking” strategies currently employed in other discipines such as in  simulation modeling work where math folks are using algorithmic expressions of “thought experiments” to determine the probability of such things as Higgs, rocky planets, social science, disease control etc… Similar to the utility thinking of Moore’s law used in estimating the power/capabilities of future computer configurations . 

  • Imeubu

    Rational thinking can lead to wrong thinking for sure… but saying that it is not worthwhile?… that I hope is not so.  As for defining what I think is a serious  I think a legitimate “serious” subject is “what is the probability that a substantially superior intelligence exists”.  When I consider only the math (the key being that we currently believe the mathematical concept of eternity is real and necessary for a theory of everything to exist… that means we are able to “rationally simulate” using this assumption and readily conclude that it is far more likely we are “somewhere within the scale” of “intelligence” and not “on top of the scale”.
    Simply saying “it’s not worth my time” is an unusual way to handle an opportunity to better understand something.

  • alex

    i find it ironic that their operating system is from a company that supports homosexuals and  has a campaign called legalise love, which tries to get various governments to give them marriage rights.