...as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others,
we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do so Freely and Generously

Invention: Wikipedia Offline

Type: Consumer Good

Summary: In the woods?  Financial crisis collapses your society?  Need to know something, anytime, anywhere?  Add Wikipedia, a low power Kindle-type electronic paper screen, and a hand-crank power option and you have a knowledge source for anywhere in the world or for any age of the world.

Explanation: A handheld, ruggedized electronic paper based screen with a solid-state 16gig disk-drive, lithium ion or capacitor based power storage and multiple optional power inputs.  Loaded on the 16gig drive is a complete copy of Wikipedia in a chosen language, less the comments and other extraneous dialogue.   This copy of Wikipedia can be explored freely by the user via the electronic paper screen.  The user can furthermore power the device via: Hand crank, AA batteries, AC or DC power.  Finally, the device should be ruggedized such that it can handle drops, exposure to water, sunlight, sand and vibration.

Utility: A handheld compendium of human knowledge that can be used anywhere and that is durable so that it can last multiple lifetimes.  Anyone who wields the Wikipedia Offline can teach themselves the collective skills of humanity.

With all of the crippling financial crisis out there, it makes me wonder when the right time to retreat to the woods and hunker down.  But regardless, if you are a Greenie, this might be of interest:

The Peddle Powered Generator.  Able to charge your laptop or run your TV on DC power.  The idea is great, and even when combined with the capacity to send power back to the grid, it can make exercise lower your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint.