Meet the new Navy NeRD

[Onkel Neal]

I contacted the company that makes the Navy's new e-reader to discuss setting up some kind of donation system where Subsim enthusiasts could help add titles to their library, sort of like a care package, for active Navy personnel. The current version is so secure, it comes with a fixed number of title (300). But, the company rep I spoke with said that might change in the next version. I offered to donate the Submarine Almanacs Vols I & II for their use, and hopefully they will allow the expansion for additional titles such as Das Boot, Wahoo, Run Silent, Run Deep and other naval titles.

I also suggested exploring the donation of more NeRD tablets paid for by civilians and groups.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/08/tech/g...nerd-e-reader/

For cybersecurity reasons, sailors on U.S. Navy vessels can't always use smartphones and tablets. And in the cramped quarters of a submarine, there's little room for shelves full of books.

So how is a bookworm sailor supposed to pass the time during those long hours at sea?

The Navy has a solution: The Navy eReader Device, or "NeRD" for short, a custom-made, secure e-reader that comes preloaded with a library of 300 titles. The device has no cellular connectivity or Wi-Fi, so there are no signals to betray its location or tempt enemy hackers.

Yes, that NeRD name may stigmatize reading for some seamen and women. But the Navy is hoping the new gadget will be a welcome companion for bored sailors.

"I know the paperbacks (on Navy ships) get passed back and forth until they fall apart," said Nilya Carrato, program assistant for the Navy General Library Program. "We're hoping the NeRD holds up a little better."

The Navy will start by distributing five devices to each of the submarines in its active fleet, Carrato told CNN. Eventually, it plans to send NeRDs to all Navy vessels.