Why this app is actually a life-saver for my house (kiwix) 🌎📦

I'm 15 and i basically live on my phone, so my dad is always telling me to find ways to be more productive instead of just playing games. the other day i found an app that is actually really cool and i think every student or kid who uses mobile should have it.

It's called kiwix.

Image source Kiwix website. I just placed Offline Library over it in Canva.

I found it because i was getting annoyed with how much data i was using just to look up basic stuff for school or my projects. Also, sometimes our wifi just dies and then i'm stuck with a phone that is basically a brick lol.

What does it actually do?

Most people think you need a constant connection to use wikipedia or read books. but kiwix lets you download the entire thing, like, every single article onto your phone. It uses these files called .zim files. Basically, they take a whole website and squash it into one file that you can search through while you're in airplane mode.

Playstore Screenshot.

how i got started (it's actually easy)

I'm not an expert, so i just did the easiest thing. I first asked chatgpt about offline library options for Android devices n the very first name it showed was Kiwix. Then i went to the play store, searched for "kiwix," and installed it.

When you first open the app, it looks a bit empty. you have to click on the "Download" button at the bottom. it shows you a giant list of libraries you can download. i didn't go for the big 100gb wikipedia right away because i don't have that much space on my phone. instead, i just hit "download" on a small book library that popped up at the top. Downloading n Installing libraries is easy and any mobile user can easily download libraries.

why it's better than just "googling" it

There are a few reasons why i think this app is a requirement for every home:

It's free: you don't have to pay for a subscription or anything. once you download the file, it's yours forever.
Zero data: once you have the library, you can turn off your data and save your money for other stuff.
No distractions: when i'm using kiwix, i'm not getting hit with ads or youtube notifications. it's just the information i need.
The "emergency" factor: if the power goes out or if you're traveling somewhere with zero signal, you still have the answers. if i forget a math formula or how to fix something, i can just look it up instantly.

Different ways to use it:

i found out there are a few versions of the app, but since i'm always on my phone, the android app is the best for me.

the app: perfect for looking up stuff on the go.
the extension: you can add it to chrome if you're on a laptop.
the hotspot: this is the cool part. you can actually turn your phone into a server so your siblings can connect to your "offline wifi" and read the books too. i haven't fully figured that part out yet, but it sounds awesome.

wrap up

Honestly, i think more kids my age should have this. we spend so much time being "connected," but it's good to have a backup for when the connection fails. My dad was actually impressed that i found a way to "own" the internet instead of just renting it from a provider.

If you guys were stuck with no wifi for a whole weekend, what’s the one website you’d wish you had saved? for me, i'd probably want a backup of the minecraft wiki because i always forget how to craft the redstone stuff lol.

Let me know in the comments if you've heard of kiwix before or if you use any other "offline" apps. i'm always looking for cool stuff to try out on my phone.

Bye bye till next post✌️🏠

#technology #apps #education #learning #kids-on-hive #manuals #offline

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