Alexandria 512
$399
- 512 GB NVMe SSD
- Every preloaded collection, including sea and air charts
- Lighter terrain detail on the world maps
- Makes its own Wi-Fi: no internet, app or account needed
- Runs from wall USB-C or a 12 V battery (clip lead included)
Alexandria
The library that doesn't burn.
It doesn't depend on the internet or the power grid. Alexandria is a small aluminum box that holds an offline library: a complete English encyclopedia, street maps of the world, US sea and air charts, and practical how-to guides. It makes its own Wi-Fi and runs from a wall USB-C supply or a 12 V battery. Read it on any phone, tablet or laptop, with no app and no account.
In development. A working prototype runs today. Estimated ship window for the first batch: early 2027.
How it works
Plug it in
Use a wall USB-C supply, or clip it to a 12 V battery with the included lead.
Join its Wi-Fi
Alexandria makes its own Wi-Fi network, with a password you choose when you first set it up. Join it from any phone, tablet or laptop.
Open your browser
Go to the Alexandria home page and search the whole library at once. Nothing to install, no account to create.
What's inside
Preloaded on every model and readable with no internet connection. The 512 model has lighter terrain detail on its maps.
Reference
- A complete English-language encyclopedia: all the article text, with images where they are freely licensed
- An English dictionary and thesaurus
- 15 expert question-and-answer archives on home repair, electronics and more
How-to guides
- An appropriate-technology wiki: water, energy, shelter and sanitation how-tos
- About 80 US government guides (PDF) on emergency management, food preservation, water, weather and navigation, including sailing directions
- US military field manuals and military medicine references (reference only, not medical advice)
Maps and charts
- Street maps of the whole world, with terrain shading (lighter on the 512), zoomable offline
- US nautical charts in an offline chart viewer, with lights, search and night mode
- US aeronautical charts and an airport directory
- Tide predictions and a sun, moon and nautical almanac through 2031
Charts are a supplement, not for navigation.
Tools
- Hurricane track history
- Light list
- Edible and useful plant database
- Port-to-port distances
- Radio frequency directory
- French and Spanish language-learning audio
Yours to fill in
The Family Field Manual is a blank wiki on the box for your own plans, contacts and checklists.
Add more while you're online
One-click downloads of free public collections, straight from their original publishers, while you have internet. We don't sell, include or charge for these.
Works without the internet
Alexandria makes its own Wi-Fi network, with a password you choose at first setup. Any phone, tablet or laptop can join it and open the library in a web browser. There's no internet connection to lose, no app to install and no account to create. It keeps working when the grid and the internet are down.
It draws an estimated 4 to 7 watts. At home, run it from a wall USB-C supply. Away from shore power, or when the power is out, run it from a 12 V battery with the included clip lead.
Only two things need an internet connection: the optional one-click downloads, and the content updates we plan to offer. The preloaded library never does.
Models
Three models. All three carry every preloaded collection, including the sea and air charts. The 512 has lighter terrain detail on its maps.
Alexandria 1TB
$479
- 1 TB NVMe SSD
- Every preloaded collection, with more terrain detail than the 512
- More free space for your one-click downloads and Field Manual
- Runs from wall USB-C or a 12 V battery (clip lead included)
Alexandria Navigator
$699
- 1 TB or larger NVMe SSD, with every preloaded collection
- Built around the sea and air charts
- Built-in radio receiver (SDR) and antenna
- Nearby ships (AIS) shown live on the chart
- Weather radio, and listening on other radio bands, from any phone on its Wi-Fi
Every model: a 4 GB single-board computer and an NVMe SSD in one aluminum case, with a fan and a power button. This is the planned production design; it is not yet built in this form. Prices may change before production. Your $25 counts toward the price, and you'll see the final price and shipping cost before you confirm. The first batch ships to US addresses only.
Who built it
I'm a sailor and a private pilot on Florida's Gulf coast. I built the first Alexandria for my own family: an encyclopedia, maps, charts and how-to guides that work with no internet and no grid power. People who saw it wanted one. This page is how I find out whether enough people do to build a first batch. If it doesn't happen, every reservation is refunded. Reserve one, or get updates. Thanks for reading.
Cody
Questions
How does the $25 reservation work?
Your $25 holds a place in the first batch and counts toward the purchase price. When your batch is ready, we email you. You then have 14 days to confirm your order and pay the balance; we show the shipping cost when you confirm. If you don't confirm within 14 days, we refund your $25 automatically. Reserving doesn't commit you to buy. Read the full reservation terms.
Can I get my $25 back?
Yes, any time before your Alexandria ships. Email hello@alexandriabox.com and we'll process the refund within 5 business days. How soon it reaches your account depends on your bank. If Alexandria doesn't go into production, we refund every reservation automatically.
When and where will it ship?
The estimated ship window is early 2027. That's an estimate, not a firm date. The first batch ships to US addresses only. Sign up for updates to hear when the date firms up.
Do I need the internet?
No. Alexandria makes its own Wi-Fi, and the preloaded library works with no internet connection. You'd only go online for optional extras: one-click downloads of free public collections, and the content updates we plan to offer.
How is it powered?
From a wall USB-C supply, or from a 12 V battery with the included clip lead. It draws an estimated 4 to 7 watts. That figure is an estimate; the production box isn't built yet.
What can I connect to it?
Any phone, tablet or laptop with Wi-Fi and a web browser. You join the box's Wi-Fi with the password you set at first setup. There's no app to install and no account to create.
Can I add my own material?
Yes. The Family Field Manual is a blank wiki on the box for your own plans, contacts and checklists. While you have internet, you can also add free public collections with one-click downloads from their original publishers.
Will the content be updated?
The box works as shipped, with no updates. We plan to offer optional yearly content updates for the charts, tides and almanac. Details aren't set yet.
Is this medical or navigation advice?
No. Alexandria is a reference library. Its medical references are not medical advice and don't replace a doctor or emergency care. Its charts are a supplement, not for navigation: always use official, up-to-date charts and publications. US aeronautical charts are reissued every 56 days, so the copy on the box will go out of date. On the Navigator, the AIS display is not for collision avoidance.
Which model should I choose?
All three carry every preloaded collection, including the sea and air charts; the 512 has lighter terrain detail on its maps. The 1TB gives you more free space for your own downloads. The Navigator adds a radio receiver and antenna, so you can see nearby ships (AIS) on the chart, hear weather radio and listen on other bands.
Not ready to reserve? Get updates.
We'll email you when there's news about Alexandria: final prices, the ship window, and whether the first batch goes ahead. We use your email address only for Alexandria updates. Unsubscribe any time.