Often mistaken for one of the EG-series power droids, the IN-4 droid was created to be the ultimate user-level data-retrieval droid of its time. Found in almost every starport in the galaxy, the droid allowed efficient data access for travelers, allowing them to research flight times, local customs and laws, as well as basic research and communication.
Even though the line was created to be the most efficient data-access solution for starports, it only contained up to twelve languages in its onboard memory. If the droid did not understand the language of a user, it would either search the planetary network for a translation, or failing that, would provide a translation of the network in Basic on a small screen.
IN-4s were hard-coded against illicitly retrieving data from secured networks. However, both the Rebel Alliance and Empire used the droids for espionage. Rebel infiltrators would routinely use IN-4s for data drop-off sites, while Imperial Intelligence would used sliced IN-4s as espionage units.
When this became common knowledge, many IN-4s were avoided for fear of being targeted by COMPNOR.
- Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
- Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids
- "Cynabar's Droid Datalog" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 14
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia