Dec 21 2007
Alphasmart Neo
Note: This is NOT a paid advertisement. I just simply love my Alphasmart Neo.
Several times in this blog, I have paid tribute to writing by hand. I have said how the hand is more connected to the heart. In this post, I said that I could actually write better in my notebook diaries than on the computer where I tend to be distracted by e-mails, blog comments and stats, and of course… Freecell and Text Twist. I even had the audacity to compare myself to Jane Austen because I wrote 50,047 words of my nano novel by hand.
Admittedly though, I do get a tinge of regret that I didn’t get a winner’s badge from nanowrimo all because I didn’t send my text for validation for number of words. Okay, okay… it was more than a tinge of regret, I’m really pissed. But even if I wanted to, I couldn’t type out my first draft on the computer because my writing time happens to coincide with Honey‘s Internet time… and you know how boys are… you can’t make them budge when they’re on the ESPN or NBA websites.
Well, that won’t happen again next year. No, no, no! I’m not making Honey give up ESPN or NBA. And no either… I haven’t bought my own laptop (not with the ridiculous rise of the peso anyway). Next year, I’m going to use this year’s early Christmas gift which I received from the mail… my very own Alphasmart Neo.
What the heck is that you say? Well, most people are going super high-tech with their slick slim computers which could multi-task and do almost anything… store and edit photos and videos, play games, use the Internet, make phone calls, microwave food, do the laundry… acheche… but you know what I mean. Well, I’m going the other way around. Instead of going high-tech, I’m going in a reverse direction and going super low-tech (I did brake to a screeching halt before I got back to the stone age). The Alphasmart Neo could not play games, make calls, store photos… heck, it doesn’t even have Excel or Powerpoint. It could only do one thing… but it could do it well… it could only write.
The Alphasmart Neo is a full-sized electronic keyboard with a small screen that could fit six lines of text… just enough I think. See how it compares in size with my laptop.
Some people wonder why the heck would I want to buy such a primitive gadget. Why don’t I just buy a cheap laptop? Actually, I don’t think it’s primitive. I think it’s inspired and ingenious. And I will tell you why.
First of all, I don’t know if you could buy a laptop for $200… maybe if it’s ten years old and ready to sputter its last breath.
Second, it’s so much smaller, lighter, and more compact. Heck, at less than 2 lbs., actually lighter than the notebook I used for my Nanowrimo. I could even put it in my purse and lug it around anywhere so I could write anywhere… the supermarket, the beach, my bed, inside the car… anytime, if my writing muse nudges me.
There are other advantages as well with the Alphasmart Neo compared to a laptop, especially if all you want to do is write. There’s no noisy and long start-up. You just turn it on and off like a calculator.
Say good-bye to multi-tasking and distractions. If you want to write, all you will do is write… no more checking emails and playing Text Twist and Minesweeper. Just write and write and write.
How long is your laptop’s battery life? 24 hours? 48 hours? The Alphasmart Neo has a battery life of… get this… 700 bloody hours!!! And do you know what batteries you need? 3 AA batteries. I’ve been using my neo for several weeks for hours at a time by now and my battery status is still at 100%.
Right now, I’ve been using my neo for my journal, blog drafts, and essays. And I must say that I have been so prolific lately. I have a bunch of first drafts to re-read and edit. All I have to do is connect my Neo to our laptop via USB and files get transferred to my word processing software (Microsoft Word) and then I edit it on my computer. So you see… no more waiting around for Honey to finish reading about Yao Ming (latest defeat) before I could write my blog drafts.
The Neo is not only for writers. I think it’s perfect for schools (especially in the provinces in the Philippines) which can’t buy plenty of computers. They can use the Neo to teach the students how to type and to familiarize themselves with the computer keyboard. It’s also perfect for students who are doing reports and theses but couldn’t afford their own computers or laptops. It’s also perfect for big families… no more waiting in line to use the desktop to do reports and homework.
And of course… it’s for me. And I’m quite excited to do the nanowrimo again next year. Just think, to finish the nanowrimo quota of 50,000 words for November, I need to write an average of 1,667 words per day. Last November, I did my daily 1,667 words in about three hours writing by hand. But next year, I could do the same number of words in about an hour. I type really fast – as fast as I can think (or even faster if I’m just copying something). I checked my word count in my last diary entry where I wrote for an hour – and I’ve written more than 1,800 words on my Neo. Next year’s Nanowrimo would be a cinch. 
So there. Santa came early to Cambodia this year.
Technorati tags: Alphasmart
Alphasmart Neo
Nanowrimo
Writing
Laptop
- Nanowrimo Extreme
- Writing by Hand
- The Trouble with Blogging
- A Blogger’s Mind
- A Lesson on Names, a Meme, and Nanowrimo
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This is awesome. But I have an ASUS Eee, which is the half the size of the Alphasmart Neo. It costs around $400 though. I am tempted to buy that.
[...] Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp. [...]
That’s a nice one Toe. Yes, instead of expensive computers, this could be used in schools as well. I can’t type that fast anymore. I edit paper work through pencil or pen. Unless it is sent through email or saved in USB and other tools.
Perfect gift indeed! Merry Christmas!!!
smartness!!
does it have a spell checker?? i’m really bad in spelling…
Merry Christmas po!
Ohlalala, the first time I saw this thing
! This could be very practical and less expensive. So how do you print the articles? Sorry , I am new about this ALPHASMART NEO thing, is it available all over the world?
Santa came early and made you happy for sure. Goodluck and wishing you many wondrous entries to share to us from your Alpha neo
Hi Toe, been off line for a while and now I’m back
wow that’s a nice piece of gadget for a devoted blogger , you had a good buy there… now I shall see if it’s available here…
Have a smashing Christmas to you and your Honey!
This is a dandy product if all you want to do is write – perfect for writers, news reporters and students. It also has a built in word processor ( ala Wordstar – remember those textual days minus the mouse?) and Thesaurus + spell check
Great find ! 
The memory is 2MB which is more than what you need for text only minus the graphics. I am impressed by its simplicity and functionality
I want one but I need to learn how to type properly ASAP hehe
I never had a typing lesson in my life duh 
Ade, I didn’t know what an Asus EEE was so I googled it – still don’t know how to pronounce it though.
That’s really cool too… very handy and portable.
Ipanema, yes, it is perfect for schools. They could probably get big discounts too if they buy it in bulk. Wow technology talaga… students now can send homework via email.
Merry Christmas to you too! 
Bryan, oh yes… it has a spell checker and a thesaurus and it can indicate your statistics… word count, etc. Merry Christmas Bryan!
Haze, I think few people know about the alphasmart. You can connect it directly to a printer or to a computer where you can edit it with your word processor. I don’t think it’s available in stores though. You have to order it at alphasmart.com.
Leah, hehe… Santa sure delivers through the mail. Merry Christmas Leah!
Pining, pareho tayo… just came out of a blogging break myself.
I don’t think the alphasmart is available in stores… you can order it at alphasmart.com. Merry Christmas Pining! 
BW, oh you researched it na ha.
Yeah… I remember wordstar… and I remember the computers with the green text and black screen. 
Merry Christmas BW!
Hmm, I wonder if it would soon be available here. I’d probably buy one so whenever I’m inspired, I can write my drafts while waiting in my client’s office or while having lunch. O di ba?
Snglguy, why don’t you apply to be a reseller in the Philippines? I think that schools and big families would love this product. I don’t think it’s available in stores. I had to order mine.
Yes, you can definitely write your drafts truly anywhere with the Neo.
i never heard of such a thing. it’s like an electronic pad. the cool thing about this is that you can easily transfer it to your pc.
pang-writers ata talaga siya. kse ako di ako mahilig magsulat. more on games and pagbabasa. tsismosa talaga. hahahaha.
merry christmas ate toe! and ate toe, khet na masungit ka magturo, okay lang. feeling ko bigyan lang kita ng pagkain, babait ka na. hehehe. joke!
2008 na. waaah! di man lang kita nabisita
Evi, that’s quite right.
You can also connect it to a printer if you want to print directly. Can you believe… 700 hours of battery life. 
Tin-Tin, hahaha… mahilig din ako mag-games at magbasa ng chismis.
No worries… I haven’t blogged at all the entire November. 
Merry Christmas Tin-Tin!!! 
Wow! That’s a very impressive gadget! This is the first time I have seen one. What other functions included? And that’s a lot of battery hours almost 30days of typing non-stop. Well, hopefully your work will make it to nanowrimo next year.
Merry Christmas to you and yours
wow, this is amazing! wish i can have one too, but i don’t think i’ll ever be able to replace my moleskine and pen.. for now =)
merry christmas and a happy new year to you and honey!
hmmm…. that gadget is so neat. it’s like an electronic typewriter with a bigger screen, computer pluggable and you don’t need arms of schwarzenegger’s to lug it around. hmmm….
Hi momoftwo, it has a calculator, and if you’re a teacher, you can make quizzes. It doesn’t have much functions, but it’s definitely perfect for writing.
Merry Christmas momoftwo! 
Carlotta, I wish I had a moleskin… but nowhere to buy here.
Merry Christmas Carlotta! 
Hi palmatayona, oh, it is soooo portable. Yes, it’s like an electronic typewriter except that you have to connect it either to a printer or to a computer to have your stuff printed.