4 ms·

Hello all, this is Ketan Kothari (one of the co-founders of AlphaSmart). First I am honored to see such fans to a product that is over 25 years old. But every

by ketank 9y ago

Hello all, this is Ketan Kothari (one of the co-founders of AlphaSmart). First I am honored to see such fans to a product that is over 25 years old. But every now and then I think, it would be awesome to create a modern version of AlphaSmart.

ravenstine 9y ago
Those devices were a big part of my childhood! I wrote so many essays with them in elementary school. Ss others have stated, eInk would be the way to go. Having a low power device I could take into the woods and type away for hours in solitude would be sick.
AstroAdam 9y ago
Hey Ketan! I am one of the creators of Freewrite which many consider to be a modern incarnation of the venerable AlphaSmart. We took a different approach but my cofounder and I have all the respect in the world for what you all did with the AlphaSmart. Many people in the writing community still covet their AlphaSmart which is no small feat for an electronic decades old! All the best to you and if you ever want to try out a Freewrite, let me know.
- WCityMike 9y ago
  No disrespect but the half grand price tag makes your creation very far from being a spiritual successor to the AlphaSmart.
  - AstroAdam 9y ago
    It's definitely not the spiritual successor since the Freewrite is built differently and for a different market. Even so, the Alphasmart was about $250ish when new.
zitterbewegung 9y ago
A kindleberry pi is somewhat close. https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/kindleberry-pi-the-second/ https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/kindleberry-pi-the-second/
jedanbik 9y ago
Yes! With eInk!
kickingvegas 9y ago
AlphaSmart 3000 owner here. Thanks so much to you and the AlphaSmart team for truly great product. To this day, I hold the AlphaSmart 3000 as the gold standard on what battery life (500 hours on a couple of AAs) in a truly mobile device should be. FWIW, I'd buy a modern version in a heartbeat, where modern for me would be (echoing other comments on this): * Better sync (mobile device (iOS, Android), computer, cloud) * E-Ink Display (80 col min width, length maybe 10 lines max or so, think iA Writer with its focus on the current line) * Same battery life as 3000 * Quieter keyboard * Thinner, but just as rugged * Markdown support with org-mode style table editing Added developer friendly mods nice to have would be: * Emacs or VIM motion support * Swap caps/control keys
charliepark 9y ago
Just about two hours ago (right when you were posting this), my daughter was transferring her Christmas list from her Neo to our computer, onto Google Docs. She's written a number of lengthy stories on it over the years. It's a great tool, especially for "maker" kids and parents who want to support them. Thank you.
sysread 9y ago
Please let there be a Kickstarter. I loved my alphasmart so much.
copperx 9y ago
Make it a standalone Emacs device with no keypress latency (the Alphasmart takes ages to display a new typed character on the screen) and you have a cult electronic gadget that will live for generations.
- egypturnash 9y ago
  Mmmmaybe something a little more... noob-friendly... than Emacs. Just sayin'.
techer 9y ago
I have three neos and have given a further two away. It’s a super device. Bravo and kudos.
itomato 9y ago
I agree. Mechanical keyboard, wide-format screen, wifi, bluetooth... Running Linux or Android would be awesome. https://github.com/projectgomez/project-gomez https://github.com/projectgomez/project-gomez
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
armenarmen 9y ago
I've got my Neo2 right here beside me! Before I could find one I was drawing up plans to build one with a raspberry pi. Great product you guys built
stevenbedrick 9y ago
I loved my AlphaSmart 2000! It was a really great piece of hardware, and a real pleasure to use. I remember the feel of the keyboard very fondly... Thanks for making such an excellent product! And I agree- there would certainly be a place for a modern version, at least in terms of functionality. No idea if there would be enough of a market, though...
suxendetsefni 9y ago
Application for the prison industry: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14817760 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14817760
fractallyte 9y ago
The Psion 5mx has been resurrected (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15818324 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15818324), so a modern version of AlphaSmart might also be very welcome! A natural choice for a modern display would be E Ink, or better yet, Clear Ink: https://www.clearinkdisplays.com/ https://www.clearinkdisplays.com/
cableshaft 9y ago
Girlfriend picked up a Neo about six months ago and used it extensively during Nanowrimo this year (National Novel Writing Month). They're cheap enough I'm considering picking one up for me as well. The battery life is crazy on those things.

by ketank 9y ago

ravenstine 9y ago

Those devices were a big part of my childhood! I wrote so many essays with them in elementary school. Ss others have stated, eInk would be the way to go. Having a low power device I could take into the woods and type away for hours in solitude would be sick.

AstroAdam 9y ago

Hey Ketan! I am one of the creators of Freewrite which many consider to be a modern incarnation of the venerable AlphaSmart. We took a different approach but my cofounder and I have all the respect in the world for what you all did with the AlphaSmart. Many people in the writing community still covet their AlphaSmart which is no small feat for an electronic decades old! All the best to you and if you ever want to try out a Freewrite, let me know.

WCityMike 9y ago
No disrespect but the half grand price tag makes your creation very far from being a spiritual successor to the AlphaSmart.
- AstroAdam 9y ago
  It's definitely not the spiritual successor since the Freewrite is built differently and for a different market. Even so, the Alphasmart was about $250ish when new.

zitterbewegung 9y ago

A kindleberry pi is somewhat close. https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/kindleberry-pi-the-second/ https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/kindleberry-pi-the-second/

jedanbik 9y ago

Yes! With eInk!

kickingvegas 9y ago

AlphaSmart 3000 owner here. Thanks so much to you and the AlphaSmart team for truly great product. To this day, I hold the AlphaSmart 3000 as the gold standard on what battery life (500 hours on a couple of AAs) in a truly mobile device should be. FWIW, I'd buy a modern version in a heartbeat, where modern for me would be (echoing other comments on this): * Better sync (mobile device (iOS, Android), computer, cloud) * E-Ink Display (80 col min width, length maybe 10 lines max or so, think iA Writer with its focus on the current line) * Same battery life as 3000 * Quieter keyboard * Thinner, but just as rugged * Markdown support with org-mode style table editing Added developer friendly mods nice to have would be: * Emacs or VIM motion support * Swap caps/control keys

charliepark 9y ago

Just about two hours ago (right when you were posting this), my daughter was transferring her Christmas list from her Neo to our computer, onto Google Docs. She's written a number of lengthy stories on it over the years. It's a great tool, especially for "maker" kids and parents who want to support them. Thank you.

sysread 9y ago

Please let there be a Kickstarter. I loved my alphasmart so much.

copperx 9y ago

Make it a standalone Emacs device with no keypress latency (the Alphasmart takes ages to display a new typed character on the screen) and you have a cult electronic gadget that will live for generations.

egypturnash 9y ago
Mmmmaybe something a little more... noob-friendly... than Emacs. Just sayin'.

techer 9y ago

I have three neos and have given a further two away. It’s a super device. Bravo and kudos.

itomato 9y ago

I agree. Mechanical keyboard, wide-format screen, wifi, bluetooth... Running Linux or Android would be awesome. https://github.com/projectgomez/project-gomez https://github.com/projectgomez/project-gomez

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

armenarmen 9y ago

I've got my Neo2 right here beside me! Before I could find one I was drawing up plans to build one with a raspberry pi. Great product you guys built

stevenbedrick 9y ago

I loved my AlphaSmart 2000! It was a really great piece of hardware, and a real pleasure to use. I remember the feel of the keyboard very fondly... Thanks for making such an excellent product! And I agree- there would certainly be a place for a modern version, at least in terms of functionality. No idea if there would be enough of a market, though...

suxendetsefni 9y ago

Application for the prison industry: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14817760 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14817760

fractallyte 9y ago

The Psion 5mx has been resurrected (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15818324 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15818324), so a modern version of AlphaSmart might also be very welcome! A natural choice for a modern display would be E Ink, or better yet, Clear Ink: https://www.clearinkdisplays.com/ https://www.clearinkdisplays.com/

cableshaft 9y ago

Girlfriend picked up a Neo about six months ago and used it extensively during Nanowrimo this year (National Novel Writing Month). They're cheap enough I'm considering picking one up for me as well. The battery life is crazy on those things.