Slashdot Mirror
AlphaSmart Shows Palm-Based Laptop
krswan writes: "AlphaSmart, which has built proprietary 'mini-laptops' for education in the past, has released a Palm Compatible device with a full keyboard, built in rechargeable batteries, 2 USB ports, and two Secure Digital and Multimedia Card compatible slots - all for $399. It is only about 2 lbs and the screen resolution is 560X160. As a teacher, I would love 30 or so for my classroom. More details at the Dana website." It's basically still more a glorified keyboard (like the older AlphaSmart products) than a laptop, but that's not a bad thing.
Something like this has been needed for over a decade. A diskless mini-laptop with a useable keyboard and very long battery life, good for basic text typing and email checking, without battery-hungry color displays or Quake 3-capable processors. My only obvious complaint is it would be good if it had a little more screen resolution, to hold a 25x80 telnet/ssh window. But I already want one. Wow!
Just add wireless and IM software and it could easily replace my toilet computer/laptop.
Advanced LCD with backlight. 3.5 times wider than the typical handheld.
A laptop without color?
PalmOS Software v4.1
Flash, or burnt?
8MB of memory
It doesn't scale up with the size it seems.
Looks like a case mod of a normal Palm to me...
it could easily replace my toilet computer/laptop
If you're spending enough time on the toilet to need a computer there, may I suggest more fiber in your diet? Wow.
I've got one of their original models (very limited memory, no spellcheck / IR / curvy blue plastic) that's still going strong. In almost 10 years of owning it, I think I've changed the batteries 3 times, once when I left it on for a week. I've replaced the keyboard (it just got too gummy and dusty for my taste) and the power switch (they sent me a replacement for free and I soldered it in) but it's been tossed, dropped, scratched, and neglected for 10 years and other than that switch has only cosmetic damage to show for it.
It's ugly as sin and fairly limited, but it does what it does with nothing to crash, with nonvolatile memory, and with nary a complaint. An upgraded product is definately appreciated, but somehow I don't see this new model providing the same trouble-free experience as the old standby.
High-speed Road Trip (18.000KPH)
Apple tried this same thing with the eMate running the NewtonOS.....the device looked *very* cool, but it just didn't catch on. I suspect the same will happen to this device too.
my 2 cents
How about a solar or wind-up version for use in places that many miles away from the nearest electric socket or battery shop?
Stop worrying about the risks of nuclear power and start worrying about the risks of not using nuclear power.
I owned an HPC Pro. The problem was not that they offered too little. The problem was that they offered too much. It's all about the operating system.
The entire point of a PDA or an ultraportable is instant-on, rapid data access and entry. My Palm IIIe used to do that, but I wanted a bigger display, so I got a Vadem Clio. What a dog! Windows CE HPC Pro 2.0 was just a Windows 95 clone, complete with Start menu, Word, Excel, etc.
Who wants to use a PDA or an instant-on device where your information is stored in databases and files that have to be copied around with Windows exporer? Where you have to treat your CompactFlash card as a hard drive, double-tapping on my computer, then double-tapping on the drive icon to see the files there? Not to mention that Windows CE could reliably be expected to crash once a day.
Someone would want to give me a bit of contact information. "Wait!" I'd say, and I'd hit the power switch, then tap Start -> Programs -> Pocket Outlook -> Contacts, then I'd wait for the little spinning hourglass while the Pocket Outlook contacts manager started... Then I'd finally be writing the information in, and suddenly I'd say "oops, hold on" and I'd have to turn the machine over, stick the stylus into the reset hole because the thing had crashed... then it was time to wait for a reboot... This is not what a PDA or ultraportable laptop is supposed to be like!
I imagine a Palm-based unit with a full-size keyboard will do quite well. I used to own a TRS-80 Model 100 and, as another poster has already pointed out, it was quite a nice machine for writing, reporting, etc. on the go.
As for me, I am now using dead technology -- a Newton 2100 -- whose operating system is so far ahead of Palm and PocketPC that it makes your heart sink to realize how long it will take other platforms to catch up -- and whose carry-along keyboard is actually quite small and quite nice. I only hope that my Newton (and its two spares) last long enough to see the day when a true successor emerges.
STOP . AMERICA . NOW