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A Cheap and Portable Word Processor?

Posted by Cliff on from the writing-on-the-run dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "Last evening I was waiting for a bus and realized that it would be very nice to have a little portable word processor; not a fancy PDA, but something with a bare minimum of processing power, small screen, and a cheap mini-keyboard, so that it could fit in a jacket pocket. It doesn't seem like an infeasable product - consider the price that all-in-one 8-bit game machines like the C64 DTV go for, add that to the price that the cheap organizers go for, and you get a retail value under $50. The only major difference would be in the software, and with some attention given to expansibility it might even be a decent device for homebrews. Does Slashdot have any thoughts on what might fill these gap, or is there really no product that tries to be small, cheap and low-powered like what I'm looking for?" "When I got home, I did a search for any such devices, and came up with two choices: bulky 1980s machines with outdated connectivity options, found on eBay for pennies - some of these are actually programmable too, interestingly enough; and overpriced 'educational' machines which are almost equivalent to the 80s machines (over $200 or even $300). Electronic organizers are going for under $20, but they are woefully limited machines. The only other cheap option is to get a used PDA."

9 of 428 comments (clear)

  1. Try this by RossTheHayes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mead v1.0 carbon based cellulose WordPad. Unfortunately, you also need to purchase the Bic v2.0 ballpoint inkjet.

    1. Re:Try this by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 5, Funny

      For many of us the installed font is unfortunately Times New Illegible. Some of us haven't used Cellulose WordPad in so long that we also get Hand Cramp exceptions even on small documents.

  2. Google?? by l810c · · Score: 5, Informative
    I took your exact article title and put it in Google

    The very first hit led me to these two devices which seem to fit the bill exactly.

    Alphasmart
    Quickpad

  3. The pen and paper comments are cute, but by jjsaul · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some of us type more than ten times faster than we write and like to transfer our text conveniently.

    There are easy solutions though - a used Jornada off ebay and a targus stowaway keyboard cost me less than $100. It isn't the perfect solution, but it actually addresses the poster's needs.

    For all of you writing those novels on notecards with pencils, good luck with that. Seems to have worked for Stephenson.

  4. Re:Pencil/Paper by pdbogen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I type much faster than I write, and I enjoy it much more, and it's a lot readable (to me as well as other people.) Plus, even a small/old word processor like this (TI used to make one; I don't remember what it's called, but I've read stories about how it's solid as a rock and still in use) would have significantly more capacity than a pocket notepad, or anything else of equivalent size.

  5. Re:The questions reminds me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I gave it to my roomate when his hard drive fizzled the night before a paper was due.

    How long did it take to get that pencil removed after your room mate hammered it into your chest?

  6. Re:Go used by mzieg · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I had one of these in the late 90's:

    Apple eMate

    Basically a robust plastic drop-proof word processor running NewtonOS, with built-in IRDA wireless uplink. Ran for 24hrs on AA batteries. Horrendously overpriced (got ours free through a school, natch), but quite visionary and functional. I often wish I still had it.

    I also worked for a company (well, several) that made these:

    VTech Postbox Express and Companion

    Our products pretty much sucked (sorry), but there were a number of s'okay competitors in the market. Rather than search for portable "word-processor", you probably want to look for "email/web appliance". It's a rich market, and there are some decent deals out there for $100.

  7. Re:Sidekick by bluephone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is not a troll. I don't carry a cell phone (don't want one), etc. But how hard is it to let it charge overnight while you sleep? You say you can't get 24 hours out of it, but do you regularly use it for more than 18 straight hours? Or does it take forever to charge?

    --
    jX [ Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler. - Einstein ]
  8. Re:Pencil/Paper by jhoger · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'd say the difference is the input and output requirement.

    You need a good keyboard, and you need a good display.

    Here's the short list of true-portable laptops to check out:

    Tandy WP-2
    TRS-80 Model 100
    Tandy 102
    Tandy 200
    Cambridge Z88
    Amstrad NC100 or NC200'

    All of these are 8-bit CPUs. Last for between 10 and 20 hours on battery (!!!). Available for between $10 and $50 on Ebay. Doesn't get cheaper than that.

    Or the Alphasmart Dana which is basically a Palm V with a bigger screen. USB, IR, and memory slot.

    Except for Dana, The interface for downloading to PC is serial port. You may need a $10 adapter if you only have USB on your machine.

    -- John.