|
The AlphaSmart is a brand of portable, battery powered, word-processing keyboards manufactured by AlphaSmart, Inc., currently owned by Renaissance Learning, Inc. A Pair of AA Energizer Alkaline Cells Symbols representing a single Cell (top) and Battery (bottom), used in circuit diagrams. ...
Renaissance Learning Inc. ...
Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 800 pixel, file size: 375 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) photo shot by me at request; see: http://www. ...
Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 800 pixel, file size: 375 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) photo shot by me at request; see: http://www. ...
Background
The AlphaSmart is a keyboarding device that enables a person to work on the go, much like a laptop computer, but it is strictly for word processing, as it functions essentially like a simple digital typewriter. The Dana (a newer device made by AlphaSmart, Inc.) is an exception, as this device can also run Palm OS applications. The company line is that since the AlphaSmart, Dana, and Neo are specialized for limited purposes, they are much cheaper than a laptop computer. In reality however, the Dana Wireless costs 450 dollars American. It is very easy these days to find a quality small laptop with wireless internet for the same price. All of these devices are meant to be plugged into an ADB, PS/2, or USB port for transferring the written text into a computer's word processing document for further editing (such as indentation and font preference) or printing if so desired. Laptop with touchpad. ...
Mechanical desktop typewriters, such as this Underwood Five, were long time standards of government agencies, newsrooms, and sales offices. ...
The AlphaSmart is a brand of portable, battery powered, word-processing keyboards manufactured by AlphaSmart, Inc. ...
Palm OS is a compact operating system developed and licensed by PalmSource, Inc. ...
Early ADB device Apple Desktop Bus (or ADB) is an obsolete bit-serial bus for connecting low-speed devices to computers. ...
PS/2 can refer to: IBM Personal System/2, a series of post-PC computers sold by IBM starting in 1987. ...
Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...
Unlike conventional word processing software, there is no need to save one's work through a command. The AlphaSmart saves every keystroke directly to the machine's memory where it remains even when powered down. AlphaSmarts can transfer data either by a special program that communicates with the AlphaSmart or by the simpler method of transmitting the keystrokes of the written text as if it were the computer's keyboard. When not transferring text, the Alphasmart can be used as a standard keyboard.
AlphaSmarts are very popular in schools for their affordability and durability. Elementary schools and high schools alike use them, often in large quantities, and they are particularly popular among special education departments for use with students who lack the ability to write by hand, or who have nearly unintelligible penmanship.[citation needed] Students in Rome, Italy. ...
Special education is instruction that is modified or particularized for those students with special needs, such as learning differences, mental health problems, or specific disabilities (physical or developmental). ...
The machines have also developed a type of cult following among journalists, who find them easy to carry and appreciate the full-size keyboard and long battery life.[citation needed]
Company Intelligent Peripheral Devices, Inc. was founded in 1992 by two previous Apple Computer engineers, Ketan Kothari and Joe Barrus,[citation needed] with the mission to "develop and market affordable, portable personal learning solutions for the classroom" and to "deliver affordable, lightweight, rugged portable computing devices that are expandable, easy to use and manage, and provide exceptional battery life." Shortly after its founding they were joined by Ketan's brother Manish.[citation needed] The company's first product was the AlphaSmart Keyboard followed by the Dana and then the Neo. As the product line expanded they changed the name of the company to AlphaSmart, Inc. Apple Inc. ...
AlphaSmart, Inc. was acquired by Renaissance Learning in June 2005.
AlphaSmart Products
AlphaSmart The original AlphaSmart computer companion was shipped in August of 1993, and worked only with Apple Macintosh computers, plugging into the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) port. This model provided customers with 16 "pages" of memory (32,000 bytes) for 8 separate files (2 pages per file), that were accessed by pressing the corresponding function key. The AlphaSmart took on the aesthetics of the computer it was intended to be partnered with — it had a boxy, durable beige plastic case like the Macintoshes of that era. It had a four line LCD character display similar to what one would find on some appliances. Each character was displayed in its own LCD "box," making the point size and font type fixed. The AlphaSmart could never display graphics, except for ASCII art. It ran on 2 AA batteries, and could be used for literally days at a time due to its clever power saving technique, effectively "sleeping" in between keystrokes. There was a rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery (NiCad) pack add-on that a customer could purchase if desired. The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ...
Early ADB device Apple Desktop Bus (or ADB) is an obsolete bit-serial bus for connecting low-speed devices to computers. ...
ASCII art, an artistic medium relying primarily on computers for presentation, consists of pictures pieced together from characters (preferably from the 95 printable characters defined by ASCII). ...
The nickel-cadmium battery (commonly abbreviated NiCd and pronounced nye-cad) is a popular type of rechargeable battery for portable electronics and toys using the metals nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) as the active chemicals. ...
The early AlphaSmart models included a couple of jokes, including a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If, while using the calculator, the answer is 42, the words "The answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything" appear. The cover of the first novel in the Hitchhikers series, from a late 1990s printing. ...
AlphaSmart Pro In February 1995, the AlphaSmart Pro was debuted. This new, improved device looked almost identical to the original but had many new features. First, the AlphaSmart Pro had a PS/2 port as well as an ADB port, making it compatible with both Windows PCs and Macintoshes. Second, the Pro had a "find" feature to search stored text. Third, the AlphaSmart Pro was able to receive text from a computer through "Get Utility" software installed on a Mac or PC. Lastly, it included a password feature for securing content. The Pro model was able to store up to 64 pages of text (128,000 bytes), holding 16 pages in the first file, 8 pages in files two through five, 6 in files six & seven, and 4 pages on file number eight. The original rechargeable NiCad battery pack could also be used in the Pro model. PS/2 can refer to: IBM Personal System/2, a series of post-PC computers sold by IBM starting in 1987. ...
Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ...
AlphaSmart 2000 In October 1997, AlphaSmart, Inc. introduced the third generation of the AlphaSmart family, the AlphaSmart 2000. Along with a more ergonomic design, the AlphaSmart 2000 was smooth, curvy, and had its color scheme changed to a more attractive blue. New features added were spell-checking, direct printing (allowing a user to plug into a printer directly, bypassing a computer), auto-off power save, and a keyboarding timer. A year later, the company added infrared capability to the 2000, enabling users to transfer text to a computer or another AlphaSmart without a cable. This model needed 3 AA batteries, but could still use the original rechargeable NiCad battery pack.
AlphaSmart 3000 In January 2000, the AlphaSmart 3000 was released. The 3000 used the same sleek chassis as the AlphaSmart 2000, but it was now encased in translucent bondi-blue plastic, matching Apple Computer's first generation iMac. This was meant to be a visual indication that the AlphaSmart 3000 was a USB native device, as many other USB devices were patterned off of the iMac's design in the same way. The original Bondi Blue iMac G3 was introduced in 1998. ...
Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...
Designers removed the ADB and PS/2 ports, replacing them with a USB port and a mini-DIN-8 serial port that allowed users to plug the AlphaSmart directly into a printer. Also new was the SmartApplet architecture that was capable of extending the simple functionality of an AlphaSmart with the inclusion of SmartApplets — miniature software applications that extend the AlphaSmart's functionality to give it features beyond basic word processing. For example, it included a simple 5-function calculator. Additionally, the battery life and memory were increased (although it still ran on 3 AA batteries), and cut/copy/paste functions were introduced. The original rechargeable NiCad battery pack was not compatible with this model. Instead, it used a new optional nickel metal hydride battery (NiMH) pack that lasted longer and eliminated the memory effect of NiCad batteries. The AlphaSmart 3000 had the customary 8 files, each with a capacity of 12.5 pages (about 25 kilobytes), for a total of 100 pages altogether. A male DE-9 connector used for a serial port on a PC style computer. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
The nickel-cadmium battery (commonly abbreviated NiCd and pronounced nye-cad) is a popular type of rechargeable battery for portable electronics and toys using the metals nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) as the active chemicals. ...
AlphaSmart announced the discontinuation of the AlphaSmart on April 30th, 2006. [1]
Dana In June 2002, a radical departure from the standard AlphaSmart line was released. Similar to Apple Computer's Newton eMate 300 (a laptop running the Newton's PDA operating system), the Dana is actually a fully fledged Palm OS device complete with a touch-screen, allowing a user to write directly on the screen via Graffiti in addition to typing on the built-in, full-size keyboard. The Dana's screen has a backlight and is capable of displaying complex graphics (though only in 16-bit grayscale), unlike the original AlphaSmart line. It has 16 Megabytes of storage and two expansion slots for cards in Secure Digital (SD) or Multimedia Card formats. It is compatible with nearly every Palm OS application, and some Palm apps can take advantage of the Dana's extra-wide screen, which is 3.5 times the norm (560 x 160 pixels). The screen is taller than that of the original AlphaSmart products, and the Dana's casing is made from opaque dark-blue plastic — a change from the iMac-esque clear blue of the AlphaSmart 3000. The Dana optionally comes with Wi-Fi connectivity for internet use and interaction between other Danas, and it runs off a Ni-MH rechargeable battery or 3 AA batteries for up to 25 hours of usage. // Bold textBold textItalic text It has been suggested that Apple Newton Software be merged into this article or section. ...
Apple Newton eMate 300 open. ...
Palm OS is a compact operating system developed and licensed by PalmSource, Inc. ...
A chart of the Graffiti characters (full size) Graffiti is the handwriting recognition software used in PDAs based on the Palm OS. Graffiti was originally written by Palm as an alternate recognition system for the Apple Newton MessagePad, when NewtonOS 1 couldnt recognize handwriting very well at all. ...
16Mb SD Card Secure Digital, or SD, is a flash memory data storage device based on Toshibas earlier Multi Media Cards (MMC). ...
A 32 MB Multimedia Card Multimedia Card A 128 MB RS-MMC card and an adapter The Multimedia Card (MMC) is a flash memory memory card standard. ...
A pixel (a contraction of picture element) is one of the many tiny dots that make up the representation of a picture in a computers memory. ...
Official Wi-Fi logo Wi-Fi was originally a brand licensed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to describe the embedded technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802. ...
Neo The Neo model, introduced in August 2004, can hold more than 200 pages of text. Its LCD display is 50% larger than the AlphaSmart 3000's display. Unlike the 3000, it doesn't use fixed blocks for each character and therefore can display different font/point sizes, along with simple graphics. The Neo also runs a newer operating system that allows modular control of SmartApplets and a new version of AlphaWord (the word processing SmartApplet), which allows dynamic file resizing. The Neo's chassis is a dark opaque shade of green with its form factor based on the Dana. The Neo also uses the same class of CPU as the Dana. It uses the same optional NiMH battery pack as the AlphaSmart 3000. The AlphaSmart is a brand of portable, battery powered, word-processing keyboards manufactured by AlphaSmart, Inc. ...
The Neo had several software bugs, such as a hard-to-see cursor and file corruption problems, but the most serious of these issues have been fixed in AlphawordPlusNeo 3.0B and C. The remaining problems (the-hard-to-see cursor and a text-stacking bug) were corrected in an update to the operating system, System 3.2.[citation needed]
External links
Company pages - AlphaSmart homepage
- Renaissance Learning, Inc., parent company of AlphaSmart
Reviews and personal stories |
Feeds |
Contact