AlphaSmart, Inc. was an education technology company founded by Apple Computer engineers Joe Barrus and Ketan Kothari, and Kothari's brother, Manish, in the early 90's.
At the time of their initial release in 1993, the first AlphaSmart models were marketed as smart keyboards designed to promote writing in the classroom as an alternative to expensive computer labs. The units' durability, long battery life, and limited functionality made them ideal for K-12 classrooms. Later models expanded functionality to spell-checking, running applications, and accessing wireless printers.
After their initial public offering in 2004, AlphaSmart, Inc. was quickly acquired by Renaissance Learning, Inc. in 2005. The last AlphaSmart branded device, named the Neo 2, was released by Renaissance Learning in 2007. 6 years later in late September 2013, production of all AlphaSmart branded devices was discontinued.
While AlphaSmart no longer exists as a brand, a cult following of distraction-free writers has kept a healthy secondhand market for Alphasmart devices alive to this day.
In August 2022, Freewrite,
a manufacturer of single purpose distraction-free writing tools such as the Hemingwrite and the Traveler, revived the alphasmart.com domain for the release of a product called the Freewrite Alpha.
Background
The AlphaSmart was a keyboarding device that enabled a person to work on the go, much like a
laptop computer
A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. Laptops typically have a clam shell form factor with the screen mounted on the inside of the upper li ...
, but it was strictly for word processing, as it functioned essentially like a simple digital
typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an inked ribbon selectivel ...
. The
Dana (one of the last devices made by AlphaSmart) was an exception, as this device also ran
Palm OS
Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) was a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 1996. Palm OS was designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provi ...
applications. Since the AlphaSmart, Dana, and NEO were specialized for limited purposes, they were generally much cheaper than a standard laptop computer. All of these devices were meant to be plugged into an
ADB,
PS/2
The Personal System/2 or PS/2 is IBM's second generation of personal computers. Released in 1987, it officially replaced the IBM PC, XT, AT, and PC Convertible in IBM's lineup. Many of the PS/2's innovations, such as the 16550 UART (serial po ...
, or
USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad v ...
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.
The AlphaSmart saved every keystroke directly to the machine's RAM, which was maintained by a battery backup even when powered down. AlphaSmarts could transfer data either by a special program that communicated 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 could be used as a standard keyboard.
AlphaSmarts were very popular in schools for their affordability and durability. Elementary
school
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
s and high schools used them; and they were particularly popular among
special education
Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
departments for use by students with
graphomotor challenges.
The machines were also popular among journalists and writers, who found them easy to carry and appreciated the full-size keyboard and long battery life.
AlphaSmarts continue to be popular with small groups of writers, despite attempts by other companies as early as 2014 to produce other low-distraction writing tools.
Company
Intelligent Peripheral Devices, Inc.
was founded in 1992 by two previous
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...
engineers, Ketan Kothari and Joe Barrus, 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. Later, they changed the name of the company to AlphaSmart, Inc.
Barrus and Kothari also hold a US patent on a "portable keyboard computer", applied for in 1992 and granted in 1995.
AlphaSmart, Inc. completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the NASDAQ on February 6, 2004 and started trading under the symbol ALSM. In June 2005, it was acquired by
Renaissance Learning
Renaissance Learning, Inc. (also known simply as Renaissance) is a software as a service and learning analytics company that makes cloud-based, Pre-K–12 educational software and adaptive assessments. Renaissance employs about 1,000 employees in n ...
(NASDAQ: RLRN). The name changed again in the Spring of 2009, this time to NEO Direct, Inc. They went on to release the
Neo2
Neo or NEO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Fictional entities
* Neo (''The Matrix''), the alias of Thomas Anderson, a hacker and the protagonist of the Matrix film series
* Neo (''Marvel Comics'' species), a fictional race of superhumans
* ...
and
2Know Responder hardware products.
AlphaSmart products
AlphaSmart
The original AlphaSmart computer companion was shipped in August 1993, and worked only with
Apple Macintosh
The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...
and
Apple IIGS
The Apple IIGS (styled as II), the fifth and most powerful of the Apple II family, is a 16-bit personal computer produced by Apple Computer. While featuring the Macintosh look and feel, and resolution and color similar to the Amiga and Atari ST ...
computers, plugging into the
Apple Desktop Bus
Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) is a proprietary bit-serial peripheral bus connecting low-speed devices to computers. It was introduced on the Apple IIGS in 1986 as a way to support low-cost devices like keyboards and mice, allowing them to be connect ...
(ADB) port. This model provided customers with 16 "pages" of memory (32,000 bytes) for eight 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 IIGS and 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 not display graphics, except for
ASCII art
ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses computers for presentation and consists of pictures pieced together from the 95 printable (from a total of 128) characters defined by the ASCII Standard from 1963 and ASCII compliant chara ...
. It ran on 2 AA batteries and could be used for days at a time due to a power-saving technique, that effectively allowed it to "sleep" in between keystrokes. There was a rechargeable
nickel-cadmium battery (NiCad) pack add-on that a customer could purchase separately.
The early AlphaSmart models included a couple of jokes, including a reference to ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comic science fiction, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally The Hitchhiker's Guide to th ...
''. If, while using the calculator, the answer is 42, the words "The answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything" appear. Or, if the input was 1+1, the calculator would say, "That's too easy."
AlphaSmart Pro
![Alphasmart pro](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Alphasmart_pro.jpg)
In February 1995, the AlphaSmart Pro was launched. This looked almost identical to the original but had a
PS/2
The Personal System/2 or PS/2 is IBM's second generation of personal computers. Released in 1987, it officially replaced the IBM PC, XT, AT, and PC Convertible in IBM's lineup. Many of the PS/2's innovations, such as the 16550 UART (serial po ...
port as well as an ADB port, making it compatible with both
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
PCs, as well as the Apple IIGS 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 Windows 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.
AlphaSmart 2000
![AlphaSmart 2000](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/AlphaSmart_2000.jpg)
In October 1997, AlphaSmart introduced the third generation of the AlphaSmart family, the AlphaSmart 2000. Along with a more ergonomic design, the case of the AlphaSmart 2000 was curvy and 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 NiCd battery pack. Like the AlphaSmart Pro, it had a 128 kB memory.
AlphaSmart 3000
![alpha smart 3000](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Alpha_smart_3000.jpg)
In January 2000, the AlphaSmart 3000 was released. The 3000 used the same chassis as the AlphaSmart 2000, but it was now encased in translucent bondi-blue plastic, matching Apple Computer's first generation
iMac
iMac is a family of all-in-one Mac desktop computers designed and built by Apple Inc. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its debut in August 1998, and has evolved through seven distinct forms.
In it ...
. This was meant to be a visual indication that the AlphaSmart 3000 was a
USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad v ...
native device, as many other USB devices were patterned using the iMac's design in the same way.
Designers removed the ADB and PS/2 ports, replacing them with a USB port and a mini-DIN-8
serial port
In computing, a serial port is a serial communication interface through which information transfers in or out sequentially one bit at a time. This is in contrast to a parallel port, which communicates multiple bits simultaneously in parallel. ...
. 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 NiCd battery pack was not compatible with this model. Instead, it used a new optional
nickel metal hydride battery
Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive but large pieces are slow to r ...
(NiMH) pack that lasted longer and eliminated the
memory effect
Memory effect, also known as battery effect, lazy battery effect, or battery memory, is an effect observed in nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries that causes them to hold less charge. It describes the situation in which nickel-cadmium batter ...
of NiCd 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.
AlphaSmart announced the discontinuation of the AlphaSmart on April 30, 2006.
Dana
In June 2002, AlphaSmart released the Dana, which is a radical departure from their standard product line. Similar to Apple Computer's 1997
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
eMate 300
The eMate 300 was a personal digital assistant designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer to the education market as a low-cost laptop running the Newton operating system. It was the only Newton Device with a built-in keyboard. The eMa ...
(a laptop running
Newton OS
''Newton OS'' is a discontinued operating system for the Apple Newton PDAs produced by Apple Computer, Inc. between 1993 and 1997. It was written entirely in C++ and trimmed to be low power consuming and use the available memory efficiently. Man ...
), the Dana, FCC ID KV2DANA001, is a fully fledged
Palm OS
Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) was a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 1996. Palm OS was designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provi ...
Version 4 device complete with a touch-screen, allowing a user to write directly on the screen via
Graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
in addition to typing on its built-in, full-size keyboard. It has 8 or 16
mebibytes
The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, the byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the smallest addressable uni ...
(MiB) of storage and two expansion slots for cards in
Secure Digital
Secure Digital, officially abbreviated as SD, is a proprietary format, proprietary non-volatile memory, non-volatile Flash memory, flash memory card format developed by the SD Association, SD Association (SDA) for use in portable devices.
The s ...
(SD) or
Multimedia Card
The MultiMediaCard, officially abbreviated as MMC, is a memory card standard used for solid-state storage. Unveiled in 1997 by SanDisk and Siemens, MMC is based on a surface-contact low pin-count serial interface using a single memory stack subs ...
formats. Dana runs nearly every Palm OS program for version 4.x or earlier.
The Dana's touch screen is extra-wide with a resolution of 560 x 160
pixels
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the sm ...
. This is 3.5 times the normal width of Palm handheld PDAs. Some Palm OS programs can make use of the entire screen width, including the standard Palm OS apps Memo Pad, Datebook, Todo and Address Book. Those that cannot run inside a central 160 by 160 pixel window. The Dana's screen has a backlight and is capable of displaying complex graphics (though only in 4 bit grayscale), unlike the original AlphaSmart line. The screen can be used in either landscape mode or portrait mode, though there is no auto-detection of how the Dana is positioned; the user has to tap a menu selection to choose the mode. Larger size fonts and boldface fonts can be selected from within Alphawrite (see below) to compensate for the low-contrast screen display's being somewhat difficult to read.
The Dana's primary software is the built-in Alphawrite word processor. This is a licensed version of Wordsmith for Palm OS by Blue Nomad, customized for the Dana's wider screen. Up to eight Alphawrite documents can be resident at one time, each instantly accessible via the Dana's eight function keys. Any number of Alphawrite documents are accessible via the File menu, up to the limit of the computer's memory. Also, it is a simple matter to switch between the Alphawrite documents and any of the four built-in apps native to Palm OS (Memo Pad, Datebook, Todo, Address Book).
The screen is physically 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. It uses either a Ni-MH rechargeable battery or 3 AA batteries for up to 25 hours of usage. Its AC adapter is rated at 7.5 VDC, center negative, 1000 mA.
Danas produced near the end of its production run were modified because many users complained that their Danas were frequently turning themselves on when carried in a container, such as a backpack, depleting the battery charge. This was because the on-off switch was getting depressed and switching the device on. Version 1.5 of the Dana OS provided a way to require both the Enter and On/Off keys to power it up, making it less likely that both keys would be depressed accidentally. This is accessed through the system Keyboard App.
The Dana has an IrDA compatible infrared port for transferring (or "beaming") documents and files. This is a convenient way to back up files to another Dana or an IrDA equipped PC. Being a Palm OS computer, files may be transferred to or from a PC over the USB port using the Hotsync feature of the included Palm Desktop software. This is also how third-party programs are loaded into the Dana. Another use for the USB port is to trickle-charge a rechargeable battery pack, in lieu of the AC adapter.
Dana Wireless
One year later, in 2003, AlphaSmart added the Dana Wireless model (FCC I
KV2DANA002 which added built-in
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
connectivity for internet use & interaction with other Danas, doubled the RAM capacity from 8 MiB to 16 MiB, doubled flash ROM from 4 MiB to 8 MiB, quadrupled the number of shades of gray displayed from 4 to 16, and added
SDIO support to the SD card slots. It used 3 AA batteries (standard or Ni-MH or Ni-Cad) for up to 20 hours of usage.
Neo
The Neo model was introduced in August 2004 and could hold more than 200 pages of text. Its LCD was 50% larger than the AlphaSmart 3000's display. Unlike the 3000, it didn't use fixed blocks for each character and therefore, could display different font/point sizes, along with simple graphics. The Neo also ran a newer operating system that allowed for modular control of SmartApplets and a new version of AlphaWord (the word processing SmartApplet), which allowed dynamic file resizing. The CPU was a 33MHz DragonballVZ, which is a 68000-based processor made by Freescale/Motorola. The Neo's chassis was a dark opaque shade of green with its form factor based on the Dana. It used the same optional NiMH battery pack as the AlphaSmart Dana. Initially, the Neo had several software bugs, such as a hard-to-see cursor and a text-stacking file corruption problem.
In 2007, the Neo 2 added several minor upgrades to the original Neo and was the first unit released after AlphaSmart was acquired by
Renaissance Learning
Renaissance Learning, Inc. (also known simply as Renaissance) is a software as a service and learning analytics company that makes cloud-based, Pre-K–12 educational software and adaptive assessments. Renaissance employs about 1,000 employees in n ...
. It added quiz functionality, using the 2Know! Toolbar, which was developed for the
2Know! Classroom Response System. Teachers could create, distribute, and score quizzes using the Neo 2. Neo 2 could also access
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader (AR) is a website used to assist students with reading skills.
Components
ATOS
ATOS is a readability formula designed by Renaissance Learning.
Books with quizzes in Accelerated Reader are assigned an ATOS readability level.
...
quizzes and allow students to use network printers, when using the Renaissance Receiver accessory.
Both the Neo and Neo 2 were discontinued by Renaissance Learning in late September 2013, although the company still offers support and software to existing users .
Astrohaus Alpha
In August 2022, Astrohaus, manufacturers of distraction-free electronic writing devices such as the Hemingwrite and the Traveler, announced a device called the Alpha; although no mention is made of the original Alphasmart devices on its website, the URL for this unrelated product is "alphasmart.com". Unlike previous Astrohaus devices, but like the Neo, the Alpha uses an LCD screen.
Unlike the Neo, the Alpha has a rechargeable battery (using a USB-C port) and Wi-Fi connectivity; it also has a larger storage capacity than the Neo.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Renaissance Learning, Inc. parent company
Dana hacking FAQAlphaSmart Forum-
flickr
Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was a popular way for amateur and professional ...
AlphaSmart Photos-
flickr
Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was a popular way for amateur and professional ...
AlphaSmart Neo review
Portable computers
Palm OS devices
Educational hardware
Products introduced in 1993