Test Drive--AlphaSmart Neo

Computer Companion

By Jeffrey Hastings -- School Library Journal, 12/1/2004

AlphaSmart, Inc., 973 University Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95032 (888) 274-0680 www.alphasmart.com $249.

If Henry David Thoreau were alive today and planning a little pondside self-reflection, what writing tool might he choose to tuck into his Spartan rucksack? Obviously, a desktop or laptop wouldn't do; both have an appetite for power and a level of complexity that would exceed his basic needs and thus offend his personal philosophy. How about pencil and paper? Nah. The man was a pragmatist, not a Luddite. My guess is that he'd tote an AlphaSmart Neo.

Like Thoreau, the AlphaSmart Neo is all about simplicity. It's a low-cost "computer companion" that effortlessly runs basic applications, such as a word processor and keyboarding instruction program. While you can easily upload work from the Neo into your standard PC or Mac applications via USB or infrared wireless, the Neo presents none of the hassles that commonly accompany classroom computing. There's no waiting for boot-up, no need for endless upgrades, no external media required to save or share work, and—best of all—no superfluous software features to tempt kids to stray off task. That makes AlphaSmart units great choices for schools that don't need, or can't afford, full-scale computers.

In our district, technology teacher Lisa Purcell has used a cartload of older model AlphaSmarts to help satisfy the intensive keyboarding requirements of the third-grade curriculum. Her students love the new Neo's full-size keyboard, larger screen, and built-in spell check.

The Neo can run several different programs called "SmartApplets." There's an outliner for use with popular Inspiration and Kidspiration programs and "AlphaQuiz," an applet that lets teachers deliver tailor-made tests to their students' Neo units so that they can enjoy the benefits of automated, real-time grading.

By simplifying, Thoreau wrote, you can "keep your accounts on your thumbnail." Indeed, if your computing needs are limited to a few basic applications, the AlphaSmart Neo can easily cut your school's hardware expense by 75 percent compared to conventional networked computers. And, with its deep-green color, it'd look great in a New England cabin.