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Thoughts on the Alphasmart Neo?

As mentioned in a number of the Alphasmart Neo is a portable word processor that was originally designed for students. It's attracting some attention because it's so single-mindedly focused on typing words into a file---and that is it. No iTunes, no AIM, no Mine Sweeper. It's also portable, allowing you to sync up via USB when you get home.

So two things.

1. Who all out there owns one or has used one? Would you recommend it to others? Who is it best suited for?
2. In terms of finding patterns: if we think of the Neo as one (radical) tool for reducing distractions while writing, what would a similar tool look like for other kinds of creative work? What about designers, artists, and songwriters? Or is this kind of interruption problem peculiar to writers? (I for one think it is not). Will we all eventually end up back on pen and paper if we want to get anything done?

Whatcha think?

emory's picture

The Neo is the 'word-processor'...

Tricia wrote:

The Neo is the 'word-processor' of choice for a lot of writers and I think that if my writing habits had've formed after the early days of word-processing I would probably reach for it first like many writers do.

(What I want is WordStar back. Yeah, it's hard to get more anachronistic than that, but -man- I could fly with it. I do have one ancient "portable" (in quotes because it weighs as much as a desktop - an NEC plasma screen has-to-be-plugged-in DOS machine) that I've put WordStar on, but it's so loud that it's like writing while sitting on a runway at SFO.)

If what you liked about WordStar was a clean interface with no bells and whistles, what do you think of Ulysses?

I use Ulysses a lot when I'm working on a project -- not as much now with DEVONthink, but its hard to not really love Ulysses as a writer's toolkit.

 
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