A distraction free writing device:
The AlphaSmart is a very lightweight word processor with a four-line screen that runs for over 700 hours on a couple of AA batteries. It holds about 100 pages of text in 8 different files. Text can be easily uploaded to any word processing file. It turns on instantly and is extremely durable. I have used a previous incarnation (the AlphaSmart 3000) for years, and truly appreciate its ruggedness, ease of use, and non-distractibility.
When I really just need to write and NOT be fooling around on the Internet, it turns on instantly, runs coolly and silently, and does not tempt me to edit when I should be writing (a computer is much easier for editing, since you can see a larger screen). Still, these have enough editing features to allow me to make important changes on the fly.
I wrote most of my last novel on mine, uploading to the computer every couple of days. I find it much more portable than my laptop, much less distracting, always ready. I wanted something cheap, lightweight, super-sturdy, entirely intuitive, and non-distracting. I didn't want something hot on my lap, didn't want to wait for it to boot up, didn't want to have to recharge batteries. My AlphaSmart 3000 weighs 2 pounds and I've dropped it more than twice with no problems. It's perfect for me.
I'm not sure if this would be a good solution for me or not, but I can certainly see the value in it. With 700 hours of battery life, I could also see this as a wonderful device for keeping a journal on while traveling.
You can buy one of these on eBay or buy a newer version here.
1 comment:
While I'm glad the author has found a device that works for him, this in my opinion is a rather poor substitute for a laptop.
The very features that it lacks, and that the author is glad about it lacking, is what so many people want and need when writing.
There are the editing capabilities. No need to elaborate on why that is important.
But then there is the internet. For so many, having the internet is necessary so as to do research while writing...even just looking up a word in the dictionary. It's an indespensable research tool when writing...it's like having a huge library at your disposal when writing. That's a good thing for most people.
So again I'm glad this very niche product has found at least one satisfied user, but this will continue to have a very limited audience.
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