| Author |
Topic |
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cinemafia
Guerrilla Recon Leader
USA
2965 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 16:33:03
So over the weekend my family and I were down in San Diego celebrating my daughter Cleo's third birthday, and we were staying at my mother-in-law's house. She's a teacher, and just wrote a grant for about two dozen AlphaSmart 3000's for each of her students to use. She has a couple extra at her house, and I immediately thought of how they looked just like Apple eMates!I was so interested in it that my mother-in-law gave me one to play with. Take a look at the graphical comparison I did between the two. What's even more coincidental is that when I turned the unit over I noticed that the company who makes them is based in...wait for it...CUPERTINO! Holy moly! Anyway, the thing is pretty cool. Basically, it's a word processor that stores 80 pages of text in up to 8 different files and can transfer the text to almost any computer or printer that supports USB or Infrared (either wired or wirelessly, respectively). It also has a built in spell-checker, search function, copy/cut/paste and calculator. You can even use the thing as an external keyboard for a computer by connecting it via USB! You can also put new applets onto it by transferring them over USB. So far there's a few nifty things like an outliner and a quiz-maker. I'm gonna try 'em out. Oh yeah, there's also a newer version called the AlphaSmart "Dana" (perhaps it was named after our Dana?) that runs on the PalmOS. 666th poster and 666th thread-creator
Lord of the Mac II Series
Total 68K Macs liberated: 7
http://www.cinemafia.net/forums Edited by - cinemafia on 29 Jul 2003 16:38:35 |
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 16:48:26
"what's in the box"
- Dana
- Rechargeable battery pack (what MLAer eats FOOD now that we're in the 21st centure?)
- AC adaptor (for when you're at home)
-CD rom with palm desktop software etc... (so that our dana stays organized)
- USB cable (for interfacing with eMac and iMac)
- Getting Started Guide (in case you don't know what dana does or anything...)
- Stylus (the better to poke you with)that's what comes with dana!
fun! great comparison cinemo.. (aSmart 3k and newton) maybe a newton expert and an alphasmart expert could rig up an article for the MLAgazine? Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuide
Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 18:37:11
Ut oh.... "**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective 
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
cinemafia
Guerrilla Recon Leader
USA
2965 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 18:59:36
Aha! I've found the answer!Take a look at this article and read the third paragraph! I knew it! Something makes me wonder if those ex-Apple employees might be the same ones who worked on the Newton project under Sculley and were axed by Jobs? I'd put money on it. 666th poster and 666th thread-creator
Lord of the Mac II Series
Total 68K Macs liberated: 7
http://www.cinemafia.net/forums Edited by - cinemafia on 29 Jul 2003 19:06:32 |
ThePowerToBurn
Junior Member
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 19:19:01
Heh, AlphaSmarts are cool. I used an old one back in 6th and 7th grade. And now I have two one the ones I used to use. Fun little things. We even got to take them home with us if we checked with the teacher. Awww good times, good times.________________
Flower Power iMac 500MHz 60gb HD 8x4x24 CD-RW 512mb ram 16mb vram 10.2.6
AIO G3 500 OC to 525/75 20+4gb HDs 52x24x52 CD-RW 512mb's ram 6mb vram 10.2.6
6500/225PPC 225MHz 3gb HD 64mb ran8.6
5400/200PPC 200MHz 6GB HD 72mb ram 9.1 |
cinemafia
Guerrilla Recon Leader
USA
2965 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 19:35:46
I hadn't realized they'd been around for that long (at least 3 years, apparently). With the new "Dana" they seem to be moving more and more into the direction that the eMate/Newton line would have, had Jobs not kicked them out.666th poster and 666th thread-creator
Lord of the Mac II Series
Total 68K Macs liberated: 7
http://www.cinemafia.net/forums |
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 20:08:07
hehehe... yeah... seeing a picture of an eMate wants me want that though..the alpha smart looks alot like a TRS-80 portable thingy too... Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuide
Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
ThePowerToBurn
Junior Member
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 20:12:39
Yep, its been a while. I'm going to be going into 11th grade (gezzz 11th grade already) so it has been at least 5 years, and I think that we had had them for a few years by time I got to them in middle school. Next time I see the AlphaSmarts, I'll see if there is a date on the bottom of them.________________
Flower Power iMac 500MHz 60gb HD 8x4x24 CD-RW 512mb ram 16mb vram 10.2.6
AIO G3 500 OC to 525/75 20+4gb HDs 52x24x52 CD-RW 512mb's ram 6mb vram 10.2.6
6500/225PPC 225MHz 3gb HD 64mb ran8.6
5400/200PPC 200MHz 6GB HD 72mb ram 9.1 |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 20:52:10
Cory, laugh all you want, but:http://www.flydana.com 
"**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
cinemafia
Guerrilla Recon Leader
USA
2965 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 21:03:06
The one I have doesn't have a date on it at all.  quote:
the alpha smart looks alot like a TRS-80 portable thingy too...
I think it's in the same review I linked to a few replies ago where they mentioned that the AlphaSmart is a cult-favorite among TRS-80 lovers! 666th poster and 666th thread-creator
Lord of the Mac II Series
Total 68K Macs liberated: 7
http://www.cinemafia.net/forums Edited by - cinemafia on 29 Jul 2003 21:04:29 |
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 21:14:31
oh... LOL! well I barely read anything that anyone links to here at the MLA... I just read the repllies and/or speedread it Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuide
Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
ThePowerToBurn
Junior Member
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 13:33:07
Well, I looked at the AlphaSmart today, and it is an AlphaSmart Pro. It has a port for PC one for Mac/IIgs and another one for maybe a printer. It runs off of 2 AA bateries. I looked on the back of it for a date but couldn't fine one. But if it said Mac/IIgs, then it must be pretty old.________________
Flower Power iMac 500MHz 60gb HD 8x4x24 CD-RW 512mb ram 16mb vram 10.2.6
AIO G3 500 OC to 525/75 20+4gb HDs 52x24x52 CD-RW 512mb's ram 6mb vram 10.2.6
6500/225PPC 225MHz 3gb HD 64mb ran8.6
5400/200PPC 200MHz 6GB HD 72mb ram 9.1 |
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 13:36:32
isn't that one of the ones that you write on it, then plug it into adb, open word processor and it types that into the mac?Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuide
Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
ThePowerToBurn
Junior Member
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 16:45:22
Yep, that sounds about right.________________
Flower Power iMac 500MHz 60gb HD 8x4x24 CD-RW 512mb ram 16mb vram 10.2.6
AIO G3 500 OC to 525/75 20+4gb HDs 52x24x52 CD-RW 512mb's ram 6mb vram 10.2.6
6500/225PPC 225MHz 3gb HD 64mb ran8.6
5400/200PPC 200MHz 6GB HD 72mb ram 9.1 |
The Balance Of Judgement
Senior Member
Ivory Coast
1006 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 17:57:32
Very neat. If they are smart, they will beef up thier offerings and make a killing on the market. If the price is right, I might just get one of these suckers, because I need a little machine that can do typing when I'm on the go, and those simple apointment things are useless but I don't want to spend like 400 on a Palm.
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cinemafia
Guerrilla Recon Leader
USA
2965 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2003 : 03:20:55
The Dana, which runs Palm, is also $400...but I think the full-size keyboard makes it more attractive. The 3k IR one like I have goes for about $230 or so.666th poster and 666th thread-creator
Lord of the Mac II Series
Total 68K Macs liberated: 7
http://www.cinemafia.net/forums |
SpaceBoy
Full Member
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2003 : 08:27:24
quote:
isn't that one of the ones that you write on it, then plug it into adb, open word processor and it types that into the mac?
Actually, I've got one of these things! Some of you might recall, I (think) I posted about it when I bought it, about a year ago...
I spotted it at the local Goodwill store, and grabbed it, thinking it was like the TRS-80 Model 100 (which I also have - amazing computer!), and was shocked to find an ADB connector on the back! So yeah, like you said, it basically functions like a detachable, semi-smart keyboard. You type, it remembers, and then when you get home, you just plug it into your ADB-equipped Mac and it 'types' everything you wrote into whatever program you like. Pretty cool, eh?
:-)
SpaceBoy Official MLA Raconteur
AppleBASIC FOREVER!
TiBook G4/500, "Difference Engine"
PowerMac 6500/275
Performa 6400/180
3x PowerMac 7600/132
SE/30 32/250, "Wang"
PB 1400/133
PB 180/33
PMac 7100/G3-266
Quadra 950, "HAL 9000"
Newton 120, "PADD" |
danamania
Official 68k Muse
Australia
1193 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2003 : 12:18:22
quote:
Cory, laugh all you want, but:
http://www.flydana.com
Wow. I'm... thin! dana
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cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms
USA
4679 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2003 : 12:22:43
hehehehe... and you come with an AC adaptor  Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuide
Editor of the MLAgazine
"I'm just a normal computer geek who somehow landed a social life" |
maclover5
LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
Australia
5830 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2003 : 16:16:06
And a battery pack. And you also look pretty good, too. Well much better than Wince, anyway. "**** em" - Jobs in regards to customers
Warrior maclover5
68kMLA
Official 68kMLA Detective
Number of 68ks Liberated: 7
Number of Contraband (PPC) Liberated from the Dumpster: 1 |
AlphaSmart = Son of eMate?
68k of the Week: kastegir's PowerBook 180.