AlphaSmart AlphaSmart

1 alphasmart

1.1 alphasmart pro
1.2 alphasmart 2000
1.3 alphasmart 3000

alphasmart

the original alphasmart computer companion shipped in august 1993, , worked apple macintosh computers, plugging apple desktop bus (adb) port. model provided customers 16 pages of memory (32,000 bytes) 8 separate files (2 pages per file), accessed pressing corresponding function key. alphasmart took on aesthetics of computer intended partnered — had boxy, durable beige plastic case macintoshes of era. had 4 line lcd character display similar 1 find on appliances. each character displayed in own lcd box, making point size , font type fixed. alphasmart not display graphics, except ascii art. ran on 2 aa batteries, , used days @ time due clever power saving technique, sleeping in between keystrokes. there rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery (nicad) pack add-on customer purchase separately.

the alphasmart models included couple of jokes, including reference hitchhiker s guide galaxy. if, while using calculator, answer 42, words answer life, universe, , appear. or, if input 1+1, calculator say, s easy.

alphasmart pro

in february 1995, alphasmart pro launched. looked identical original had ps/2 port adb port, making compatible both windows pcs , macintoshes. second, pro had find feature search stored text. third, alphasmart pro able receive text computer through utility software installed on mac or windows pc. lastly, included password feature securing content. pro model able store 64 pages of text (128,000 bytes), holding 16 pages in first file, 8 pages in files 2 through five, 6 in files 6 & seven, , 4 pages on file number eight. original rechargeable nicad battery pack used in pro model.

alphasmart 2000

in october 1997, alphasmart, inc. introduced third generation of alphasmart family, alphasmart 2000. along more ergonomic design, case of alphasmart 2000 curvy , blue. new features added spell-checking, direct printing (allowing user plug printer directly, bypassing computer), auto-off power save, , keyboarding timer. year later, company added infrared capability 2000, enabling users transfer text computer or alphasmart without cable. model needed 3 aa batteries, still use original rechargeable nicd battery pack. alphasmart pro, had 128 kb memory.

alphasmart 3000

in january 2000, alphasmart 3000 released. 3000 used same chassis alphasmart 2000, encased in translucent bondi-blue plastic, matching apple computer s first generation imac. meant visual indication alphasmart 3000 usb native device, many other usb devices patterned using imac s design in same way.

designers removed adb , ps/2 ports, replacing them usb port , mini-din-8 serial port allowed users plug alphasmart directly printer. new smartapplet architecture capable of extending simple functionality of alphasmart inclusion of smartapplets—miniature software applications extend alphasmart s functionality give features beyond basic word processing. example, included simple 5-function calculator. additionally, battery life , memory increased (although still ran on 3 aa batteries), , cut/copy/paste functions introduced. original rechargeable nicd battery pack not compatible model. instead, used new optional nickel metal hydride battery (nimh) pack lasted longer , eliminated memory effect of nicd batteries. alphasmart 3000 had customary 8 files, each capacity of 12.5 pages (about 25 kilobytes), total of 100 pages altogether.

alphasmart announced discontinuation of alphasmart on april 30, 2006.