Ok, software, but how about hardware dedicated writers

OMG! Stop the presses!
The solution for the perfect writer device was all right there. As I was browsing the net, I found through google that BestBuy was just selling that same Writer fusion for $50 bucks. So I clicked buy, paid and then I noticed the page disappeared and that device was no longer to be found. So I thought maybe a fluke, right? Today a guy brought a package.
Well, I booted it up.... and .... THIS IS FU**** IT!

This is the exact device everyone was looking for. Multiple files, Multi-user capability, Backlight, USB memory, Dictionary, Spell-check, Word Prediction, even text to speech (although this version has no speaker so you need to plug headphones) - and cheap.
I can't believe, that this was already made and nobody noticed.



This is baby seems an ultra luxury version of Alphasmart.
I'll have to do more tests, but hell yeah.
Oh and I just found out it also has a built-in Thesaurus. Writing prompt, even Callendar - so you can do plotting on it. Of course! Why not. And it shows you stats, like words, words per sentence, score...
What is the catch here?

 

If you have more question about this, just ask.

 

You lucked out!! I was looking into those, but couldn't find any for sale anywhere, so I got myself a dandy little Neo2. And yes, I must say, the key action is smooth as butter!

 

If I still had my Dad's old typewriter, I would certainly be using it.

 

It was Canadian Bestbuy - they had 1 unit for unknown reason. Cables were still wrapped up and it came with a carrying case. Even new headphones.
Yeah, the neo2 keyboard is pretty decent by all standards. The 3000 was a bit questionable. Fusion keybed is as good as on any laptop, no problems there.

As for the fusion, looking at various pics, it seems there were at least two different keyboards on these. More flat keycaps in newer models (that I've got) - like on many modern notebooks and a deeper keycap shape (like Neo2 perhaps). So there is still one Fusion I MUST have to catch them all. .

I checked archive.org. The fusion price tag was $200 when this was new - so it was definitely priced right. The company doesn't exist anymore, they were selling these till about 2016 when they folded - not realizing they could fill niche market by trying to sell it to someone else than schools.
Meanwhile Freewrite/Hemingwrite put their Kickstarter up in 2014, and people were like - "WOW, we never saw anything like that. This is amazing"

 

After reading this thread, I will have to dig out my AlphaSmart 3000and see if the batteries are still good. It's only been about 10 years since I last powered it up.

Pulled it out of it's dusty hiding place and naturally, it's stone dead and the files are long gone. But I plugged it in and it still works! Mine has rechargeable batteries installed so I'll charge it for a while and see if they have bit the big one too.

If it holds a charge, I may keep it by the bed so the next time I'm awake at 3 AM, I can save the odd thoughts that won't stop wandering through my brain.

 

Thanks for reviving this thread. I'm loving the NEO 2. In fact I'm currently using it as a keyboard, plugged into the computer, because the keyboard I have is cheap and half the letters are worn off so you can't see them, and the keys stick and all kinds of problems. I mean they stick up, not down—sometimes I press a key and it won't go down, or one or two of its neighbors go down with it. Time to research and find a decent one. Then the Neo becomes mobile again.

 

Missed these on a local online auction site last week. Said they all worked, and they went for $125.

 

That's a nice haul. I have fond memories of my Neo's. Lots of words written on those lovely devices. Some of those words were actually well selected, and a few of them came out in the right order.

 

I finally ordered an actual keyboard for my Mac, when it arrives I'll finally be able to detach the Neo2 that I've been using as a keyboard. It's been serving that position excellently, except for the fact that it doesn't have a numerical keypad and that it uses Windows-style key setup rather than Mac. Meaning for instance it has Command and Control keys where a Mac would have (if I remember right, it's been a long time now) Command and Option. It was confusing for a while, I had to learn all the Windows shortcuts for things like em-dashes etc, and now I'm going to have to relearn the Mac shortcuts. But finally the Neo2 will again be mobile and unleashed! Of course I could easily have unplugged it and used it anywhere I want, I just haven't done that (aside from a few times).

I went searching on eBay and found something called the Alphasmart dana, which apparently was a later replacement for the Neo2. I got very excited and was on the point of ordering one, but decided to read up on it first in another tab. Glad I did, because despite several improvements, it has certain flaws. The biggest one probably being a touchscreen that's hardly functional at all but serves to obscure the writing on the screen considerably, making it very difficult to see what you're writing, despite the screen being backlit. I haven't been able to determine whether it allows for easy deletion of a block of text, but I suspect it does, considering it has many functions missing in the Neo2, such as a dictionary and spellchecking etc.

Here's the page I consulted: The AlphaSmart dana in 2019

Be sure to also read the comment by M.onty underneath, which adds some additional information. It was after reading this page (and especially the comment) that I decided to get a dedicated keyboard and use the Neo2 as my portable word processor. In some of the comments people also listed disadvantages (and advantages) of other models such as the Tandy and several others I believe are listed in this thread. A pretty decent resource.

 

I'm amazed nothing appeared to fill the Neo niche when Renaissance Learning stopped producing the Neo. The Freewrite doesn't work for me, and that's the closest thing.

A laptop with near-infinite battery life and an e-ink display I can use in direct sunlight - I've been pining for that.

 

I'm reviving this thread with a bit of info I finally learned. The reason I started using the Neo2 as my keyboard is because the letters on the keys wore off my el-cheapo keyboard within a few months. I still have a Neo2 I'm using as a keyboard, typing on it now in fact. I love these things, but they do have a couple of problems. Mainly that it likes to randomly insert periods when you hit the space bar. I frequently have to go through and delete extra periods, or sometimes it fails to place a period when I can swear I hit the key properly. And more recently it fails to type whole sections of words. I've had to go through and re-write parts a few times recently. I guess my baby is finally wearing out. Oh, and it also often fails to make a space when I hit the spacebar. Annoying.

But what I want to post is about the keys themselves, and the wearing-off of the ink (or dye or whatever it is). It took a long time, but the N key is blank now, and the A and the E are about half worn off. I can still use the Neo2 no problem, but when a few more keys go you get lost and need to replace.

But now I have an idea what to look for in choosing a keyboard. Good keycaps (the buttons) use a process called either doubleshot injection or dye sublimation. Sublimation makes for very durable keys that won't wear out for many years, and doubleshot injected keys will never wear out. Here's a video that explains it:



I just ordered a Durgod Fusion Mechanical Retro Keyboard, which has doubleshot injection keycaps and uses a cherry profile (refers to the shape and construction of the keycaps, these are the high keys like in older keyboards, not flat like laptop keys). I guess I'll retire this Neo2 and keep using my other one for typing on the couch in the living room or when I'm not near the computer.

 

My take on distraction-free writing hardware is decidedly more mechanical. I write most of my first drafts on a Remington Rand Model 1 from the late '30s.

 

Classy!

 

I got myself an Alphasmart Neo 2 a while back and tried to get into it but the keyboard had serious latency issues and eventually my spacebar fell off. I also was frustrated with the low character count on the screen. Looking at the images and description of the Writer Fusion that sounds exactly like something I would want so I intend to do some research on that one soon... but replies here make it sound difficult to come by.

 

Here's another option, if it gets off the ground: the BYOK, or Bring Your Own Keyboard.

Another option is a Bluetooth keyboard and an iPhone.

I'm very excited about the BYOK. There's a possibility it will be a good successor to the Neo. Maybe. As long as they don't hipster-ize it.

 

this seems great! but where is the price?
i was reading through the discussion on there and one person said the cost was super affordable, and I cant find it....

i also wish the screen as a little bigger. but at the same time, I like the privacy of a small one.
whenever I bring my laptop to the cafe with me, I always feel like someone is looking over my shoulder. so small screen would keep the paranoid thoughts at bay, haha!

 

Looks like it hasn't been released yet. There's a link saying Put Me First In Line, where they want you to send your email address. I guess then you get to see some details. Maybe there's a kickstarter campaign? Or it's still in development or something.

 

It’s one dollar down to reserve one. The price is $120, I think. Something like that.

I reserved one.

 

Awesome, I hope you give us an update after you get a chance to play around with it. Ok, I'm sure you will.

 

Is there an ETA on the release?

 

The BYOK doesn't print. According to a post in their Prelaunch forum, it should be trivial to sync it to cloud or hardware storage and print with your laptop.

That's actually what would suit me best.

On the other hand, I just ordered a folding keyboard and a kickstand for my iPhone. I can't get much done with on-screen touch keyboards. An iPhone with a Bluetooth keyboard seems workable.

I already have iaWriter and I could always use Pages. The cloud still stinks for writing, in my very off-pitch opinion, but I might get used to it.

There is an option to increase security, or so I've heard. That might ease my conscience about writing for work with cloud services. Maybe.

 

Oh that seems awesome, I already have a portable bluetooth keyboard I carry around (Logitech MX Mechanical Mini) so this would pair nicely with it!

I went ahead and paid the $1 prelaunch

 

Presumably it creates a file that can be opened in other apps, which you should be able to print with. Your word processor app is just for the writing itself—for things like developmental edits, involving moving whole sections of text around, you'd need to use a computer and a different app, like LibreOffice or Scrivener. If it doesn't generate file types compatible with them, that would be a massive problem.

I just found this on the discussion thread:

Thanks for the question. At this time, there aren't plans to incorporate printing directly to a printer but transferring your files to another form of hard or cloud storage should be fairly seamless so that you can print from there.​

Which is exactly what Amontillado said. No info so far on what kinds of files would be available, but presumably all the usual suspects like ODT, RTFD, etc.