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Why the Worst Laptop Ever Made is Also the Best
Sometimes, simple is all you need
By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 12, 2021 01:05PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Computers Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
The Alphasmart Neo won’t win any prizes for specs or features, but it’s a fantastic word processor that can be found on auction sites for less than $30. The Neo can run for weeks or months on a single set of disposable batteries. Surprisingly for such an inexpensive device, the Neo has the best keyboard I’ve ever used. Alphasmart By any usual standard, the Alphasmart Neo ranks among the worst laptops ever made. The Neo has a tiny LCD monochrome screen and can pretty much only do word processing. That means no web browsing, email, Netflix, etc. It’s clunky and ugly with a dark green plastic case. But I’ve found the Neo to be an invaluable, distraction-free gadget that makes me more productive. It’s got incredible features that no ordinary laptop can match. Do you claim your fancy Samsung laptop has 12 hours of battery life? The Neo can run for weeks or months on a single set of disposable batteries. The Neo’s terrible screen can actually be an advantage because it’s great for focusing. A Great Word Processor for Less Than $30
The Neo2 was released in 2007 and discontinued in 2013. It cost hundreds of dollars when new, but I bought mine used for less than $30 on eBay. It initially was intended for the education market as a low-cost word processor for kids who might be rough on computers in the classroom. The Neo is so rugged that used models tend to still be in good condition after all this time, so you should have no problem picking one up on an auction site. Surprisingly for such an inexpensive device, the Neo has the best keyboard I’ve ever used. I’m very picky about keyboards, and the Neo’s version is light and springy and just noisy enough to give you decent feedback. My fingers speed along practically by themselves. The Neo’s terrible screen can actually be an advantage because it’s great for focusing. I often sit down with my MacBook Pro and intend to spend an hour getting work done, and then I find myself sliding down a rabbit hole of internet memes, news articles, and emails. Let’s be clear; the Neo is more of a portable keyboard with just the barest amount of memory. The Neo has eight separate files that you can type into, and each holds about 51,000 characters. This seems ridiculously limited, but the idea behind the Neo is to produce work rather than spend endless amounts of time navel-gazing about stuff you’ve already created. For that purpose, the memory on the Neo is more than adequate. Sharing is Caring
Once you write stuff on the Neo, you’ll need to get it to a real computer to edit and share it with the world. Again, Alphasmart came up with a brilliantly simple solution. You can plug the Neo2 into your computer (MAC/PC) with a USB cable, open a word processor, and hit the send button. The Neo types it into the connected computer all by itself. Alphasmart released several other word processors, all of which are commonly available on eBay. I’m partial to the Neo2, but I also own the Dana wireless, which runs on the nearly forgotten Palm OS. Sascha Brodsky / Lifewire The Dana lets you install apps and also has an SD card slot for extra storage. The Dana’s downside is that the screen and battery life aren’t nearly as good as the Neo. There aren’t many competitors to the Alphasmart devices. The closest gadget currently manufactured might be the Freewrite Traveler, a monochrome word processor that clocks in at nearly $500. The Traveler boasts a rechargeable battery with a claimed four weeks of battery life. There’s also the Japan-only Pomera DM200, which you can buy on Amazon from an exporter for under $400. The DM200 is an intriguing-looking gadget that resembles a paperback book when folded up. Keep in mind that the DM200 lacks a US warranty, and its menus are in Japanese. The Pomera and Freewrite are tempting options, but I’ll be sticking with my Neo. It does everything it needs to do and nothing else. Also, if the Neo breaks, I can buy more than 30 of them for less than the price of a single MacBook. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1, 2021) Review: Apple's Best Laptop Lenovo Chromebook Duet Review: Low Budget 2-in-1 10 Best Online Auction Websites for Good Deals The 8 Best Gaming Laptops of 2022 Compare Every iPad Model Ever Made The 9 Best Liquidation Auction Sites of 2022 Acer Aspire 5 Review: Looks Great and Priced Right Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Review: A Lightweight Laptop Option Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 Review: The Best Yet Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2020) Review: Surf the Web and Stream Media With This Affordable Tablet The 7 Best Online Car Auction Sites of 2022 HP Chromebook 11 Review: A Well-Rounded Laptop Suited for Study, Work, and Play Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Still a Decent Budget Android Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Review: A Little Workhorse With a Beautiful Display The 9 Best Smartphones of 2022 Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Review: Small Laptop, Big Value Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies