AlphaSmart Testing
==================
I have got the AlphaSmart Dana (the Wireless model) after it was
mentioned by Cameron Kaiser on his TenFourFox blog [1]. I have found
the idea of the Palm OS laptop interesting. And yes, this is what the
Dana exactly is: a Palm OS laptop. It's big as a laptop, it has a good,
big keyboard and it is powered by the old good Motorola DragonBall CPU
(it was already obsolete when the Dana was introduced). The screen is
specific - it is relatively small for a laptop and it is connected in a
fixed angle to the device body. But is is consistent with other
AlphaSmart devices. They made devices for education - devices which
were used to learn typing on keyboard. So a big screen was unnecessary
but the big and high-quality keyboard was mandatory. The Palm OS was
just a nice bonus. I also have an AlphaSmart Pro (a much older device
which is compatible both with the PS/2 and the Apple IIgs / Macintosh
computers). It is good for typing but it cannot do almost nothing more.
Editing functions are very limited and there is no possibility to
install/write/compile any other stuff. The Dana is much more flexible.
The unusual shape and size (for a Palm device) is only one of Dana's
features. It has two SD slots for cards, a WiFi (it is probably the
only Palm OS 4 device with a WiFi!), a USB (type A? - that big
connector which is common in printers) for charging and synchronization
(as a true AlphaSmart device it can also work as a normal USB keyboard
when it is connected to a computer). There is also a power connector
and an infrared port (as it is in any other good Palm device).
The Dana's big wide screen is also one of sources of problems: very
little Palm programs support its unusual dimensions (its 480x160, I
think). The build-in program mostly can work with it (the AlphaWord
text editor, the standard Palm ToDo, the Memo and the Addressbook
programs, for example) but in most cases one can see the program in the
middle 1/3 of screen. At the left is an Dana logo and ad at the right
is a virtual graffiti area with virtual standard buttons. So 2/3 of
screen are wasted for most of 3rd party programs.
The device uses a rechargeable battery pack which is probably of no use
today. It can be replaced by 3 AA batteries but they cannot be charge
in the device which is a bit impractical. There are several (at least
2) solutions of the problem which are based on re-soldering of some
wires (to connect charging circuits with the AAs). I have tried one of
them and at the moment it seems to work.
Software selection may be interesting: there is no e-mail client nor
www browser which may be strange for a WiFi-enabled device. There is
just some stuff for synchronization. But it might be proper solution
for an education device. But there is a PalmReader (which works with
the full screen!).
I must say that writing on this device is pleasant (it's much easier
than use of the Graffiti). It's easier than writing on a PSION Series
3, too (but the Dana is not so much portable, of course).
References:
[1]
http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com
