Okay, maybe I don't want one

[pjthompson]

This analysis from Dear Author makes the iPad sound somewhat less attractive. The lack of e-ink tech wasn't so much a deal killer for me as the "no innovative input, only a large screen keyboard" and the "lacks a USB port or external memory slot." Those items make this seem not much more than a super fancy Neo Alphasmart/Neo Dana. I love my Alphasmart, but I was hoping to replace it with something a bit more...I don't know. Exuberant, I guess.

::sigh::

I guess I've got some thinking to do. Or some waiting until something else comes along. The trade-in deal on my old Alphasmart is looking better and better.

Comments

[inkstone]

I admit I'm really baffled by the lack of USB ports or external memory slots. Even cell phones have those! I feel like this is kind of a step backwards.

[pjthompson]

It's hard to know what they were thinking in many ways. But then, Apple has always been stingy with the USB ports.

SO many people are hung up on the name "iPad"--good grief

[shalanna.livejournal.com]

What's the Alphie trade-in deal? I like mine because it has run for two years on the original AA batts, it doesn't have any distractions like Internet use or games, it takes my typing and saves it, and I can transmit the text to Word when I next return home. It is light and fits in a totebag and doesn't weigh a lot like a laptop, and it is easier on my eyes than a netbook because I have visual infirmities and I can look at that kind of "dead" screen a lot longer than I can the bright kind of flashy screen. People don't try to steal it or borrow it from me, in general, when I'm carrying it around--they see it as lame, which adds to its appeal as far as I am concerned, because at my first job I had a laptop and people would DEMAND to let them "see it" and then they'd proceed to screw up my files or play games on it when I had work to do (laptops were somewhat of a novelty at the time and the boss had let me bring my own so I could take notes at meetings).

Are they letting you trade it for a Dana or a Neo? I think the original is the best. The Dana might be fun. The worst part is the keyboard and the typos that I make (because I have big fingers or something?? I dunno why I do a lot of typos on the Alphie). But it's WAY better than the dumb iPod Touch keyboard on the screen!! The problem COULD be that I am a pianist--acoustic piano, baby grand at home and at the teacher's house and at recitals--so perhaps my fingers are stronger or hit with too much force or whatever. Or it could be my imagination!

It would be cool, I suddenly realize, to have an AlphaSmart icon.

While I'm here (I've never commented much before), I wanted to say that I love and appreciate your posts with your poems. You should have them in a published book! My favorite poets include James Tate ("The Lost Pilot" is my #1 book of his) and Tess Gallagher as well as Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson, and you remind me of one or another of them very often. Of course, I also love Shel Silverstein and a lot of uncool poets, so maybe that all means nothin'. But I figured, why not tell ya while I'm here, y'know (digging toe in sand)

Re: SO many people are hung up on the name "iPad"--good grief

[pjthompson]

lol--thanks for stopping by and giving me to positive reinforcement on the poetry. Much appreciated.

Also, I completely agree with everything you said about the Neo. The dorkiness is a plus for me, also. I'm not at all unhappy with it, mine is just getting a little old and funky (like some of the letters have worn off the keyboard, et al.) and I'd like to get a new one. I definitely prefer that keyboard to the onscreen versions and I don't mind the small screen. The Neo is strictly for typing in.

If you click through to the link in my post it takes you to a page that has a trade-in deal: basically, they'll take your old Alpha (and all accompanying junk) no matter what condition it's in because they can use it to provide one for kids in African and they'll give you $25 off on the purchase of a new one (but you have to pay the shipping). Neos are now only $169 which is about $30 less than I paid for mine, so I'll probably wind up getting a new one. Dana's are still about $350.