Gifts for Writers: The AlphaSmart NEO
I first learned about the AlphaSmart NEO at a travel writing workshop at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. It’s a great tool for writing in the field, I was told, running for 700 hours on one set of batteries. Once back home, I noticed that the company prominently advertises in Writer’s Digest.
A few months later, I scheduled a ten-day research trip through the Sabuyan Sea in the Philippines, organized by my friend Bruce Curran, owner of Banca Safaris. Our plan: travel from remote island to remote island — there are 7000 to choose from in the Philippines — on the banca Buri Princess, seeking out lodging only upon arrival at the day’s destination, or sleeping on the banca if necessary. There would be no reliable power for hours at a time, perhaps even for 2-3 days. Time to buy a NEO, I thought.
The purpose of my voyage through Philippine waters was to follow the track of the Manila galleons, which play a major role in the book I’m writing. I wanted to get a sense of the seas, the profiles of the islands, the appearance of approaching squalls, the activity of sealife, the smells, the look of the puffy clouds huddled over land masses. And I needed to write down those impressions immediately, as the banca plowed through the waves. The NEO was a perfect match to the task.
What I did not anticipate was my fuller love affair with the NEO. It literally opened up the doors of creativity for me. The most important features of the handy word processor are held in the keys across the top. The off/on feature, for example, works instantly. Get an idea? Push the button and start writing. With my laptop, I have to wait for long minutes for everything to boot up. I discovered the lure of instant word processing the very day that I bought the NEO, while sitting on the floor at the Los Angeles airport. Out flowed a story I’ve been meaning to write for several years, but had never gotten around to. Once on the 17-hour flight, another story poured out, the first time I’ve ever been able to write on an airplane. Laptops, as you probably know, are useless in the economy section of international flights, with no room for an open screen.
The NEO can store conveniently eight separate files, each immediately available via the appropriate key across the top of the keyboard. Additional files can be stored away on the NEO, if necessary. The screen is small, but the type can be set at various sizes, ideal for my aging eyes. One does need access to a computer from time to time to transfer the files out of the NEO in order to free up file space for future writing. In my ten-day research, full of writing and note-taking, I still had one empty file button, and the transfer back onto my laptop when I returned home was simple.
With its ease of use, convenient size and light weight, I carry the NEO around with me a lot. It has a habit of inviting words to spill out in unexpected places.
The machine comes in several configurations. I got the simple, less-expensive version, figuring I would not need the internet connectivity of the more expensive versions. One suggestion: check the prominent full-page ad in Writer’s Digest. If you do so, you will likely qualify for a free carrying case. The NEO is difficult to find in stores, but it is easy to purchase online via the AlphaSmart website. I can think of no gift more appropriate for a writer. If no one else will give it you, just give it to yourself. You deserve it.
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