AlphaSmart Updates the Dana Laptop
AlphaSmart has announced they are now shipping an updated version of Dana at a lower price of $379. The update includes more internal RAM, updated software and support for additional peripheral devices including SDIO cards and WiFi adapters.
The original Dana model has been updated with new features and enhancements, including a doubling of memory capacity, SDIO support for adding peripherals via Dana's two SD slots, additional on-board fonts, and enhanced spell checking technology in AlphaWord, Dana's word processing program.
Additional software updates include the latest version of PrintBoy Premium which adds printing support for many Palm OS applications, additional USB and SDIO drivers that offer expanded support for several USB modems and select 802.11b wireless network adapters is now built into Dana and more built in fonts for Alphaword.
AlphaSmart also made a few hardware tweaks and Dana's display now supports 16 grayscale shades and the internal memory has expanded from 4MB ROM/8MB RAM to 8MB ROM/16 MB RAM.
The majority of the new features (other than expanded memory) can be installed on previous models of Dana by AlphaSmart using DanaUpdate version 1.2, a software update available from the company for a $10 charge.
About the Dana
Powered by Palm OS 4.1, Dana includes a full-size, integrated keyboard and a 560 by 160 pixel touch screen that is roughly 7.5 by 2.25 inches. The backlit, monochrome screen is 3.5 times wider than what's on the typical Palm OS handheld. The screen image can be rotated both horizontally and vertically.
Dana weighs two pounds. It is 12.4 inches wide, 9.3 inches deep and 1.9 inches thick. It is made of strong ABS polycarbonate plastic and has been designed to survive being mistreated. It has an infrared port and two USB ones and can be HotSynced like any other Palm OS model. It comes with a rechargeable battery and an AC adapter. It can also run off three AA batteries. AlphaSmart rates the battery at 30 hours, off of a single charge.
Thanks to Guarav for the tip.
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RE: ultimate netdevice if...
-- SeaPUG: http://www.seapug.com --
RE: ultimate netdevice if...
If I had a school-age child I'd by the Dana for them in a heartbeat.
Palm Enthusiast since 1998
A useful machine for email in the field?
"All opinions posted are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled."
RE: ultimate netdevice if...
Still waiting ...
Edward Green
--
http://www.khite.co.uk
RE: ultimate netdevice if...
And it was darn rugged too. And the battery life was good .If it was running palmos it would have been tha bomb.
"May the potato be with you!"
RE: ultimate netdevice if...
It's extremely cool, but...
It's an incredibly cool tool which is somehow going unsung if you ask me.
But the greyscale display is lagging behind technology-wise. If they simply switched that dispay over to an adjustable backlit color TFT active matrix, the Dana wouldn't just pop, it would sizzle! In the sun, the backlight can be turned off completely.
The body could be adjusted for a slightly different battery configuration, but it keeps everything that makes it killer, and makes it so a guy like me will want to buy one.
Just my .02
but... you've missed the point
RE: It's extremely cool, but...
I'm suggesting something that would sell ouside of that market. Not a replacement perhaps, but an alternative.
RE: It's extremely cool, but...
And where is the DB-9 serial port??
While the "serial port is dead" mantra is echoing all over the PC world, there are still a bunch of legacy equipment out there -- like donated equipment to schools!
I'm sure at least a dozen or so calls comes in to the AlphaSmart folks each week from a science teacher bitching to have some old piece serial drive piece of lab equipment donated to the school and he can't make it connect to a Dana.
Hell, if they didn't get cheap on the extra fifty cents to get that part in, you could have turned it into a wonderful VT100 terminal platform.
And to conclude, there is a Dana product manager in Los Gatos screaming "I don't want to hear it!!" for the 100th time by now for making that ill fated decision to not put the DB-9 serial port on the unit.
RE: And where is the DB-9 serial port??
It might be a simple matter of drivers for it to support a USB to serial converter.
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ultimate netdevice if...
"May the potato be with you!"