The AlphaSmart Neo portable word processor
AlphaSmart has a new portable word processor out called the Neo which is basically a keyboard with a small 5.75-inch by 1.5-inch monochrome LCD screen attached to it. It's aimed pretty much exclusively at the educational market, and is way cheaper and easier to carry than a laptop (at least it's easier to carry than most laptops) and more useful for taking notes or writing a term paper than a PDA (unless you invest in a good portable keyboard). The major downside is that you basically still need a PC or Mac to transfer files to (via IrDA or a USB cable) if you want to print something out (unless you have an IrDA-enabled printer), but it does get up to 700 hours of battery life on just three AA batteries and retail for just $249.
