AlphaSmart is stable, reliable, durable and lightweight. It lacks the cachet of a PowerBook, sure – but it needs less insurance cover. It’s quiet, so you can tap out notes during meetings, and has a long battery life. For children, it’s functional,...

But while it's possible to send your raw files to a printer (a parallel cable is $30), the AlphaSmart is intended more for capturing thoughts or drafts than for getting fancy with them. To move them to your PC, you plug in either a USB or PS/2 keyboard...