T minus 35 to the Katrina / Government Bungle One Year Anniversary. It’s silly, but many New Orleanians (me included) wait with bated breath for that day, as if awaiting … something. Meanwhile, Beryl skimmed past North America and I watch radar images from the east-central Atlantic like a hawk.
Of course, we should be prepared for another evacuation. How are those of us with no laptops (or those of us with portable workstations that double for weights) to read and report from the road? Here is an option:
For $429, AlphaSmart presents the 2 lb. Dana Wireless, the “Palm-powered computer companion.”
It’s the affordable one-to-one computing solution” and now available with wireless connectivity. Dana Wireless offers the convenience and affordability of a hand-held device, and includes built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b) capability, providing wireless connectivity for the classroom, campus, office, or home.
The combination of a full-size keyboard, the wide screen and Palm OS provides much of the functionality of a laptop … allows you to check your email or browse the web using a third-party web browser without a modem or cable. Use Dana’s built-in IR (infrared) for beaming data between other Dana and Palm Powered devices.
The $249 internet-connectivity-less version of the Dana is the Neo – also 2 lbs., great for schools with built-in SMART applets. So, what’s the catch? What’s the difference between the Dana and, say, a Dell Inspiron B130 priced at $449 other than the Dell weighs ~7 lbs.
Also, AlphaSmart is located in Wisconsin Rapids. Do you think they’ll give me a WI discount?
