ALSM Alphasmart (MM)

Neo by AlphaSmart Now Available for Student and Professional Use Simple, Affordable Neo Delivers Anytime, Anywhere Computing and a Low Total Cost of Ownership LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AlphaSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALSM), a provider of technology solutions for education, today announced that Neo by AlphaSmart, the newest addition to its family of computer companions, is now shipping in time for the back-to-school season. Designed as a simple, affordable solution for one-to-one classroom computing, this lightweight, rugged device also appeals to mobile professionals who find its full-size keyboard and expansion capabilities ideal for writing and information gathering. "AlphaSmart computer companions have earned a reputation within the education community as a writing tool that allows the creative process to take place virtually anytime, anywhere," said Manish Kothari, president of AlphaSmart. "With Neo, our goal was to enhance the features that make the writing and editing process easy and efficient, while also building new functionality into the device to extend its use for keyboarding instruction, classroom quizzes, outlining and more." Based on the updated SmartApplet architecture, Neo is lightweight (two pounds), rugged, easy to use and features more than 700 hours of battery life (on 3 AA alkaline batteries). It provides twice the memory and storage capacity of the AlphaSmart 3000, and a 50% larger screen with support for variable font sizes so users can see more of their work on screen without scrolling. To simplify classroom management, Neo features AlphaSmart Manager 2, a second-generation solution that enables educators to streamline the configuration and exchange of files for up to 30 devices from a Windows or Macintosh computer. Key Features -- A larger screen than its predecessor, the AlphaSmart 3000, allows applications to display from two to six lines of text, with larger fonts for young students and more text per screen to enhance the writing and editing process. -- Twice the memory of its predecessor which allows Neo to store more SmartApplets (compact software programs designed for Neo and the AlphaSmart 3000) and data. -- AlphaWord(TM) Plus, an enhanced word processing solution, featuring spell check, thesaurus, writer's tools, Spanish-English word lookup, and the ability to name and save files, with up to eight files open concurrently. -- Delivers more than 700 hours of battery life from three standard AA alkaline batteries, and 200 hours or more from a rechargeable battery pack. -- Two-pound, rugged device provides instant on/off and autosave, limiting start-up delays or accidental file loss. -- Built-in industry-standard IrDA (infrared wireless) port enables documents to be instantly beamed between devices, or to IR-enabled printers. -- Operating system stores hundreds of pages of text while still having room for additional SmartApplets, extending Neo's functionality to include classroom quizzing, outlining, keyboarding instruction, file beaming and more. Pricing and Availability Neo by AlphaSmart retails for $249, and is available for online purchase by U.S. customers at http://www.alphasmart.com/ . Education discount pricing starts at $229, with additional discounts for volume orders. A classroom set of 30, which includes everything necessary to manage, charge, store and transport the devices, starts at $7,950. For more information on education purchases, call toll-free 1-888-274-0680. Education customers who order by September 30, 2004 will receive a free copy of Beamer SmartApplet, a new Neo-to-Neo and Neo-to-Palm OS beaming solution. Beamer lets students beam word processing files from one Neo to another, enhancing collaboration and peer review. About AlphaSmart AlphaSmart, Inc. is a provider of technology solutions for the education market. AlphaSmart's portable computer-companion products are used by students in 8,000 U.S. school districts to enhance writing, keyboarding and comprehension. Based in Los Gatos, California, AlphaSmart was founded in 1992 by former Apple Computer engineers. NOTE: AlphaSmart is a registered trade mark of AlphaSmart, Inc. in the United States and other countries. DATASOURCE: AlphaSmart, Inc. CONTACT: Carleen LeVasseur of AlphaSmart Public Relations, +1-408-264-6767, or Web site: http://www.alphasmart.com/

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