Alphasmart Neo

What makes the Alphasmart Neo interesting is what it doesn’t do. It’s a word processor—a full-sized keyboard with a six-line LCD screen—and that’s all. For writers like me who can’t stand writing longhand but fall prey to the seductions of the computer when they should be putting out prose, it’s heavenly—no email, no Tetris, no “web research.” The software has a few bugs, and it’s expensive for what it does—around $300—but if you’re paid by the word, it earns its keep quickly.