Hello all, this is Ketan Kothari (one of the co-founders of AlphaSmart). First I am honored to see such fans to a product that is over 25 years old. But every now and then I think, it would be awesome to create a modern version of AlphaSmart.
FWIW, I'd buy a modern version in a heartbeat, where modern for me would be (echoing other comments on this):
* Better sync (mobile device (iOS, Android), computer, cloud) * E-Ink Display (80 col min width, length maybe 10 lines max or so, think iA Writer with its focus on the current line) * Same battery life as 3000 * Quieter keyboard * Thinner, but just as rugged * Markdown support with org-mode style table editing
Added developer friendly mods nice to have would be: * Emacs or VIM motion support * Swap caps/control keys
A natural choice for a modern display would be E Ink, or better yet, Clear Ink: https://www.clearinkdisplays.com/
Ss others have stated, eInk would be the way to go. Having a low power device I could take into the woods and type away for hours in solitude would be sick.
Thanks for making such an excellent product! And I agree- there would certainly be a place for a modern version, at least in terms of functionality. No idea if there would be enough of a market, though...