Alpha

I have a smart typewriter, but I wanted something more portable and also to be able to keep my typewriter at my fiction desk and have another device at my diary desk (I'm big on desks), as well as the ability to bring the second device with me to the coworking space without it taking up a third of my backpack.

The Alpha is perfect. It has the nicer keyboard in many ways. Its LCD display is immediate and responsive, unlike the e-Ink display on the typewriter, which is like talking through a tired old man who can barely keep his eyes open. So I'm very glad I got it. I still like my typewriter, but the Alpha is now my favorite. I didn't consider the Traveler because I didn't like the dinky keyboard sound, and also, even though I could've potentially positioned the screen for better comfort, I didn't think it would make enough of a difference to pay an extra 150-200 bucks or what-have-you. I might be wrong, but I have no regrets.

I love being able to just turn on the Alpha and write! The form factor makes it perfect for lap writing or writing in bed, and the device itself is very light. The screen is pretty dark, but one of the things I like about the device is that it frees me from reading over what I’ve just written and keeps me moving forward. The battery life is phenomenal. Overall this is a great addition to my workflow

The Alpha felt a little too feature-less for me, and I ended up sending it back in favor of the Traveler version. Love what you all are doing and I'm excited to get my Traveler and start writing!

This is as much a message to myself, as a review for the Alpha. Within
the context of a piece of technology, the Alpha is at best a strange
beast, and in a harsher reality quite a terrible piece of tech.

The screen is too dim, even in broad daylight. The key caps are flat,
have quite a bit of wobble, and I consistently type less accurately on
them (I even tried swapping out for key caps that were not flat
chiclets). The built quality is okay, but not exactly premium. The
technology definitely leaves more than a lot to be desired, and for
such a premium price if you just look at that and don't use it, you'll
definitely be disappointed.

Here's the thing though, I keep going back to the Alpha, and I write
more on the Alpha than I ever did on any other device. Decidedly more
than I could ever write by hand (that ship has sailed as I now just
give myself cramps trying to hand write anything longer than a
paragraph or two). So I started to ask myself, why the hell is this
working? And then I stopped, because it was working. I was writing
more, and that was the point. I kept trying to find the value in the
technology, when the true value was in giving me an avenue to write. I
wish there had been a bit more effort made in some areas (the screen in
particular is jarring), but the bottom line is it works.

If you bought any Freewrite device, and feel disappointed I implore you
to just start using it every one in a while. It doesn't make sense, I
can't clarify anything for you, but it definitely works.

I just love my Freewrite Alpha! I love the concept of distraction-free writing and imperfect drafting (plus it’s just so cute and fun to type on!!). I highly recommend!