Alpha

Click + Drag

Alpha White Speckled

Alpha Raven Black

$289.00 $349.00

Ultra-Portable

Less than 2 lbs. and ready to go on the train, across the country, to the park, or wherever.

Instant On

Alpha is ready in an instant. No booting up or loading software; you're instantly met with a writing canvas.

Continuous Saving

Alpha is constantly saving your writing to the device and can store up to one million words.

Optimized For Writing

Alpha keeps your writing flow going by intentionally limiting editing capabilities. No spell-check, copy/paste, or grammar suggestions to break concentration.

About

Instant creativity

Alpha is a dedicated drafting device for anyone who wants to write without the distraction – or temptation – of browsers, email, or notifications.

Get in writing flow and develop more prolific writing sessions by separating the drafting and editing processes. When it is time to edit, your drafts wirelessly sync to the cloud for export into your software of choice.

Push your productivity forward and tap into writing joy.

Display

full-size mechanical keyboard

Comfortable Control

Display

write There, Now

Alpha has an instant refresh LCD display, perfect for focused drafting.

Instant refresh and anti-glare

2-4 lines of text to stay focused

Ambient lighting allows use under direct lighting

Won't wash out

full-size mechanical keyboard

Typing Nirvana

Experience the perfect writing companion keyboard powered by Kailh Choc V2 low-profile key switches for quiet yet satisfying typing and reduced finger fatigue.

Glide from one word to the next on the perfect blend of performance and comfort.

Choc V2 brown-style low-profile key switches for satisfying typing

Reduced finger fatigue

Comfortable Control

Compose with Poise

Use the kickstand to tilt Alpha as you sit at a table, or fold it to type comfortably on your lap in a chair. An integrated palm rest provides support for your wrists in any position.

Use kickstand for comfortable angle

Integrated palm rest for your wrists

100-Hour Battery Life

Stay plugged out

With its compact design and battery life of 100 hours, Alpha takes you further on your creative journey. Always be ready when inspiration strikes.

Automatic Cloud Syncing

Safe And Secure

Alpha is constantly saving your writing locally to the device AND to the cloud.

All documents are automatically backed up once connected to Wi-Fi and are accessible in Freewrite’s web application, Postbox. Documents can also be synced to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Evernote.

If you’re ever off the grid, transfer documents offline by connecting Alpha to your computer with the included USB cable.

No Pressure, Just Prose

Your New Drafting Platform

Minimizing distractions is key to unlocking your creative potential. Unleash your creativity and achieve your literary goals with Freewrite.

See data about your writing session on the console screen

Draft manager and 'WASD' arrow keys to move within your documents

Capable of over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates.

Coming soon: Enhanced capabilities with Freewrite Plus

languages and keyboard layouts

No Language Left Behind

Alpha supports dozens of languages and alternative keyboard layouts including French, Spanish, German, and many more.

30+

Supported languages

60+

Alternative keyboard layouts

Reviews

A strange kind of love

I didn’t appreciate how helpful this device would be before I bought it but it really is. It is aesthetically pleasing and it warmly tells you as you switch it on - it’s time to write.

Good so far, could be better!

So far, I do like the Freewrite Alpha for its stated purpose: distraction free writing. Out of the box, even with the initial firmware update, however, I found it was sluggish and dropping characters regularly, which was giving me some buyers' remorse, if we're being frank.

That said, the firmware update released at the end of the first week of August 2024 dramatically improved typing responsiveness, and seems to have eliminated the dropouts. I'm still not yet prepared to give it 5 stars, but it's now a solid 4!

Pretty cool device

So far so good! I'm enjoying the simplicity of the layout and the feel of the keys. I am going to enjoy the portability of it so it can go in a bag. I am going to really enjoy using this for my writing!

I’m now a writer. Wish the device felt better.

Great concept. Feels way too fragile and thinly plastic for the price. Oh, and they emailed an ad to me two weeks after with $50 price drop. Great. Thanks.

Hi Dan, Glad you recieved your device! I can see that you used our NaNoWriMo discount and paid even less for Alpha than our current promotion. Also, be sure to update the software for our most recent software update that adds additional languages, a new font, and additional improvements. I hope you continue to get great use from your Alpha!

Alpha Raven Black

1 2 3

Tech specs

Tech specs in detail

Compare with other devices

Parameters

Body

Polycarbonate

Display

Anti-glare FSTN LCD Display,
2–4 lines of text,
Writing canvas - 164mm x 25mm

Keyboard

Full-size mechanical keyboard featuring Kailh Choc V2 low profile tactile switches

Ports

USB Type-C for charging, offline data transfer

Size

12.6” x 8.5” x 0.8”
(320mm x 215mm x 22mm)

Weight

1.6 lbs (0.7kg)

Configure

Onboard storage

Embedded flash memory

Wi-Fi

2.4 Ghz Wi-Fi with capability for cloud syncing and over-the-air firmware updates

Power

Internal lithium-ion polymer battery 100 hours of running time projected

Supported 3rd party apps

Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote

Supported keyboard languages

30+ languages and 60+ keyboard layouts

Traveler

Alpha

Smart Typewriter

Price

$499.00

$289.00 $349.00

$649.00

Display

Display: E Ink™ screen
Writing canvas – 121mm x 70mm
Status window – 121mm x 15mm

Display: Anti-glare FSTN LCD Display,
2–4 lines of text,
Writing canvas - 164mm x 25mm

Display: E Ink™ screen with frontlight,
Writing canvas – 121mm x 68mm,
Status window – 113mm x 18mm

Keyboard

Keyboard: Full-size scissor switch keyboard

Keyboard: Full-size mechanical keyboard featuring Kailh Choc V2 low profile tactile switches

Keyboard: Full-size mechanical keyboard featuring Kailh Box Brown keyswitches and thick PBT keycaps

Size

Size: 11.3” x 5.0” x 0.97”
(288mm x 128mm x 24.7mm)

Size: 12.6” x 8.5” x 0.8”
(320mm x 215mm x 22mm)

Size: 11.7” x 9.3” x 2.8”
(298mm x 237mm x 70mm)

Weight

Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)

Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7kg)

Weight: 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)

Battery

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery
4 weeks of running time with regular usage defined as 30 minutes per day

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery
100 hours of running time projected

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery,
4 weeks of running time with regular usage defined as 30 minutes per day

Purposes

Purposes: Perfectly portable. Light, compact, and best for traveling.

Purposes: An instant creative canvas for budding writers.

Purposes: Classic and original.
Tiered mechanical keyboard and frontlight E Ink screen

Alpha

Traveler

Smart Typewriter

$289.00 $349.00

$499.00

$649.00

Display: Anti-glare FSTN LCD Display,
2–4 lines of text,
Writing canvas - 164mm x 25mm

Display: E Ink™ screen
Writing canvas – 121mm x 70mm
Status window – 121mm x 15mm

Display: E Ink™ screen with frontlight,
Writing canvas – 121mm x 68mm,
Status window – 113mm x 18mm

Keyboard: Full-size mechanical keyboard featuring Kailh Choc V2 low profile tactile switches

Keyboard: Full-size scissor switch keyboard

Keyboard: Full-size mechanical keyboard featuring Kailh Box Brown keyswitches and thick PBT keycaps

Size: 12.6” x 8.5” x 0.8”
(320mm x 215mm x 22mm)

Size: 11.3” x 5.0” x 0.97”
(288mm x 128mm x 24.7mm)

Size: 11.7” x 9.3” x 2.8”
(298mm x 237mm x 70mm)

Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7kg)

Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)

Weight: 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery
100 hours of running time projected

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery
4 weeks of running time with regular usage defined as 30 minutes per day

Battery: Internal lithium-ion polymer battery,
4 weeks of running time with regular usage defined as 30 minutes per day

Purposes: An instant creative canvas for budding writers.

Purposes: Perfectly portable. Light, compact, and best for traveling.

Purposes: Classic and original.
Tiered mechanical keyboard and frontlight E Ink screen

FAQ

What is Alpha?

Alpha is a portable, distraction-free writing tool for serious and aspiring writers. It introduces a fast-refreshing LCD screen to the Freewrite lineup in a portable device that syncs to the cloud and provides an instant-on writing canvas.

If I already have a Freewrite device, should I get Alpha?

All Freewrite devices offer a distraction-free writing experience but cater to different needs. While Traveler is ideal for on-the-go writing with its compact design, and Smart Typewriter provides a tactile, traditional typing experience, both devices feature an E Ink screen. Alpha introduces an instant refresh LCD display paired with a quiet yet satisfying mechanical keyboard experience. Alpha is a great addition to your writing toolbox!

What type of screen does Alpha have?

Alpha has an instant refresh LCD display that shows 2-4 lines of text so you can stay focused. The screen is anti-glare, as well, and utilizes ambient light so that it can be used indoors or in direct light without getting washed out.

What type of keyboard does Alpha have?

Alpha’s keyboard features Kailh Choc V2 brown-style low-profile key switches for a quiet yet satisfying typing experience and reduced finger fatigue.

Does Alpha have arrow keys?

Yes. Alpha has WASD arrow keys to move within your drafts.

Can I move documents to my computer without the cloud?

Yes, absolutely and you can use Alpha entirely offline, if you'd like. Connect Alpha to your computer via the included USB-C. cable. When you do this, Alpha will appear as a USB Mass Storage Device, and you'll be able to move your drafts to your computer as you would with any other flash drive.

Is Alpha compatible with Freewrite Plus?

Unfortunately, Alpha is not compatible with any of the current features of Freewrite Plus. Adding Alpha compatibility is on our roadmap, but there is no timeline for its implementation.

What languages and keyboard layouts does Alpha support?

As of firmware update 1.20, Alpha supports 35 languages and 62 different keyboard layouts! Languages: Albanian, Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian. Keyboard Layouts: Albanian, Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Bulgarian (Phonetic), Canadian Multilingual, Colemak (English), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Danish (Dvorak), Dutch, English, English (Dvorak), English (Int'l), English (Int'l AltGr), Esperanto, Esperanto (English Intl), Estonian, Eurkey, Faroese, Finnish, French, French (Belgium), French (Bepo), French (Canada), French (Dvorak), French (Swiss), German, German (Dvorak), German (Swiss), Hungarian, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Latvian (AltGr), Latvian (Apostrophe), Lithuanian, Macedonian, Maltese, Neo (German), Norwegian, Norwegian (Dvorak), Polish (Programmers), Polish (Programmers Dvorak), Polish (Qwerty), Polish (Qwertz), Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Serbian (Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Spanish (Dvorak), Swedish, Swedish (Dvorak), Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian.

⚠️ Critical Action: You must update Alpha Firmware when you receive the device!

All new Alpha owners MUST update their firmware to install critical bug fixes and performance improvements BEFORE using the device!

For instructions, visit this Help Article.