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Alpha

Alpha Raven Black
$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.

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 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.

Easy draft switching and 'WASD' arrow keys help you move quickly within your documents
Over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates to stay current
Reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 74 reviews
53%
(39)
18%
(13)
15%
(11)
7%
(5)
8%
(6)
S
Samuel Lowrie (Las Vegas, US)

Alpha Raven Black

M
Miracles (Lockhart, US)
Freewrite fan! :D

I always have great experience receiving my orders when purchasing my Freewrite devices from their online store. I'm so glad Freewrite exists. They are so awesome.

D
Daniel Schorr (Houston, US)
A good first try, but needs more work.

I used to write on an alpha Smart, but after it broke and used prices went up into the $100 range, I needed a good alternative. I was really excited about the alpha Smart, even though I had to wait over a year to receive it, but I'm ultimately disappointed.

First off, the keyboard quality doesn't really match the price point. I'm not going to expect absolute perfection for only $300, but these keys aren't even as good as the ones on most laptops you can get for that price. They're also smaller than standard in an awkward way that makes typing on them difficult for me. I understand this is more for grafting than editing, but I'm constantly typing things in incorrectly or making simple mistakes of grammar and punctuation that I'm going to have to fix later because either the keystroke didn't register or I failed to hit it at all due to the ergonomic issues. I'd like to point out that I had no such problem on either of the alpha Smart devices I used back in the day.

Lastly, the processor and screen are very slow, and again while I expect this to only be the case with an e ink display, I noticed that if I ever stop typing for a few seconds, the computer has to pause for a moment before getting going again, and it often drops characters I know that I punched in after this electronic brain fart. This creates even more issues that I have to fix in later editing, and it's just very frustrating.

One last thing, because of the way that the rubber feet on the bottom are designed, if you flip the little bar in the back to make it stand at an angle, you suddenly have nothing gripping the table and so the keyboard will slide out in front of you, and this could easily be fixed in future versions by just putting some of that same material on the little kickstand. Most modern keyboards have that, and it's definitely something they should add in a future version.

I'm pretty sure all the issues I mention about can be fixed with firmware or software fixes it a later date, and will not exist in future models, but I think that this first one is just a little short of the mark, and since I was one of the Kickstarter members and can't return it for a refund, it's just going to go up on eBay.

T
Tiffany Blasdel-Whelan (Lithia, US)
Perhaps too early to give a solid review

I was disappointed that it took 7 months to receive the alpha freewrite (white) — but I am glad it is finally here. It took me a few difficult hours to figure out the new firmware update, setting up the postbox account, and syncing to Google Drive… but I believe I did finally accomplish it and can begin to write. I will provide a more fair review in another few weeks after using the new device!

A
Ardis M (Harmony, US)
Still learning

I am a new user of Freewrite tools and so far I am loving being ‘detached ‘ from digital!! I am finding my way with how to not only write, but store my work from my Alpha. I love the sound of the keys, I don’t find the flat surface of them to be a problem…just takes a little practice, and I love the fact that is is so light weight and portable. The screen is a bit of a problem, but I am able to position a desk lap over the screen to see the words. On the other hand it makes me just type without looking, and it is good for my concentration and memory. At 76 I can use all the help I can get. I ordered the felt cover which is nice…but I wish it had a handle. And I am learning a lot from the FB group. Sorry that some people are having so many gripes. I give this a thumbs up!

Tech specs

Tech specs in detail

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
English
Traveler
Alpha
Smart Typewriter
Price
$499.00
$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
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
$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
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

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 2-6 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 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.

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