I really like writing, however with a lot to distract us nowadays, gathering sufficient focus to start out writing is usually a job all its personal. That’s the place distraction-free writing instruments have come into play, together with the just lately launched Freewrite Alpha from Astrohaus.
Constructing off the work the corporate has executed with its earlier Freewrite gadgets, just like the clamshell Freewrite Traveler, the Freewrite Alpha guarantees an ultra-portable design that makes it simple to choose up and begin writing. The actual kicker right here is the tremendous small show, which is designed to solely present two to a few traces of textual content at a time.
This can be a gadget for writing first drafts, together with all of the soiled errors that include them. It’s designed to chop you off out of your internal editor, permitting you to deal with telling your story as simply as attainable. There are not any social media apps to distract you, and there’s no method to browse the web and get misplaced in hours of analysis within the course of (though you’ll be able to nonetheless again up your drafts to the cloud). All you are able to do is write, and that’s a great factor. However is the Alpha actually one of the best software for the job? I’ve received combined ideas.
A wonderful thought
At a look, the Freewrite Alpha is an easy, low-profile mechanical keyboard with a small FSTN LCD show above it (like what you’d see on an alarm clock) and a single button to the aspect. On paper, the shape issue is a dream come true for writers like me, who consistently wrestle with wanting to make sure they’ve received one of the best grammar and spelling attainable. I like the thought of solely displaying a number of traces of textual content at a time, and the truth that I can’t get misplaced looking the web or social media is a pleasant bonus.
I additionally love that I can merely pull out the Alpha and energy it on to start out writing. There is no must open up a phrase processor or navigate to Google Docs. I really like sending drafts on to my e mail for safekeeping, in addition to the truth that it routinely connects to the cloud when the web is on and saves my drafts there. There’s additionally an choice to sync it to your laptop by way of a USB-C cable, and I don’t suppose I’ve ever needed to cost the gadget after receiving it a number of weeks in the past. These are all options that work seamlessly within the background or with only a few keypresses, and that’s very nice. It is precisely what you’d need from a tool like this.
In follow, although, the Freewrite Alpha is way from the writing escape I hoped it might be. I’ve spent a great few weeks treating it as my main writing software for my private tasks, carrying it in all places I associate with my typical MacBook Air. Whereas I really like how transportable it’s, there are some things in regards to the Freewrite Alpha that flip me away, and most of it comes right down to the bodily parts of the gadget.
However it feels low-cost
Credit score: Astrohaus
Earlier than we get into the nitty gritty right here, keep in mind the Freewrite Alpha isn’t purported to be a alternative on your laptop computer, and even your iPad or smartphone. These types of digital typewriters are nonetheless a creating class, so there isn’t actually a lot you’ll be able to correctly evaluate them to. They have been designed to do only one factor: allow you to write with out distractions. As such, I’m very hesitant to make any type of comparability with different gadgets, at the very least so far as options go.
Nonetheless, I do suppose you will need to evaluate the bodily parts of the Freewrite Alpha with these from different gadgets, as there are some things I imagine the Alpha falls brief on. It isn’t a laptop computer, nevertheless it’s exhausting to not need to choose it in opposition to the premium feeling of Apple’s MacBook Air lineup, which stays extraordinarily mild however nonetheless seems like a stable piece of tech.
One of many greatest points I’ve with the Freewrite Alpha is the construct high quality. Regardless of costing over $300, the Alpha is made fully of plastic. I don’t significantly have a problem with plastic in gadgets, apart from the plain sturdiness issues. And I get why Astrohaus used plastic right here, for the reason that firm needed to make the Alpha as light-weight as attainable. They’ve achieved that, nevertheless it comes at a horrible value for the consumer.
That’s as a result of the Freewrite Alpha is totally atrocious to carry or sort on. It feels low-cost, and whereas the included Kailh Choc V2 low-profile key switches really feel nice on their very own, the truth that the whole gadget is simply plastic makes it obnoxiously loud to sort on. For writers like me, that is a bit distracting in its personal means. There’s simply nothing about this gadget that makes it really feel premium, and if I spent $349 ($369 on Amazon) on a tool that solely does one factor, I might need it to perform a little bit extra. Positive, the Alpha is mild sufficient so that you can carry anyplace, however in case you drop it on concrete whereas making your means into the workplace, is it going to outlive the drop?
Credit score: Astrohaus
I get the place Astrohaus is coming from right here, however this feels just like the designers minimize the corners just a little too sharply. Even placing some padding into the gadget to make it sound much less low-cost would have been a pleasant contact. Because it stands now, I’ve used $20 keyboards which can be extra satisfying to sort on, and fewer obnoxious, too, as they don’t make me really feel like I’m boring a gap by my desktop with each keypress.
That is not a slight in opposition to the switches used right here, thoughts. The 2-millimeter journey distance for keys is not dangerous, and it feels good to sort on more often than not. I by no means felt like I used to be lacking keystrokes or repeating letters due to the journey distance, which is one thing you’ll be able to run into with cheaper mechanical keyboards. That stated, it is exhausting to correctly take pleasure in these switches due to how springy the whole contraption feels and sounds whenever you’re typing on it.
One other problem with the Alpha is the shortage of any backlight on the show. Look, I really like the show and the way it limits how a lot of my manuscript I can see. This can be a nice characteristic, and one I’d like to see emulated within the software program I exploit each day. However because it stands, you’ll be able to solely actually use the Alpha and see what you’re typing in case you’re already in a reasonably brilliant space. That is undoubtedly an space the Alpha may have benefited from an e-ink show, or at the very least a backlit LCD show. Astrohaus’ different digital typewriters have e-ink screens, and whereas it is comprehensible that the corporate may need needed to chop that characteristic for its most budget-friendly providing, the substitute right here is simply not an acceptable alternative.
And whereas the gadget handles most of its duties very well, there’s nonetheless the matter of getting to recollect its numerous keybinds. Regardless of having room for some further buttons alongside the highest of the gadget, Astrohaus continues to make the most of combos of key presses to set off numerous duties, like beginning a brand new doc, archiving a doc, and many others. The corporate does present useful on-line documentation to assist with that, nevertheless it was a little bit of a hassle having to determine the totally different keybinds after which keep in mind them in order that I may do every part I wanted.
So who is that this for?
Regardless of my points, I don’t hate the Alpha. The truth is, it’s in all probability one of many extra helpful items of tech that I’ve tried lately. Positive, it doesn’t have the premium really feel that I’d need from an costly unitasker, however that’s one thing I can overlook. It does what it says, and it does it nicely sufficient. And whereas typing on this factor isn’t my favourite pastime ever, some people will desire the tougher typing sounds that the Alpha brings to their writing space.
The Freewrite Alpha isn’t for each author. However in case you’re simply distracted, or in case you don’t have a laptop computer or one thing else you can simply carry round with you, then the Alpha is usually a useful gizmo to assist enhance your productiveness and writing output. Positive, there are some things that Astrohaus may do higher, and hopefully, the corporate will enhance upon the gadget in future iterations. As a distraction-free author, although, the Alpha excels at placing you within the zone, as long as your individual typing sounds aren’t extra more likely to distract you than social media.
I very a lot loved having the ability to simply pull this factor out and get proper to work, particularly because it saved me from having to stare at my laptop computer for even longer all through my day. I already try this sufficient, so having a devoted writing software is an effective way to separate my private tasks and passions from the writing that I do to pay the payments. Having the ability to pull my doc up on the pc after I had completed with it was additionally very nice, and it made shifting from the tough draft to the completed copy of a brief story I used to be writing a lot simpler than I anticipated it to be. The content material you create on the Alpha syncs up exceptionally nicely with the Postbox options that Astrohaus presents to all Freewrite gadget house owners, although I can not assist however want there was a bit extra connectivity between the 2 when actively engaged on a manuscript or brief story. Pulling up a draft on the web site removes it from the Alpha’s onboard reminiscence, so it truly is only a first draft gadget.
For me, I wouldn’t say writing on the Freewrite Alpha has improved my writing capabilities or output exponentially. However it undoubtedly made it simpler to get misplaced within the phrases I used to be spewing out into my manuscript with out overthinking them. I can already write a great few thousand phrases fairly rapidly after I get into the suitable mindset, and the Alpha did make getting within the zone just a little bit simpler. As a distraction-free author, the Alpha seems like a great step in the suitable path, and regardless of nonetheless being on the costly finish, it’s cheaper than the remainder of the Freewrite line. Now, Astrohaus simply must observe by and enhance upon this preliminary thought with a design that makes a greater compromise between finances and really feel.
