Words on a page

A few months back, I bought an AlphaSmart Dana off eBay. My main reason for buying this little device was so that I had a light and durable machine that I could carry around instead of my notebook computer. I'm paranoid about losing or damaging my notebook, and the Dana seemed like a perfect alternative.

I've been using my Dana for a while and have really found it to be an enjoyable experience. Why? It reminds of of using Writeboard -- the Dana lets me write, without worrying about formatting, with no distractions, and with minimal overhead. And the fact that it weighs only a couple of pounds and can fit into my bag is a bonus.

I literally turn it on and start typing. The ideas and words flow, and I can edit them quickly. On top of that, thanks to the size of the Dana I can us it anywhere: on a crowded train, in a coffee shop, on my porch.

Dana is only a tool, though. It doesn't make me a better writer, but like Writeboard or a text editor, the Dana makes writing a draft easier by eliminating all the GUI distractions and the temptation to check my email or surf the Web.