Alphasmart NEO 1 User manual

Learn how to:
Send files from the NEO to
your computer or another NEO
Set up Infrared beaming and
install AlphaBeam
Write, edit, and manage
files in AlphaWord Plus
Manage SmartApplets,
including the Responder
SmartApplet on NEO 2
•
•
•
•
User Manual

and
User Manual

ii
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
Contact Information
Our Web site is a good source of information about products, sales, support, and the latest news. Visit the Web site at:
www.renlearn.com (United States)
www.alphasmart.co.uk (United Kingdom)
www.alphasmart.com/international (all other countries)
If you can’t find the information you’re looking for on the Web site, use this contact information:
United States
Renaissance Learning
PO Box 8036
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8036
Technical questions or problems:
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.renlearn.com/support
Purchase NEOs, general information, or sales questions:
Web: www.renlearn.com
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
United Kingdom
Technical questions or problems:
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Latest support information:
Web: www.alphasmart.co.uk/support
Purchase AlphaSmart products:
Web: www.alphasmart.co.uk/ordering
(This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Technical questions or problems:
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Latest support information:
Web: www.alphasmart.eu/support
Purchase AlphaSmart products:
Web: www.alphasmart.com/international
(This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)

iii
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
Asia/Pacific, Canada, and Latin America
Technical questions or problems:
Contact your local reseller. If you do not have a local reseller, email Technical Support at [email protected].
Latest support information:
Web: www.alphasmart.com/international
Select your country or region.
Purchase AlphaSmart products:
Web: www.alphasmart.com/international
(This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2008 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This publication is protected by US and international copyright laws. It is unlawful to duplicate or reproduce any
copyrighted material without authorization from the copyright holder. This document may be reproduced only by staff
members in schools that own NEO devices. For more information, contact Renaissance Learning, Inc., at the address
above.
2Know!, Accelerated Math, Accelerated Reader, AccelTest, AlphaSmart, AlphaHub, AlphaQuiz, AlphaWord, Beamer,
KeyWords, NEO, NEO 1, NEO 2, Renaissance, Renaissance Learning, the Renaissance Learning logo, Renaissance
Place, Renaissance Receiver, Renaissance Responder, and SmartApplet are trademarks of Renaissance Learning, Inc.,
and its subsidiaries, registered, common law, or pending registration in the United States and other countries.
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries.
Windows and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other
countries.
IrDA is a registered trademark of the Infrared Data Association.
As technology advances, it becomes necessary for software companies to drop support for older operating systems and
third-party software. It is the responsibility of customers to keep their computers, networks, operating systems, and
third-party software up-to-date and functional. Although Renaissance Learning will not discontinue support for older
products immediately, we will continue to evaluate system requirements and do our best to provide advance notice
when it becomes necessary to raise our requirements.
510014C-1108
11/2008 NEO 1/NEO2

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NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
C ONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Why Use NEO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
NEO 1 and NEO 2 in This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Installing the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How to Install AA Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
How to Install and Charge a Rechargeable Battery Pack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Starting the NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Writing on Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How to Start Writing on a NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What to Do If the File That Opens Isn’t Blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Checking the List of SmartApplets Installed on the NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sending Files to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sending Files Using a Direct Cable Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Connecting Your NEO to a Computer Using a USB Cable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Sending Text When Connected by a USB Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sending Files Using Infrared (IR) Beaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sending Files to Programs Other Than Word Processing Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Tips for Sending Text to a Spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sending Files from One NEO to Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Printing from NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How to Print by Connecting your NEO to a USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
How to Send Text to a Printer Using IR Beaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
How to Print Wirelessly Using NEO 2’s RF Capability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Installing AlphaSmart Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Windows Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Macintosh Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Setting Up Infrared Beaming and Installing AlphaBeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Requirements for Using IR Beaming with NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
IR Capability on Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CONTENTS
v
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NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
Computer Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Programs Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Installing AlphaBeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Installing AlphaBeam on Windows Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Installing AlphaBeam on Macintosh OS 10 Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Setting Up a Renaissance Receiver for NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How to Connect a Renaissance Receiver to Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
How to Name the Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Writing on NEO Using AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Starting AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Entering and Editing Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Moving the Cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Selecting Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Cutting/Copying/Pasting/Deleting Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
About the NEO Clipboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
To view the clipboard contents: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
To view the clipboard status: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Managing Files in AlphaWord Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Creating New Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Naming and Saving Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Finding and Opening Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Formatting Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Changing Font Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
How to Change the Font Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
How the System Font Differs from the Large Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Finding Text in AlphaWord Plus Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Searching for Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Finding and Replacing Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Finding Sections of a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
An Example of How Sections Work in AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Checking Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Spell Check Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Turning Off Spell Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
User Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Using the Thesaurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Spanish-English Word Lookup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
CONTENTS
. . . . .
Using Linked Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
How to Send a Linked File to Your NEO(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
How to View a Linked File on Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Tips for Using Linked Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
A Sample Linked File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Character, Word, Paragraph, and Page Counts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
File Size Limits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Reaching the Size Limit for a File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Checking the File Size and the Number of Pages Available. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Clearing and Deleting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
How to Clear a File (Remove Its Contents). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
How to Clear All Numbered Files (File 1-File 8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Deleting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
How to Delete the Open File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
How to Delete a File from a List of Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
How to Delete All Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Recovering Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Using the Typing Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Managing SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
What Are SmartApplets?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Installed SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
How to Use Your SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Managing the SmartApplets on Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
How to Change the Startup SmartApplet from the SmartApplets Menu . . . . . . . . . . .56
How to Disable a SmartApplet from the SmartApplets Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Using the Responder SmartApplet on NEO 2 . . . . . . . 57
Preparing to Use NEO 2 with AccelTest, Accelerated Math RP, or the
2Know! Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using NEO 2 to Complete AccelTest Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Using NEO 2 in a Student-Paced Session in AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Steps Students Follow during a Student-Paced Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Using NEO 2 in a Teacher-Paced Session in AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

CONTENTS
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User Manual
Steps Students Follow during a Teacher-Paced Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Using NEO 2 to Complete Accelerated Math Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Steps Students Follow to Complete Accelerated Math Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
How Students Respond to 2Know! Toolbar Questions Using NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
How Teachers Can Use NEO 2 to Control the 2Know! Toolbar Program . . . . . . . . . . .64
NEO Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Changing Settings in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
How to Change the Settings in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
About the Settings in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Spell Check Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
AlphaWord Plus Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Change Default AlphaWord Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Turn Calculator Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Two-Button On Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Set Screen Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Keyboard Command Reference List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
View Keyboard Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Display Battery Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Change Keyboard Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Search for Networks (NEO 2 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
About NEO 2 (NEO 2 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Wireless Security (NEO 2 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
About the Auto Repeat Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Changing the Transfer Speed for Sending or Beaming Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
How to Change the Transfer Speed for a USB Cable Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
How to Change the Transfer Speed for Beaming (IrDA Transfer Speed) . . . . . . . . . . .74
Passwords on NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
The Three Passwords Used with NEOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Enabling Password Protection for AlphaWord Plus Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Enabling or Disabling File Passwords While Working in AlphaWord Plus. . . . . .76
Enabling or Disabling File Passwords in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Setting Individual Passwords for AlphaWord Plus Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
How to Change a File Password from within the Control Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

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User Manual
CONTENTS
. . . . .
How to Change a File Password from within AlphaWord Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Resetting File Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
How to Reset All File Passwords from within the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
How to Reset All File Passwords from within AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
System Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Working with AlphaSmart Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
About AlphaSmart Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Starting AlphaSmart Manager and Connecting Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Viewing, Printing, and Saving Files from Your NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
How to View One of the Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
How to Print One or More Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
How to Save Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Sending Files, Rubrics, or Write On! Lessons to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Creating and Sending Text Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Sending Rubrics or Other Linked Files to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Sending Write On! Lessons to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Sending Empty Files to NEOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Retrieving KeyWords Data Using AlphaSmart Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Installing SmartApplets on NEOs Using AlphaSmart Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Deleting SmartApplets from NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Defining System Settings for the NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
System Settings You Can Change in AlphaSmart Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
How to Change System Settings Using AlphaSmart Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
About the Startup SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Defining Settings for SmartApplets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
About the Disable This SmartApplet Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
AlphaWord Plus Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
File Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Spell Check Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Other SmartApplets Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Using Send Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
How to Send Changes Without Saving the Send List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
How to Save Changes in a Send List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
How to Open a Saved Send List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

CONTENTS
ix
. . . . .
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
How to Close a Saved Send List That Is Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Passwords in AlphaSmart Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Setting or Changing the Master Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Setting or Changing the Send List Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Clearing (Removing) a Send List Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Enabling File Passwords for AlphaWord Plus Files and Changing the Default
File Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Sending a User Dictionary to NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Replacing the Thesaurus with the Spanish-English Word Lookup . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Updating Your NEO Operating System or SmartApplets Using AlphaSmart
Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
How to Update NEOs without Preserving Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
How to Update NEOs While Preserving AlphaWord Plus Files and KeyWords
Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Other AlphaSmart Manager Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
NEO Difficulties and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Nothing appears on the NEO screen when I turn it on.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
When I attach my NEO to my computer, I can’t send any data, and my NEO
screen shows a file instead of the “Attached to…” message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
When I turn on my NEO, I see something other than the file that I
expected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
When I send a file to my computer, some of the characters don’t show up. . . . . . . . . 124
I try to type in a file, but no characters appear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
My file (or the end of my file) is filled with garbage characters.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
When I transfer text to my Windows computer, the case of the characters is
reversed; all the lowercase characters show up as uppercase, and the
uppercase characters show up as lowercase.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
When I press a key, the wrong letter appears on the screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
My LCD screen broke. Is it covered under warranty? What should I do? . . . . . . . . . . 125
Do I need antivirus software for my NEO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
What should I do if I spill something on my NEO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
When I use Kid Works and Student Writing Center on my computer, I can’t
seem to send text from my NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Reinstalling the Key Cap Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Reinstalling the Scissors Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Reinstalling the Spacebar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

x
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
CONTENTS
. . . . .
More About NEO Batteries and Power Sources . . . . .131
How Your NEO Receives Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
NEO Turns on Automatically When Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Replacing AA Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Specifications for the AC Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
About the Optional Rechargeable Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Conditioning the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Storing and Recharging NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Lifetime of the Rechargeable Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Toxic Elements Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Low Battery Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Checking Battery Status (Charge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Tips on Caring for Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
NEO’s Backup Lithium Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Keyboard Commands and
Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Keyboard Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
International and Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Troubleshooting Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Warranty and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Maintenance Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Storing Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Return Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
FCC Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
FCC Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

1
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
I NTRODUCTION
Welcome to NEO, the better laptop for school and the perfect writing tool.
With NEO, you can comfortably write, edit, and store text quickly and
conveniently, no matter what your location. NEO’s light weight and long
battery life make it an easy choice to use at school, the library, in meetings, or
out in the field. NEO integrates with your computer and prints directly to
your printer, either wirelessly or with a cable connection.
If you have a NEO 2 model, you can also use it as you would use Responders
with a Renaissance Receiver, allowing you to get real-time input from
students in your class, and you can use its radio frequency capability to print
wirelessly.
NEO 1 and NEO 2 both come with AlphaSmart Manager software, the
companion program that runs on your computer (Windows or Macintosh)
and lets you manage and configure your NEOs.
Why Use NEO?
With NEO you’ve got a solution that is
•Simple. Just turn it on and start typing; turn it off when you’re done.
Everything is saved as you type. With its built-in AlphaWord Plus word
processor, you can write stories, capture brainstorming ideas, take notes or
minutes, and more. Then you can easily transfer the information to any
computer or printer.
•Flexible. You can customize NEO to suit your varying needs. You can
control the screen contrast level on NEO’s large, easy-to-read display. And
you can choose a font size in AlphaWord Plus that lets you work
comfortably no matter where you are or what you’re working on. You can
also set file sizes so that your NEO works the way you do.
•Infrared-compatible. NEO comes with a built-in IrDA port for sending
text or printing to infrared-enabled devices. (NEO 2 also has radio
frequency capability for use with a Renaissance Receiver or for wireless
printing.)
•Rugged and portable. NEO is built to endure. Its design ensures it can
be toted to classrooms, board rooms, seminars, on vacation, or virtually
anywhere without damage. Its light weight and extra long battery life make
it an invaluable tool.
If you’re using a
group of NEOs with
an AlphaHub (the
SmartOption Mobile Lab),
consult the AlphaSmart
Manager 2 User Manual for
more detailed information
about using AlphaSmart
Manager in group settings.

2
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
INTRODUCTION
NEO 1 and NEO 2 in This Manual
. . . . .
•Expandable. NEO comes with a variety of SmartApplets: AlphaWord
Plus, Responder (for NEO 2 only), Accelerated Reader (NEO 2 only),
Calculator, Control Panel, Beamer, KeyWords, and AlphaQuiz. (AlphaQuiz
is installed on NEO 1 laptops and can be installed on NEO 2 laptops.) You
can purchase and install other optional SmartApplets, such as Co:Writer®
by Don Johnston Inc., to support your needs.
•Windows and Macintosh compatible. NEO works with both Windows
and Macintosh computers.
NEO 1 and NEO 2 in This Manual
This manual describes both NEO 1 and NEO 2 models. When the manual
refers to NEO, the manual is referring to both models. When it refers to
NEO 1 or NEO 2, the manual is describing features that are only available on
that model.
Types of Tips in This Manual
In this manual, you’ll see two types of tips in the left margin. The icon in the
tip shows you which type it is:
Tips with a light bulb are software tips. They provide helpful
information such as reminders or alternate ways to do a task.
Tips with an apple are teacher tips. They provide ideas for using your
NEOs in the classroom.

3
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
G ETTING S TARTED
This section explains how to start using your NEO. It includes this
information:
• System requirements for computers used with NEO
• Installing or recharging the batteries
• Starting the NEO
• Starting to write on NEO
• Checking the SmartApplet list
•Sendingfilestoyour computer
• Beaming files between NEOs
•PrintingfromNEO
• Installing AlphaSmart Manager
• Set up infrared capabilities (optional)
• Setting up a Renaissance Receiver
System Requirements
For the latest NEO system requirements, go to
www.renlearn.com\requirements.
Installing the Batteries
Your NEO came with either three AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack.
You need to install the batteries or battery pack before you can use the NEO.
Important: For complete information about batteries (including the
rechargeable battery pack), see “More About NEO Batteries and Power
Sources” on page 131. This section will help you ensure maximum battery life
for your NEO.
Follow the steps for the type of battery power you have.
You can order the
rechargeable battery
pack after receiving
the NEO if you’d prefer it to
standard batteries.

4
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
GETTING STARTED
Installing the Batteries
. . . . .
How to Install AA Batteries
1. Turn the NEO over. On the back of the NEO, put your thumbs in the
circles on the battery compartment cover Aand slide the compartment
cover toward the left to remove it from the NEO.
2. The first time you open the compartment, you’ll find a small plastic bag
with a Phillips screw for holding the battery compartment cover shut.
Remove the bag.
3. Insert three AA batteries into the compartment. Make sure the + end of
each battery points toward the black and red cables.
4. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place. You
can insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided to make sure the
cover stays shut.
After you install the
batteries the first
time, you may use
the small screw that came
with the NEO to secure the
cover. If you do this, you’ll
need to remove the screw the
next time you install batteries. A
A

GETTING STARTED
Installing the Batteries
5
. . . . .
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
How to Install and Charge a Rechargeable Battery Pack
Charge the batteries as soon as possible after you receive it. Do not store
the NEO without first charging the batteries.
1. Turn the NEO over. On the back of the NEO, put your thumbs in the
circles on the battery compartment cover Aand slide the cover toward
the left to remove it from the NEO.
2. The first time you open the compartment, you’ll find a small plastic bag
with a Phillips screw for holding the battery compartment shut. Remove
the bag.
3. Insert the rechargeable battery pack in the NEO with the cable end
toward the matching cable in the NEO. Then, gently pull that cable out
and connect it to the rechargeable battery pack.
4. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place. You
can insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided to make sure the
cover stays shut.
5. Connect the AC adapter cord to your NEO at the connector shown B,
and plug the cord into a working electrical outlet. The batteries will
automatically start charging.
After you install the
rechargeable battery
pack the first time,
you may use the small
screw that came with the
NEO to secure the cover. If
you do this, you’ll need to
remove the screw the next
time you install rechargeable
batteries.
A
A
You can use your
NEO while it’s
charging, but don’t
disconnect it until it is fully
charged.
B

6
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
GETTING STARTED
Starting the NEO
. . . . .
6. The first time you charge the battery pack, let it charge for 16 hours. After
that, whenever you recharge, let the unit charge for 4–8 hours. The light
on the front of the NEO Cis green when the NEO is fully charged.
7. Disconnect the AC adapter cord when you’ve finished charging the
battery pack.
Starting the NEO
To start your NEO after you install the batteries, simply press the on/off key
in the upper-left corner of the keyboard.
You can use the Two-Button On setting in the Control Panel to require the on
and enter keys to be pressed together in order to turn the NEO on. This helps
prevent NEO from being turned on accidentally. For more information, see
page 68.
C
Rechargeable
batteries should be
conditioned so they
hold a full charge. For more
information, see page 134.

GETTING STARTED
Writing on Your NEO
7
. . . . .
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
Writing on Your NEO
How to Start Writing on a NEO
It’s easy to start writing on your NEO. Once you turn NEO on, it will
automatically start AlphaWord Plus, which is the SmartApplet (program) that
you write in. A message will appear briefly to show you which of the eight files
you are in. (These files correspond to the “file 1” through “file 8” keys on the
NEO.) Since this is the first time you’ve written on the NEO, it should open in
file 1, which is blank.
Begin typing. Your text appears on the screen.
You can use the arrow keys (   ) to move your cursor in the text.
Press backspace to erase the character to the left of the cursor; press delete
to erase the character to the right of the cursor.
All text is automatically saved in the current file number while you type. To
begin another document, press one of the other file keys (2 through 8) in the
top row of the keyboard.
For more detailed information about writing using AlphaWord Plus, see
page 24.
What to Do If the File That Opens Isn’t Blank
If you turn on your NEO and the screen isn’t blank, it usually means that
someone else has used the NEO before you, perhaps because you’re sharing
NEOs in a group or classroom. One of these three things may have happened:
• The NEO could be in AlphaWord Plus, but it could already have text in one
or more of the files. You can press a different file key to find an empty file
that you can write in.
•YourNEOmaybeintheSmartApplets menu, which shows the programs
available on the NEO. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to
AlphaWord Plus; then, press enter to start it. AlphaWord Plus will open
one of the files that you can write in.
This example shows
a typical NEO 2
SmartApplet menu.
The order of SmartApplets on
your NEO and the
SmartApplets included may
vary.

8
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
GETTING STARTED
Checking the List of SmartApplets Installed on the NEO
. . . . .
• The NEO may be in another SmartApplet, such as Calculator (shown
below). Press the applets key to go to the SmartApplets menu. Then, use
the arrow keys to move the cursor next to AlphaWord Plus and press
enter. You might need to press one of the file keys along the top of the
keyboard to find an empty file.
Checking the List of SmartApplets Installed on the NEO
SmartApplets are programs installed on your NEO. When you start the NEO,
AlphaWord Plus opens automatically so that you can start writing, but you
can press applets to see a list of the other SmartApplets on your NEO. To
open one of these SmartApplets, use the arrow keys to move the cursor next
to it; then, press enter.
Most NEOs come with these SmartApplets installed:
• AlphaWord Plus (for writing)
• Responder (for NEO 2 only; enables NEO 2 to be used like a Renaissance
Responder)
• Accelerated Reader (for NEO 2 only; enables students to take Accelerated
Reader RP quizzes on NEO 2 instead of at a computer)
• KeyWords in the US or KAZ in the UK (for learning or teaching
keyboarding)
• Beamer (for sending files between NEOs)
• Control Panel (for changing settings for NEO or its SmartApplets)
• AlphaQuiz (for administering quizzes to students on the NEO)
•Calculator
AlphaWord Plus may
not be the program
that opens when you
start the NEO because you
can change the startup
SmartApplet. To change it on
the NEO itself, see page 56.
To change it using
AlphaSmart Manager, see
page 109.
AlphaQuiz is
installed on NEO 1
laptops by default.
NEO 2 laptops don’t have this
SmartApplet preinstalled, but
you can install it using
AlphaSmart Manager.

GETTING STARTED
Sending Files to Your Computer
9
. . . . .
NEO 1 and NEO 2
User Manual
The Quick Guide that you received with your NEO provides basic instructions
for using most of these SmartApplets. For detailed instructions, see the NEO 1
and NEO 2 SmartApplet User Manual on our Web site or the Documentation
CD for NEO 1 and NEO 2. For more general information about SmartApplets,
see page 54.
Sending Files to Your Computer
There are two ways to send files from the NEO to your computer:
• You can use a USB cable to connect the NEO to your computer. Then, you
can send the files via the cable connection. See the instructions below.
• You can send the files using infrared beaming. See page 11.
Sending Files Using a Direct Cable Connection
Connecting Your NEO to a Computer Using a USB Cable
1. If this is the first time you have connected the NEO to your computer,
make sure you are logged in to your computer as an administrator or that
you have permissions that allow the device drivers to load properly. Also,
make sure AlphaSmart Manager is not running.
2. Using the cable that came with the NEO, connect the thin, rectangular
end of the cable into a USB port on your computer. Connect the smaller,
square end of the cable into the computer port along NEO’s top edge A.
To the
computer
USB port
To the
Neo
computer port
The USB cable for connecting to USB computers
A