Alphasmart 3000 User manual

AlphaSmart, Inc.
973 University Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95032
[phone] or [phone] (toll-free)
Fax: [phone]
www.alphasmart.com
MAN-
©2002 AlphaSmart, Inc. AlphaSmart is a registered trademark.
AlphaSmart 3000
User’s Guide
AS 3000 Cover020528 5/28/02 10:12 PM Page 1

Registration Card ❏AlphaSmart ❏ SmartApplet Software
(product model) (product name)
Please mail or fax this card to [phone] First Name Last Name Title Institution/School Mailing Address City State Zip/Postal Code Country Daytime Phone Number Evening Phone Number Email Address Purchased From Date Purchased Where are you using the product? ❏School ❏ College or University ❏ Home ❏ Other
Are you? ❏Teacher or Educator ❏ Student ❏ Other
Number of AlphaSmart keyboards at site: ❏1-10 ❏ 11-25 ❏ 26-99 ❏ 100+ Would you like to receive the AlphaSmart email Newsletter? ❏Yes ❏No Would you like to receive the AlphaSmart HotNews email Bulletin? ❏Yes ❏No
Would you like to receive information as new SmartApplets are developed? ❏Yes ❏No
AS3000UG.book Page i Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:19 PM

ALPHASMART, INC. PO BOX 506 RED BLUFF CA 96080-9938
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY IF
MAILED IN THE
UNITED STATES
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO 7 RED BLUFF CA
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
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i
AlphaSmart 3000
User’s Guide
AS3000UG.book Page i Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:19 PM

ii
AlphaSmart Services
For technical questions or problems, please e-mail our Technical Service
Center at [email protected] or call us at [phone].
To request an evaluation of the AlphaSmart 3000, please e-mail evalu-
[email protected] or call us at [phone].
For general information or sales questions, please e-mail
[email protected] or call us at [phone]
To purchase an AlphaSmart, visit our online store at
www.alphasmart.com, or call us at [phone].
Register online at http://www.alphasmart.com/registration.
Nothing in this manual may be reproduced in any manner, either wholly or in part, for
any purpose whatsoever without written permission from AlphaSmart, Inc.
Apple, the Apple logo, Apple IIGS, AppleWorks, iMac, and Macintosh are registered
trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Classic is a registered trademark licensed to Apple
Computer, Inc. Apple Desktop Bus, Performa, and PowerBook are trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a
registered trademark of International Business Machines.
Revised May 2002
AS3000UG.book Page ii Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:19 PM

AlphaSmart 3000 User’s Guide iii
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 - Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
CHAPTER 2 - Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CHAPTER 3 - System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
CHAPTER 4 - Hardware Installation and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting Your AlphaSmart 3000 to a USB Computer . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting the Mac Y Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connecting the PC Y Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Batteries and Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Storing a Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Lifetime of the Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Low Battery Indication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Auto Power-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
CHAPTER 5 - Using Your AlphaSmart 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Entering Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Text Formatting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Editing Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Find Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Working with Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
File Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
File Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Erasing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Data Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Spell Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using Spell Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Disabling Spell Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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iv AlphaSmart 3000 User’s Guide
CHAPTER 6 - Transferring Text to a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Sending Text to a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
For Macs:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
For PCs: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Connecting to PC-compatible Laptops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Transferring Text Using Infrared . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
AlphaBeam™ for Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
AlphaBeam™ for PC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Sending Text to Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Databases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Changing the Transfer Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
CHAPTER 7 - SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
AlphaWord SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Calculator SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Control of Access to Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Installing a SmartApplet on the AlphaSmart 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
CHAPTER 8 - Printing from the AlphaSmart 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Printing directly from an AlphaSmart 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
CHAPTER 9 - Advanced AlphaSmart 3000 Features . . . . . . . . . . . 45
AutoRepeat/Key Repeat Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Sticky Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Slow Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Show Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Alternate Keyboard Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
International Character Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Keyboarding Timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Status Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
AlphaSmart 3000 Password Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Battery Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
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AlphaSmart 3000 User’s Guide v
CHAPTER 10 - Software for the AlphaSmart 3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
AlphaHub Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Get Utility Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Turbo Transfer Software For Macintosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
CHAPTER 11 - Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions . 59
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
FAQs—Frequently Asked Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
CHAPTER 12 - Warranty, Return Procedures and Guarantee . . . . . 67
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Return Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Guarantee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
CHAPTER 13 - AlphaSmart 3000 Maintenance
and Safety Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Safety, Care, and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
CHAPTER 14 -Appendix A - Keyboard Commands,
International and Special Characters . . . . . . . . . 75
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vi AlphaSmart 3000 User’s Guide
AS3000UG.book Page vi Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:19 PM

AlphaSmart 3000 1
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
The AlphaSmart 3000 is the practical, portable, and affordable computing
solution for students, researchers, and professionals on the go. It enables users to
type, edit and electronically store text, practice keyboarding, and collaborate on
documents, without requiring an expensive and cumbersome computer.
The AlphaSmart 3000 offers you a solution that is:
• Simple to Use:
Just turn it on and start typing, turn it off when you’re finished - everything
is automatically saved as you type. With its built-in AlphaWord word
processor, you can write stories, make outlines, input data for spreadsheets,
take notes and more, and then easily transfer to any computer or print
directly to most printers with a single keystroke.
•
Versatile:
The AlphaSmart 3000’s eight files make it easy to organize your work. Up to
100 pages of text, spell checker, cut/copy/paste, and features for special
needs make the AlphaSmart 3000 a powerful tool for a wide range of
purposes, for any application.
•
Portable:
The AlphaSmart 3000 is lightweight (two pounds), portable (700 hours on
3 AA batteries) and rugged, with a 3 year warranty.
•
Expandable:
From the built-in AlphaWord and Calculator to the optional SmartApplets
(custom software programs for keyboarding instruction, classroom quizzes,
etc.) the AlphaSmart 3000 offers functionality for most of your applications.
•
Compatible:
The AlphaSmart 3000 offers various cable and infrared pod choices for use
with PC or Macintosh computers.
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2 Introduction
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AlphaSmart 3000 3
CHAPTER 2
Quick Start
For users not interested in reading extended manuals, the following is a
quick guide for working with the AlphaSmart 3000. Please be sure to follow
these steps completely in the order given.
Step One — Using the AlphaSmart 3000
1. Charge your AlphaSmart 3000 by either installing three AA batteries or
recharging the battery pack.
2. Turn on the AlphaSmart 3000 by pressing the on/off key and then
begin typing. Your text will appear in the window.
3. Use the arrow keys to move your cursor in the text.
4. Use the backspace key to erase.
Step Two — Transferring Text to a Computer
1. Turn on your computer and make sure you are in an application that
accepts text input.
2. Connect the USB, PC Y, or Mac Y or cable to your computer.
3. Start up any application that accepts text and open a new file. You
must have a file open in this application in order to transfer files
from the AlphaSmart 3000.
4. Follow the directions for your particular set up:
•
Connect the AlphaSmart 3000 to your computer, attaching the
appropriate cable.
•
Infrared: Launch AlphaBeam on your Mac or PC. Point the infrared
lens of the AlphaSmart towards the IrDA transceiver.
5. Press the Send key on the AlphaSmart 3000.
6. Your text will appear on the AlphaSmart 3000 screen.
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4 Quick Start
Step Three — When Done
1. Disconnect the AlphaSmart 3000 from the computer.
2. At the computer, save the new file.
3. From the AlphaSmart 3000, press the clear file key to erase the
text.
4. Turn off the AlphaSmart 3000.
Files
The AlphaSmart 3000 supports eight different files. To open any of the
eight files, press one of the corresponding keys on the top row of the
AlphaSmart 3000 keyboard (File 1, File 2, and so forth).
Power
The AlphaSmart 3000 has an Auto Power Off feature that goes into
effect whenever the unit is disconnected from a computer and has been
idle for a specified amount of time. To set the idle time, go to the Idle
Time dialog box by pressing
x
-option-T , and set your time preference.
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AlphaSmart 3000 5
CHAPTER 3
System Requirements
The AlphaSmart 3000 works with any desktop or laptop computer with an
external keyboard or USB port, whether IBM compatible, or Apple®
Macintosh, iMac, iBook, or IIGS.
The AlphaSmart 3000 works with IBM-compatible computers, including
PC AT, PS/2, 286, 386, 486, and Pentium. The AlphaSmart 3000 is
compatible with all versions of DOS and OS/2, and most versions of
Windows. To connect to the USB port of a PC, the PC must be running
Windows 98 or newer. Windows NT does not support USB, but the
AlphaSmart 3000 can still be used with a PC running Windows NT or
Windows 95 by using a PC Y cable.
The AlphaSmart 3000 works with any Apple computer (or Mac clone)
equipped with an Apple Desktop Bus™ (ADB) port or USB port, which
includes the Apple IIGS®, all Macintosh® models, all PowerBook™
models, the Performa™, Centris™, and Quadra™ series, iMacs®, iBooks®,
USB Macs, Mac clones, and all Power Macintosh models. The AlphaSmart
3000is compatible with all Macintosh Operating System (OS) software,
versions 6.0.x and later, including System 7.x, or higher.
Notes:
1. The AlphaSmart 3000 is not compatible with the older XT model PCs
and with laptops without an external keyboard port.
2. The AlphaSmart 3000 does not work with older, non-ADB–based
Macs, including the Mac 128, Mac 512, Mac 512E, Mac Plus, and
the PowerBook 190. It is also incompatible with the Apple IIe and
Apple IIc. It is compatible with the Mac SE and all Macs produced
after the Mac SE.
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6 System Requirements
Note for Macintosh Users:
For the sake of simplicity, the term “Macintosh” is used generically
throughout this manual. The procedures are the same regardless of the
particular Macintosh model being used.
Note for PC Users:
For the sake of simplicity, the term “PC” is used generically throughout
this manual when referring to an IBM-compatible DOS, Windows or
OS/2 personal computer. The procedures are the same regardless of the
particular IBM-compatible model being used.
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AlphaSmart 3000 7
CHAPTER 4
Hardware Installation
and Maintenance
Highlights
•
Connecting the AlphaSmart 3000 to a USB Computer
• Installing the Mac Y Cable
•
Installing the PC Y Cable
•
Batteries
Connecting Your AlphaSmart 3000
to a USB Computer
To connect your AlphaSmart 3000 to a USB computer, either a Macintosh
(iMac or newer) or a PC, use the USB cable. Simply plug the rectangular end
of the USB cable into the computer’s USB port (either on the CPU, on a USB
hub, or on some USB keyboards). Then connect the smaller, semi-square,
end into the AlphaSmart 3000 computer port.
The first time you connect an AlphaSmart 3000 to a USB port on a PC,
Windows will bring up a series of screens to install the driver necessary to
support the AlphaSmart 3000. Simply click on the Next button in each
screen.
To the
Computer
USB port
To the
AlphaSmart 3000
Computer Port
The USB cable for connecting to USB computers
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8 Hardware Installation and Maintenance
Notes:
•
PCs made after 1997 that run Windows 98 or higher, and Mac-
intosh computers such as the iMac, are likely to have USB ports
built in. USB ports can also be added to older computers.
•
The computer does not have to be turned off to connect USB
devices.
•
The same USB cable is used to connect both PCs and Macin-
tosh computers.
•
Standard A-B USB cables found in computer stores may be
used.
•
PCs must be running Windows 98 or newer to use the USB
port, as Windows 95 and older do not support USB.
•
Windows NT does not support USB
Connecting the Mac Y Cable
To transfer data to a Macintosh with an ADB (Apple Desktop Bus)
port, use the Mac Y cable. (For Macintoshes with USB ports [iMac and
newer], see the section “Connecting Your AlphaSmart 3000 to a
Computer,” in this chapter.) We suggest installing the cable between
your keyboard and mouse.
AlphaSmart
Mac Keyboard
Green
Red
Mouse
Grey
Mac Y Cable
Blue
Installation of the Mac Y cable
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AlphaSmart 3000 9
To install the Mac Y cable between your AlphaSmart 3000 and a
Macintosh:
1. Unplug the mouse from your keyboard.
2. Insert the green end of the Mac Y cable into the empty ADB port on
your keyboard where you just unplugged your mouse.
3. Plug your mouse into the red end of the Mac Y cable.
4. The grey end should be plugged into the computer port on the right
side of your AlphaSmart 3000.
Note: The Mac Y cable may also be used to connect a Macintosh to an
AlphaSmart 2000 or AlphaSmart Pro. To do so, connect the blue end of the
Mac Y cable (instead of the grey end) into the computer port on the right
side of your AlphaSmart.
Concerns about ADB Live Connect/Disconnect
The AlphaSmart 3000 is designed to be connected to and disconnected from
Macintosh ADB ports while the Mac is still running. Some people may be
concerned about this, since Apple recommends not unplugging or attaching
an ADB device while the computer is running. This is recommended by
Apple because certain ADB devices change modes when they are unplugged,
causing confusion to the system when the devices are reattached.
However, the AlphaSmart 3000 has been designed to not change modes
when unplugged. More importantly, it does not confuse the Mac when
unplugged and reconnected.
Connecting the PC Y Cable
The PC Y cable is used to connect the AlphaSmart 3000 to an IBM-
compatible PC with a PS/2-style keyboard. (To connect to a PC with a USB
port, see the section “Connecting your AlphaSmart 3000 to a USB
Computer,” in this chapter.)
To install the PC Y cable between your AlphaSmart 3000 and PC:
1. Turn off the computer.
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10 Hardware Installation and Maintenance
2. Disconnect the keyboard from the computer keyboard port and
determine if it is a 5-pin (larger) or Mini-DIN 6-pin (smaller)
connector.
a. If the keyboard has a Mini-DIN 6-pin connector…
connect the orange end of the PC Y cable, labeled “Connect to
PC computer port” into the keyboard port on the back of your
computer. Next, connect the computer keyboard cable into the
orange end of the 8-inch adapter cable. Then connect the purple
end of the adapter cable to the purple end of the PC Y cable (see
diagram below).
b. If it is a 5-pin connector…
connect the orange end of the adapter cable to the orange end of
the PC Y cable. Next, connect the purple end of the PC adapter
cable into the keyboard port on the back of your computer. Then
AlphaSmart
PC Keyboard
PC Keyboard
Cable
Grey
Orange
PC Y Cable
PC Orange
Blue
Purple
Adapter
Cable
Installation of the PC Y cable when the keyboard has a Mini-Din 6-pin connector
AS3000UG.book Page 10 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:19 PM

AlphaSmart 3000 11
connect the computer keyboard cable into the purple end of the PC Y
cable, labeled “Connect to PC keyboard cable” (see diagram below).
3. Plug the grey end into the computer port on the right side of your
AlphaSmart 3000.
4. With the PC Y cable installed, turn on the computer, wait for
complete boot up, and test your regular keyboard for operation.
Note: The PC Y cable may also be used to connect a PC to an AlphaSmart
2000 or AlphaSmart Pro. To do so, connect the blue end of the PC Y cable
(instead of the grey end) into the computer port on the right side of your
AlphaSmart.
Warning: Always leave the PC Y cable installed. If for any reason you
need to remove the PC Y cable from the computer, do so when your
computer is turned off.
AlphaSmart
PC Keyboard
PC Keyboard
Cable
Grey
Purple
PC Y Cable
PC
Orange
Blue
Purple
Adapter Cable
Installation of the PC Y cable when the keyboard has a 5-pin connector
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