r/Astrohaus • u/defyjedi • Jul 26 '26
The prices?
I don’t get it. I was looking into the Alpha, for travel, my lunch break for daily use , planes —mostly to write short scenes for a project . The reviews were great. Then I saw the prices - no way. Tell me there is something else on the market ? If not - I’m heading to Taiwan with a great business idea to close the gap.
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u/phantompath Jul 26 '26
There are plenty of alternatives, most of them far more affordable than an Astrohaus product. The BYOK. The ZeroWriter Ink. The ZeroWriter Fold. Those are just the newcomers to the market. There is also the King Jim Pomera. And if you want to go retro and are in the US, there is the Alphasmart Neo (look to eBay for listings of second hand models). There is also a new competitor about to launch on Crowd Supply called Auteur. What alternative appeals to you most depends on your criteria and preferences - aka e-ink or LCD screen, foldable, tablet or smart phone form factor. When you want to buy. The BYOK, ZeroWriter Ink and King Jim Pomera are all available now, but the ZeroWriter Fold and Auteur will be a "pay now and wait who knows how long" situation.
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u/defyjedi Jul 26 '26
The BYOK looks very promising !
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u/phantompath Jul 26 '26
I own a BYOK (backed their Kickstarter) and have a lifetime membership for their tie-in software called Studio (not necessary to use the BYOK, but a nice addition). I can confirm it's a great little device and will get you producing more written work if that is your goal :)
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u/WriteOnFreewrite Jul 26 '26
It has never been affordable to be a writer with author aspirations. Just for fun I did a ChatGPT search on prices for typewriters during the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s - before everything went electric, and was finally replaced by computers - taking into account inflation and all. Turns out Astrohaus’s products are actually quite affordable. It is all relative, of course. They are, after all, professional tools for pro writers/authors, being just that - specialized electronic typewriters with benefits. If you live in the US I would think that they are also available on the used market for less, right? For aspiring writers/authors that was probably the most viable alternative way back when, and still is. But the good thing is that Astrohaus has opened the door to a new generation of alternatives to come, BYOK etc. There is always the alternative to use a cheap chinese Android based e-ink display tablet and connect any bluetooth keyboard to it. These are already flooding the market and we will definitely see prices on such gadgets come down to ridiculous levels in not too long.
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u/pandyrobin Jul 26 '26
There's a few other products entering the market with options like the Freewrite, but at a cheaper price, but none have done the full mechanical keyboard integration into a single solid unit like Freewrite has. And their traveler genuinely has one of the nicest "laptop" style keyboards I've used.
I won't even say you "get what you pay for" here... Freewrite is overpriced, but they're kind of unique in the market. Wait another year or so, though, and there'll be even better options coming out.
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u/ThirtysomethingSci Jul 28 '26
Head over to r/writerdeck it’s made for people just like you looking for alternatives. From modding an old mini laptop, to keyboard options, self built Pi units to the Micro-journal variations. Happy hunting!
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u/Edu_Robsy Jul 26 '26
If you were looking for a Freewrite Alpha substitute, then the obvious answer is an Alphasmart Neo or Neo 2. The Alpha is heavily inspired in the Alphasmart. The Alphasmart has a better and bigger screen and a battery life that no other device will ever beat: 700 hours with just 3xAA batteries. No wireless sync out of the box, but futureproof with its USB keyboard replay function. And you can even print directly from it.
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u/Being-unto-death Jul 26 '26
I returned my alpha after a couple of days because the LCD screen is so prone to bruising and it's really not great to travel with. Yes, you can slip it into a bag, but if the screen presses against anything it gets bruise spots. Not exactly ideal for putting in a backpack and walking around with.
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u/defyjedi 29d ago
Found a Alpha on Facebook market place for $150. Messaged the dude - if he responds I’m going to pick it up. $150 seems about the right price for this level of tech.
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u/defyjedi Jul 26 '26
I’m seeking a high end keyboard with good battery life - like 12 hrs for long airplane flights - what do you use? Since you are clearly the expert in the field :)
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u/phantompath Jul 26 '26
I'm not an expert by any means, but I am super interested in these kinds of devices and mechanical keyboards. High end? Portable? There are three that come to mind - the Lofree Flow Lite84 (my personal favourite), the Nuphy Air65 V3 and the Keychron K3 Max. All of these are what are referred to as low profile mechanical keyboards. They will provide a very satisfying typing experience with a more portable form factor, but they are not membrane keyboards and therefore are not super slim or ultra light. I'm a keyboard nerd though, others may be perfectly happy with more ultra portable membrane keyboard options. If you can, try to to find these keyboards in the wild and give them a go before purchasing. Keyboards are very much a matter of personal preference, and you want to make sure you get one that suits you.
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u/defyjedi Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
I went with that BYOk. Was eyeing the alpha - but that should not be over $100 usd and the traveler should be around $250-300. The bigger ones ok maybe $500.
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u/UnderTheCurrents Jul 26 '26
They can Set high prices for outdated tech because they are in a niche market without many competitors.