CalcuScribe increases computer access!
It does not replace computers.

1) CalcuScribe's flip-top mechanism:
• protects the screen from scratches and damage
• protects the keyboard from dirt and spills
• reduces screen glare by adjusting the viewing angle
• generous space for wresting wrists - ergonomically comfortable

Kids, trusted with a valuable, well-designed laptop, act like grown-ups. Their work shows their enthusiasm. Review their work on CalcuScribe and compare it to their work done on other devices.

2) CalcuScribe has a unique math processor - an interactive calculator which provides a word-processing-like environment to do math. For more information, click on MathWiz.

3) CalcuScribe comes in two models:
The Duo has an 8 lines x 80 characters screen, the 3AA batteries last about 50 hours and it offers a zoom feature (big font/small font).
The Uno has a 4 lines x 40 characters screen and the 3 AA batteries last about 300 hours.

4) Practice keyboarding skills: a teacher can prepare a file with prompt lines and blank lines and beam it to several CalcuScribes (or provide prompts on a piece of paper or on the board) that students can keyboard into their CalcuScribe. Allow children a fixed amount of time to keyboard the prompt lines into the machines. Run the Spellchecker, on each CalcuScribe, to see which words are mistyped Then press the <F10/Count> key for a word-count and character-count. Measure each student’s typing speed and accuracy.

5) Files transfer wirelessly to computers and printers via our InfraLink pod which stays connected to the printer and the computer. You don't have to connect cables, each time, to transfer files.

6) Files can also be sent wirelessly to other CalcuScribes. This feature can be turned Off, via the master password, so that students don't send missives in class. Thus, for example:

a) A teacher may prepare story prompts, or some keywords on one CalcuScribe and beam the file to each student. Students can borrow the ideas via copy 'n' paste. The teacher can evaluate how much of the student’s work is independent.

b) Measure students’ grammar and reading comprehension level by sending them a file to edit and punctuate and have kids answer questions after reading a passage.

c) Students may collaborate on projects by transferring files and data to their teammates.

7) Make duplicate files with the File-Copy command and develop multiple versions of a story. Or, make enhancements to the story but keep the originals so that you can see the progress made as the story develops. You can return to an earlier version - a more promising and honest version - of the story. Students, with feedback from a parent or a teacher, can decide which version they like best. Or simply extract ideas from the previous versions via copy and paste.

8) Commands execute from a Menu or by pressing a hot key.

9) A big part of writing is moving the text around. Cut, Copy 'n' Paste interfile or intrafile. You may delete a block of text by first marking it and then cutting it instead of deleting one character at a time. You can Undo the cut or paste if you made a mistake and if you like, you can paste the unwanted text in a separate - scratch file - just in case you want to resurrect it at a later time.

10) CalcuScribe has Find / Replace features for quick revisions to your story. The STATUS key shows which line and column the cursor is at. CalcuScribe offers the GoTo command to move the cursor quickly to various locations in the document.

11) The COUNT key performs word and character count to monitor writing progress or to measure keyboarding speed.

12) The spellchecker works in 2 modes:

a) Alt + S keys when pressed simultaneously provide suggestions of correct spelling if the current word, where the cursor is at, is misspelled.

b) The SPELL key, on the other hand, spell-checks the entire document. CalcuScribe shows where the misspelled word is! Either type the correct spelling (it could be a word that is suggested by CalcuScribe or by the teacher) or just select a word from the list of suggestions by moving the cursor to it. CalcuScribe auto-replaces the misspelled word. However, by typing the correct spelling, it's reinforced in your mind. CalcuScribe remembers words (like, proper nouns) which you request the machine to "Ignore" so that the words do not get identified as misspelled words.

13) Save unlimited number of files and folders. Create and protect folders with passwords - one for each user - so that students work with just their files. Individual passwords can be reassigned.

14) CalcuScribe offers on-line contextual Help. Students don’t need to carry the manual with them.

15) The numeric keypad can be used in the calculator mode or for quick data-entry into any file.

16) CalcuScribe has: Zoom (on the Duo model only), Auto-repeat (On/Off), sticky keys (On/Off), the status key tells you which line and column in the file the cursor is currently at and you can set different Tab-sizes with Alt + T keys.

17) The keyboard is full-sized, quiet and sturdy. Move the cursor rapidly by using the Home, End, PgUp, PgDn keys. Use these keys or the arrow keys with the Ctrl or the Alt key to move the cursor rapidly. In menus, press a hot key for a menu-item. In file-directories, just start typing the filename and the cursor jumps to it. CalcuScribe also offers the GoTo command to jump to any line in your file.

18) CalcuScribe is fault-tolerant: you may undelete files, undo cut or paste or recover deleted text, and your files are auto-saved if the machine is switched OFF or goes to sleep! Files are protected by a built-in back-up Lithium battery and remain saved if the main AA batteries die or are removed from the battery compartment.

19) CalcuScribe has a 3 year warranty and was designed for durability with kids in mind. It is simple, rugged, elegant, sporty and empowering.

20) CalcuScribe does NOT format text! We like kids to compose on CalcuScribe but to format their work on the desktops which have the powerful applications. Familiarity with desktop applications makes kids skilled and employable. CalcuScribe's OS, its File system, and its Menus & Folders are similar to the desktops in organizational and logical structure - thus, kids become computer proficient by using CalcuScribes.

21) CalcuScribe offers a sophisticated Tab. It can be set to skip: 1 - 9 spaces each time the TAB key is pressed - depending on the setting. Default setting is to skip 5 spaces. The Tab feature can be set to 0 in which case a ‘tab-marker’ is inserted each time the TAB key is pressed. Later, when data is sent to a computer the ‘tab-marker’, from CalcuScribe, makes the cursor on the computer's monitor behave in the manner dictated by the receiving application.

For example: when sending data to a spreadsheet, the tab-marker makes the cursor move to the right adjacent cell and the Enter-key-marker makes the cursor move to the next row. Similarly, when sending data into a database application, the tab-marker makes the cursor jump to the next field and the Enter-key-marker starts a new record. Finally, when pumping data into a word processor, the tab-marker makes the cursor jump to the next tab-stop and the Enter-key-marker starts a new line.