Does the Freewrite Alpha actually facilitate distraction-free writing?

An 'inter-review' with Jude Jones, author of the newsletter Everything Is Temporary.

You’re reading Creativity Under Capitalism, a free biweekly newsletter about reclaiming and sustaining creative joy under tricky socioeconomic circumstances. I’m Adrianna, a journalist and creative writer based in Phoenix, AZ.

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No one is 100% immune to clever marketing. Though I’m a skeptic with a decent understanding of how tech startups position themselves online, I, too, am occasionally intrigued by the promise of an aesthetically pleasing, thoughtfully made product that might help me achieve my goals (or at least spice things up in the process).

The Freewrite Alpha is one such product, as are Brick (the little device that “bricks” your smartphone with a quick tap) and the ReMarkable Paper Pro (a tablet that imitates the feel of writing on paper). Over the past year or so, I’ve wondered how—or if—these unusual tools might fit into the life of a busy, tired writer who just wants the creative process to be easier. Would an independent typing device actually free me from distractions, or will I only be as productive as I am with a laptop? Is it worth paying $50 for a piece of plastic that keeps me from accessing Tumblr and text messages on my phone? Might a stylus-equipped tablet save me from sifting through journal after journal for notes I made years ago?

I like to think of myself as an enterprising young writer, and for a minute, I figured I’d buy each of these devices and then review them online. I spent a couple years writing freelance tech reviews, and in general, I know what to look for. But I’m not made of money. Plus, who’s to say my opinion is the one that matters, when plenty of other creatives have coughed up their hard-earned cash for the same reasons I would?

This is my compromise. Rather than gabbing about my thoughts on the Freewrite Alpha, ReMarkable Paper Pro, or whatever other bespoke productivity device that happens to enter the cultural zeitgeist, I’m going to interview other creatives about their experiences with those products. I’ll ask the questions I’d ask myself during a hardware review, plus a few extras, since Creativity Under Capitalism is largely about examining how our money-obsessed culture affects our creative lives. And I’ll throw in the specs for good measure, even though you could easily Google that stuff. I’m not-so-cleverly calling this format the “inter-review”: an interview-style review of a product you may or may not already be interested in.

I’ve seen a lot of folks on Substack interested in Astrohaus’ various Freewrite devices, so we’re kicking off the inter-review series with

Jude Jones (they/them)

, author of the newsletter Everything Is Temporary. Jude bought a Freewrite Alpha in May in an attempt to build a distraction-free writing practice. When I saw them post an incredibly adorable picture of their kitten snuggling up against the Alpha, I knew I had to ask them for this review.

For the uninitiated, Freewrite is an 11-year-old brand dedicated to distraction-free writing technology. Under the Michigan-based startup Astrohaus, Freewrite makes four different writing devices—the Alpha, Traveler, Smart Typewriter, and Wordrunner—as well as a free web-based word processor called Sprinter. Each device centers the keyboard, with only a very small screen for viewing what you’ve just typed. The idea is to eliminate all virtual diversions (web browsers, notifications, customization options, and so on), forcing you to actually write when you sit down to do so.

The Alpha is the simplest and most affordable of the Freewrite lineup. It’s basically a modern Alphasmart, with a low-profile mechanical keyboard and a small, plaintext screen that shows a maximum of four lines at a time. Once you’re ready to send what you’ve written to your computer, you can either connect the two devices with a USB-C cable or press a handy “SEND” button to ship the text via wi-fi.

Here are some basic specs:

• Cost (as of July 2025): $349

• Weight: 1.6 lb

• Body material: Polycarbonate (AKA plastic)

• Display size: 164mm x 25mm, anti-glare

• Battery: Lithium-ion, est. 100 hours on a single charge

• Language support: 35 languages, 62 keyboard layouts

Now, on to the review!

Adrianna: How long have you had the Alpha?

Jude: I've had the device for only about 3.5 weeks, and the incredible thing is that I'm about to surpass 25,000 words logged by the time I finish answering these questions. (Yes, I am drafting this on my Alpha—though later, when it came to editing, we switched to a shared Google Doc.)

How much did you personally pay for the device?

I was gearing up to buy the Alpha off the website for full price before, on a whim, checking Facebook Marketplace and finding a barely-used one on sale for $200. I bought it from a grad student one town over who had planned to type out a PhD dissertation on it, but ended up shoving it in a drawer and forgetting about it.

How do you use the Alpha?

I’ve been on medical leave for a few months, so every day is pretty much the same: usually a doctor’s appointment, some errands, and a session with my Alpha. It feels like almost every day, at least—but according to Postbox, which holds my drafts and my writing stats, I’ve written on 18 out of the past 24 days (a respectable 75%).

I use the Alpha to freewrite, i.e. write whatever comes to mind, even if it's not focused or shareable or easily shaped into a piece. But thanks to the Alpha, freewriting has become the bedrock of my writing routine! I type on the device, then email myself what I've written (as easy as clicking the “send” button on the device) and edit on my computer.

Each session can last anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours, though there’s no way I’m actually typing that entire time. (I still have my phone to distract me and get caught up in Google rabbit holes, after all.) I typically write up to about 1,500 words per draft, after which I click the two red “new” buttons together to start a new one.

I usually sit in one of two places: either at an atmospheric cafe, or on my couch (usually with my kitten asleep below my typing arms). Depending on where I am, I might have not much else with me, or I might be surrounded by piles of books that I am theoretically “reading,” though there are so many of them that I’m lucky if I’ve read a couple of pages of each. It’s mostly just me and the Alpha, typing away.

Photos by Jude.

Have you ever traveled with the Alpha?

Last month, I took the Alpha on what was probably the most intense and unproductive European holiday of my life. Constant parenting was involved, and there was no downtime, so the opportunities to write were few and far between. However, I did grab it a couple of times late at night to tap out a few thoughts, and on a train where we had first-class seats. (In second class, I didn’t have the space to whip it out!) Since I don’t have a dedicated case for my Alpha, I threw caution to the wind and my Alpha in my handbag, with zero protection. At one point I dropped it, too. I’m glad to say it survived both careless adventures, but for the risk-averse, I would recommend investing in a protective sleeve. You don’t have to get the official one from Freewrite for $50—anything that fits a 13-inch laptop will fit the Alpha. (I tried using an old laptop case, but I couldn’t bear the reminder of the work laptop I’d carried in it for years.)

Before the Alpha, did you write with a laptop, a desktop computer, both, or neither?

Honestly, before I had the Alpha, I was on a writing dry streak for many months. So not only did the Alpha give me a different way to approach writing, but it also reignited my passion for writing itself. When I was in my last writing period, I mainly used my Mac desktop, but also did some freewriting by hand. I find the Alpha to be a perfect compromise between the two. The past few weeks, I’ve done virtually all my new writing on the Alpha, and all my editing on my Mac, so it’s an easy choice depending on whether I feel like creating new work or building on an existing piece.

What is the Alpha's battery life like, in your experience?

It came to me with about 67% battery, and I’ve never charged it. At this rate, it seems like I will only need to charge it every couple of months. In other words: amazing!

How do you get what you've written on the Alpha to a computer?

To send your work, the first thing you need to make sure is that your Alpha is connected to wi-fi at that moment. (The rest of the time, there is no need, as the Alpha has its own internal storage). Once you’re connected to wi-fi, it’s literally as easy as pressing the button that says “SEND” on it. Moments later, an email arrives in your inbox. The format of the email is plain text, and it comes with both a Word and a PDF attachment. The draft is also uploaded into Postbox, and there’s an option to upload it to your Google Drive, as well. So your draft goes to 3 separate places, and it’s stored on the Alpha itself. I haven’t had any issues whatsoever with this process.

What do you love about the Alpha?

It's the perfect distraction-free place for writing—I just have to remember to put my phone away. The keys feel like something between a computer keyboard and a typewriter: not too soft, but not too clunky. The text you've typed moves off the screen swiftly, so you're not tempted to read back and get wrapped up in how poor your phrasing is or how little structure there is to what you're writing. I like that it's a light device, and doesn't require any peripheral accessories (except for when you’re charging it, which as I said above, is a very rare occurrence). I love that it's not even connected to the internet except for the few seconds that it takes to send the email of a finished session's text.

When it comes to reading what I’ve written on my computer, I've been pleasantly surprised: As I’m writing, it all seems like a flow of nonsense, but every session has actually produced some bits I could shape into an essay or a newsletter issue.

What do you dislike about the Alpha?

There's a lot of room for improvement, actually. The first point is the price. I was lucky enough to get a used version from my community, but a new one will set you back $349. I feel like the $200 I paid is a more reasonable price point.

There is one significant improvement that has been made since the original model that I have, which is that the screen now has a backlight. Without that, I find that I have to turn on all the lights to see what I'm typing.

The other thing that's a bit lacking for me is the kickstand. I find that I need a steeper angle to prop the device up, so I use a pillow on my lap and a book on a table. Not a huge deal, but then why have a kickstand at all? An adjustable one would be ideal. And I do wish that it came with a case (especially for the full price).

Finally, there is a bit of an adjustment period for using the keys. There are lots of secret combinations that you have to learn, so I find myself Googling the instruction manual from time to time.

Photos by Jude.

Do you feel that you can focus more easily and/or avoid "self-editing" with the Alpha?

Yes, if only because trying to edit on it is super annoying! I occasionally switch out a word if it’s not too many lines above and it’s bothering me, but honestly even scrolling from line to line is such a chore that I almost never read anything back that I’ve written until it makes its way off the device and into my email.

Do you feel that the Alpha helped you see the creative process in a new way? If so, do you think you would have come to that realization without this device?

I think the Alpha has released me from feeling like I have to write specific things, thus freeing me up to write at random about whatever comes to mind. Previously I was writing in a structured way, and everyting I wrote had to involve themes that I wanted to include in my memoir, but it limited my creativity. Now I write about a broader range of themes and sometimes write on topics that are completely random and don't connect to the rest of my writing. I'm not sure I would have gained that freedom without this device.

As a person with ADHD, do you find that the Alpha helps mitigate ADHD-related obstacles?

Absolutely. I think it helps me enter into a state of flow, which is where you feel both competent and engaged.

If a friend told you they were struggling to focus on their writing and could afford the Alpha, would you recommend it to them? What tips would you give them, if they purchased it?

Absolutely—if it fits your budget, it’s a no-brainer! You’re going to want to bookmark this page so that you don’t have to memorize all those key combos right off the bat. Also, because the device can't remember multiple wi-fi credentials, connect it to your phone hotspot and turn on the hotspot to send the email. Then it doesn't matter whether you're at home or out and about.

Do you own a Freewrite device? If so, what do you think of it? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Also, if there are any bespoke creativity devices you’d like to see reviewed, drop the name below!