NEO 2 Quick Manual

QUICK GUIDE

NEO 2 and

SmartApplets

Contact Information

United States United Kingdom

Renaissance Learning
PO Box 8036
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8036

Technical questions or problems:

Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Web: www.alphasmart.com/support

Purchase AlphaSmart products,
general information, or sales
questions:

Online store: www.alphasmart.com
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Europe, Middle East, and Africa

Technical questions or problems:

Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Latest support information:

Web: www.alphasmart.eu/support
Select your country or region.

Purchase AlphaSmart products:

Web: www.alphasmart.com/international
(This URL also provides a list of resellers
and AlphaSmart contacts.)

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.)

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 [e-mail].

Latest support information:

Web: www.alphasmart.com/support
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 have purchased the NEO 2. 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 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 Computer, Inc., registered in the US and other countries.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Windows Vista is
either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

03/08 NEO2
510029A-0308

W

HAT’S IN THE

W HAT’ S IN THE NEO 2 KIT?

NEO 2 K

You’ll find these items in the NEO 2 kit:

• your NEO 2 laptop

• three AA batteries

• a standard USB cable for connecting NEO 2 to your computer or printer

• the AlphaSmart Manager installation CD

• the NEO and NEO 2 Documentation CD, which includes your manuals

•the NEO and NEO 2 User Manual

•the NEO 2 and SmartApplet Quick Guide

If you ordered a SmartOption Mobile Lab, you’ve also received the following:

IT

?

. . . . .

• the SmartOption Cart with NEO 2 laptops and AlphaHub

•the AlphaSmart Manager 2 User Manual

• a Renaissance Receiver with cable

•the 2Know! Toolbar installation CD

•the 2Know! Resource Guide

• the AccelTest software installation CD

• a USB IR Pod for infrared beaming between NEO 2 and a computer

• an AlphaBeam software CD (for infrared beaming)

• a keyboarding wall chart

• a NEO training CD

• a poster about taking Accelerated Reader quizzes on the NEO 2

1

A BOUT THE NEO 2

A

BOUT THE

. . . . .

NEO 2

The drawings below will help you identify the parts of your NEO 2:

C

A

B

E

A The NEO 2 screen.
B The keyboard. The top row includes keys that

are unique to NEO, including on/off, the eight
file keys, spell check, find, clear file, home, end,
applets, and send.

C The green light is on when your NEO 2 is

connected to a computer, to a SmartOption
Cart, or to an AC Adapter. If your NEO 2 has a
rechargeable battery pack, a green light means
the batteries are charged; amber means they
are being charged.

F

D

G

H

D The battery compartment cover.
E The connection point for the AC adapter cord

(for NEOs with the rechargeable battery pack).

F The IR port for infrared beaming between NEOs

or between NEO 2 and a computer.

G The port for connecting NEO 2 to a computer

using a standard USB cable.

H A USB port for connecting NEO 2 directly to a

USB printer.

2

I

NSTALLING

THE

B

ATTERIES

I NSTALLING THE BATTERIES

. . . . .

If you purchased the
rechargeable battery
pack, insert it instead

of the batteries and connect
the cable on the battery pack
to the matching cable next to
the NEO 2 battery
compartment. Then, connect
the AC adapter to your NEO 2
and plug it into an outlet as
soon as possible after
receiving the NEO 2. Charge
the unit for at least 16 hours
the first time; charge it 4–8
hours subsequent times. For
more information, see the

NEO and NEO 2 User
Manual.

Follow these steps to install the AA batteries:

1. On the back of the NEO 2, put your thumbs in the circles A and slide the

compartment cover toward the left to remove it from the NEO 2.

A

Note: After you install the batteries the first time, you may use a small
Phillips screw to secure the cover. If you do this, you will need to remove
the screw to open the cover the next time you install batteries.

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 three AA batteries into the compartment. Make sure the + end
of each battery points toward the black and red cables.

A

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.

3

S TARTING THE NEO 2

S

TARTING

THE

. . . . .

NEO 2

To start the NEO 2, press the on/off key in the upper-left corner of the
keyboard. The NEO 2 will start AlphaWord Plus, and you can begin typing
immediately in the open file if you wish.

Notice that you have eight files available to type text in; to switch between
files, press one of the file keys (file 1, file 2, etc.). You can also save and name
files on your NEO 2. For more information, see the NEO and NEO 2 User
Manual.

NEO 2 shuts down automatically to save battery power if you don’t use it for a
certain amount of time. The default time is 4 minutes, but you can change it
by pressing option-z-T or using the Idle Time System setting in AlphaSmart
Manager.

I

NSTALLING

The Renaissance
Wireless Server

Utility is
automatically installed with
AlphaSmart Manager. This

utility allows your
Renaissance Receiver to
communicate with
Responders and NEO 2 as
well as the AccelTest,
Accelerated Math RP,
Accelerated Reader RP, or
2Know! Toolbar software. It
also allows wireless RF
printing from NEO 2.

A

LPHASMART

AlphaSmart Manager helps your computer work with NEO 2. It lets you do
the following:

• Get files from your NEO 2 so you can view them, save them, and/or print
them.

• Send files from your computer to your NEO 2. Files may include lessons,
instructions, or just text files that you want to work in on the NEO 2.

• View reports about student work in KeyWords on the NEO 2 and
synchronize the data with Renaissance Place. (For more about KeyWords,
see page 19.)

• Install or remove SmartApplet programs from your NEO 2.

• Change settings for your NEO 2 or one of the SmartApplets on the NEO 2.

• View the items you’re about to send to the NEOs and select the ones to send
them to.

For more information about AlphaSmart Manager, see the AlphaSmart
Manager 2 User Manual on your NEO and NEO 2 Documentation CD.

M

ANAGER

4

I NSTALLING ALPHAS MART MANAGER

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Windows Computers

. . . . .

To install AlphaSmart Manager, follow the steps for your type of computer.
Make sure your computer is running Windows 2000, XP, or Vista or
Macintosh OS 10.3.9, 10.4.x, or 10.5.x. Make sure you’re logged in as the
administrator or that you have administrator privileges when you install the
software and the first time you connect the AlphaHub (lab) to your computer
so that the drivers are loaded properly.

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Windows Computers

1. Insert the AlphaSmart Manager CD into your computer. If a window

doesn’t open to show you the contents of the CD, view the contents using
My Computer or Windows Explorer.

2. Double-click the setup.exe file.

3. Click Next > in the first panel of the installation wizard.

4. Read the license agreement. Then, click the first option to accept the

terms and click Next >.

5. The program will ask if you want to search for configuration files from

previous versions of AlphaSmart Manager.

• If this is the first time you’ve installed the program, click No.

• If you have a previous version and you want to save your

configuration, click Yes . If the program can’t find the files, you may
need to browse for them yourself.

6. On the final panel of the wizard, check the box if you want to read the

Read Me file as soon as the installer closes. Then, click Finish.

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Macintosh Computers

1. Insert the AlphaSmart Manager CD into your computer.

2. Double-click AlphaSmart Manager Installer on the CD.

3. Enter your user name and password for this computer when the installer

asks you to do so. Then, click OK.

4. Click Continue.

5. Read the license agreement; then, click Continue. Click Agree when the

program asks if you want to agree to the license agreement.

6. Click Install. The installation will start.

7. The installer will notify you that no other programs can be running during

installation. Click Continue to close other programs and continue.

8. The installer will also notify you that it may automatically restart your

computer after installation. Click OK.

5

C ONNECTING NEO 2 TO YOUR COMPUTER

Connecting a Single NEO 2 to Your Computer

9. The program will ask if you want to search for configuration files from

previous versions of AlphaSmart Manager.

• If this is the first time you’ve installed the program, click No.

• If you have a previous version and you want to save your

configuration, click Yes . If the program can’t find the files, you may
need to browse for them yourself.

10. The installer will also ask if you want to add the program to the dock. Click

Yes or No. The installation will be completed. Your computer may be

restarted.

C

ONNECTING

NEO 2

TO

Y

OUR

C

OMPUTER

. . . . .

Connecting a Single NEO 2 to Your Computer

1. If this is the first time you have connected your computer to NEO 2, make

sure you are logged in as an administrator or that you have permissions
that allow the device drivers to load properly.

On Windows XP
computers, you may

be notified that the
driver is not certified for
Windows XP. The driver will
work for your system; to go on,
click Continue Anyway.

2. Using the cable that came with NEO 2, connect the USB connector
your computer, and connect the square end

B

A

C

3. The first time you connect your NEO 2 to a Windows computer, the
computer may notify you that it has found the hardware and installed the
driver. If a hardware wizard appears, follow the instructions in the wizard.

B to your NEO 2 at C.

A to

6

S ETTING UP A RENAISSANCE RECEIVER

Connecting Multiple NEO 2 Laptops Using a SmartOption Mobile Lab

. . . . .

Connecting Multiple NEO 2 Laptops Using a SmartOption
Mobile Lab

After installing AlphaSmart Manager, follow the SmartOption Mobile Lab
Setup instructions to connect the cart of NEO 2 laptops to your computer

using AlphaHub.

S

ETTING

How to Connect a Renaissance Receiver to Your

UP A R

ENAISSANCE

R

ECEIVER

Computer

If you have received or purchased a Renaissance Receiver, follow these steps
to connect it to your computer. Make sure you install AlphaSmart Manager

before connecting the Renaissance Receiver.

1. Find the Renaissance Receiver and the USB data cable.

2. Plug the end of the data cable that

is nearly square into the connector
on the back of the Receiver

3. Connect the flat USB connector on
the data cable B to a matching USB port
on your computer.

A.

A

B

A

7

S ETTING UP A RENAISSANCE RECEIVER

How to Name the Receiver

How to Name the Receiver

It’s important to set a name for the computer/Receiver combination so that
students know they’re connecting to the right Receiver when they use NEO 2

The Renaissance
Wireless Server

Utility is
automatically installed with
AlphaSmart Manager. Make

sure you’ve installed
AlphaSmart Manager before
you follow these steps.

for quizzes or assignments. This is especially important if your school has
more than one Renaissance Receiver. Follow these steps:

1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility:

• Windows computers: Right-click in the lower-right corner of your

computer screen (the system tray) and choose Manage from the
menu that appears. If you don’t see this icon in your system tray, click

Start or  Programs (or All Programs)  Renaissance
Wireless Server  Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

• Macintosh computers: In your computer’s Applications folder, open

the Renaissance Wireless Server folder. Then, double-click

Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

2. Type 1234 and click OK to log in. (This is the default Administrator PIN. If
you have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.) If necessary, click Start.

3. Click the Server Settings tab.

4. In the Network Name field, enter a new name for the Renaissance

Receiver. (Make sure the name is different from names used for your
other Renaissance Receivers.)

5. Click Update Network Settings.

6. Click OK when the program finishes updating network settings. Make

sure that any students who will be using NEO 2 or Responders to
complete quizzes or assignments know which Receiver name to connect
to.

. . . . .

8