System 3 comes with all kinds of updates, including but not limited to viewing word counts (Ctrl+W), saving and opening files (Ctrl+N and Ctrl+F), and password protection.

I’ve been able to update all my Alphasmarts (both those running v1.3 as well as those running v1.6) to System 3.01 by following these steps:

  • Install VirtualBox on Windows 10
  • Launch a virtual machine using a Windows XP ISO file (you can find them online)
    • It will ask for a serial number, but you can just leave it blank each time it asks
  • Install Alphasmart Manager (ASM 2.3)
  • Launch ASM 2.3 and connect your device via USB
    • You will need to enable USB access in the virtual machine’s settings
  • Once the device is selected, go to the SmartApplets tab and select the applets you want
    • AlphaWord Plus is a must
    • Control Panel is a must
    • SpellCheck Small is recommended
    • Thesaurus Small is recommended
  • Next, head to the Settings tab and select System 3 in the left nav, make sure the Startup SmartApplet is set to AlphaWord Plus
    • Change any other settings you wish to change
  • Go to the Send List tab and if everything looks good, click Send.
  • Wait for your device to update, DO NOT DISCONNECT IT until the update is complete.